Jalen Partida

Jalen Partida, a Junior at Panhandle State, is making his dreams as a Hispanic collegiate athlete a reality. A native of El Paso, Texas, Partida is excelling on the football field while pursuing a degree in Biology. Partida takes pride in his Hispanic background, with his grandparents being from Mexico and the culture he grew up in. “I am proud of my Hispanic background and I am proud to have grown up with a family that instilled an immense pride in our culture,” stated Partida.

Partida’s football journey began at the age of 8, with his dad’s unwavering support playing a pivotal role in shaping his passion for the sport. When choosing a college to continue his football journey, OPSU stood out as the ideal choice. He noted, “OPSU felt like the perfect fit for my football dreams, and having familiar faces from my hometown here made the transition much smoother.”

Balancing the demands of being a student-athlete requires exceptional time management skills and dedication, which Partida continues to focus on. “Being a student-athlete is all about time management and staying ahead. Football isn’t just playing on Saturdays. There are a lot of meetings and practices as well. So just in between those things is when I do my work, plus just communicating with teachers,” said Partida.

Partida’s growth during his three years at OPSU is evident as an athlete and leader. Learning from his senior peers, he has embraced the responsibilities of leadership and the importance of connecting with individuals from diverse backgrounds. “Football is a job where you have to be everywhere at specific times and be on time. I believe you truly have to love the lifestyle to live it.”

“I love seeing that a big community supports us. I like giving people something to support on Saturdays,” Partida explained. “There may be some pressure and expectations, but the best way to deal with those is to act like they aren’t there. My dad always told me to play my game and not worry about doing too much”.

Head Football Coach, Cory Miller stated, “OPSU takes immense pride in having Jalen Partida as part of our student-athlete community and looks forward to witnessing his continued success, both on and off the football field.”

Upon completing his undergraduate studies, Partida plans to further his education in graduate school and continue to play football. He stated, “Outside of football, I want to work within the biology field and hopefully support my family the way they supported me growing up.”