Erick Garcia
McNair Scholar 2025
- Major(s): History, Political Science Minor
- Classification: Senior
- Anticipated Graduation Date: Spring 2026
- Career Aspirations: Upon graduating from West Texas A&M, I plan to attend law school in the great state of Texas. My goal is to earn my law degree, pass the bar exam, and practice law in the Texas Panhandle. I would like to give back to the place that has given me everything.
“The McNair experience, from the weekly meetings to my individual research, has been foundational to my academic journey. The program has provided me with invaluable insight, advice, and mentorship that will guide me not only after graduating from WT, but also throughout my professional career. McNair has been the bridge between my present and my future.”
“The Journey to Mexico: The Mennonite Experience from Russia to Canada to Mexico”
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Elizabeth Clark
The Old Colony Mennonites migrated to Mexico from Canada after the Canadian government passed legislation in the 1910s eliminating Mennonite private schools. This migration, however, was merely the finale to four centuries of Mennonite migrations and settlements across multiple countries. Tracing the Old Colony Mennonites' history before their migration to Mexico reveals that they forged and consolidated a unique identity through their movement. They then sought to protect that identity by migrating to Mexico and reestablishing and maintaining their communities. The Old Colony story also offers insight into the broader Dutch-Polish Mennonite tradition. Using monographs, articles, translated works, and government documents from multiple countries where Mennonites settled, as well as primary sources such as diaries, this study employs a methodology consisting of specific vocabulary, migration theory, and the two-way stream. This paper will examine how the Old Colony Mennonites ultimately found a permanent home in Mexico.