When Ruslan Carpio (Class of 2027, Costa Rica) was 17, he learned to bake bread using various alternative flours, creating several gluten-free recipes to provide quality products for people with special dietary needs. At that young age, he had already developed a business. But Ruslan didn’t do it alone. He was part of the Youth Entrepreneurship Program, an EARTH Futures project for high school students from the communities surrounding EARTH’s Guácimo campus. The program ran throughout 2019 and included 20 sessions focused on rural entrepreneurship, youth empowerment, and social-emotional skills development.
When Ruslan graduated from high school, he had a clear goal: to become an agricultural engineer, study at EARTH, and learn more about food solutions and entrepreneurship. The first time Ruslan applied to EARTH he was not accepted. Although his initial reaction was disappointment, he persevered and applied a second and third time, but the results were still not positive. At this point, Ruslan almost decided to give up.
During that time his family situation was fragile. His mother was fighting cancer and he wanted to support her. While applying to EARTH, Ruslan was working at a pineapple company. When his mother became ill, he divided his time between caring for her, with the help of his stepfather and other family members, and also caring for his younger brother. Staying afloat and persevering wasn’t easy.
To keep going, he enlisted the help of two EARTH alumni: Victor Arboleda (Class of 2017, Ecuador), whom he had met through social media, and Jairo Cruz (Class of 2013, Costa Rica), with whom he had connected thanks to his work in the pineapple factory. Victor helped keep Ruslan grounded, reminding him he was capable and deserving and had all the qualities to achieve his dream. Jairo guided him through the admissions process, offering advice and support. For Ruslan, this camaraderie among EARTHians inspired him.
Tragedy struck in 2022 when Ruslan’s mother passed away. A year later, he received an unexpected call: after four attempts, he was not only accepted into EARTH but had received a full scholarship. When he heard the news, he burst into tears. His perseverance had paid off. Ruslan knew that his mother, his biggest fan, would be proud and happy that her son had achieved his dream.
Now, Ruslan is about to finish the first four months of his degree. He has a roommate from Ecuador who is very good at math and helps him when he has questions. He is interested in aquaculture production and wants to learn more about food security, community development, and precision agriculture. Ruslan dreams of the future, and although his mother’s death leaves a large void, he has decided to honor her life with the choices he makes every day.
There is a picture of Ruslan and his mom taken in 2019, when he was participating in the Youth Entrepreneurship Program. In the photo she is gazing at him and smiling with love and pride. His eternal bond with his mother continues to inspire Ruslan to dream, grow, and try once, twice, or even four times – as many times as it takes.
For Ruslan, his mother will forever be the motivating force behind his perseverance.