Kyle Lopez: From incarceration to a bright future through higher education
“I was really in a hard place,” said Kyle Lopez, “It was my last resort because I just couldn’t get hired with the tattoos that I have on my face, my record, and with no specialization in my skill set.”
Lopez was a self-described “delinquent on drugs”—in a gang by the age of 12, juvenile detention by age 15, and the adult incarceration system after that—before turning his life around.
Today, he is a second-year student studying computer science at Linn-Benton Community College. His GPA is 3.92. “That B was really hard to take,” he said.
Lopez was recently admitted to Oregon State University through the Degree Partnership Program. At OSU, he hopes to continue studying computer science, with a specialization in artificial intelligence.
His path has not been easy.
After Lopez’s ten years in prison and two more on parole, his father died.
“He knew that I was still getting high. And what he knew about me when he died just didn’t make me feel good at all,” said Lopez. “I always promised myself that I’d get it straight before my parents left and I’d assure them that I would be okay. That was the kick in the …”
Lopez and his family moved to Oregon after he got off parole. After some struggles, Lopez got sober. He is working to repair the estranged relationships he has with his family members.
“No one in my family is like me,” he said. “I’m the black sheep.”
For Lopez, Linn-Benton was a means to an end – at first.
“It wasn’t easy, but I knew that I could get money to go to school,” he said. “I thought they might have some kind of second-chance grant for convicts.”
So Lopez enrolled. And through grit and determination, he has persevered.
His first term at LBCC, he had an introduction to college class with Terese Jones. Jones runs the Job Opportunities and Basic Skills (JOBS) Program at LBCC. The program supports low-income families and students and provides support for students to overcome barriers to persistence.
Lopez took classes in writing and math and added an introduction to computer science class.
“Really, the whole cs [computer science] faculty has been great. And they’re good classes,” said Lopez. “Sisi Varisek was my first cs teacher; she’s awesome.”
He was hooked.
“It felt good. I got invested in my education,” said Lopez, “and I got passionate about programming.”
Lopez began reading more about artificial intelligence and became excited about it. His plan is to continue his education through to a graduate degree.
Lopez is grateful to LBCC.
“I know what I look like … I don’t look like a typical student,” he said. “Never once has that come across in the way that the faculty has treated me. That acceptance is not typical of the adult population. I’m appreciative of that. I love LB.”
What advice would he give to someone considering college, who may have doubts?
“I’d show them my rap sheet and my GPA – side by side,” he said. “It may feel intimidating, but if I can do this, you can definitely do it.”