Cristina Flores-Villarreal sent her sons, Gueriel and Eduardo Mendes-Flores, to Texas A&M University in College Station. Like many proud Aggie parents, she was full of hopes and dreams for their futures. And she celebrated when each received a bachelor’s degree and went to law school.
“From a young age, I made sure they understood that college wasn’t optional–it was the next step,” she said. “I couldn’t give them everything financially, but I could give them vision, discipline and belief in themselves.”
On Sunday, it was her turn.
When the Texas A&M University College of Dentistry in Dallas hosted graduation, Flores-Villarreal of Lewisville was among 27 dental hygiene students to receive bachelor’s degrees. She was the oldest graduate in her class and possibly the oldest new graduate in the program’s history, but she matched her diploma with decades of life experience.
“I always wanted to finish my bachelor’s degree, but I was raising my kids, taking care of my parents and running my printing business,” Flores-Villarreal said.
After the passing of her father in 2013 and the loss of her mother during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, Flores-Villarreal found herself at home, alone, in Mexico, especially with all her children grown.
She decided to return to school.
Flores-Villarreal had considered a career in dental hygiene about 20 years ago. After all, she comes from a dental family in Mexico.
Her father was a general dentist, her oldest brother is an oral and maxillofacial surgeon, another brother is an orthodontist and her sister is a pediatric dentist.
However, newly-divorced, she dismissed the idea because family obligations near the border of Nuevo Laredo, Mexico and Laredo prevented her from moving away for school.
With both family encouragement and financial support, this time, she finished her associate degree and additional science courses at Laredo College and was accepted to the College of Dentistry.
“When you are out of the loop for such a long time, it’s hard to believe that people would be interested in what you have to say,” said Flores-Villarreal, whose college records date back to 1987.
Eduardo Mendes-Flores, a member of the Aggie Corps of Cadets while at Texas A&M in College Station, said his mother was nervous about entering dental college in August 2023.
“My mom is a testament to the fact that it’s never too late to follow your dreams and keep your priorities straight,” he said.
Eduardo Mendes-Flores, like his brother, was a member of the Aggie Corps of Cadets at Texas A&M. He graduated with a degree in political science in 2020 and earned a law degree from Elon University School of Law in North Carolina. He recently passed the bar exam and celebrated with his mother at the dental college, where she cleaned his teeth.
He also completed a master’s degree in business administration this month and will soon move to Charlotte, North Carolina, to begin a career in immigration law.
Gueriel Mendes-Flores graduated in 2018 with a degree in environmental studies and then from St. Louis University School of Law. He’s an entertainment attorney in Austin.
“She’s encouraged us to embrace opportunities and run with them; to be bold, even if it isn’t in our zone of comfort,” said Gueriel Mendes-Flores, who reminded his mother of her advice.
Going back to school later in life isn’t easy.
Flores-Villarreal’s resilience and perseverance continue to impress Professor Maureen Brown, the interim executive director of the dental hygiene program.
“She made no excuses for her age, but she did comment many times how it took her longer to study and retain information than her younger counterparts,” Brown said. “Even with this knowledge, Cristina still volunteered her time to serve as one of the class technology chairs.”
One of Flores-Villarreal’s proudest moments was traveling to College Station in April with her classmates to receive her Aggie class ring. All her children, including her daughter, Maria Cristina Mendes-Flores of Lewisville, a cybersecurity student at Western Governors University, attended.
They, along with about 40 members of her extended family, watched Flores-Villarreal graduate.
She plans to work as a temporary dental hygienist until she finds a permanent position in a private practice, possibly in Denton County. Flores-Villarreal also contemplates a faculty position at some point, which requires a master’s degree to teach in the classroom.
“It’s never too late,” she said. “Everything has fallen into place exactly as it should have.”
