Luis Duque arrived at college with a 2.3 GPA and, by his own admission, very little faith in himself. A PC track coach offered him a scholarship, and that athletic opportunity became the foundation for his academic pursuits. In May 2024, he crossed the stage at Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum to accept his Associate's degree in Criminal Justice — and enrolled in summer school the next day to begin his Bachelor of Applied Science in Public Safety Administration. Two years later, he stood on that same stage, this time with his bachelor's degree, a 4.0 grade point average (GPA), and the honor of being selected as the student commencement speaker.
Luis stepped up to the podium to address PC's Class of 2026. Behind him on stage were Phoenix College leaders dressed in their academic regalia. Before him on the coliseum floor were 765 Phoenix College graduates. Surrounding him in the stadium-style seats were 5,000 of the graduates' friends and families. Luis understood the weight of the moment. Just minutes before, Phoenix College Student Government President Galilea Guzman had calmed his nerves with quiet encouragement as they sat next to each other on stage.
Luis started his speech with his characteristic upbeat energy. He shared a quote by Robert Collier. "In every adversity, there lies a seed of equivalent advantage." But when Luis started to describe the struggles he and his family have endured as immigrants, he was overcome with emotion and stepped back from the microphone. Within seconds, the audience's encouraging cheers echoed off the coliseum's walls, giving Luis the strength to continue his inspiring speech. He spoke about persisting through his struggles to find his purpose and ended his speech with an uplifting message.
"When you're tested in life, it's okay if you get scared, but don't let it stop you. Embrace it. See yourself doing great things, just like you did tonight. Congratulations, shoot for the sky, Class of 2026."
After the commencement ceremony Luis noted that “what truly broke me down was the thought of trying to help my people and having others tell me it’s not possible. When I say ‘my people’ I refer to those struggling in my communities.” More than 20 strangers sought him out to say his words had moved them. He continued, "I think the reason why the crowd was so supportive is because they could relate to a lot of the things I said."
A Perfect Finish
A 4.0 GPA was just one piece of Luis' remarkable year. He also received the Chancellor's Civic Leadership Medallion, a district-wide honor awarded to only three Phoenix College students, recognizing his contributions to civic engagement across the Maricopa Community Colleges system. "It was cool to meet like-minded students from the other Maricopa colleges — a lot of different programs, a lot of great leaders," he said. He competed in a national debate tournament as a member of the Glendale Community College debate team, the benefit of the Maricopa Community College system. He also met Dr. Kimberly Britt, Phoenix College President and now Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor of the system. Luis was crowned PC Homecoming Royalty at the Monster Ball, and he received the Paul Fannin Scholarship at the Ursa Student Leadership Awards, which included a financial award and the deep satisfaction of having been nominated by people who believed in him.
Yet, the accomplishment that brings the most pride is the one that demonstrates his legacy of leadership at Phoenix College. Luis founded Empowered Leaders Initiate Transformative Excellence (ELITE), a student club that encourages students to take action on campus and in their communities. The club functions as a "student-first" organization that offers members a committed support system and valuable resources, prioritizing their personal, academic, and professional development through campus engagement, which improves the retention and degree completion of PC students.
A Purposeful Summer
Rather than slow down after graduation, Luis is managing multiple roles this summer. He is currently a Youth Education Intern with the International Rescue Committee (IRC), serving as the very first intern in their Education Department. "It's like a pilot program, essentially," he said. "I really like it." Simultaneously, he is a Youth Organizer with the ACLU of Arizona, putting together a team of youth across high school and college campuses to increase their civic engagement. In August, when the IRC internship concludes, Luis plans to redirect that time entirely to Law School Admission Test (LSAT) preparation. He is taking the test in November, with December as a backup. "Four months should be enough," he said.
The Big Stage
Becoming an attorney is one step toward his overall goal of becoming a public official. During an internship with PC's Director of Student Life and Leadership, Aristotle Mosier, Luis met and spoke with Arizona House of Representatives member Cesar Aguilar. "I ended up working with a lot of organizations where I talked to different AZ legislators, and I liked what they said. I like what they do," Luis said. "If I fulfill my goal of being an attorney for a good amount of time, I'll naturally be drawn to talking on a big stage like I did at commencement."
For law school, Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law at ASU holds the highest probability as his school of choice — in-state tuition, a strong PC-to-ASU pipeline, and the possibility of the O'Connor Honors Program all factor into this choice — but he’s aiming for UCLA Law. “Moving to a city like Los Angeles will allow me to reach my full potential, with a more challenging environment,” he said. He plans to apply to five schools and let scholarship offers and intuition guide his final decision. He intends to start in fall 2027, entering with a full cohort rather than mid-year, a strategy recommended by his former professor and now-practicing attorney Cari Shehorn.
Two PC faculty will remain trusted advisors. Professor Stephanie Molina taught Luis across six courses, including his capstone, and helped him create fellowships and internships to grow his skills and community connections. Dr. Roberto Villegas, chair of the counseling department, will sit with Luis once LSAT scores arrive to map out an application strategy together, offering the kind of honest, objective guidance Luis says he needs most.