Graduate student German Cadenas came to the U.S. from Venezuela with his family when he was 15. At the time, Venezuela was host to a national strike against President Hugo Chavez. His family overstayed their visas in the U.S. for fear they would return to a dictatorship in their home country.
Cadenas graduated from high school in Tempe and applied to attend ASU, but was denied admission because of his immigration status and lack of a student visa. Cadenas achieved two associate’s degrees from Mesa Community College, and was admitted to ASU after three attempts.