Emma Kelsey – Staff Writer

This week’s Gustie of the Week is Senior Anthony Hernandez, a Spanish and psychology double major. He is involved in the Gustavus Wind Symphony, where he plays the saxophone, as well as OLAS (Organization for Latinx American students), and he works at the Lund Center. His favorite space on campus? The information desk.

Senior Jay Baldus met Hernandez while they were training for their on-campus jobs in the Lund Center. They soon became friends, discovering that they shared interests and had similar personalities. “Everyone loves Anthony…he is just such a nice and great friend,” Baldus said. 

Baldus shares that it is Hernandez’s positive attitude that stands out the most to him. “Every time I or someone else is talking to him, I always see a big smile on his or the other person’s face. Anthony lights up every room he walks into, which is something that I greatly admire about him,” Baldus said. 

Faculty member Maria Kalbermatten, Associate Professor in Spanish, LALACS, and Modern Languages, Literature, and Cultures has known Hernandez for two years now as a student in her Spanish 102 and Spanish 250 courses, and as his advisor for his Spanish major. Kalbermatten speaks highly of Hernandez as a student and a Gustie. She describes him as warm, friendly, personable, mature, responsible, reliable, and someone who connects well with his classmates. 

Kalbermatten shares that Hernandez has shown extraordinary devotion and efforts to connect with his Hispanic roots. “When Anthony took my Spanish 102 class, he expressed his desire to become fluent in Spanish to be able to communicate with his relatives in México. At that time, I was so impressed by his strong determination to do a major in Spanish when he was just taking a low-level class in the language.”

To major in Spanish, Hernandez had to take Spanish classes during the summer in order to fit all the required courses into his four-year schedule. Hernandez is now taking an advanced-level Spanish class with Kalbermatten. “I’m impressed how much his proficiency level in the language has grown. His classmates are impressed as well, and he has inspired many of them to also be more interested in their own family backgrounds,” Kalbermatten said.

For his senior year, Hernandez is excited to put on an amazing Latinx Night, an OLAS event, and plans to continue his education after graduating from Gustavus by going on to get a master’s degree.