College of Education and Human Development alumnus, Peter Aguilar, EDU '85, was driven to a career in healthcare by his passion for helping others. He currently serves as vice president of support service at New York University Langone Health.
He says his drive to help people has been a part of him since he was young. "All of my life I have had empathy toward others. Within healthcare, I find that placing the patient at the center of everything you do, fulfills my purpose," said Aguilar.
Aguilar's work requires laser focus and high organizational skills as he orchestrates support for clinical and non-clinical functions within the hospital's network. He attributes much of his current success to his time at Temple.
"[Temple] has essentially helped me overcome obstacles and provided me with confidence to perform beyond what I may have thought was possible. To say it simply, my Temple education provided me with a roadmap and shaped my identity as a transformational leader of people."
In addition to being an education alumnus, Aguilar is a former Temple athlete. He says the balance of sports and school honed his skills and helped him develop a strong work ethic.
Aguilar's time as a student athlete taught him the importance of Temple's motto: perseverance conquers.
"The requirements of a student athlete are tremendous from a physical, mental and social perspective. By going through this experience, it has allowed me to possess resiliency in the administration of my duties and with juggling multifaceted tasks."
Of all the success and achievements Aguilar has celebrated throughout his life and career, none stand out as much as the birth of his son, which for him, is his life's greatest accomplishment.
"The birth of my son and becoming a father in every sense of the word has to be an accomplishment that stands above them all. I take great pride in serving as a father and now grandfather. It's a responsibility that I cherish and take seriously with an abundance of pride."
Aguilar's advice to current students is to seek out passion with vigor. He believes if you are passionate about the work you do you will find success.
"The second thing I would share is that ease is the greatest threat to success. If something becomes easy and does not inspire you, you must make a change and challenge yourself. Always have the pulse of what is going on around you on all levels and not just your own," said Aguilar.