Allan and Desirée are not family. They are many years apart in age. And although both come from Guatemala, they did not grow up in the same region. Still, they have several things in common. Both had a grandfather who was a farmer. When Desirée’s grandfather was milking cows, she and her cousins would line up to get a glass of fresh milk. When Allan’s grandfather was milking, it was Allan who carried the milk home, where he would watch his mother and grandmother make cheese, butter, and cream. Both were trained by their grandfathers to learn about animals, to know which herbs were weeds and which were food, and to learn how to treat seeds, soil, and crops.
With these influences, Allan Acosta (Class of 1999) and Desirée Chang (Class of 2025), both began to dream of a promising future that followed a similar path. Allan was just a boy when he competed with his cousins to see who could harvest the most corn. Desirée was just a girl when she learned how to wash, de-pulp, and dry coffee. In two different rural communities, at two different times, they learned to love the land, and decided they wanted to dedicate their professional lives to a vital career in food production: agriculture.
Despite their differences in age, gender, and context, their paths converged when Allan decided to provide Desirée with a partial scholarship to cover the four years of her degree. This would turn out to be essential for Desirée to fulfill her dream of studying at EARTH and be where she is today. The similarities in their personal stories and their love for agriculture would bind their stories together.
Allan explained how his motivation to study and break the cycle of poverty that enveloped his family for generations was born. “I come from a modest rural family. I never had an abundance of resources, but my family was always very close-knit and respectful. I think the greatest fortune was that my parents were teachers, so they greatly valued education.” With the drive instilled in him by his parents, and the financial support from donors who believed in him, Allan graduated successfully from EARTH University. Today, he is the Vice President of Global Sourcing at Robinson Fresh, a U.S. company dedicated to food production that manages operations in 120 countries.
Desirée has always had her family’s support, but her father passed away when she was very young. It was her mother who raised her three children. Desirée often saw her mother working late, being a mother while also studying for a university degree. Having her as a role model has been a constant inspiration for Desirée—to apply to EARTH, to move to Costa Rica, and currently to undertake her professional Internship at Iowa State University, where she is working in plant pathology to understand the fungi that affect crops like corn and soybeans.
In 2023, when Allan had the chance to meet Desirée in person, she asked him, “How can I repay what you did for me?” He answered, “At some point, you will have the opportunity to give back by helping someone else. That’s how you will be paying me back.” This is how an endless chain of actions is formed – when a person shows solidarity towards others, they can transform the world.
“You can’t change the whole world, but you can change the course of one person’s life. In my life, I have been fortunate to have key people who have guided me in important decisions. I remember someone who, at a critical moment, did something so meaningful for me that there was no way to repay him financially. When I expressed my gratitude, he told me: ‘Don’t worry, you will “pay it forward.”’ That means that one day you will find someone who needs help, and you will have the opportunity to do something for that person. That’s how we can build a more supportive society, helping each other in the moments we need it the most,” Allan shares.
The connection between Desirée and Allan symbolizes more than just a simple relationship between giver and receiver. It is a bond built on shared values of overcoming challenges, on commitment, and on social responsibility.
Allan has shown that true success is not only measured by professional achievements, but also by the ability to create a positive impact on the lives of others. Desirée, in her journey of growth, carries with her the legacy of support and giving back that EARTH promotes among its students and graduates. This story is a reminder that when someone chooses to support another person’s dream, the impact can transcend generations and borders.
