My dad once told me he and his brothers had to work in the Texas fields picking cotton while growing up. He said the summers were hot & the work was hard. The grueling job for minimal pay made him realize something: he needed to get out of that small town, make something of himself, & create the life he wanted.
One degree in Mechanical Engineering & an MBA later, I think my dad can safely say he succeeded. We reside in the wonderful city of
Southlake, Texas, where college is not only an option, but also
expected. So, although I am a proud college graduate, I
expected to receive a degree from a university four years after high school.
A combination of hard work, motivation & luck propelled my dad towards his life today. His brothers and sister, on the other hand, continue to reside in that small town. My dad sought out education, and became an exception to an unfair "rule" - a rule alluding to the difficulties of achieving success in a low-income Latino neighborhood.
My education from
Carroll ISD was phenomenal. My teachers prepared me for college, & my knowledge gained from high school led to many merit-based scholarship offers.
My cousins, on the other hand, have not been exposed to such great public education. Both lack of necessary school funds and distractions from gangs, drugs & teenage pregnancy have impacted their abilites in the classroom. Therefore, high school graduation is a feat in itself...& college graduation? BIG DEAL.
I am the first of my cousins from my dad's side to graduate from college. Although it might have been expected for me, it is still an achievement.
I hope this degree inspires my younger cousins that were able to watch me graduate. Although the odds are against them, they are smart & capable. Maybe seeing me graduate will show them that one day they can, too.
