Twin Sisters; Two Careers Started at MDC

Siblings share special relationships and this can be even more so for twins. Rachel and Michelle Perez Luna learned early on the value of hard work from their parents who immigrated from Mexico to find a better life for their family.

Although the sisters have much in common, they chose different paths beginning in high school.

Rachel transferred into South Dade Senior High School in her sophomore year, already interested in nursing. She hoped to enroll in medical assisting and when there were no seats available, she didn’t allow that to deter her. She entered the strong nursing program at Miami-Dade College Homestead Campus and on Saturday, April 22, 2023, she and her twin were among almost 12,000 students who graduated from the combined MDC campuses.

She will continue on with MDC in further nursing education to become a registered nurse and will seek a position as soon as possible.

As the first in their family to attend college, she and her sister were continuously inspired by their parents.

Her advice to high school students considering their next step, “To not give up; you are almost there. I know you have to work really hard but keep on going. And get used to being independent because once you are in college the professors are not going to be pressuring you to turn in your work. Some professors will drop you out of their classes.”

Michelle, who attended Coral Reef Senior High School, became interested in the idea of police work in middle school because of the Police Explorers program. She later joined the program in high school and the experience fueled her desire to learn more about a career in criminal justice.

She too was presented her diploma at the MDC-Homestead graduation and Michelle will move on to Florida International University.

“After obtaining my bachelor's degree in criminal justice I would like to work full time in the criminal justice field,” she explained in an email. “But right now, in the meantime, if I have an opportunity to work part-time in my major, I would like to work.”

Both sisters received different scholarships to enable their studies, including the College Assistant Migrant Program Scholarship.

Michelle, advising certain steps for high school seniors who plan for college, “A piece of advice I would give is to have an idea of what they would like to major in, in college/university. To enjoy your last year in high school and take as many AP classes as possible. Also, start looking into which university/college you would like to go to. Look for scholarships and if you need help with applying to university ask for help in advance because the last year of high school goes by faster than you expect.”

MDC-Homestead continues to expand their offerings. Various degrees and certifications are available in the Miguel B. Fernandez Family School of Global Business, School of Engineering and Technology (EnTec), Eig Watson School of Aviation, Benjamin Leon School of Nursing, School of Education, School of Continuing Education & Professional Development, the Humanities and Social Sciences Department, and the Mathematics and Science Department.

The College Assistance Migrant Program (CAMP) is designed to assist first-time college students who are from agricultural farmworker families.

MDC-Homestead Campus is now also an Honors College campus. This special program can be seen at (https://www.mdc.edu/honorscollege)

For information about all programs and opportunities, go to https://www.mdc.edu/homestead or visit the campus at 500 College Terrace, Homestead.