Jesse Lopez Martin posing with two Phoenix College alumni (Megan McPherson and Fidel Atencio) after his graduation at the Spring 2025 Phoenix College Commencement Ceremony.
When Jesse Lopez Martin walked across the stage at Phoenix College’s 2025 Commencement this May to accept his diploma and shake President Dr. Kimberly Britt's hand, it was over in a moment—but it carried the weight of years; years of hardship, perseverance, and growth. For Jesse, that simple walk was more than a tradition—it was a quiet victory, the culmination of a life transformed by education, determination, and the opportunities found at Phoenix College (PC).
His journey to that stage wasn’t easy. It began in Minnesota, where Jesse grew up surrounded by adversity. His childhood was shaped by poverty and abuse, and by the time he reached high school, he had fallen in with the wrong crowd. Truancy, drug use, and theft became part of daily life. His father eventually left the family, making their financial situation worse and leaving Jesse’s mother to raise her children alone.
Desperate to find an immediate way to clear family debts, Jesse made a rushed decision and agreed to traffic marijuana across state lines. The plan ended with his arrest in Nebraska and at 18, he was treated as a juvenile and spent three months in detention. While incarcerated, Jesse began to reflect on the path he was on. When he was released, he was determined to turn things around and graduated high school with his class. That moment sparked a new dream: to become an engineer.
In August 2022, Jesse left Minnesota behind and moved to Arizona. He had no job, no family, no apartment—just a determination to change his life. He arrived with savings he’d scraped together, mostly by living on bologna sandwiches and saving half of everything he earned the year before. He shared a two-bedroom apartment with up to ten other people, slept on the floor, and commuted for hours each day using public transportation.
Despite the challenges, Jesse enrolled full-time at Phoenix College and worked 30 hours per week. It wasn't enough. He was eventually evicted, his phone was stolen, and he faced periods of homelessness—all while trying to keep up with school. With no family support and limited knowledge of college resources, Jesse struggled through his first few semesters without knowing about tutoring services, scholarship opportunities, or programs like the Honors Program. And still, he maintained a 3.9 GPA.
His fortunes began to shift in fall 2024, when he was connected to the Housing Opportunity Promoting Education (H.O.P.E.) Initiative. With stable housing provided through the program, Jesse was finally able to take full advantage of campus life. He joined MESA (Math, Engineering, Science Achievement), became a member of the international honor society Phi Theta Kappa, and co-founded the Phoenix College Engineering Club. He also helped launch the PC Unidos chapter of the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE), which supports Latinx students pursuing STEM careers.
With a little stability came a lot of momentum. Jesse became a leader among his peers, building not only his résumé but his confidence. Off campus, he began volunteering with Future for KIDS, a nonprofit supporting at-risk youth. His down-to-earth mentorship—mixing slang, Spanish, and sincerity—quickly earned him the trust and admiration of the young people he worked with.
All his work paid off when he was one of only a handful of students across the United States, and two at PC, to earn the Jack Kent Cooke Transfer Scholarship in the spring term. With such an incredible story of beating the odds and challenging himself to reach for his dreams, he was also this year's recipient of Phoenix College's Diane H. Thomas Scholarship.
The Diane H. Thomas Scholarship, which supports Phoenix College graduates with strong leadership potential and compelling personal stories, will be instrumental in keeping Jesse focused on his future.
Jesse graduated from Phoenix College in May 2025 with an Associate of Science degree, emphasis in Engineering. This fall, he will transfer to Arizona State University to continue his education and pursue his goal of becoming a structural engineer.
“I am incredibly grateful to be a PC alumni; this is a one-of-a-kind campus. I’ve chosen a different path—education, growth, and becoming the person my family can lean on. I no longer want to just get by. I want to build the life my mother dreamed of for me.” - Jesse Lopez Martin
Jesse’s journey is a powerful reminder that with support, resilience, and the right opportunities, anything is possible.
For students like Jesse, scholarships make the difference between surviving and thriving. To explore ways you can help students like Jesse, visit Ways to Give.
Are you a current PC student? Find scholarship opportunities that can help you build your future at Phoenix College Scholarships.