KENNESAW, Ga. | Sep 19, 2024

The old adage that looks can be deceiving could certainly apply to Maria Benitez Blanco.

On the exterior, she has long, styled hair and big, dark eyes that light up when she smiles. Her painted fingernails are long and adorned with little jewels on each nail. But on the interior, Blanco is courageous, passionate and full of grit.

A native of Colombia, Blanco was the youngest of eight children raised by a single mother. Her mother left school in the fifth grade and her father, who had abandoned them when Blanco was young, never learned to read or write.

“I had a rough childhood,” said Blanco, who now studies construction management at Kennesaw State University. “We lived in a tough, rural area where I walked an hour to go to school on unpaved roads. I got pregnant and had a daughter when I was 15, and I immediately knew I wanted to get her out of Colombia. I didn’t want her to go through the same issues I had been through.”

Seeking opportunities, Blanco completed industrial engineering courses in Colombia but was adamant she would come to the United States to learn English. At 20, she took a leap of faith and moved to Georgia.

“I didn’t have any family or friends in the United States,” Blanco said. “So, I just clicked on the U.S. map somewhere that wasn’t too far up north because I don’t like the cold. I landed on Georgia and decided that was it.”

After arriving, her grit became the driving force behind her success.

“When you come to a country like this, you have so many opportunities,” she said. “Being an immigrant and growing up in a different environment, we don’t take anything for granted. I take any opportunity I can get and work my hardest. I’m blessed to grow up the way I did because it has allowed me to appreciate all of this so much.”

In the beginning, Santos rented a room and cleaned houses to earn money. Soon after, she started her own cleaning company. Then, she went to cosmetology schooland became a master cosmetologist , later opening her own salon in Alpharetta. But then she met her future fiancé, who encouraged her to return to what she was most passionate about – construction management.

Her fiancé was a graduate of Southern Polytechnic State University, now Kennesaw State, and spoke highly about the construction management program at the university. But Blanco had her reservations.

“I was nervous because I was a single mother,” Blanco said. “I had to decide if I could manage providing for her and going to school full-time.”

But success came naturally for Blanco. After becoming a construction management student in KSU’s College of Architecture and Construction Management (CACM), she earned three years’ worth of credits in just two years with near perfect grades. She was nominated to be one of Kennesaw State’s 2024 Outstanding Student Scholars and participated in the 2024 Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia’s Academic Recognition Day.

For her accomplishments, she received a congratulatory letter from Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs Ivan Pulinkala, who noted the recognition makes her one of Kennesaw State’s best and brightest students.

“I almost cried,” Blanco said. “I just kept thinking about the size of this student body, and yet I was noticed. The recognition of my efforts makes me so happy.”

Brian Moore, chair of KSU’s Department of Construction Management, believes Blanco’s story serves as an inspiration for others.

“Many of our students overcome tremendous obstacles and life setbacks,” Moore said. “But, like Maria, they should not be dissuaded from achieving their goals. Our students have courage, intellect, and grit, and understand that pursuing degrees having to do with the built environment like construction management or architecture, can lead to an exhilarating path. The career ahead for Maria will no doubt serve as an example to many others who come after her.”

Through her course work, her passion for construction management only intensified as she realized how it uses the skills she’s worked so fervently to have. Being bilingual allows her to bridge communication between employees in the field and the office. She also has a knack for multitasking and creating a calm but efficient work environment, skills she feels are lacking in the industry.

But Blanco admits it isn’t always easy.

“It can be intimidating, sure,” she said. “People try to dismiss me with this idea that I’m just young or pretty or belong in a different category. But I’m very competitive. I will work even harder to show I’m knowledgeable, eager to learn more, and will gladly take on a big challenge.”

Blanco credits her success to her professors, the entire Department of Construction Management, her academic advisors  as well as the “incredible” number of opportunities Kennesaw State has provided through career fairs and networking events. But, for as self-motivated as she is, the source of her dedication comes back to where she first found inspiration.

“You know what makes this mean the most?” Blanco said. “That my daughter is aware. She’s aware of this recognition and aware of every semester I make president’s list, and it makes me so proud of myself. But, more importantly, it shows her that anything is possible.”

This article also appears in the current issue of Summit Magazine.

– Story by Amanda Cook

Photos by Judith Pishnery

A leader in innovative teaching and learning, Kennesaw State University offers undergraduate, graduate and doctoral degrees to its more than 47,000 students. Kennesaw State is a member of the University System of Georgia with 11 academic colleges. The university’s vibrant campus culture, diverse population, strong global ties and entrepreneurial spirit draw students from throughout the country and the world. Kennesaw State is a Carnegie-designated doctoral research institution (R2), placing it among an elite group of only 7 percent of U.S. colleges and universities with an R1 or R2 status. For more information, visit kennesaw.edu.