08/07/2026
When Javier Mauricio Rondon Buitrago came to the United States from Colombia, he was looking for a new opportunity.
After serving as a police officer in Colombia for 22 years, Javier arrived in Iowa with his wife and two children, ready to start a new chapter. His daughter is 16, and his son is 14, and Javier says their future was one of the biggest reasons he wanted to pursue something new.
“For me, my dream is a new opportunity for my kids and for me,” he says.
Today, Javier is studying English in the morning while also completing DMACC’s Water Environmental Technology program. The schedule is busy, but Javier says he is grateful for the chance to keep learning.
Javier chose DMACC after learning that Iowa and Des Moines could offer a safe, affordable place for his family and a strong educational path for him. While college in the United States can be expensive, he saw DMACC as a more accessible option that would help him move toward a better career.
“The people are good,” he says. “I am very happy here.”
In the Water Environmental Technology program, Javier is preparing for work that he believes matters deeply. And for him, the work is not only technical. It is personal.
In his home region of Colombia, he says, people suffer because they do not have reliable access to water. That reality helped draw him to a field where he could help protect and provide one of life’s most essential resources.
“Maybe one day the people don’t have water,” Javier says. “Maybe I can help deliver clean water for those people. I always ask myself, ‘what are you doing for the people?’”
His time at DMACC has also introduced him to people from many different backgrounds. As an adult student, Javier says he is often surrounded by younger classmates, but that has never made him feel out of place. Instead, he enjoys learning alongside students from different countries, cultures and languages.
“I know different people from different countries studying here,” he says. “It’s good. Different culture. Different languages. It’s interesting.”
Scholarship support has helped Javier continue building momentum toward his goals. He is also gaining experience through an internship with a water company, an opportunity he describes as exciting and motivating.
“It is interesting because I need more to study, more discipline and more opportunities,” he says.
After completing his program at DMACC, Javier hopes to continue his education, possibly at Iowa State University, and keep working toward a stronger future for himself and his family.
As he reflects on his journey, Javier’s message is simple and heartfelt.
“Thank you,” he says. “I am happy for the United States. I feel good for my kids, for my wife. I only say thank you.”
To learn more about how you can support students pursuing their passions, visit this link: https://dmacc.edu/foundation/Pages/giving.aspx
