How Leadership, Mentorship—and Scholarships Helped Antonie Canales Jimenez Succeed

When Antonie Canales Jimenez arrived in the United States from Peru six years ago, he stepped into a world that felt unfamiliar and overwhelming. He spoke limited English, entered a new school system, and tried to adjust during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. “It was extremely hard,” Antonie said. “I didn’t understand how the education system worked—plus the language barrier—everything felt difficult.”

Antonie graduated from Montgomery College in May. He will transfer to the University of Maryland to study business analytics. Reaching this milestone, however, once felt improbable.

After graduating from Walter Johnson High School, he questioned whether he could succeed at a four-year university, so he enrolled at Montgomery College—a decision he now calls life changing. “At first, I thought community college was just two more years of high school,” he said. “But MC felt like a four-year school. I wouldn’t mind spending two more years here because it was an amazing experience.”

But adapting to college brought new challenges. Financial problems at home soon forced Antonie to juggle classes while working as many as two full-time jobs to help support his family. During one grueling summer semester, he balanced three classes and work, squeezing in assignments whenever he could. “I was even doing homework in the bathroom while working,” he said. “It sounds crazy, but I was trying to survive.”

As the pressure mounted, Antonie considered leaving school to focus on work. His English professor, Dr. Marianne Szlyk, encouraged him to apply for scholarships and student programs. “She built the bridge for me,” he said. “She’s the reason I started applying for opportunities.” He followed her advice despite serious doubts. “I thought, ‘I’m wasting my time. I’m not worth it,’” he said. “But everything I applied for—I got into.”

Antonie earned spots in the Southern Management Leadership Program, the Presidential Scholars Program, and the MC LEADS leadership program—which changed the trajectory of his college experience. The Southern Management Leadership Program covered much of his tuition and reshaped how he viewed leadership and networking. “That program changed my mindset,” he said. He credits Presidential Scholars Program Director George Rice with providing valuable guidance during one of the most stressful chapters of his college career. And through MC LEADS, he learned to understand different perspectives, sharpened his leadership skills, and gained the confidence to pursue opportunities he once thought out of reach.

The College’s support for Antonie extended beyond providing leadership and mentorship opportunities. The Montgomery College Foundation awarded him the Heller Family Scholarship three times, funding he says kept him enrolled when financial pressures threatened to derail his education. “If I didn’t get those opportunities, I probably would have quit college,” he said.

Six years after arriving in the U.S. unsure of where he belonged, Antonie now sees himself differently—more confident, more outgoing, and more determined to succeed. “I don’t have to hide who I am anymore,” he said. “I have to show people who I am.”