You Can't Buy Cel

Who is Celestino Fernández? Why does he matter? A young man who had he continued to live in Mexico would have had a sixth grade education at best, yet after moving to California, he ends up graduating from Stanford University with a Master's and PhD degrees in only three years, at age 26. What motivates one to accomplish so much so quickly? What did he leave behind of his Mexican upbringing? After graduating he continued to rise through the ranks of a research university to not only become a full professor but also an administrative Vice-President, holding four different VP positions over the course of 15 years. Upon resigning and returning to the faculty, he was named a "Distinguished Professor" and created a popular course on Happiness that enrolled over 500 students per semester. What attracted him to this subject and why was it so popular, not only with students but with people from throughout the world that have asked him to talk about the subject?

Celestino is a man of both sides of the border, a man who has experienced sadness, pain and loss. He is flawed, but remains highly optimistic. He is committed to the ideals of democracy and social justice. Above all, he knows that no matter how hard one works or how much status or power one attains; there is no guarantee of happiness. So what makes people happy?

Celestino lives with Kim, his third wife, in Tucson, Arizona. She tired of hearing him exclaim that he was going to write his story, so took up the challenge. She knows that a man, who manages to wake up nearly every single day in a happy mood, must have a story worth telling.