Have Pursued Their College Careers Together
Diego and Leidy Tibaquira have shared many experiences in the six years they've been married. Together they moved from New York to North Carolina after Diego joined the Marines and was stationed at Cherry Point. Together they enrolled in school at Craven Community College, completed Associate's degrees, and then transferred to UNCG. Together they celebrated the birth of their daughter Catherine in February, 2000. She will be two in May, 2002, when Leidy and Diego go through UNCG's graduation ceremony, together. Leidy will receive her degree in Biology with a minor in Chemistry, and Diego will be recognized for the degree in Computer Science (with a minor in Mathematics) he will finish this summer.
Diego and Leidy grew up in bilingual families in New York City and withstood the temptations and pressures of NY public schools--Leidy in Manhattan and Diego in the Bronx. Knowing two languages is another shared experience, and they are passing this gift on to Catherine, who is learning both English and Spanish.
Diego graduated from high school in 1993 and spent two and a half years at City College of New York. When he resumed college work at Craven, he chose a technical degree in Networking Technologies to complement the computer expertise he developed in his job with the Marines as a Computer Systems Administrator. He has completed Microsoft certifications as well, but still finds Computer Science at UNCG to be "one of the toughest programs around." "It's a tough, tough, tough program," he laughs.
Leidy didn't start college right after high school, but went to Beauty School instead. After coming to North Carolina, she felt, "I need to know more." So many times, as a minority, she'd heard, "you won't make it [to college]--you married young, you'll probably be pregnant next year," she remembers. "I made up my mind I'd make it," she says. "I had liked biology since I was a little girl; I thought, 'why not try it?'" She has been in college ever since, with a year out when her daughter was born, and has found that her passion for biology has deepened the more she learns.
Found UNCG and Greensboro to be a Good Fit
After Diego completed his military service and he and Leidy had earned their two-year degrees, they considered four-year schools in the North Carolina system. UNCG had the right combination of campus and community, they thought: a city large enough for Diego to find a job, a university not too large and not too small. They moved to Greensboro and began classes in fall, 2000.
In the semesters at UNCG, Diego and Leidy have shared childcare responsibilities while taking 10-12 hours apiece each term, and Diego has also managed to work full time. On Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights, he has worked a 12-and-one-half-hour shift as a data analyst for PepsiCo in Winston-Salem. He comes to campus straight from work on Friday mornings, attends class and works out at the Rec Center, goes home for a few hours' sleep, and then goes back to work Friday night.
Time Management is a Daily Challenge
Time management is a daily challenge. One person may say, "I need some time--I have a paper to write." The other may answer, "I have two." Catherine, naturally, doesn't take into account any of the academic pressures. Next fall when both Diego and Leidy hope to enter graduate school, there will be a point where Diego will come out of his class and take over the car with Catherine in the backseat, so that Leidy can get to her next class. They've both learned flexibility and the ability to help out before stress sends the other one over the edge.
Leidy's hardest semester was the spring of 2001, following a fall term with two surgeries (for appendicitis and then complications after the first operation). She had Incompletes to remove along with her new work. She credits Dr. Elizabeth Lacey in Ecology lab with teaching her study habits that help in courses where lots of information is involved. "I learned to study every day," she says. "Dr. Lacey has such a passion for her subject--you can feel her love for what she does."
Diego has been able to concentrate on Computer Science courses at UNCG and, in fact, to catch up with the previous class. He credits three professors in particular who have been important to his success. He mentions Dr. Suzanne Lea's support and guidance, and his appreciation for her open door: "She has been devoted to seeing me succeed," he says. "If there is one person I owe for helping me make his May's graduation, it is Dr Lea. I can't thank here enough for what she's done for me." Likewise Dr. Shan Suthaharan and Mr. Norman Harris have provided important guidance and the benefit of their experience in their fields. Dr. Suthaharan has been a "role model and mentor for me" in Networking and Information Security, Diego says, and "Mr. Harris has provided "hands-on experience and up-to-date information on current technologies." "They have each provided me with so much," Diego says, "I could not mention one without the others."
Leidy's A. S. degree from a North Carolina community college satisfied her general requirements, but Diego's situation was more complicated. After bringing in so many hours of transfer work, he has been able to work with Student Academic Services to meet most of the general requirements with transfer credit. He and Leidy both were able to earn 6 hours credit for Spanish by CLEP exam (College Level Examination Program). Some of Diego's classes have been taken during the summer at N. C. A & T through the Consortium arrangement between UNCG and other area colleges.
"It's hard, but it's doable if you set your mind to it"
"It's hard, but it's doable if you set your mind to it," Diego and Leidy say, of the challenges of sharing two full-time school schedules, full-time childcare, and Diego's full-time work schedule. Both of them have over a 3.0 GPA. "You have to love what you're doing and have a passion for your fields. We both have that. We want to keep going," affirms Leidy.
Leidy plans to begin graduate school in Biology at UNCG this summer with the career goal of doing cancer research. She already knows the area of her graduate research; she will continue work she has begun as an undergraduate with Dr. Paul A. Steimle on the regulation of actin and myosin in Dictyostelium cells, work which contributes to our knowledge of cell movement.
Diego is applying for a scholarship to a graduate program at N. C. A & T and UNC-Charlotte which is supported by the National Security Agency. If he is selected in the national competition, he will have full funding for a Master's program in Information Security and Privacy, areas that have received added emphasis following September 11. An A & T professor told him about the program, and his professors there have agreed to recommend him for this fellowship. As part of his application, he will be preparing a presentation for the program's faculty this summer as he finishes the last coursework for his UNCG degree.
Before summer work begins, however, Leidy and Diego will pause in their busy routines to celebrate thoroughly the completion of their undergraduate journeys. Family and friends will travel to North Carolina to share with them the pride and pleasure of their dual graduations. Catherine, of course, will join in too!
More information about the Tibaquira family and additional photographs may be found on their website: http://www.geocities.com/dtibaquira_98/
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Page updated: 06-May-2009
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