Darrius Wolfe is a recent graduate from Texas Southmost College, an achievement that seemed impossible only a few years ago.
The 25-year-old earned an associate degree in Business Management this month during the college’s commencement ceremonies held at the Jacob Brown Auditorium.
“This still seems unreal,” said the Colorado transplant. “The way my life was going I expected to be in prison or even worse at this point in my life, but to be where I am now, as a college graduate, that is a new lease on life.”
Wolfe said he was born and raised in Colorado, but moved to Brownsville as a teen after his parent’s divorce and as events unfolded, he started getting into trouble.
“I was acting out,” he said. “I was going to school and working two or three jobs, yet I was spiraling and messing up. Luckily, my lawyer and now mentor Ruben Herrera came into the picture.”
Herrera owns a private law firm in Brownsville and serves as the chairman of the TSC Board of Trustees. He said it was a proud moment when he saw Wolfe receive his degree.
“He did it…I always knew he could,” said Herrera. “He was lost when we were first introduced, and now I’m so happy to see that he is finding purpose and meaning to live a life away from trouble. I’m so proud of him and I think he’ll go far.”
Wolfe said he credits Herrera for saving him and opening his eyes to what his life could be if trouble didn’t interfere.
“Ruben reestablished my morals, opened my eyes and shared his formula for hard work,” said Wolfe. “For him, I’ve been doing my best to walk a straight line and when I saw him at commencement, I didn’t know he was a trustee, I was sure to let him know that this moment, this degree was because of him.”
It took Wolfe nearly five years to finish his associate degree, longer than most, he said. But because money was scarce, he worked as a shrimper to save and pay for college, ending this journey with A’s and B’s.
“I had to put my dream on hold so many times that I always thought this would be impossible. I thought I had ruined my life,” he said. “But here I am, ready to work, find financial and job security and continue my education.”
In the meantime, Wolfe is putting his business degree to use within his father’s business – Wolfe Sandblasting and Industrial Painting – and is looking into becoming a realtor.
“I need to keep momentum,” said Wolfe. “I’m striving for success and there’s no other place to go but up. I want to keep making my family and Ruben proud. This is my gift to myself and them.”