Humanitarian plans to join entrepreneurship and philanthropy.

Three hundred children wait for treats in Mombacho.

“The more you give to others, the more you get back—not materially but spiritually,” said Christian Jarquin (BBA ’06), whose eyes were opened to the value of volunteering at fourteen when he began a four-year volunteer stint at Cedars Medical Center in Miami. “You wake up every morning and feel that you are alive and have contributed something to the world.”

Since that youthful experience, this magna cum laude graduate in International Business Honors, who transferred from Miami Dade College to Florida International University and the Honors College on a Presidential Scholarship, has:

• worked on Habit for Humanity projects
• spoken at conventions about the importance of non-violence
• participated in the College of Business Administration’s first Global Leadership and Service Project (GLSP)–Bangkok
• co-led the GLSP “Nicaragua December of Dreams I”
• begun to lead the second GLSP to Nicaragua, including making media appearances to generate support for fundraising efforts and garnering further support from TACA Airlines
• caught the attention of Tony Lesesne, chair of Lesesne Media Group, a multimedia entertainment company and publisher of In Focus magazine, through their mutual involvement with Inroads, a non-profit that provides leadership training, access, and interns to corporate America
• become a U.S. citizen

Nicaragua December of Dreams touches hearts in both countries.

Christian Jarquin presents a computer to orphans.

One of Jarquin’s most ambitious undertakings was last year’s “Nicaragua December of Dreams I.”

“When I visited my native Nicaragua, I saw that the children had no school supplies, no shoes, and no hope,” Jarquin said. “I was working on other projects, but when a friend asked me what I was doing for Nicaragua, I decided to use my community service interests and business skills to gather individuals and the media to make a difference.”

After months of raising funds and awareness, two teams of students went to Nicaragua in December, 2005. Jarquin led the twelve-person Team Granada, which spent twelve-hour days distributing items to three orphanages, two schools, and various slums.

“We conducted some English lessons, had sing-alongs and dancing, played with piñatas, and handed out cookies,” Jarquin said. “Mainly, we focused on passing out the first toys, shoes, and school supplies these children had ever had, and on meeting with the directors of orphanages, nuns, and the children of the streets. We also met the archbishop of Granada.”

The results exceeded his expectations.

Christian Jarquin poses with kids and their new toys.

“On paper, we thought we would touch the lives of 1,350 kids, but it was 1,500. In one school, Escuela Miravalle, 300 children were packed inside a classroom waiting to get their donations and there were lines everywhere we went.”

Although he enjoys leading December of Dreams II, he looks forward to transferring the leadership of the Nicaragua GLSP to others and to “teaching them based on the mistakes I made, so they can make better use of their time and make better decisions. For example, I learned that, as a leader, I need to be more empowering by letting others do more, form more of the vision, and take ownership of the project. I also learned that it’s okay to make mistakes. You have to learn from them and move on.”

Entrepreneur mentors Jarquin.

“Jarquin participated in Inroads and I found him to be very bright, sharp, and mature,” said entrepreneur Tony Lesesne, who took an early interest in Jarquin and continues to mentor him. “He landed an internship with Western Union’s Latin American and Caribbean markets out of Hollywood, FL, and performed very well. I saw that he is one of those people who can do more with what you give him.”

Participants in the December of Dreams survey the supplies destined for distribution in Nicaragua.

Like Jarquin, Lesesne feels a responsibility to others.

“When you run across someone with talent, intelligence, drive, and maturity, you have to do whatever you can,” he said. “I see myself as a coach, as someone young people can talk to about areas of growth for their personal well-being and happiness, as well as for their career decisions.”

Nicaragua GLSP opens ears as well as eyes.

An expected awakening occurred for Jarquin during the first Nicaragua GLSP. Jean Quinn, an aspiring opera singer who recently graduated from the University of Miami, joined the group.

“I saw the students’ booth at a youth fair and knew I wanted to go on the trip,” said Quinn, who was born in Nicaragua and had always wanted to do something philanthropic for her native country. “It’s very hard to do something on your own, so I jumped at this opportunity.”

Jean Quinn

The children at each site the group visited were so excited that Quinn would sing to calm them down.

“I sang songs that little kids like and the national anthem,” she said. “Others in the group helped with gestures in songs like ‘The Hokey Pokey.’”

Her voice captivated Jarquin, and he has added opera to his list of interests.

“Thanks to what she taught me, I consider myself a fan now,” he said.

Charitable work signals Jarquin’s leadership capabilities.

In the future, Jarquin, who currently works full time in the audit department of Bank United, wants to earn a Harvard MBA and then run his own company.

“It will be service-related because I love to interact with people and administer them,” he said. “As an entrepreneur, I also will be a philanthropist.”

Lesesne anticipates a bright future for Jarquin.

“I see him as a leader, at the upper echelon of a company,” he said. “He has proven his abilities through his charitable and volunteer work.”

To get involved in December of Dreams II as a participant, fundraiser, or sponsor, contact Jarquin at christianjarquin@yahoo.com or 786-426-9323. To learn more about Inroads, visit www.inroads.org. To read about the first December of Dreams, check out the story at http://business.fiu.edu/newsletters/bizbuzz/v03n01/22.htm.