Edward Duran graduated from Gables in 2011, and now he’s back. Currently enrolled at Florida International University (FIU) as a senior, he is majoring in psychology and minoring in education, which has a necessary teaching component. Duran wanted to fuse his major into his teaching, which has led him to teach and observe International Baccalaureate (IB) Psychology teacher Mr. Nelson’s classes.

Upon graduating from Gables, he enrolled in FIU’s Honors Program and entered a self-proclaimed “state of moratorium.” Duran struggled to find a major he was passionate about and made many changes in his educational path. His major bounced from business to Army ROTC to International Relations, but Duran didn’t seem to identify with any subject. Eventually, he switched to psychology due to positive past experiences with the subject. While at Gables, Duran claimed Nelson’s class was his favorite.

“I believe that everything is random events that I try to make sense of and I figure it out along the way,” Duran said.

He juggled multiple activities as the Vice President of National Honor Society, Business Manager for Yearbook and Treasurer of English Honor Society and Italian Club. But, his outlook on his experiences is that he developed great time management skills that persist even today.

“I like that it [psychology] explores who we are and during a time when we are in adolescence; we are trying to figure out where we are in society,” Duran said.

Behind Durans’s plaid button-down and slacks is not only an academic scholar but also an off-roading enthusiast. He is the owner of a Jeep Cherokee, “lifted six and a half inches,” and always receiving maintenance. Duran explained that despite it being a favorite pastime, lately he has only been driving his Jeep on-road because off-roading results in broken parts, making it an expensive hobby.

“Yes, and it [off-roading] sometimes frustrates me a lot but it also brings me a lot of joy; I like working on my Jeep, it’s an activity I don’t have a lot of time for anymore,” Duran said.

As far as his future is concerned, Duran is trying to take things as they come. His largest critique of himself was his tendency to overanalyze everything, which has been the source of internal problems in the past. Duran is applying to graduate school and is hoping to attend FIU for adult education and research development or instructional design. His dream job is to work at Google as part of education team to make apps and materials to infuse education and technology.

“If I’m determined to do something, I will do it, even if, well not if it can get me in trouble,” Duran said.

Duran is not just a student at FIU, he also works for the school. He works for the online program, assisting teachers with creating online classes and tools. He uses a lot of tech experience for building the classes, using programs like Adobe Photoshop. He relies heavily on his psychology education to “understand how to effectively make learning accessible for a great audience.” Overall, it’s not being a student nor an employee that is Duran’s favorite part of FIU, it is the diversity. With over 50,000 students, FIU has a diversified population and everyone gets along. Duran’s current state is one of happiness. He attributes his joy to all spects of his life that constantly shape him and who he is.