Bio-health grad’s success rooted in immigrant parents’ values

 On June 18, La Sierra University bio-health sciences major Silvano Cardenas, Jr., and his family celebrated his graduation with a Bachelor of Science degree, and his entry the next day into a Master of Business Administration program at La Sierra’s Zapara School of Business. Silvano, Jr. aims to become a hospital chief executive officer.

Silvano Cardenas, Sr. said he felt “extremely blessed and excited” watching his son receive his college diploma. “I received the best gift a father can ask for, and I received it on Father’s Day,” he said. “A very important gift because from my family, my son is the first to have graduated from a university like La Sierra University. I am grateful to God for this great blessing. I am happy knowing that my son is prepared for his future.”

The path to this achievement was not easy for the young Cardenas – he grew up with welfare, food stamps, and low-income housing, but with parents who encouraged his and his older sisters’ education and taught them to value hard work. Through perseverance, the family eventually moved beyond public social services to become self-sustaining, inspiring their children along the way. Norma and Silvano, Sr. became naturalized U.S. citizens in 1998. The couple currently lives in Moreno Valley and Silvano Sr. works as a truck driver for the Long Beach ports.

“Growing up they said, ‘the most important reason we came to the United States is for you guys to get educated. You need to get as much education as you can,’” said Silvano Jr. “That’s all I heard growing up – education, education, education.”

For Norma, her son’s graduation represented one of several key reasons she immigrated to the U.S., and one of the pivotal experiences of her life in America. “I came to this country to have a better future, because there are better housing opportunities as well as the support that this country offers to all those who want to overcome difficulties, and have a better life,” she said. “At the same time I came  thinking about my family, as in my children, so that they would have a good education and better opportunities for work and life. Thankfully I was able to see them finish their studies as well as have better work opportunities. This country was a window of opportunity that my Father God opened to bless us greatly and also where I found the way, the truth, and where I gave my life.”

Cardenas’ faith is rooted in his family’s Seventh-day Adventist beliefs. The family converted to Adventism years before through Norma Cardenas’ search for a religion she could believe in. “I was the first full time SDA” in the family, said Cardenas. “Mom tried a lot of different religions before—she loved religion, she loved God, she was trying to find what was the best fit for her.” She found that fit after attending the Brawley Spanish Seventh-day Adventist Church. “That’s where she felt the most welcome. She said, ‘it’s the church that follows the Bible closest,’” said Silvano. Norma and her two daughters, who had been baptized into the Catholic faith, were re-baptized as Seventh-day Adventists. Silvano’s father was also baptized.

The family attended the Brawley church before moving to El Centro when Silvano was in the second grade. The larger El Centro Spanish SDA Church drew the family as it provided a greater variety of activities for youth, he said.

Cardenas’ sisters, Maria Mendiola Lee, age 33, and Stormie Ballasco, age 29, also worked in the fields of Brawley when they were younger. Both attended La Sierra University. Maria graduated with a degree in social work and earned dual master’s degrees in social work and criminal justice from Loma Linda University. When Silvano enrolled at La Sierra, he applied the work ethic instilled by his parents and accepted an entry-level position performing maintenance jobs in Sierra Towers men’s dorm to help pay for his tuition.  “Sophomore and junior year I had up to three jobs at a time in order to pay for school,” he said.

Cardenas worked the Towers front desk, was promoted to a resident assistant position, and then to head resident assistant in the dorm. He is now working as a university admissions counselor.

Associate Dean of Men Andrew Dormus, Cardenas’ former supervisor, noted Cardenas’ “clear vision” and “resilience to not only pursue, but accomplish his goals and dreams.”

Observed Dormus, “Students not only need to have self-belief, but know others believe in them as well. As Silvano's supervisor I have held him to high levels of expectation, [in] such areas like being on time, professional dress at work, and giving him more responsibility as he grew in his role. These are what I call transferable skills that will not only provide Silvano success here at La Sierra University, but beyond as well. Whatever Silvano goes on to do with his life, I know he will be successful.”  

 “I just kept on working hard and doing due diligence throughout the whole process,” Cardenas said. “You can do anything you want, you just have to work hard for it.”

La Sierra University impacted Cardenas in many other ways. He cited the influence and mentorship of other faculty and staff members including Health & Exercise Science Chair Rob Thomas and business school Dean John Thomas.

“Being around [Campus Chaplain] Pastor Sam, being around [Assistant Chaplain] Martin Corona, being around Dean Thomas -- all these people have influenced the way that I think, the way that I see individuals,” said Cardenas. “La Sierra has changed my viewpoints [from] selfish to a more unselfish form of thinking. And the whole service thing. Adventism in general is very service-oriented. Being able to see that on a day to day basis, [people] taking time out of their day to be able to help, to talk to people, all those instances at La Sierra have molded me to do the same.”