In 2003 the Zagaste family fled the drug violence and no employment of Caborca, México. Ready to “jump the line” illegally into the U.S.A., Reyes, Sr. moved his family to the border town of Agua Prieta. Living in sub- standard housing, on a whim Reyes, Sr. (and 1,000 others) made application to Rancho Feliz’s “Vecinos Dignos” affordable housing community. Following 6 interviews the Zagaste family was awarded residency that entitled the 3 children to private Rancho Feliz scholarships.
Reyes, Jr. excelled at Colegio Anais and with Rancho Feliz’s help was the 1st Mexican national admitted into the esteemed Brophy College Preparatory School in Phoenix, AZ. Here he graduated with honors and receiving the coveted, “Brophy College Preparatory, 2012 Principal’s Award”.
Entertaining several scholarship offers, Reyes, Jr. chose Jacobs University, a highly selective, international, private school in Bremen, Germany. His field of study was Global Economics and Management.
Distinguishing himself with excellent grades, in summer of 2014 Reyes, Jr. was offered an internship with JDA Software in London, England. He graduated with honors from Jacobs University in 2015. He was then hired by ET Solar Group in Munich, Germany as a project cost analyst. Seeking greater challenges and growth opportunity he was then hired by ERGO, one of the biggest insurance financial services companies in Europe as a Portfolio Management Consultant.
According to Reye’s Jr., “Rancho Feliz opened my world to unlimited possibility. It will soon be my turn to “give back” by helping my country of Mexico find its way into the global economics of the future.”