Blind student had no lack of vision in earning diploma
Mom makes good on her vow to sons to obtain a degree from Uh-downtown
It started as a promise to her three sons — that one day she would graduate college alongside them.
The challenge was formidable for 51-year-old Alma Balleza, who is legally blind, but she made good on the promise Saturday, when she walked across the stage at the University of Houston-Downtown commencement at Minute Maid Park to receive her bachelor’s degree in criminal justice.
Balleza suffers from retinitis pigmentosa, a degenerative disease that affects the rods and cones in the retina, causing loss of vision as the disease progresses. She put off attending college at an early age to work for an insurance company, but when the department relocated to North Texas, she opted to go on disability.
“I said to myself ‘What am I going to do at home? Sit here and get depressed?’ ” she recalled. “Instead of just sitting here, I decided to go back to college and get an education
and this will probably give me more chances to find a job.”
While she had the assistance of technology — a closed circuit TV and computer software to enhance text — Balleza struggled with the course load.
“It takes me longer to do something on a computer than it would a normal person and, of course, with reading, I can’t scan to read ahead anymore because I have tunnel vision,” she said. “And it gets discouraging sometimes. I just wanted to give up.”
The disease is genetic and her three sons have also been diagnosed with retinis pigmentosa, further motivating Balleza to persevere in the most difficult moments.
“If I give up now, even though I’m older, they’re going to say ‘You gave up, why not me?’ and I don’t want to give them that impression,” she said.
Balleza now has her sights set on working for the U.S. Department of Labor or the FBI. She said she also plans on applying to law school.
Criminal justice professor Judith Harris touted Balleza as an amzing student and woman.
“Anytime that I get into the class at 7 a.m., I look around and I see her there and I’m like “OK, this is why we’re here, because we do have students who want to learn and who are so eager no matter what’s going on with them,” Harris said.
She’s served as an inspiration to her 20-yearold son, Miguel Balleza, who is on pace to graduate with an engineering degree from the University of Houston next year. Her oldest son, 23-year-old Xavier Belleza, graduated from UH last week with a degree in music marketing. David Balleza, 16, is still in high school.
“I do get frustrated, myself, with not fitting in and not being normal with my vision, and seeing her graduating right before my eyes has been a huge motivational factor,” Miguel Balleza said. “She’s my hero. naheeda.sayeeduddin@ chron.com