Habitat homeowner Luis celebrates earning his Ph.D. in Nursing Education from Nova Southeastern University and now serves as Program Director of Nursing at his alma mater.
Luis and Mayelin recently celebrated an incredible accomplishment: Luis earned his Ph.D. years after closing on their Habitat home. It’s one of many milestones their family has achieved since leaving Cuba to build a better life in the United States with their son in 2011.
“We came to this country without anything,” Luis’ wife Mayelin said. “It was like being born again.”
They arrived filled with both anticipation and uncertainty, unsure of what life in a new country would hold. They had no idea what would unfold over the course of the next 15 years.
“It was so hard to start from zero,” Luis said. Luis began working at Publix, while also going to college. At 41 years old, he was in a new country with a new job, re-earning his bachelor’s degree, all while learning how to speak a new language.
“My English was something I struggled with a lot at first,” Luis said. “But we were thinking of the future and working hard.”
This humble start proved to be beneficial to their family’s growth, as Luis and Mayelin found out about Habitat for Humanity through Publix, a dedicated partner to Habitat for more than 30 years.
“Once we learned about Habitat, we applied,” Luis said.
At that point in time, Luis and Mayelin were renting an apartment where they experienced hostility from their neighbors and destruction of property, adding to an already stressful situation. They were also preparing for another child, as Mayelin was pregnant with their baby girl, Cosette.
Luis and Mayelin’s son, Luis Jr., welcomes home their baby girl, Cosette.
“We didn’t feel welcome,” Mayelin said. “We can get emotional thinking about that time because we were lost. We were by ourselves with no family.”
However, change was on the horizon, as they successfully completed Habitat’s Affordable Homeownership Program and closed on their home in 2013.
“When we came to this house it was our paradise,” Luis said. “It’s still our paradise.”
Luis and Mayelin look back at the first few weeks in their home fondly. “The house was empty, we didn’t have any furniture, nothing, but we were so happy,” Mayelin recalled.
This paradise for their family marked the beginning of endless possibilities.
“Habitat was the main factor that helped us become professionals,” Luis said. With the security of a safe, affordable home, they were able to focus on their education and careers. Mayelin went on to earn a master’s degree in special education in 2016, becoming a teacher in the local school system.
Luis earned his Bachelor of Science in Nursing at Nova Southeastern University, became a nurse and started working in a local hospital. But he didn’t stop there.
He went on to earn his master’s degree and later his Ph.D. in Nursing Education, eventually becoming the Program Director of Nursing at his alma mater.
Luis and his family celebrated his graduation from his doctoral program on May 14, 2026, along with his many awards.
“It’s an amazing experience, especially since my passion now is helping students with difficult backgrounds,” Luis said. “I can tell them, ‘I was in your shoes.’”
Luis and Mayelin said prioritizing their education was the best way to teach their kids real values, and Habitat played a meaningful role in making that possible.
Luis and Mayelin (far right) celebrate their mortgage being paid in full.
In 2025, they also celebrated paying off their mortgage alongside 40 other Habitat homeowners, marking another major milestone in their family’s journey.
“If you ask me for one word to describe who I am or who my family is, the word is resilient,” Luis said. “We’ve been living in the United States for 15 years. In 15 years, we became homeowners, paid off our mortgage, we are professionals, and we’ve got a beautiful family. We have everything.”
What Luis and Mayelin want to share with people who are interested in partnering with Habitat is to take the first step.
“We hope to see more people have the courage to apply,” Mayelin said. “When you hear about Habitat, it’s something that sounds unbelievable. Just try. For us, this has been tremendous.”
