The Eusebio family travels to visit York College after their son Carlos receives a scholarship, making a life-changing educational decision.
When Emanuele “Carlos” Eusebio first told his parents he was looking at a college in Pennsylvania, they were surprised. “He mentioned he had a scholarship to a school in Pennsylvania and we thought, ‘Where is that?’” said his father, Robert Eusebio, chuckling.
York College has made outreach in the Philippines a priority in recent years and has seen tremendous growth in applications. Carlos, a senior from Pasig—a district in the heart of Manila, Philippines—first heard about York College of Pennsylvania through a friend at his high school. What initially caught his attention was the school’s location.
“It’s really centralized,” Carlos said. “It’s near a lot of stuff like Washington, D.C., New York, and more.” After doing more research, watching videos, and browsing photos online, he decided to apply—and was admitted with a merit scholarship shortly after.
His mother, Maribel, was taken aback. “We found out about a scholarship for him just about a week after he applied. That piqued my interest in this college so far away from home,” she said. “We didn’t think much about it at first because we had never been to Pennsylvania.”
With no major ties to the East Coast, the Eusebios made the bold decision to travel nearly 24 hours from Manila to York over Easter Break to see the campus in person. Their visit coincided with York College’s Accepted Student Day in April—fortunate timing they say might help make the difference.
“I was shocked he wanted to look at a school in Pennsylvania,” Maribel added. “But we knew we had to come here and see it before making a decision. Are you sure about such a far away place? Will he be able to handle the winter season and being so far from home?”
Carlos’s first impression? “Much bigger than I thought it was going to be,” he said. “I saw pictures and a video online and it looked nice, but smaller than it is. We are kind of surprised at how big it is. The buildings and campus seem a bit newer than some of the colleges I saw back home.”
His parents agreed. “It’s a nice campus. The buildings are large,” they said. More importantly, they found the campus environment reassuring. “It was important that we find a nice place and a safe place for our son if he was going to be far away from home,” said Robert. Maribel added, “You have a beautiful campus.”
They said Accepted Student Day helped them see beyond the photos and videos. Hearing from current students and faculty about academics, daily life, and expectations gave them insight into what Carlos could experience.
“It can be difficult,” Maribel admitted. “But the learning opportunities that are presented for my son, to teach him how to be responsible in addition to the education he’d be getting from this college—that’s also important to us.”
Carlos is considering majoring in Business Administration or Economics, so, during his visit, he met with Dr. Molly Sauder, Dean of the Graham School of Business. He also attended an Organizational Behavior class taught by Mark O’Donnell, Ph.D. to get a feel for the academic environment.
Christian DiGregorio, Director of International Recruitment, visited Carlos’s school several times and built a strong relationship with guidance counselors there. He has been in contact with the Eusebios since Carlos first inquired about York.
“We’ve been talking for months, and I’ve seen how thoughtful Carlos and his family are about this decision,” DiGregorio said. “It’s a big leap, coming from the Philippines to Pennsylvania, and I admire the trust they’ve placed in York College.”
He added, “Carlos is exactly the kind of student who thrives here—curious, driven, and supported by a family that values both education and personal growth. We’re excited about the perspective and energy he’ll bring to our campus community.”
With the visit behind them and a clearer vision of what life at York could be like, the Eusebios now face their final decision. One thing is certain: wherever Carlos chooses to go, his journey has already been one of courage, curiosity, and connection.
