By: Madelyn Alexander, Vallo Vision News
Armando Flores was crowned Mr. Montevallo on Friday, Feb. 18 as part of the College Night tradition. Mr. and Mrs. Montevallo are chosen by student votes between three male and three female candidates.
Flores has been as student at UM for two years following his time at a community college. He described his personal growth in those two years as a major transformation.
“When I came here, it was like a reset because I had to rebrand myself,” said Flores. “Instead of being someone I wasn’t, I just showed the side that I actually am.”
He says he was very introverted in high school. He was not involved in many things, and he didn’t prioritize his classes. Now, Flores says he is outgoing, makes good grades and is involved in many activities on campus, including M.A.D.E, Alpha Kappa Lambda, Hispanic Student Organization, TRIO Student Support Services, and Gold Side.
Flores chose Montevallo because of the welcoming atmosphere. He says the friendly faces encouraged him to choose UM over any other school. “I immediately just made a lot of long-term friends like my first week here,” said Flores.
One of Flores’s favorite things about Montevallo is how he has been encouraged to grow by both his peers and professors. His involvement on campus keeps him busy, but in his free time, Flores says he spends time with the people who uplift him.
“The one thing that’s really important, and I can’t stress this enough, is just having a good circle around you,” he said.
In addition to his friends encouraging him through everyday life, he says they also help him get through times of uncertainty or hardship.
Flores said, “It’s been really nice because … they tell me ‘You need to get your stuff together because no one else is going to do it for you.’”
Mary Kate Middlebrook, Flores’s girlfriend, has seen the changes he has made in the past two years at UM. She says he “makes an impact on everyone he meets.”
“I have gotten to witness Armando grow into such an empowering individual,” said Middlebrook.
Flores says he hopes to be remembered on campus as someone who “came into class, he did what he could, and he always had a positive impact whenever he came in.” His hopes to leave this legacy as a way to repay his professors.
“I hope they remember me as someone they can always have a conversation with, and someone that was always really hardworking,” said Flores. “I really do try my best at everything that I do.”
Flores advises that anyone looking to be successful in college should “prioritize your academics.” He says the degree is the end goal and “everything else is just like a cherry on top.”
He advises anyone who is struggling to find self-motivation to “Do it for someone else.”
Vallo Vision News 