If there’s one thing Eminelys Sanchez-Viera learned in life, it’s that success doesn’t start when life gets easier; it starts the moment you decide that quitting is no longer an option.

“I walked away from school in 2013,” said Sanchez-Viera. “At the time, my life felt unstable, and my focus was on everything except a classroom. I wasn’t thinking about long-term goals. I was just trying to get through what was in front of me. And for a long time, that decision felt like it defined me.” 

Sanchez-Viera realized she had a choice to make; either let her past decide her future or prove that she could do more. After becoming a mother, she came to the conclusion a part of her story wasn’t finished and made the decision to return to LSC-Montgomery in 2024.

“I have to be honest,” she said. “Coming back to Lone Star College-Montgomery wasn’t easy. I sat in classrooms where I felt different, surrounded by students just beginning their journeys while I was trying to restart mine.”
LSC-Montgomery is ready to assist all students in meeting their academic, career and personal goals. Change, stress and personal growth are all elements of the college experience and LSC-Montgomery is dedicated to helping students succeed through a variety of services.

“I found professors who challenged me but also believed in me, professors who pushed me to think deeper, work harder, and hold myself to a higher standard even when I doubted myself,” said Sanchez-Viera. “I found an environment that didn’t define me by my past but gave me the space to grow beyond it. And that made all the difference.”

Students take advantage of LSC-Montgomery class sizes that are smaller than university lecture halls, offering more direct help from instructors. Evening, weekend, and online classes allow students to balance jobs and family duties making it a great choice for today’s busy student.

“Thank you Lone Star College-Montgomery for creating a space where students like me could come back, grow and succeed,” said Sanchez-Viera who earned an Associate of Arts degree. Sanchez-Viera plans to transfer to a four-year university and pursue a career in advocacy, with the long-term goal of attending law school. “For me, this moment is bigger than a degree. It’s about breaking a cycle. It’s about showing my kids what resilience looks like. It’s about proving that, even if life doesn’t go as planned, you can still rewrite your story.”