After the death of her husband in 2001, Evangelina Zacarias, originally from Mexicali, Baja California, decided to take an alternative path in her life thanks to the support of her family and her desire to continue her education. At the age of 48, she began this path of knowledge by entering the high school opened in the state capital.

"When my husband passed away, that same day of the funeral my oldest son told me: mother, be strong, we are going to be with you and do what you want to do with your life. It's better to regret what you did than what you didn't do, he said. That's how I started the open high school, and it's hard for anyone to finish it and I had acquaintances who told me: not to waste your time if you're not going to finish it. And when they tell me something like that, I cling to it more and they attack my ego, and I said, 'Yes, I can do it,'" Evangelina said in an interview for San Diego Red.

Besides not very encouraging comments, but always with a positive attitude, in 2008 Evangelina was detected with breast cancer, losing one of her breasts in 2009. However, her interests did not change so in July of that same year she finished high school; starting in 2010 her Bachelor's Degree in Psychology, being her first degree obtained from the Autonomous University of Baja California (UABC).

Once she finished this goal, in spite of considering it a difficult profession for her, Evangelina pursued her dream of becoming a lawyer, so she studied a second career in the highest house of studies: Bachelor in Law.

"We are from another generation and almost all great careers are for men, right? But when I was in my ninth semester of Psychology I was taught by a teacher, who is a psychologist and had a degree, and since I already carried that interest, she reaffirmed it to me, and I said to myself: Why am I going to stay with the want? When I die I will not take anything else but the pleasure of indulging myself and living what one has longed for; of enjoying what one plans and wants," mentioned the proud Big Horn.

In this university experience, the "cachanilla" recognized how difficult the last semesters were due to professional practices and social service, so she commented that she was on the verge of giving up this dream, but while she was walking through the university halls "they put some pictures there but they are advertising and one of the university's slogans was posted, it says "No surrender". And that gave me a push and I said, no! I came here and now I have to go through with it. And that's because it's a shame for me not to finish something that I'm holding on to, and then an example for my family and my grandchildren," Evangelina said.

Among the main challenges that the UABC graduate commented during this journey, were the presentations since she was nervous, although she commented that she was always happy with the support of teachers and classmates who invited her to be part of their teams in class.

So, last June 2019 and at the age of 67, Evangelina graduated as a Bachelor of Law, becoming now a double Big Horn, as she mentions, and with the desire to continue growing personally and professionally, since she has planned to do a master's degree related to this last profession.

"My son told me that I appeared on the UABC's Facebook page, and I said: you know what, I'm really glad this is being used, and how nice! to stimulate, because many young people and others not so young drop out of the career when there are young people who get sick and even cry that they couldn't stay in the student body. And a few months later I saw that the young people were already leaving, and I said what was wrong with them. During the first two months we had no room, and after those two months I could see that there were even more seats; and I said, 'What a sin! Why do they do that?, said Evangelina.

At the same time, her doctor said he sees her very well and that he is thinking of releasing her, so that in the next few days they will only perform some tests because he considers that she "has already won" with respect to her cancer diagnosis

In view of this, the Baja California woman sent a message to all those who find themselves in a difficult situation or who want to do what they like: "First of all, God and then our motivaron, so that we can achieve our dreams, so that we do not remain with our desires, our yearnings, so that we can overcome them, so that we can enjoy life, so that we are not just a breast, but a person. So, with care and treatment we can move forward because we are not miraculous, and the state of mind is very important, to be happy and to move forward. There are people who don't like school, I understand that, but always doing something for someone is more rewarding than for another person, for yourself. And if you can do good, do it as far as you can and as much as you can.

Today, not only is she a professional, but also her three children, one a Systems Engineer, the other a Bachelor of Commerce, and the smallest one an Electrical Engineer. In addition, she has 8 grandchildren who she wants to motívate to follow this path.