Nuestra Comunidad: Twins defy odds to graduate from college

José and Jesús Santana have a lot more in common than the fact they were born on the same day — a passion for learning and studying, for example, unite this unique pair of siblings.

The twin brothers’ recent graduation from college marks a huge goal and accomplishment, not just for José and Jesús but for their entire family, as they did not have the necessary financial resources or legal status that the state of Georgia requires in order to obtain a higher education.

When the pair first came to the United States as small children, neither had papers allowing them to enter the country legally. Their mother, Celina Villa, told MundoHispanico that now more than ever, she is confident that her decision to leave her native Guerrero, Mexico in search of a better life up north was the right one.

In the beginning, Villa thought that she would not be able to afford to send José and Jesús to college, but she pledged to work hard and defy the odds, something which she does not regret.

“I had two jobs, and I worked long hours so I could save up enough money for their tuitions, which were $20,000 per semester,” explained Villa.

Last month, Villa, who is a single mother, had the opportunity to witness her sons graduate from college. Jesús obtained a degree in business and finance, while José graduated with a degree in mechanical engineering.

All this, thanks to the brothers’ uncanny perseverance and dedication to their studies from a young age. They also received scholarships, despite the fact that they were not officially eligible to do so, as they are both beneficiaries of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, a policy that allows certain undocumented immigrants who entered the country before their 16th birthday and before June 2007 to receive a renewable two-year work permit and exemption from deportation.