Having grown up with a strictly Hispanic background in Inglewood, Calif., junior Edward Alonzo had a dramatically different education than most Biola students.
He is the first member of his family to attend college and is doing everything he can to make the most of the opportunity.

“I decided to go to college because I wanted to give back to my family, and this is one of the best things I could do,” Alonzo said.

Alonzo came to Biola with enthusiasm and determination, but his journey has not been an easy one. Growing up he attended a school with primarily black and Hispanic peers — and had never been in a classroom with a white person until Biola, where whites, Asians, and many other races make up a cultural melting pot. This was an entirely new experience for him, and inspired culture shock.

Learning differently

Alonzo also had to adapt to new methods of learning. In high school, his teachers focused more on hands-on lessons, teaching students material they could relate to real life situations. When Alonzo came to Biola, he was astonished by the substantial use of Power Point and lecture formats. He found this difficult, but still works hard to excel in the classroom.

The Bible classes at Biola also proved challenging. Being from a Hispanic background, Alonzo had always attended Spanish-speaking churches. He recalls going into his first Bible class and having difficulty understanding what was going on.

“I knew all of the Bible characters’ names in Spanish, but I had to figure out who they were talking about in English,” he said.

Praying in another language

Alonzo also had to learn how to pray in English. He had only ever prayed in Spanish, so even hearing others pray in a different language was a new experience for him.
As Alonzo struggled with adjusting to the language, he also learned to integrate his culture into the culture of worship at Biola.

Even with all of the challenges that he has encountered at Biola, Alonzo does not regret any of it and still possesses the passion that brought him here two years ago. He says that he has learned a great deal about himself as well as about others.

“The biggest lesson I’ve learned, as well as the biggest struggle I’ve overcome, is that we don’t all have the same backgrounds — but we need to learn to love each other with the same love that God loves us,” he said.

The Jesus Mural and stereotypes

A topic of debate on campus has been the Jesus Mural. He did not have a problem with the mural personally, but after listening to others’ perspectives, he began to ask questions. This led him to realize that he sees Jesus a certain way, but that does not mean others cannot view him in a different way.

Alonzo has also learned the importance of looking past stereotypes.

“Growing up in Inglewood, there is a stereotype that you come from crime, gangs and drugs, and sometimes people react to that stereotype differently,” he said.
He believes that this stereotype is directly related to how the media portrays urban areas, and he explains that it’s not as bad as people think.

Cultural integration

Learning to adjust to life at Biola has not always been easy, but Alonzo has learned a lot about himself through interactions with different kinds of people. He has adjusted to a different learning environment and learned to incorporate his Spanish culture into the Bible curriculum at Biola.

“I’ve enjoyed it, and I’ve experienced so much growth here, I wouldn’t take it back for anything,” he said.