Jose S. Lopez '03

Jose S. Lopez ’03 emigrated from Honduras to the United States at age 6 and devoted himself to education. He readily assimilated into American culture while retaining his pride for his country of origin and has made a name for himself in Greater Houston as a philanthropist and owner of Lopez Law Firm.

Lopez said he cannot imagine where he would be without South Texas Law. He was not born with access to an excellent education. Looking back over two decades of accomplishments reminds him of the grit they required. “It’s good to dream, but you have to get up and realize those dreams,” he said.

When he immigrated from Honduras, the country was a final holdout in the communist takeover of Central America. Honduras would soon democratically elect a president after nearly two decades of authoritarian military control. Cuba and Nicaragua stoked civil unrest, using Honduras like a hub for distributing weapons and aid to nearby communist guerrillas. Simmering political tensions were inflamed further by brutal civil wars in surrounding countries. The Honduran election captivated international attention. As Honduras teetered toward revolution, Lopez’s mother uprooted him and his sisters and brought them to the United States.