Ricardo Vargas '21: First in His Family
Katie DuBoff - March 24, 2021
At first it was lacrosse that brought Ricardo Vargas ’21 to Rosemont.
“My high school lacrosse coach was the one who opened my eyes to see if Rosemont would be a fit,” he said.
So, Ricardo, who is from North Philadelphia, scheduled a visit to campus.
“My first visit on campus was one of the most memorable experiences I had,” he said. “My mom and I both came for the first time together. I was so nervous and anxious yet so excited because I wanted to experience what the next chapter of my life would be like.”
While Ricardo decided Rosemont would be a good fit – he liked the small community and opportunity to play lacrosse – he had to wait to hear from Admissions.
“I was raised by a single mom, and I am the first person in my family to go to college,” he said. “The day I was accepted to Rosemont was one of the happiest days of my life that I got to share with my mom.”
Ricardo joined the lacrosse team as a midfielder. During his freshman year, he was able to play with some teammates from his former high school who had also come to Rosemont, which helped him get to know other students and learn about the other organizations on campus.
Before long, he had joined clubs such as the Association of Latino Professionals for America, Business Networking Society, and Black Student Union. He also has an interest in communications and has produced videos for the College and worked as an intern in the Office of College Relations.
“What brought me to Rosemont was the one-on-one dynamic with staff, professors, coaches and pretty much everyone who could help me secure my future,” he said. “I knew the Power of a small atmosphere would definitely allow me to go farther than I thought since I have the chance to develop meaningful relationships with my professors. I want to impact the youth, especially from my neighborhood. I want them to believe college can be in their future, too.”
Like many students, Ricardo had not decided on a major right away. He credits Andrew Lubin, Adjunct Professor in the Business Department, for helping him choose a major in International Business.
“I was not familiar with International Business until Professor Lubin sparked my interest in my Intro to Finance course,” he said. “He has helped me think about the world with a larger perspective.”
A business background will be an asset to Ricardo, who is also an entrepreneur himself. He founded NOHA Apparel in May 2017, which includes a collection of T-shirts, hoodies, sweaters, sweatpants, face masks, and more to come in the future, according to Vargas.
“The company I run is an apparel lifestyle brand that represents having a hustler
mentality,” he said. “I truly believe going after what we want is possible if we want
it bad enough, and I’m a prime example of that. I find the best way to express what
NOHA represents is by fashion, which is one of my passions. Coming from nothing, I
want to show others that it’s possible to build something from the ground up while
building others
up as well.”
He is also an account manager at STC Direct Philly, a sales and marketing firm focused on the telecommunication, fiber-optic, entertainment, and cable/satellite industries, in Philadelphia.
“Currently I work as an account manager dealing with new customer acquisitions,” he
said. “All sales are face to face which teaches us how to work with new and existing
customers. Professional and personal growth are what we value because it’s those skills
that develop us into
our true potential as entrepreneurs.”
After graduation, Ricardo hopes to continue growing his apparel company and has his sights set on real estate as well.
“I plan on still pushing my company NOHA apparel to new heights and creating more brand awareness,” he said. “I’m in the process of getting together my first real estate property, so I intend on owning multiple properties domestically and internationally. I’m also enjoying my experience at STC Direct Philly. I was given such a great opportunity. One day I would like to open my own office and have a Fortune 500 client to represent while being able to help others accomplish their dreams.”