Scholar Stories: Vasquez Draws Inspiration from Family in Choosing Engineering Path
10/11/2023 12:34:00 PM | Men's Soccer, Features
Continuing the series that began in 2016-17, each Wednesday MGoBlue.com will highlight a Michigan student-athlete and their academic pursuits. These are our Scholar-Athlete Stories, presented by Absopure.
By Matthew Wellman
From a young age, University of Michigan men's soccer senior midfielder Simon Vasquez was taught to persevere and remain determined through hardship. His parents came to the United States from Colombia just four months before he was born with very little and had to work hard to build a life for themselves and their two sons.
With them, they brought a love for soccer and had him kicking a ball at the age of 3. They also brought a determination to reach goals that have stuck with him.
"They have taught me that hard work and setting your mind to the highest goals allows you to do everything you want," Vasquez said. "I can't do anything without the support of my family and friends. Everything I do is to make them proud and they're the reason I work so hard."
When it came time to choose a university to attend, Vasquez valued the balance between academics and athletics that the Michigan offered. The culture and love for the school stood out to him and is a big reason why he chose U-M.
Once here he decided to study industrial and operational engineering due to his brother, who has always been an inspiration to him, being an energy engineer at rival Big Ten school Penn State.
"My brother and I have always been very close, and I look up to him in every aspect of life," Vasquez said. "We have a great relationship and I like to call him before or after games because he knows how to motivate me. We used to play soccer together all the time in our backyard, so has played a big role in my development as a soccer player and as a person."
While managing the balance between school and soccer can be difficult, Vasquez said that it has allowed him to stay organized over the past four years.
"Keeping a fine balance between athletics and academics is something that is really difficult, but I enjoy it because it always keeps me on my feet," Vasquez said. "It makes me remain organized and doesn't allow me to fall behind."
In the future, Vasquez is excited to find a job that encompasses his major. He is open to the many different fields that are available, more specifically, he will be searching for a career in the manufacturing industry and in supply-chain operations to design, optimize and manage our everyday lives. He chose his major because it is a good mix between engineering and business and will allow him to have an array of opportunities in his postgraduate career.
On the field, the Academic All-Big Ten honoree has made more than 30 appearances and has logged more than 1,500 minutes for Michigan. In his time, Vasquez has been proud to be a Wolverine.
"Putting on the jersey with the block M is the proudest thing I have ever been a part of," Vasquez said. "Being able to represent the school and represent the culture is something that I am beyond thankful for."
Vasquez remains passionate about the balance between athletics and academics, even if it is difficult. Through the past four years, he has remained hard-working as he manages his difficult class schedule on top of his intense soccer and travel schedules.
Outside of the student-athlete balance, Vasquez enjoys fishing in his hometown of Weston. Fla., just outside of Miami. He knows that he has to maintain a balance between the hard work and enjoying the life he is building.
"It is really important because if things are going wrong, you can't put your head down and give up," he said. "And if everything is going right, you can't get cocky and stop working hard. You must remain balanced and keep a level head."
