Jordan Sanchez is quick to say his biggest milestone hasn’t happened yet — it’s just a few months away. “That’ll be the day I graduate,” he said. “It’s when I can show my parents that all the effort and sacrifices were worth it.” That motivation runs deep, shaped by his family’s journey and the opportunities they hoped to create for him in the United States.
Getting here hasn’t been linear. Sanchez admits there was a time when college didn’t feel like the right path for him. “I hadn’t found my passion,” he said — until his brother introduced him to computer science. “Once I saw his world, I found my passion pretty quickly.”
Now, as graduation from the University of Central Florida approaches, Sanchez is gaining more than a degree — he’s building a network. Through the PepsiCo Foundation Scholars Program and experiences like the PepsiCo Foundation Scholar Success Summit, he’s connected with peers, mentors, and leaders who understand his journey. “It’s given me a strong support group,” he said, “and connections I can use to grow my career.”