Matthew Seludo, who was an avid member of Skyline’s Trio Program and employee at The Learning Center passed away on November 2. He was 24.

“We are deeply saddened at the passing of Matthew Seludo,” Cherie Colin, Skyline’s director of community relations, wrote in an email. “He was a beloved member of the Brothers Achieving Milestones group and an employee in The Learning Center. He will be sorely missed by the Skyline College community. Our deepest condolences go out to his family, friends, fellow students and colleagues at the college.”

Like many attending Skyline, Seludo came to the institution looking for a chance to better himself academically, and build a work ethic that would allow him to succeed not just in the classroom, but wherever life may take him.

“He would always be the first one in the learning center,” said Learning Center Retention Specialist Raymon Gutierrez. “He would always show up before I started my own job which was at 8:30 a.m. And what I love about the story of Matthew is that he wasn’t the ideal student who came from straight A’s — He failed tests, he didn’t get the grades that he wanted, he didn’t understand the course material, but he kept showing up and he stayed consistent — and that’s what shows the progression of a student: You’re not perfect at first, but as you keep being consistent, and you show that resilience, you’ll get through it.”

However, while Seludo’s work ethic was nothing short of exceptional, it was his ability to bestow it upon others that spoke volumes about his impact on the Skyline community. He would often be found either in the quad or by fireside dining connecting with his peers. Whether he knew you or not, he would seek to share his love and connection, remembered Gutierrez.

One such student was Zane Chang, who admired Seludo’s positive attitude and work ethic.

“Matthew was an authentic person for being true to himself, and great at spreading optimism to the people around,” wrote Zane Chang, a member of TRIO and a friend of Seludo’s, in an email. “He took actions to stay on top of things with patience and perseverance. When he didn’t get to finish something, his saying was, ‘Can’t beat myself up!’ and he continued to do his best while acknowledging his strengths and challenges.”

Seludo’s legacy will be defined by his selflessness, and his never-give-up mentality — something all of us as students can learn from. It doesn’t matter where we come from, we are all members of the Skyline community, and Seludo exemplified that.

If there’s something we can all learn from the story of Matthew Seludo, Gutierrez summed it up: “Just show up, and when I say show up it means, be there, be vulnerable, and ask for help.”