For two hours and forty minutes a day, Nancy and Flaviano Quinones commute to and from A&M-Commerce. For this brother and sister duo, it is a journey they wouldn’t make any other way.
By Ashley Johnson Photography by Paul Bryan & Jason Flowers
Nancy and Flaviano support each other. They add and drop classes to make the other’s schedule easier. They often spend 12 hours a day on campus, waiting for the other to finish up classes for the day. Most importantly, they work together to set an example for their four younger siblings.
“Being the oldest, I know if I show my brothers and sisters that I can go to college and do well, then they can do it too,” Flaviano said. So far, they have succeeded in their efforts. One sister attends El Centro Community College, their twin brothers are seniors in high school planning to attend community college next year and their youngest sister, a middle school student, already has her eye on going to college. “I didn’t know what I was doing my first year out of high school,” Flaviano said.
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Texas A&M University–Commerce ~ Pride Magazine
“I took classes I didn’t need to take. I had to figure everything out on my own-how to apply for scholarships, study skills, everything. Now I can show my siblings how to do it, too.” While Nancy and Flaviano are happy to be Lions this semester, finding their way to A&M-Commerce took time. “Two years ago, we came to Mane Event, and felt comfortable in the small town environment,” Nancy said. “We also met Dr. Fred Fuentes who showed our dad around, and made him feel comfortable on campus.” The transition from Eastfield College to A&M-Commerce was made possible by a scholarship from the Dallas Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. “Yolanda, our advisor at Eastfield, put us in touch with Luis Franco at A&M-Commerce, and he told us about the scholarships available,” Nancy said. “Hopefully we’ll get resident advisor positions soon too, so we can live on campus and enjoy the whole college experience.” While they do not live in Commerce yet, they have found a home in their respective departments. Flaviano is following his love for cattle and horses in the animal science program, and Nancy is thriving in the education program, with hopes of inspiring kids as a bilingual second grade teacher.
“The professors are wonderful and are willing to work with you one-on-one, especially Margie Garcia. She and I connected right away, and she’s always available to give me advice,” Nancy said. “We are really glad we came to A&M-Commerce.”