Miguel Ayllon flew from Lima, Peru, to the U.S. 14 years ago with a dream of pursuing educational opportunities.

Ayllon, international outreach coordinator for the College of Engineering, said life in Peru gave him the foundation to live his life with meaning and purpose. He said it prepared him for his journey as a U.S. citizen.

Earlier this month, Ayllon wrote about his experiences as a Latino in Columbia for the [Columbia Missourian](http://www.columbiamissourian.com/a/166459/from-readers-reflections-of-a-latino-during-hispanic-heritage-month/). He discussed what it’s like to work in the city, as well as his family’s impact on his life.

“My grandfather was a congressman for 30 years in Peru and brought many contributions to Peruvian higher education,” Ayllon said. “Following the legacy of my grandfather, my dream is to someday get involved in public service with an expertise in higher education.”

After he came to the U.S., Ayllon studied at a high school in Georgia, received degrees in business and communications from Bryan College and pursued his master’s degree at East Tennessee State University.

As a Latino, Ayllon said he has encountered various cultural differences and challenges since he came to the U.S., such as pace of life, family dynamics and perspectives about individualism and collectivism.

“In the U.S. or West, you are encouraged to think about yourself, but back home the culture is geared more towards sharing life with others,” Ayllon said. “I think (individualism) is good to an extent, but we need to realize that life is meant to be shared. You can find more meaning and live a fuller life when you share with others.”

Ayllon said Columbia is a special place — an international hub for research and exchange.

“I watched a movie about Peru made by a Swedish filmmaker (several years ago),” Ayllon said. “After the movie, we were able to speak Spanish. I think that is just a little glimpse of all the cross-cultural and international exchanges that occur in Columbia.”

In 2009, Ayllon became the president of the MU Voz Latina, an organization for Latino faculty and students. He said he spent about three years learning the history of the organization, meeting all the past leaders and learning about MU’s culture to understand how the organization was created and where it was going.

The organization aims to be inclusive, while creating leadership and serving the Latino community, Ayllon said.

“We encourage faculty, staff and service employees to worked together and be unified,” Ayllon said. “We are the Latino voices. Voices are powerful. With voices, you can express yourself, share ideas and create new things.”

Ayllon said he has high hopes for MU Voz Latina.

“It’s a very exciting time,” Ayllon said. “It’s time for growing, planning and commitment. I believe in the near future, we’ll have bigger influence in the campus. ”

Nadege Uwase, executive assistant for MU’s Chancellor Diversity Initiative, said Ayllon has a positive influence on the MU Latino community.

Hannia Burke-Aguero, vice-president of MU Voz Latina, is impressed by Ayllon’s leadership and hard work.

“Miguel is smart, charismatic, and is a capable visionary,” Burke-Aguero said. “He embodies Voz Latina’s goal to empower the Latino community of the University of Missouri and Columbia to lead and achieve academic, professional and personal success. I am very proud to work for Voz Latina alongside Miguel. I have learned a lot from him.”

During the last 14 years in the U.S., Ayllon said he has learned gratitude and appreciation for diversity and social justice. Amazed by the diversity, Ayllon said he looks at life with a bigger lens.

“I have learned to think outside the box, to generate ideas and to find opportunities to serve,” Ayllon said.

With study and working experiences in three different academic institutions in the U.S., including private, regional and land grant research institutions, Ayllon hopes to go back home some day and create a college.

“I dream to create a world-class university in Peru that gives college access to people living in poverty and equips community leaders for public service,” Ayllon said.