Aldo Jacobo: Thriving with Purpose Through Business, Creativity, and Community

By Cesar A Reyes

Aldo Jacobo, a second-year student at San Diego State University, is carving a unique path that blends business, creativity, and community service. Majoring in marketing with an emphasis in entrepreneurship and minoring in real estate, Aldo is determined to make the most of his college years. “I want to be able to graduate early, ideally a year early, but even a semester ahead would be awesome,” he shares.

Outside the classroom, Aldo’s passions extend into photography and volunteer work with local non-profit organizations, reflecting his commitment to both artistic expression and community involvement.

This year, Aldo was named one of the four recipients of the prestigious VIDA Scholarship, which supports LGBTQIA+ Latinx students. “It is an honor to be one of this year’s recipients,” Aldo says. “This will help me on my journey to success and personally, it will help with the financial stress.”

For Aldo, scholarships like VIDA are more than just financial aid, they are a statement of belonging. “The importance of scholarships like these, especially supporting young LGBTQIA+ Latinx students, is to have them feel there is a place for us in this world,” he explains. “A place that will support us to succeed in a world full of many hardships.”

When asked to choose a word that defines his outlook, Aldo doesn’t hesitate: “The WORD is Live. I choose ‘Live’ even though it can be cliché, because in our lives we should just live. I believe everything happens for a reason, and it’s okay to make mistakes and not be 100% about everything all the time.”

With his drive, vision, and heart for community, Aldo Jacobo is living proof of what it means to thrive with purpose.