Oscar Vazquez

Oscar Vazquez Celebrity Profile
Courtesy of Facebook

Details

Date of Birth:
January 1, 1986
Hometown:
Phoenix

Bio:
Oscar Vazquez (born in Mexico in 1986) is a Mexican-American engineer and Afghanistan war veteran. Oscar was 12-years-old when his mother took him across the U.S./Mexico border, settling down in Phoenix, Arizona. Oscar attended Carl Hayden High School and participated in the school’s robotics team. They entered the prestigious Marine Advanced Technology Education Center’s Remotely Operated Vehicle Competition. Oscar’s team was underfunded and inexperienced, so they figured they’d compete against college teams to ensure an early exit. They went on the win the entire competition. Afterward, Oscar enrolled in the Arizona State University. Because he was an undocumented immigrant, he couldn’t receive in-state tuition. He worked construction and applied for private scholarships to pay for his engineering degree. In order to stay in the U.S. legally, Oscar returned to Mexico to start the process to get his green card. After spending a year in Mexico and receiving two denials, his third application was approved after Sen. Dick Durbin championed Oscar. After receiving his green card, Oscar enrolled in the United States Army. He was awarded full U.S. citizenship during his service. Oscar became a paratrooper who served two tours of Afghanistan. After leaving the army in 2013, he became a business analyst with BNSF Railway in Montana. He has since become an advocate for undocumented youth in America, as well as expanding STEM opportunities for Latino and other under-represented children. He was one of the many guests invited by Michelle Obama to attend President Barack Obama’s final State of the Union address in Jan. 2016.

Best Known For:
Oscar Vazquez is best known as being an engineer and an advocate for undocumented youth in America.

Personal Life:  
Oscar is married to his wife, Karla, and they have two children together. Oscar’s experience with the high school robotics competition was turned into the 2015 film, Spare Parts, featuring George Lopez and Jamie Lee Curtis. Oscar was played by Carlos PenaVega.