Christian Canizales (’20) is working with Arkansas State University as a Student Development Specialist for Central Arkansas.
Canizales, an ASU graduate and current doctoral degree candidate, is responsible for informing high school students and their families about the academic, professional, and personal opportunities available to them at Arkansas State University. He answers questions and assists incoming students and their families in the transition from high school to college.
“I was drawn to the position out of a personal obligation to give back to one of the universities that fostered extensive personal and professional growth for me, therefore laying a foundation for my success at the UACS,” Canizales said. “I am most looking forward to engaging with incoming students and sharing with them the many ways in which they can take full advantage of their time at Arkansas State.”
Canizales earned his degree in in world languages and cultures from ASU and is currently pursuing his Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership at the university.
A native of Jonesboro, Ark., Canizales was heavily involved in student leadership and student-led organizations as an undergraduate. He served as president of the ASU Multicultural Center Ambassadors and was the social media manager for the Hispanic Outreach Latino Appreciation Club at ASU.
“It’s fulfilling to see new students engage and thrive in those same spaces,” he said.
As a Clinton School student, Canizales’ field service efforts impacted organizations and communities ranging from a rural school district in northeastern Arkansas to an education-based nonprofit in Arequipa, Peru.
As a first-year student, Canizales was part of a team that conducted an analysis of the community-school partnership between Every Child is Ours and the Tuckerman School District and created an impact report filled with stories, statistics, quotes, and pictures to tell the story of the nonprofit’s work.
As part of his International Public Service Project, Canizales created a monitoring and evaluation framework for Helping Overcome Obstacles Peru’s (HOOP) Children’s English School, a program that offers free after-school English classes to any student in the Flora Tristan community.
Most recently, Canizales’ final Capstone project saw him conduct a needs assessment for the Memphis-based Refugee Empowerment Program, an operational ministry with a focus on local refugee and immigrant communities that offers high-quality programs and services that encourage, education, and equip individuals, families, and the local community.
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