Sueño Americano

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“When I first read Alfredo Quiñones-Hinojosa’s autobiography, I was truly inspired. I could relate to his life story, marked by struggles and achievements that together shape his character,” says Hosffman Ospino, MA’03, PhD’07, professor and chair of the department of religious education and pastoral ministry at the Gloria L. and Charles I. Clough School of Theology and Ministry. “The story of this brain surgeon is the story of countless immigrants who arrive in this nation every year to make it stronger. Some do it in hospitals, schools, and labs. Others do it in fields, kitchens, and factories.”

At a time when nearly half of all U.S. Catholics self-identify as Hispanic, Ospino—a native Colombian—has conducted groundbreaking studies on Hispanic Catholicism and led several national projects, including Haciendo Caminos: Theological Education for New Generations of U.S. Latino/a Catholics. He is also director of Nuevo Momento: Leadership and Capacity Building for Ministerial Organizations Serving Hispanic Catholics, funded by a $15 million grant from Lilly Endowment.

“I am an immigrant who has lived in the United States most of my life. It is in this nation where I have become the person that I am today: husband, father, theologian, professor, researcher, and someone who strives every day to make this country better. I do so as an immigrant in a nation of opportunities,” reflects Ospino.

He continues: “Immigrants are integral to the fabric of U.S. society. There are countless Dr. Q’s in our schools and neighborhoods ready to live up to their potential with the appropriate support. Dr. Q was blessed to have a strong support network that believed in him and helped him to arrive where he is today. I am similarly blessed. First as a student, now as a professor, Boston College helped me write my life story.”