Mirla Urzua

As Cambridge begins its trudge toward another frigid winter, Mirla Urzua is trying to convince students in balmy Los Angeles to spend their next four years in Cambridge. Through the Undergraduate Minority Recruitment Program (UMRP), Urzua reaches out to her Mexican-American counterparts and convinces them to brave the cold and become members of Harvard’s next generation.

“[Urzua]’s been an inspiration to me since she called me last spring and convinced me to come to Harvard,” says freshman Diana C. Robles ’10. “Her recruiting methods have made my first few months so amazing.”

Because costs of travel and language barriers might prevent the parents of some Latino students from coming to Cambridge, Urzua established the first ever holiday dinner in Los Angeles last December to “bring Harvard to them.”

And Urzua isn’t just interested in off-campus Latino issues: in the past four years, Urzua has revamped RAZA, Harvard’s Mexican and Mexican-American cultural group, serving as the organization’s president in the 2005-2006 acadmic year. Under her leadership, RAZA, whose total membership numbered roughly 20 undergraduates in 2003, has roughly tripled in size.

But despite her ability to lead, Urzua finds comfort in the shadows behind the curtains.

“The thing about Mirla is that she does all these things and organizes so many events but she never likes to take any glory because of it,” said close friend Sergio Ibarra ’07. “She doesn’t like to be in the spotlight. Rather, she likes to help people and let them be in the spotlight. ”

Urzua’s behind-the-scenes efficacy was confirmed with the passing of a bill that she helped write with Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, which will ensure greater accountability for her home city’s education system.

Next year, Urzua will return to LA with Teach for America. But she may have an ulterior motive for returning to her urban California home. “You could ask me anytime of the day, I always want to drive. I love driving.”

But despite her many accomplishments, Urzua hasn’t mastered the rules of the road. “Mirla once drove over the cement dividers in a Denny’s parking lot,” said long-time friend Glenda M. Aldana ’07. “I think they’re meant to stop you. Not Mirla.” It seems like not much can stop Urzua, which is great for the children of Los Angeles, but not for its pedestrians.