First degrees from Provo university

Roberto Juarez says he has always wanted to continue hiseducation, but after he graduated from high school in Mexico, hecouldn'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 firstgraduating class to earn bachelor's of science degrees in businessfrom the Provo-based Universidad Hispana. There also were fiveassociate's degree recipients at the ceremony at the AlpineTabernacle in American Fork.

"For me, it's just a beginning," Juarez said. "I'm already takingclasses at the University of Utah."

Juarez, a production manager in Kearns, is working toward amaster'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-olddaughter. He works full time. Without student aid, he paid the $1,300tuition and fees each semester out of his own pocket.

"I worked from 5 in the morning to 7 or 8 at night," he said. "Ihad to save time for homework and family."

Arturo De Hoyos, the school's founder and president, said Juarezis like many of the students at Universidad Hispana, which justfinished 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 nativecountry, which they find useless in the United States, he said.

"The first thing we do is teach them English," he said. "All thegraduates today are bilingual."

Universidad Hispana, located at 765 N. 1890 West in Provo, isdeveloping distance learning online through its bilingual Internetsite, www.universidadhispana.com. There are plans to open a campus inOgden, De Hoyos said, and a similar school has opened in Peru.

Susana Arguello, originally from Ecuador, said she found shecouldn't use her college degree when she moved to the United States15 years ago. Now, she's hoping her degree will help her bettermanage her own filmmaking and media production business.

"The first barrier I found was language," she said. "I think thisopportunity is a find like a lottery."

The graduates who spoke at the ceremony discussed the importanceof changing Hispanics' image.

"We are not the people who wash dishes," said Juarez. "We alsoread, we are also well-educated people who are contributing to thisgreat country."

Luciana F. Ruiz, originally from Brazil, is a wife and mother offive. Ruiz said Hispanics need to become more involved in Americansociety by learning culture, history and English.

"Education is a key to success, let's be an inspiration toothers," Ruiz said. "S se puede. (Yes, you can.) And it's worth it."

E-mail: dbulkeley@desnews.com