A chance encounter with a community college professor completely changed the course of Daniel Ambriz' life. He had worked for a few years after high school and was taking a couple of DCCCD classes, but he was struggling for a sense of direction. One day he was sitting against a tree outside his classes, pondering his future. "I didn't have a major and wasn't sure exactly what I wanted to do," he remembers. "I was on the verge of giving up."

Enter professor Dudley Knox, who struck up a conversation with Daniel that day and encouraged him to try the paralegal program in which he served as director. The next semester found Daniel Ambriz in paralegal studies at El Centro College.

Early in the program, Knox again stepped in to lend a guiding hand, recommending Daniel for a part-time job with a law firm across the street from the college. "It really helped me out, starting to work early in a law firm," says Daniel. "I knew the terminology and did a lot of everything." He took morning classes and progressed to full-time work, earned an associate degree at El Centro and went on to earn a Bachelor of Science degree at the University of Texas at Dallas.

"My community college experience gave me a sense of identity," says Daniel.  "But I attribute what I'm doing today to Mr. Knox - originally, I didn't even know what a paralegal was!"

In his job as a trial paralegal for plaintiffs at Baron and Budd, he represents workers, many of whom have been exposed to toxic environmental materials, as well as trains other paralegals for trial. "I enjoy my job - it's the best job in the world!" he says. "When we win a victory for a client and bring about justice, there's the satisfaction of knowing that all of your hard work is worth it."

"My experience at community college allowed me to be what I am today," says Daniel. "It gave me a sense of direction. I wouldn't trade it for anything."

For Daniel Ambriz, it all began here.