When Marina Sanchez was growing up in Dublin, she was fascinated with her father’s work on Desperado Dairy and the rest of the Vanderhorst dairies in Erath County. Now, Sanchez has made that passion into her career, balancing schoolwork for her degree in animal science with running a small goat operation and raising her daughter Stoneleigh.
Sanchez graduated from Dublin High School in 2023 and went on to West Texas A&M in Canyon. She stayed there for a year, then moved back home after meeting her now-husband Esteban David Ruiz.
Back home, Sanchez continues school at Tarleton, and expects to graduate in 2027. She’s done a few internships, including one at Sierra dairy, and is keeping her options open for her career once she graduates. “I just plan on seeing where school and the connections I make take me,” she said.
Last year, she and her husband got some goats as a hobby. “It started out with just a few goats, and then we were like, ‘Okay, this is really fun and continued to buy, raise, and breed them to grow our operation,’” she said. “It’s a fun hobby. We want to improve our genetics and continue to grow our operation, eventually turning it into something bigger. We truly enjoy it. Just taking the time to go out there and tend to them is so peaceful and stressrelieving.”
Sanchez plans to use what she learns in her degree to grow the goat operation into a bigger company. “We’re a growing family, and we want to leave something for our kids — something for them to have when they’re older,” she said.
Sanchez and her husband Esteban live in Dublin near Sanchez’ parents, Joann and Severiano Sanchez. Sanchez and her husband are expecting another baby girl in February.
In an average week Sanchez balances many responsibilities. Because her husband works 20 days on, 10 days off in the oilfield, it falls to her to take care of their daughter most of the month, in addition to the goats and her schoolwork.
“On an average day, I wake up, I take care of my daughter, and we get ready for the day,” she said. “We spend a lot of time outside. Stoneleigh loves being outside. We have chickens, and we go to my parents’ often — they live right next door to us — they have cows, and a horse over there… We stay busy by visiting with my parents and tending to the animals.”
This fall, she’ll add schoolwork on top of that. “Especially with another baby on the way, it’s a little difficult, but I’m not leaving without that degree,” she said. “I’m not gonna give up.”
Throughout her life, Sanchez’ father has been a source of inspiration for her, from his work in the dairy industry to his support of her through school and with her family. “He’s probably my biggest supporter,” she said. “He’s the one who’s helping me get through college right now. He loves being a grandfather. He’s my main role model. He’s the reason that I’m so passionate about agriculture. So I just hope that once I get my degree, that I’m able to use that passion that he instilled in me to pass it along to my children as well.”
She’s also inspired by her daughter Stoneleigh. “When I started college, I didn’t really have the same goals that I have today,” she said. “When I had my daughter, she just completely changed my perspective of the world. I just want to show her that if her mom can do it through all these obstacles, she can do anything in life.”
“It can be hard juggling motherhood and being in school — it can be very difficult, but it’s possible,” she said. “My phone screen, my laptop screen, all of my wallpapers are photos of my daughter, so every time I’m having a difficult day, I look at those pictures and tell myself, ‘Do it for her.’” Sanchez’ advice to Dublin graduates is to work hard for their goals, even when they seem impossible. “Don’t stop what you started,” she said. “Chase your dreams. Life can be unexpected and be full of surprises that seem like they could be a setback. But you can turn those setbacks into motivation to meet your goals. And no matter how long it takes to finish school or whatever to meet your goals, just keep pushing forward; it’ll all be worth it.”
— Where Are They Now chronicles what Dublin graduates have done since high school. If you have any suggestions for other grads, email publisher@dublincitizen.com.