Editor’s note: This story first appeared in the University Advancement Fall 2025 Donor Impact Report, whose theme is “Thank you for believing in me.”
From city streets to remote villages to company boardrooms, Juan Davila ’26 is exploring how finance, service, and environment shape stronger communities.
Davila grew up in Worcester and has always been fascinated by cities. “The lights, the opportunity—all of it,” he said. When he arrived at Worcester State and took his first class in the Urban Studies Department, that interest only deepened. Today, urban studies is one of a wide range of subjects Davila has explored on campus—and far beyond.
Davila is a business administration major with a concentration in finance. He also has two minors, in urban studies and economics. Beyond those areas of focus, he’s studied biology too, through a course with Professor Sebastián Vélez that included a week of fieldwork and service work in remote Pedernales, Dominican Republic.
“All of the beautiful biodiversity in Pedernales is being threatened,” Davila said. He wanted to learn more about how to protect it.
Pedernales is in the southwestern corner of the Dominican Republic, on the border with Haiti. By car, the capital city of Santo Domingo and the closest international airport are more than four hours away. In other words, it’s in many ways the opposite of a major urban area.
“It was awesome,” Davila said of the spring break travel experience. “We visited villages and donated food. We got to interact with people who didn’t have phones or other modern technology. Coming back from the trip, my eyes were opened.”
For Davila, the trip expanded his horizons not only academically but also personally. “I’m Puerto Rican and Colombian,” he said. “I don’t really speak Spanish, but while in the Dominican Republic, I did. I felt connected with the people.”
The Maureen Power Service Award, the Sheehan Fund, and the Santander Fund all helped pay for his travel. “I figured, I’m going to the Dominican Republic, where the environment is very different from Worcester—and all I know is Worcester—so that’s what my application was about: changing my environment by exposing myself to that area,” he said.
Davila scheduled a meeting with his advisor sophomore year to make sure he had room in his course schedule to take the Pedernales class. He was surprised when that meeting led him to be referred to another donor-funded program, the Adopt-a-Scholar initiative.
Craig A. Bovaird ’77, a pioneer in the field of plastics molding and former chair of the Worcester State Foundation, “adopted” Davila, providing funding that helped Davila purchase books and other course materials.
Davila chose his major for its practical application. He’s taken courses across the business curriculum and is now planning for a career in business consulting. “I realized that finance was a good concentration for consulting,” Davila said. Paired with his two minors, Davila said his goal is to support the development of both businesses and individuals.
In addition to his courses, he’s held internships with tax and mortgage companies—opportunities he discovered by attending career fairs hosted by the Career Development Center on campus. And now, he’s working in sales with Hilton Grand Vacations.
“A theme across my business classes is accountability,” he said. “To me, everyone is a business, and you do whatever is best for your company. You want to grow and be strong, so that all of your experiences are investments in yourself. The trip, the schooling—I am just trying to do the best I can for myself and for the people around me.”
Donor Support: Adopt-a-Scholar, Maureen Power Service Award, Santander Fund, Sheehan Fund
Adopt-a-Scholar matches students with donors who provide both financial assistance and mentorship. This kind of consistent, meaningful support increases student retention and enables relationships that can continue long after graduation. Davila was matched with engineer and entrepreneur Craig A. Bovaird ’77.
The service award, established by Professor Emerita Maureen Power, helps make it possible for Urban Studies students to participate in service-related projects. The Sheehan Fund and the Santander Fund each provide need-based scholarships for students to study abroad.
“Receiving scholarship support throughout my time at Worcester State has meant the world to me and has fueled my passion for the pursuit of knowledge,” Davila said. “There is no better feeling than knowing that there are caring people watching over me and lending their support on my journey.”
Top Photo: From left to right: Associate Professor and Chair of Urban Studies Adam Saltsman presents Juan Davila ’26 with the Maureen Power Service Award. Photo by Veronica Jay.
Achievers
Political Science and Urban Studies major Alex Ortiz Colon ’27 named Newman Civic Fellow
Worcester State junior political science and urban studies double major Alex Ortiz Colon has been awarded a 2025–2026 Newman Civic Fellowship by Campus Compact, a national coalition of colleges and . . .