DUBUQUE, Iowa — More than 3,700 miles separate Lima, Peru, from Dubuque, Iowa. For Loras College senior men's soccer player Ernesto Silva, closing that distance required three flights, a willingness to embrace the unknown and the courage to build a new home far from everything familiar.

Silva grew up in Lima, a coastal city of nearly 12 million people where soccer is woven into everyday life. He began playing at a local club when he was four years old after being introduced to the sport by his father.

"Soccer takes a huge role in Peruvian society, so I was always involved with it," Silva said. "I would always play after class and during breaks."

Neither rain nor temperatures above 90 degrees could keep Silva away from the game. His family shared his passion, and throughout Lima, the results of a match could influence the mood of the entire city.

Silva first learned that he could continue his academic and athletic career in the United States during his junior year of high school in 2020. Three years later, as his recruitment process was nearing its conclusion, he connected with the Loras men's soccer coaching staff.

After speaking with former assistant and head coach Sam Koenig, Silva researched the program and discovered its history of success. The opportunity to compete for one of the Midwest's top programs drew his attention, but the people he encountered ultimately convinced him to become a Duhawk.

"The community—it may sound cliché, but Loras' community was the only thing that made me realize that I had found my home far from home," Silva said.
Finding that home did not happen immediately.

Silva arrived in Dubuque excited to face a higher level of competition, but he was also stepping into an entirely new culture, language and way of life without his family beside him. In Lima, he had followed a familiar daily routine. At Loras, he had to learn how to organize his own schedule around classes, training and assignments.

The distance from his family was the most difficult adjustment. Traveling home takes an entire day, and Silva is typically only able to see his family twice a year during longer academic breaks.

During his first two months on campus, his life consisted primarily of attending class, going to training and returning to his residence hall. His experience began to change when he decided to step beyond that routine.

"Once I realized that there is a lot more to Loras than soccer, it started to feel like home because it helped me create new relationships," Silva said.

As he became more involved on campus, Silva also adapted to the speed of the college game and earned opportunities with the first team. That combination of athletic progress and new relationships helped him develop a sense of belonging.

His teammates played a central role in that transition.

"Loras men's soccer became my family, and every one of them became my brothers," Silva said.

Silva describes representing the program as both a pride and an honor. The demanding standards shared by the players and coaching staff have brought them closer together and strengthened their ambition for the program.

"We go hard on each other because we have big plans and standards," Silva said. "It will sometimes feel overwhelming, but at the same time, there is a reason each of us is here."

One of Silva's favorite memories came away from competition when the Duhawks traveled to Costa Rica before the 2024 season. He described it as one of the best trips of his life. Before his Loras career ends, however, Silva hopes to add a regular-season championship and a conference tournament title to those memories.

While soccer initially brought Silva to Loras, campus involvement helped transform it into his second home.

Silva serves as the director of finance for Student Government, a morale captain for Duhon and president of Loras LULAC. He joined each organization to leave his comfort zone, accept new responsibilities and serve his fellow students.

Those leadership roles connected Silva with people from different countries, sports and class years. They also helped him grow beyond the player and student he was when he first arrived.

"Having those leadership roles helped me become a better person, leader, student and athlete," Silva said.

His involvement with LULAC has been especially meaningful. The organization gave Silva a place to remain connected to his Peruvian culture and traditions while learning about other cultures represented at Loras.

"The main reason I joined LULAC was that it felt like home," Silva said. "For a time, it was the only place where I actually felt at home on campus."

Silva believes college is an opportunity to experience something unfamiliar, contribute to something larger than oneself and learn how to succeed in a new environment. His willingness to embrace those opportunities has shaped a Loras experience that now extends far beyond the soccer field.

"It has improved it exponentially," Silva said. "That is what college is for, in my opinion—to experience new things, try to be part of something bigger, get exposed to the unknown and try to succeed within that environment."

Silva's journey will hold added significance when the Duhawks host the College of St. Scholastica at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 12, for the program's SOMOS DUHAWKS game.

For Silva, it is more than another home match. It is an opportunity to celebrate Latino culture and feel represented while thousands of miles away from Peru. It also allows others in the Loras community to experience cultures beyond their own.

"It means a lot to me," Silva said. "I feel represented even if I am thousands of miles away from home. It is a night to celebrate Latino culture; personally, it is probably one of the best nights for the Loras soccer program."

Silva credits his upbringing in Peru with forming his values, beliefs and identity. His years at Loras have not replaced that foundation; they have added to it by exposing him to new people and experiences that have helped him grow as a person, student and athlete.

Silva will graduate in May with degrees in Business Administration and Management.