Winding Journey Leads Argentine to LCCC

Sometimes your educational journey doesn’t take a traditional pathway— for Santiago Lovisolo, his winding journey started outside of Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Santiago Lovisolo standing in front of a map, next to a compass and below an airplane with the words Winding Journey

Thanks to a Rotary Youth exchange program, Lovisolo was able to attend high school in Cheyenne.

His experience in Wyoming was a good one, so much so that he returned to the state for college. With the encouragement of George McIlvaine,
a member of Cheyenne Rotary and the LCCC Foundation board of directors, Santiago applied for scholarships, registered for classes and began his higher education journey at Laramie County Community College.

Attending LCCC from August 2009 through May 2013, Lovisolo graduated with an Associate of Arts degree with a specialization in international studies.

“I had great teachers, and I learned something from all of them. They helped me develop my professional personality. I have used what I learned at LCCC every day of my life,” Lovisolo said.

Being a Golden Eagle was the complete experience for Santiago, “I really enjoyed the everyday life at LCCC, and have great memories.”

The complete college experience included attending classes, studying, spending time with friends in the dorms, climbing the rock wall in the gym and working on campus in student services. But the experience was so much more, it was an immersion into a new culture.

Lovisolo’s time at LCCC allowed him to grow, through campus engagement with Phi Theta Kappa and as a resident assistant in the residence halls.

“I was able to meet a lot of people from different backgrounds. LCCC broadened my mind and helped me believe that I could achieve whatever I put my mind to, if I worked hard enough,” he said.

The foundation of experiences and education provided by LCCC put Lovisolo on a path of success going forward. After receiving his degree from LCCC, Santiago attended the University of Wyoming, receiving a Bachelor of Science in international studies and a master’s in business administration, while also acquiring his pilot’s license through the Laramie Flying Club.

Since completing his education, Lovisolo spent time working in the corporate sector before he fully committed to a career in aviation two years ago. Santiago is a pilot for a company that services contracts for both Google and the government. He is continuing to pursue a career in the airline industry.

“I think about LCCC all the time, and I really miss my years there,” Lovisolo said.