Student Spotlight: Dylan Guillen
Future teacher for the deaf, Dylan Guillen, is an award winning self starter at the University of Science & Arts of Oklahoma.
Guillen hesitated to apply to a four-year college but was encouraged by his family to give it a try. Once at USAO, he explored multiple majors before discovering his true path in Deaf Education.
“I have changed my major so many times, all in the search for what I loved,” Guillen said. “For a time, I was known as the person who dolphin dives from major to major, it was an obstacle, but I have now overcome it, and I promise I’m no longer switching my major.’’
Guillen is also highly involved in extracurricular activities. He is currently an SGA Senator for the Education and SLP Ward, Head of the Accessibility Committee, Member of the Access and Opportunity Committee, Executive Member of the USAO Red Cross, Member of the President’s Leadership Council, Vice President of the ASL Club, an IDS Tutor, and the Deaf Education Departments Work-study.
“My schedule gets quite busy, but I love the campus culture!”
Guillen has won three awards, the Rising Star Award, the Freshman Leadership Award, and the Drover Difference Award. He is also working hard to receive a micro-credential in Leadership through the President’s Leadership Council.
Guillen is the first in his family to attend university and credits their support for helping him navigate the journey.
“My family, specifically my mother. She would always talk about how much she would’ve loved going to college and getting higher education. When presented with the opportunity, I felt that I needed to try it on behalf of her. I'm glad I did, as it’s now my own, “Guillen said.
Guillen’s time at USAO has not only shaped his own educational path but also motivated him to pave the way for his sister.
"I have become a sponge. Everything I am experiencing at college is new to my whole family, so I’m trying to learn all that I can to make the path easier and less scary for my sister when she goes to college. I’ve also recognized how much it impacts my appreciation for my education," Guillen said.
Guillen is expected to graduate Spring of 2026.
About the University of Science & Arts of Oklahoma
As Oklahoma’s liberal arts college, the University of Science & Arts of Oklahoma provides a distinctive education in the liberal arts and sciences, supporting both its interdisciplinary core curriculum and major fields of study with superior teaching. USAO fosters diversity of thought and practice to help students realize meaningful, purposeful and productive lives as global citizens in a rapidly-changing world.