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Nolberto Sanchez said life hasn’t supplied him with a crystal ball, but it’s thrown plenty of curve balls.

When he walks across the ŷ������ (GGC) stage to receive his diploma in biochemistry this month, he’ll know it was adjusting to those unexpected pitches that were the key to his success.

“If I could offer one nugget of thought, something that’s resonated in my own experiences, it would be this: Stay open to the unexpected and remain adaptable,” he said.

Sanchez grew up in the Dominican Republic and different parts of Georgia. His stepfather worked in construction, so the family often moved to his project locations before settling in Suwanee. His mother moved back to the Dominican Republic in 2009, but Sanchez stayed behind in the U.S. and graduated from Peachtree Ridge High School in Suwanee in 2012.

He first enrolled in GGC in 2015 but was also working full time at an auto parts store to provide for his mother and little sister and brother. The dual responsibilities weighed him down to the point where he had to choose one or the other. When he was offered a general manager position at work, he quit school to better support his family. At the time, he said, he felt like a total failure, but he never gave up on his dream of earning a college degree.

“It was all a learning experience, just not the kind I was planning to get from college,” he said. “Today, I understand that success happens when proper preparation meets an opportunity.”

Six years later, his mother had opened a successful restaurant in the Dominican Republic and Sanchez could again focus on his education.

“In the words of the late Viktor Frankl, ‘When we are no longer able to change a situation – we are challenged to change ourselves,’” said Sanchez.

Determined not to be daunted by past failures, he set his sights high and went for it.

“I chose to major in biochemistry because I wanted something that would automatically fill my pre-requisites for medical school while also allowing me to take high-level biology and chemistry courses,” he said.

Sanchez credits his professors for guiding him through the most challenging parts of his journey at GGC.

“They have taught me far beyond the scope of academia,” Sanchez said. “I can’t put it into words, but as the years continue, I will try to express my gratitude and honor them by leaving those I encounter better than when I met them, as they have all done with me.”

Plans will shift and diverge, said Sanchez, but the moments that don’t go according to the script are often when the most significant growth happens and core memories are made.

“You have to be willing to explore, adapt, and yes, sometimes, to change direction completely,” he said. “Control what you can right now. For the things you can’t control, just trust that in the future you will figure it out. GGC has given me a solid base. Now, I’ll build upward and outward, with both courage and a healthy dose of ‘What if?’”

After graduating, Sanchez will study for the MCAT and apply to med schools, expecting to start in August of 2026 with the ultimate goal of becoming a cardiac surgeon. In the meantime, he plans to travel and spend time with friends and family before starting the next chapter.