Kevin E. Mendiola, who is majoring in Spanish with a minor in communication at Eastern New Mexico University, dreams of being a media planner for a large company. His goals are to "learn from others and eventually start my own company." Another dream Kevin has is to obtain barber licensure and cut hair part-time.
Kevin has been very involved during his time at ENMU, working for several departments, including Academic Affairs, Sodexo and the Office of Housing and Dining. "I want to thank my managers who made my experience incredible: Melissa Sena, Michael Visconti and Justin at Sodexo," he says.
He adds, "I would also like to thank my Spanish advisor Ms. Gloria Jurado, who is always positive and eager to learn, Mrs. Diana Cordova, who is always excited to help others, and lastly, Mr. Troy Banther, who is easily one of the best public speaking instructors that I have ever encountered."
Kevin states that his favorite course at ENMU so far was Public Speaking with Mr. Banther. "If any student can take that class, I recommend it 100 percent," explains Kevin. "This class had many great parts about it, but the one thing that stood out the most was how no one would get judged on their opinion on a subject."
The Spanish major enjoys many facets of life as a Greyhound, including the "privilege of meeting new people and learning new skills every day." Kevin chose to attend because "ENMU is a reliable school that always helps students. Also, it had an affordable price for a four-year institution, unlike D1 universities."
His favorite places on campus are Eddy Hall, where he met many of his friends, and the Golden Student Success Center, where he works with friends on homework or projects.
Kevin chose to major in Spanish because it is a "very interesting subject not just in language but also in history. It is spoken in 21 countries, which includes the United States."
He offers the following advice to students interested in pursuing a degree in his field of study: "Have fun; if you believe this field is what's going to make you happy, embrace it, tell everyone why you love it and the future plans you have with it."
Kevin was born in Fort Worth, Texas, and raised in Hobbs, New Mexico. He has six siblings. His mother, Carmen Coss, is a nutritionist, and his father, Reydecel Coss, Sr., owns a fencing company.
His hobbies include reading and watching films, especially if they involve Christopher Nolan, Quentin Tarantino and Martin Scorsese. He also collects memorabilia items. He shares, "One of the most interesting items I have so far is a shirt signed by R&B singer Khalid, who I had the privilege of meeting. I also have items such as Yeezys and signed The Weeknd posters."
