Luis Liriano Perez

"Understanding starts with asking internal and external questions. Asking questions leads to information that will often encourage and inform necessary actions."

Luis Liriano Perez always strives to understand his surroundings and he found his courses in Environmental Science and International Affairs deepened this pursuit. Luis chose Rutgers University-Newark (RU-N) after attending open house college days at Passaic High School. He wanted to study at a research university, and when he visited the RU-N campus he felt comfortable and says, “I was aware of the metropolitan noise of the city, but Rutgers felt like an oasis because of the greening.”

Luis says learning to be clear about what he needs to succeed, a skill he developed with help from a teacher at Passaic High School, has been key to all his achievements. He encourages students starting their college careers to define for themselves what success means, take advantage of resources, and learn to advocate for themselves and others. Taking advantage of resources played a significant role in Luis’ academic journey. When his classes were abruptly shifted online because of COVID restrictions. Luis sought support from the University’s Counseling Center and describes the help he received as “sees this as a significant part of his academic journey. He notes that improving his writing helped him succeed in many of his classes. Now, often asked by friends for help with their writing assignments, he is happy to share what he has learned. 

Luis notes that often we cannot accomplish things on our own, we need to work with others. And he sees this clearly in his study of environment science and international affairs as environmental laws and practices worldwide hold the power to make necessary changes, as the problems we have with the environment cannot be solved by individuals alone. “In order to mitigate environmental issues, we have to take responsibility as individuals and as a society.” 

Luis credits his mother, aunt, and grandmother for the sacrifices they made to collaboratively raise Luis and his sister and for building opportunities for a better future in their family journey from Dominican Republic to the United States. Listening to and learning from them, Luis came to understand, at an early age, the importance of shared values. He extends the adage that two heads are better than one saying inviting diverse viewpoints and numerous ideas is the best way to solve problems. He continues to seek out ideas and perspectives from others and believes inclusion must play a large part in working toward a just and equitable society.