From San Bernardino, California, Ricky served in the US Navy before transitioning to the University of Chicago to study Public Policy. Ricky is currently the Co-Chair of the Student Advisory Board at the University of Chicago’s Institute of Politics (IOP), an on-campus organization that is committed to fostering in students a passion for public service, meaningful dialogue, and active engagement in democracy. While attending Foothill College, Ricky launched a political advocacy campaign designed to improve financial aid opportunities for former foster youth in the state of California and helped organized a Summit through the Foothill College Study Homelessness Summit which brought regional policymakers, local residents, and students to Foothill College to help brainstorm ideas to address the growing student homelessness crisis in our community. He is currently interning with the Federal Criminal Justice Clinic at UChicago’s Law School. As a Marshal Scholar, Ricky will pursue an MPhil in Comparative Social Policy at the University of Oxford.