SSU Student Who Lost Home In San Bruno Explosion Receives Award

ROHNERT PARK, CA — The future is looking much brighter for a Sonoma State University student and U.S. Army veteran who lost his home and all his possessions in the San Bruno PG&E gas explosion of 2010. Anthony Tercero was among 23 students statewide honored last week with a California State University Trustees' Award for Outstanding Achievement.

The awards went to one student from each of CSU's 23 schools who has overcome significant adversity in pursuit of achieving their academic goals. Tercero was also awarded a $6,000 Wells Fargo Veteran Scholarship, which is given to help veterans with their transition into civilian careers.

"It took me years and a lot of failure to get to where I am now," said Tercero, who enrolled at SSU in Rohnert Park after serving eight years in the U.S. Army — enlisting at age 17. "I am very grateful for the connections and people I have met while striving to obtain this award, and I believe these experiences, along with the failures and successes I have made throughout my academic career, have placed me in the best position to thrive."

With a bachelor's degree from SSU in molecular cellular biology and a cumulative GPA of 4.0, Tercero is on track to complete his master's degree in biology by this spring. After that, he plans on pursuing a doctorate from University of California, Davis. His long-term goal: becoming a tenure-track professor at a university.

"We are so proud of Anthony," said Sonoma State University President Judy Sakaki. "He has accomplished so much because he took full advantage of the many opportunities that were available to him. Anthony is truly exceptional and an inspiration."

Sakaki and CSU Chancellor Timothy White were on hand Tuesday, Sept. 24 at CSU Long Beach to personally congratulate Tercero as he received the award and scholarship.

To put it mildly, the road to where he is now has been rocky.

Tercero enlisted in the U.S. Army at age 17 and recalls experiencing near-daily barrages of mortar and rocket attacks while stationed at a Middle East compound.

The disruptions did not end there. In September 2010, the week he returned home from his first deployment, his home and all of his possessions were destroyed in the San Bruno gas pipeline explosion that claimed eight lives and 35 homes.

Dejected by the tragedy at home, Tercero decided to re-enlist. His second tour took him to Korea, where he worked as an intelligence analyst and further developed his passion for learning and helping others.

Four years later, he decided to pursue that passion by enrolling at SSU. While working toward his bachelor's degree, he gained valuable research experience serving as an undergraduate assistant for a National Science Foundation-funded project investigating intertidal marine mussels in the New England area.

Tercerno also served as an undergraduate and graduate student in NSF-funded research investigating the energetics protein found in Antarctic fish.

As his Sonoma State biology professor and mentor, Dr. Sean Place, put it: "[Tercero's] dedication to his studies has been exemplary and his academic excellence, ability to communicate and maturity as an independent researcher has been remarkable."