When Jay Garcia passed away in April 2021, his sister Sarah Sanchez decided to channel her grief into something positive. “Instead of withering away and crawling into a dark hole, I decided to take a positive spin on his life and live for him,” she shares. Thus began the Live Like JayG3 Scholarship program, a nonprofit organization Sanchez founded in his memory. Inspired by Jay’s spirit of adventure and thirst for continuous learning, this nonprofit seeks to keep his legacy alive by providing scholarships for immersive travel programs, like those offered by the Institute for Field Research.
Reflecting on his life, Sanchez describes Jay as “a force of nature,” adding, “Jay’s passions were traveling and to never stop learning and growing as an independent individual.” Spontaneous and enthusiastic, Jay embraced life fully and took advantage of every summer work and travel opportunity he could. Each time he was accepted into a new program, “…he’d be transported into another world. A new world of culture, food, and energy”.
Through the Live Like JayG3 Scholarship, his sister continues Jay’s legacy by supporting young adults embarking on their own adventures. She explains, “He did not have children, and through the Live Like JayG3 Scholarship, I felt it only appropriate for the scholarship to go towards an opportunity for other young adults to live for him and continue living through his name.”
Jay’s passions and values serve as guiding principles for selecting scholarship recipients. “The values he lived by were respect, love, discipline, and balance,” Sanchez shares. Jay’s commitment to his family, combined with his ability to balance hard work and play, allowed him to seize opportunities for new adventures and make incredible memories. During the application process, Sanchez seeks out individuals who are guided by these same priorities.
The two students chosen to receive Live Like JayG3 Scholarships will participate in IFR’s summer field programs—one bioarchaeology excavation program in Romania and the other a bioarchaeology lab program in Portugal. These programs were selected for their uniqueness and their resonance with Jay’s story. As Sanchez puts it, “I chose these specific programs because they are unique and have to do with losing a loved one. I wanted to show other young adults out there who have never heard of bioarchaeology what IFR can provide as a program.”
In closing, Sanchez reflects on Jay’s indomitable spirit and the importance of supporting experiential education. “Jay never let anything hold him back from exploring and succeeding. I hope the Live Like JayG3 scholarship will inspire young adults to take that leap and go work for a summer in another state or country while gaining independence and an open mind.” As we send these two students off on their field programs this summer, we extend our deepest gratitude to the Live Like JayG3 Scholarship organization for their support. Jay’s spirit lives on through their work, inspiring us all to live life to the fullest, just as he did.
To learn more about Jay Garcia, the Live Like JayG3 Scholarship, and how you can support their cause, visit their website at www.LiveLikeJayG3Scholarship.com or follow them on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, X, or Threads.