Roberto Juarez says he has always wanted to continue his education, but after he graduated from high school in Mexico, he couldn't afford to go to college.
Now, in Utah, he has found a "chance to start over."
On Saturday, Juarez was one of 39 students who made up the first graduating class to earn bachelor's of science degrees in business from the Provo-based Universidad Hispana. There also were five associate's degree recipients at the ceremony at the Alpine Tabernacle in American Fork.
"For me, it's just a beginning," Juarez said. "I'm already taking classes at the University of Utah."
Juarez, a production manager in Kearns, is working toward a master's of education at the U. and a new career: teaching.
It wasn't easy for Juarez; he has a wife and an 8-year-old daughter. He works full time. Without student aid, he paid the $1,300 tuition and fees each semester out of his own pocket.
"I worked from 5 in the morning to 7 or 8 at night," he said. "I had to save time for homework and family."
Arturo De Hoyos, the school's founder and president, said Juarez is like many of the students at Universidad Hispana, which just finished its eighth semester and is working toward accreditation. Most have full-time jobs, so courses are taught in the evening.
De Hoyos said a high school diploma is the minimum requirement. Many students have some college education or a degree in their native country, which they find useless in the United States, he said.
"The first thing we do is teach them English," he said. "All the graduates today are bilingual."
Universidad Hispana, located at 765 N. 1890 West in Provo, is developing distance learning online through its bilingual Internet site, www.universidadhispana.com. There are plans to open a campus in Ogden, De Hoyos said, and a similar school has opened in Peru.
Susana Arguello, originally from Ecuador, said she found she couldn't use her college degree when she moved to the United States 15 years ago. Now, she's hoping her degree will help her better manage her own filmmaking and media production business.
"The first barrier I found was language," she said. "I think this opportunity is a find like a lottery."
The graduates who spoke at the ceremony discussed the importance of changing Hispanics' image.
"We are not the people who wash dishes," said Juarez. "We also read, we are also well-educated people who are contributing to this great country."
Luciana F. Ruiz, originally from Brazil, is a wife and mother of five. Ruiz said Hispanics need to become more involved in American society by learning culture, history and English.
"Education is a key to success, let's be an inspiration to others," Ruiz said. "S se puede. (Yes, you can.) And it's worth it."
E-mail: dbulkeley@desnews.com