Out of Havana and into Harvard Greg Wain Headmaster and John Lane
One might expect that considering geography, the journey from Castro’s Cuba to the hallowed halls of Harvard University would be a direct line travelled as part of a typical story of fleeing a repressive regime, but the journey of Alexander James Uruchurtu has not been so straight forward. Alex’s family began its exodus in the usual fashion landing in the USA where Alex was born in Palm Springs. He attended Paloma Elementary School in San Marcos, California, distinguishing himself with a place in the school’s “Gifted and Talented” academic program and an enthusiastic appearance on the sports field, taking up gridiron football, All-Star baseball and basketball. Despite this apparently settled new life, the chance to move to Australia and for Alex to attend The Southport School presented itself, and sensing the significance of this opportunity, the family packed their bags once again and crossed the ocean. Alex joined the Band of Brothers at TSS in Year 5 to encounter the diverse pleasures of music and the arts, the camaraderie of Rugby and the arcane mysteries of Cricket. Within three years of arriving under the Clock Tower Alex had played First Team Rugby and Cricket, been awarded the prestigious Prep Golden Horn, gained the Dean’s List and secured a Senior School Academic Scholarship. Not one to rest on his laurels, by the time the five-year mark had been reached Alex had run up an impressive record: included in the Dean’s List every semester bar one, Dux Proxime Accessit twice, House Captain, Foundation Prefect, Lance Corporal Cadet and Trinity College of London Musician. In the sporting arena he played in the GPS Premiership-winning Basketball First V, stroked the GPS First VIII Rowing Crew, played Second XV Rugby, competed in the State Junior Surf Life Saving Titles and saw his name engraved on the School Sports Honour Board. Alex earnt a place to study Engineering at The University of Queensland, but the lure of a “gap year” position in the UK at Shiplake College, just a short scull away from the famous Royal Henley Regatta course, proved irresistible. At Shiplake Alex lent a helping hand to other students as they wrestled with the challenges of Maths, Physics, Spanish, Music, Rugby and Rowing. Somewhere he found the energy to pitch in on such diverse tasks as gardening, cleaning and chaperoning and during the holidays still managed to sling on the backpack and visit 16 European countries. As the first Northern Hemisphere semester unfolded, the desire to study at an “Ivy League” university in the US took hold, so packing his jacket and chinos Alex headed off to do the rounds of Princeton, Yale, Cornell, Columbia, Harvard and MIT. The outcome of this tour was a determination to settle for nothing less than the best in the shape of Harvard. Four months later, with encouragement and support from his mother, TSS, and Harvard’s Freshman Rowing Coach, Alex lodged his application. What followed was a full battery of essays, paperwork, US exams at the American School in London and interviews with alumni in Berkley Square. On 18 November 2010, Alex’s single-minded determination was rewarded with the magic phone call confirming he would be offered a full scholarship to Harvard commencing in 2011. It had truly been Havana to Harvard the long way round, but the journey has been the making of the man, and on the way, his time at TSS and the spirit it fostered has played no small part in Alex’s odyssey. It is interesting to note that Harvard were not only interested in academics. Alex was OP 2, not an OP 1 student, but the School was asked more about his leadership, extracurricular contributions and character. It was pleasing to be able to tell Harvard that TSS uses Alex’s photo to exemplify key aspects of a student leader – determination, persistence, humility, confidence and character. 12 Harvard were obviously impressed!
the long way round