Ready for the next mission

Class of 2024: U.S. Army veteran and future physical therapist prepared to help others in new chapter of life

By Alvaro Ayala

For Arturo Montoya, 29, his scholarly path at The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley began after serving in Afghanistan, where he was inspired by physical therapists during his recovery from a foot injury.

“I’ve always wanted to help people,” Montoya said. “When I broke my foot, I spent a lot of time with the physical therapists in our unit, and seeing how they operate was fascinating.”

The Palmview, Texas native, who served in the U.S. Army, will cross the stage this Friday at Bert Ogden Arena in Edinburg, joining more than 2,700 fellow graduates in four ceremonies on December 13-14.

Montoya will earn his Bachelor of Science in Exercise Science with a concentration in Physical Therapy. He said the road to graduation was met with challenges, but he overcame them with the support of family, friends and UTRGV’s Military and Veteran Success Center (MVSC), which helped him complete his mission.

As a first-generation college student, Montoya said the MVSC helped him navigate college life – such as completing FAFSA applications, registering for classes and billing information.

“They literally walked me through the door to get into UTRGV and made sure I was taken care of,” Montoya said.

Recently, Montoya was honored during an MVSC event where he was presented with an honorary stole to commemorate his student-veteran status.

SPUR-OF-THE-MOMENT DECISION

Montoya joined the military on a “spur of the moment” decision after some time spent at community college. Seeking a challenge, he walked into a military recruiter’s office, and within two months, he was at basic training at Fort Moore (Fort Benning) in Georgia, followed by two deployments to Afghanistan.

“It was surreal,” Montoya reflected. “One moment, you’re admiring the breathtaking Afghan mountains, and the next, you’re discussing your mission and role.”

After fulfilling his duties, Montoya was honorably discharged due to a broken foot and returned home in March 2019. He then decided to go back to school and finish his associate degree at South Texas College, however his transition to civilian life was disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

After completing his associate degree online, Montoya enrolled at UTRGV in Spring 2022 to pursue a physical therapy degree and begin his quest to help others recover and return to their normal lives and activities after an injury.

“Seeing people return to their daily lives is rewarding,” he said. “It makes me feel like I’m giving back.”

REDISCOVERING A PASSION

In addition to his academic pursuits, after returning home from the military, Montoya rekindled a middle school hobby: DJing. Following the pandemic and while completing his associate’s degree online, he practiced on a Pioneer DJ controller, finding solace during uncertain times.

“That helped me get through,” he said, crediting friends from the DJ community for encouraging his passion.

Today, Montoya is a prominent figure in the local scene, curating events with Upbeat Entertainment to showcase artists from Chicago, Austin, and Los Angeles.

Montoya plans to continue his DJ duties after graduation while also focusing on applying to physical therapy programs across the state in pursuit of a master’s degree.

Returning to school was the best decision he ever made, Montoya said. The icing on the cake has been the love and support he received from UTRGV, friends and loved ones to get him here.

“It’s been a fun time, and I appreciate UTRGV for being able to help me and other fellow student-veterans complete this milestone,” he said. “Not a lot of people get to say they graduated from a university.”

To learn more about Fall 2024 Commencement, visit www.utrgv.edu/commencement.