MILWAUKEE — Vince Salvador will walk across the graduation stage at Fiserv Forum for Marquette University on Saturday, completing a journey that began more than 7,000 miles away in Saipan.
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Salvador, who was born and raised on the small Pacific island of less than 50,000 people just north of Guam, will receive his degree in civil engineering.
Most days, you can find Salvador in the basement lab of Marquette's Engineering Hall, working on projects that simulate real-world challenges.
But he always keeps his home on his mind.
"You'll see the most crystal clear waters than you'll ever see in your life, the sand is very white in most of the beaches," Salvador said of his island home.
WATCH: Saipan student's 7,000-mile journey to Marquette graduation
His father's construction career inspired Salvador's academic path.
"It kind of inspired me just seeing all these construction sites just start from nothing and at the end — I see it completed and I was like 'oh I was there when there was nothing there,'" Salvador said.
The journey wasn't without hurdles. To become an engineering student and work in the lab, Salvador needed prerequisites that weren't offered back in Saipan.
"I told him if he could get through the math and get admitted into engineering, I'd hire him," said David Newman, Director of Operations for the College of Engineering.
Newman describes Salvador as one of his hardest workers, but acknowledges the sacrifices the student has made. Salvador has only returned home once in his four years at Marquette.
His last trip required flights from Chicago to Denver to Hawaii to Japan to Guam, before finally reaching Saipan. The long and expensive journey means his family will miss his commencement ceremony.
"It's definitely hard, I love my family. My family is probably my biggest motivator," Salvador said.
For Newman, Salvador's dedication demonstrates exceptional character.
"The one and ten thousand kid that you just want — If I had 15 of him, I could rule the world," Newman said.
Salvador will return to Marquette for graduate school next year. He said his parents will attend that graduation ceremony.
This story was reported by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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