How much power does one voice have?
It was a question Oscar Jacome Huesca ’25 posed in an audio essay four years ago after completing the Wabash Liberal Arts Immersion Program (WLAIP) summer institute.
In his essay, the first-generation college student shared that much of his childhood was spent “being reserved and keeping to myself.” Fear kept him from developing closer relationships with friends and asking questions when he did not understand something.
He came to Wabash and signed up for courses that forced him to participate in public speaking as a way to challenge those anxieties.
“I’ve learned that speech has the power to cultivate an identity,” Jacome Huesca shared in the essay. “My voice is an extension of who I am, so I should take pride in speaking. I hope this knowledge will help me continue to develop a voice that is fully mine.”
Now, Jacome Huesca can’t help but smile when thinking about how far he’s come.
While he may not be the loudest student vocally, his actions and involvement across campus speak volumes about his influence and growth.
“I am not the same person I was four years ago, and I am very proud of that,” Jacome Huesca says. “I put myself out there and strive to involve myself in as many things as I can.”
The music major and art minor sang with the Glee Club and played the saxophone with the Jazz Ensemble, Pep Band, and Mariachi Pequeños Gigantes. He has served in leadership roles with ’shOUT and La Alianza; he worked as a stitcher in the costume shop; and spent a summer studying abroad in Salzburg, Austria.
“I found a passion in performing I didn’t quite have before,” says Jacome Huesca, who was a member of Crawfordsville High School’s concert and marching bands.
“I’ve become more confident, especially when it comes to performing music,” he says. “I still experience some nerves leading up to a show, but once I’m onstage and the music starts, my mind goes somewhere else and everything naturally falls into place.”
Assistant Professor of Music Mollie Ables recalls the first time she saw Jacome Huesca perform. His stage presence stood out in contrast to what she had experienced in the classroom.
“He’s what I like to call a classroom sniper,” Ables says. “He waits with this endless patience, and then when you least expect it, he delivers something big that makes me say, ‘Oh, I hadn’t thought of it that way. Thank you, Oscar!’
“I watched a shift happen when he performed with the Jazz Ensemble, which naturally has a very loud presence, one that prioritizes improvising and constant, dynamic collaboration,” she continues. “What he doesn’t always do in speech, he is able to flawlessly do in his performances. Watching him have those musical conversations with people is fascinating.”
Ables has admired Jacome Huesca’s drive to challenge himself to try new things, like learning how to play the soprano saxophone as part of his senior seminar project.
“He didn’t have to do that,” she says. “He could have stuck to repertoire that he already knew, but without anyone asking him to, he sought out the thing that was going to challenge him the most.”
With her office located down the hall from practice rooms, Ables got to hear the progression of Jacome Huesca figuring out the new instrument.
“It was very satisfying to hear him improve his intonation and technique,” she says. “When students are first learning a new instrument, it’s about the technique and fundamentals. What’s really fun is, at a certain point, you hear them starting to make music. You can hear their voice in it. You can hear them putting themselves into it. By the end of the semester, I could tell Oscar was not just playing notes, he was vibing.”
Art Professor Matt Weedman says Jacome Huesca is “one of the bravest students we have at Wabash,” specifically recalling watching the senior lead Mariachi Pequeños Gigantes at La Alianza’s Posada last semester as he sang while wandering through the crowd of celebration attendees.
“He’s clearly naturally quiet and feels uncomfortable in front of people, yet he constantly puts himself in that place. And to me, that’s as brave as you can get,” Weedman says. “When we talk about teaching students to push themselves—there’s nobody pushing harder in that realm than Oscar. I really respect how much of his comfort he’s willing to give up in order to have a fulfilling Wabash College experience.”
Weedman says Jacome Huesca has also challenged him as an educator by demonstrating that student success can come in many forms.
“Oscar helped me be more in tune with possibilities of students, especially the ones who are a little quieter, who maybe sit in the back of the room and don’t make it all about themselves,” Weedman says. “He understands a way of being successful that isn’t the straightforward, linear way we usually assume. He’s taught me to continue to not assume we understand students before we actually get to know them.”
Ables appreciates Jacome Huesca’s quiet leadership.
“It’s easy to associate getting involved with being vocal. He’s demonstrated there are ways to be vocal and loud through service, actions, and devoting your time and attention to people and causes that matter to you,” Ables adds. “He doesn’t talk about doing it, he just does it. It’s impactful in the work itself, but it also shows there doesn’t have to be one type of person that can have this kind of presence on campus.”
Jacome Huesca, who plans to pursue a career in music, shared advice for his freshman self and any other students who may be struggling to find their voice.
“Don’t be afraid,” he says. “Whether that be with joining a new club, trying something new, or meeting new people—just put yourself out there.”