Liz Juarez

 

Liz is native to Quetzaltenango, Guatemala. Her dad was a minister who came to the United States in 2000 as a missionary looking to spread the Christian gospel to Hispanic populations living in the U.S. Like the rest of her family, Liz came to America in support of her father’s spiritual journey, never imagining that she would be embarking on a journey of her very own.

Having lived in Guatemala for the first fifteen years of her life, Liz worked hard to adjust to the culture in America. She always had talent and a strong work ethic, which ultimately paid dividends when she graduated high school in May of 2003. After graduation, Liz enrolled at DCCCD where she was admitted into the Nursing Program at El Centro.

During her time at El Centro, Liz excelled. She was an outstanding student, showing great promise as she maintained a nearly perfect GPA, which garnered her a multitude of honors. Perhaps the biggest was when she was recognized as a 2003 Meyers-LeCroy Scholarship recipient. A Scholarship that recognizes exemplary leadership in education and in the community.

With the support of her family and the Dallas College network, Liz was able to obtain her associate degree in Nursing from El Centro, which served as a foundation for the career she always dreamed of:

“I was blessed to receive the Myers-LeCroy Scholarship and have my studies paid in full at the Dallas Colleges. The ability to get my associates degree and join the workforce at an early age was such a blessing. I was able to right away start working in the degree that I had chosen and loved, and it certainly was a stepping stone to continue my career and studies".

Liz has continued to thrive. She received her bachelor’s degree in Nursing in 2009, her master’s degree in Nursing in 2012, and her Doctorate in Nursing Practice in 2018, all of which she received from Texas Woman’s University. Today, Liz serves as the Chief Medical Officer at Mission East Dallas Family Health Center, a role that gives her direct oversight to the quality of care her patients receive. Liz also serves as an adjunct professor teaching clinicals at the Baylor School of Nursing.

Undoubtedly, Liz’s journey serves as a testament to her hard work and dedication. Her story is one of many that illustrates how meaningful the Dallas College experience is, and what is possible through higher education.

“As a minority and an immigrant, the fact that someone believed in me and was willing to give their money to further my education, it's just priceless. Their help came at a time when the future was very uncertain for me, and I did not know if I was going to be able to reach my dreams; however, their scholarship was the jumpstart I needed to strengthen my faith, renew my hope and hold on to an unseen but yet so bright future. I do not know where I would be now if I had not gotten that scholarship.”