The Essence of the Big Guy

Words cannot articulate the amount of respect and admiration I have for Gonzaga. He was my advisor, my mentor, and my friend. Gonzaga and I had a unique bond which cannot be defined. Gonzaga, or “Big Guy” as I called him due to his hierarchy of knowledge over my own, was the most genuine guy you could meet. His character or “essence” was that of a kind, humorous, scholarly, and carefree individual who always went out of his way for his students. His support during my internship was insurmountable and he filled me with confidence as I completed the final requirements toward my graduation. My memories of him will not ebb, they will continue to flow.

Here’s to Chinese food in Clovis.

Here’s to sharing candy from Goa.

Here’s to time spent on auto-ethnographies.

Here’s to your improving opinion of me from lazy undergraduate student to well adjusted graduate student as you so frequently joked.

Here’s to my unofficial thesis defense with you at Monsieur Beans.

Here’s to challenging me, yet supporting me through everything.

While these memories maybe simple, they are the memories I have and the experiences we shared.

Here’s to you….“Big Guy”.

Matthew Milde

San Jose, CA