..JULY-AUGUST 2008

Alumni Spotlight: Oscar “Oz” Sanchez

Oscar “Oz” Sanchez is no stranger to overcoming adversity. Oz was born in 1975 and raised in Los Angeles, California. By the time he graduated high school he was involved with gangs and street life. In 1996, Oz turned his life around when he joined the Marine Corps and entered into the Marine Recon unit (Special Forces). He visited over fourteen different countries and was twice deployed to the Middle East and other hostile regions.

After five years with the Marines, he transferred to the Navy to operate as a Navy Seal. In July 2001, during the time of his transfer between branches, Oz’s life changed forever when he was involved in a motorcycle accident which resulted in a spinal cord injury (SCI) and the inevitable paralysis and neurological complications associated with SCI.

Big Changes
After the accident, the biggest fear Oz faced was how he would define himself given his new physical limitations. He worked on developing both a renewed sense of identity and a transformed perception on life. “I managed to pull out of my post-injury depression. I took a proactive approach to life and once again took the bull by the horns,” he said.

Oz devoted himself to his educational studies and he graduated from SDSU with a degree in business administration and a minor in public communications in 2006. He eventually wants to return to SDSU to earn his master’s degree.

Athletic Excellence
Since the accident, Oz has proactively competed in the adaptive sports of triathlons and handcycling. Oz is currently an elite level athlete with the U.S. Paralympics cycling team is ranked number one in the United States and among the top five internationally. In September, he will head to Beijing, China for the 2008 Paralympic games where he hopes to come home with the “worlds’ fastest man on a handcycle” title…aka a gold medal.

Oz was recently named the official spokesperson/elite athlete for both the U.S. Paralympics committee and the Challenged Athlete Foundation’s (CAF) “Operation Rebound” program. Operation Rebound provides post-rehabilitation support and mentoring to American service members and veterans who have suffered permanent physical injuries as a result of the recent conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. “I feel my accomplishments would be best utilized in this arena and also have a personal desire to support such a cause,” Oz said.

What’s Next?
Oz recently begun a career with the Department of Defense (DOD) as a process improvement facilitator and will specialize in the lean process and six-sigma concepts to improve the overall manufacturing processes within the southwest sectors of the Navy. “I chose this opportunity for several key reasons, a few of which are the career advancement opportunities, its military affiliation, and most importantly, the Navy’s desire to support and be part of my goal to medal in Beijing,” he said.

Oz plans to eventually return to SDSU’s College of Extended Studies to attain his Lean Six Sigma Black Belt Certification.