Sitting alone on a flight out of Mexico was 12-year-old Jose Mendez, a current Southern Miss construction management major who recently participated in the ABC Construction Management Competition, helping his team achieve a top 10 national ranking. His destination was America, a country he had not lived in for seven years. He was terrified after having to leave behind his friends and family to live with an uncle he barely remembered, in a country where he could scarcely speak the language.
Originally born in Laurel, at the age of five, Mendez’s parents decided to move back to Mexico. After two of his cousins were sent back to the United States, Mendez’s parents decided to send him back as well for a shot at a better education. A year later, he reunited with his parents.
“At first, I was scared, you know, I was with an uncle that I didn’t really know,” said Mendez. “But just not being with my parents, it was tough. And then you come to a whole different culture, a whole different language, all I knew was how to say the weekdays.”
Mendez spent the majority of his childhood in Mexico. Most of his days were spent outside playing with his friends and cousins, riding on their bikes and going into town. As the dutiful older brother, he made sure to spend time with his younger siblings and was always there to give them advice and encouragement.
Some of his favorite memories from Mexico took place during cultural celebrations. His favorite Mexican holiday is Día de los Muertos or the Day of the Dead. During this holiday, his school would have students set up ofrendas, an altar for a relative that passed away. The students would decorate the ofrendas with flowers, sugar skulls and a variety of other goodies.
“In Mexico, when we were younger, one of my favorite moments was when Independence Day was around the corner, and we would go to the store and buy fireworks and do all kinds of crazy things,” Mendez said. “Those memories – I will always cherish in my heart.”
Another memorable moment for Mendez was two summers ago, when for the first time in 10 years, he was able to travel back to Mexico and see his grandparents. When he arrived, it was clear that things had changed. The house he used to live in, which was built by his father, was in poor condition. The people he once knew, all the friends he had made in school were all gone.
“Nobody’s there,” Mendez said. “I guess we all grew up. Everybody is on their own path. So, it’s just different going back.”
While he spent most of his early years in Mexico, much of his life has been here in America. It was difficult for him to adapt to life in the States. Being shy and self-conscious of his accent, it took years for him to put himself out there and make friends. But even with his lack of knowledge of American culture or the language, he never gave up. Through hard work and determination, he overcame every challenge thrown his way.
“I really wish I would have spent more time in Mexico, but then at the same time, I think everything’s just perfect,” Mendez said. “I probably wouldn’t change anything because it’s who I am today.”
Early on, he had no clue how retirement plans or credit scores worked, and it was because of Ryan Hearn, one of his instructors at Jones College that he was able to thrive. Hearn was the teacher that Mendez would turn to when he needed to talk about life and job opportunities. It was at Jones that Mendez realized construction management was the career path for him, and after graduating, he transferred to USM.
Mendez’s parents sent him here to receive a better education, and he is determined to make sure their efforts are not in vain. Growing up, he never believed he would go to college. Yet today, he is the first in his family to attend and graduate from college, even gaining a prestigious internship that led to a full-time job offer with Kiewit Corporation.
Mendez has had a lot of success in recent years, but it is his father’s influence that brought him this far.
“It really is thanks to him that I am the man that I am today,” said Mendez. “I wasn’t always a good son, but you know, throughout the times and lessons and advice from him. That’s really what shaped me into the man that I am today.”
Even as a child, Mendez always knew he would go into construction. While he may have never seen himself going into the management side of things, he was inspired by his uncles who would take time to sit with him and tell him about the job. And it was his uncle, Luis Hernandez, that had the biggest impact on him.
It was the satisfaction that comes with building communities and the family environment of this particular business that drew Mendez in.
“I would like to be remembered as somebody that, no matter the circumstances, tried his best to make his family proud,” said Mendez. “We shouldn’t take for granted what our parents did, you know, because like I said, thanks to my parents. I’m the person that I am today. They came to this country to pursue their dreams. And when I was born, then they did everything that they could to give me the best life that they could.”
