In the summer of 2008, Juventino Meza ’11 began a long train ride from St. Paul to Seattle, eager to begin a weeklong program through Seattle University. An undocumented student at the time and unable to travel abroad, Meza says this was his chance to travel within the United States—and undergo a series of experiential learning opportunities through partnerships with colleges and universities.
Focused largely on the destination ahead of him, Meza wasn’t expecting the journey to hold even more meaning.
A woman named Elizabeth approached him on the train and asked if she could sit next to him. Through their conversation, Meza learned that Elizabeth’s mother, Shelby (Gimse) Andress ’56, had also attended Augsburg and was the university’s first-ever female student body president.
After being elected the first Latino and undocumented student body president, Meza met Andress in-person for the first time in May 2010—fittingly on Augsburg’s campus.
“And we’ve been friends ever since,” Andress says.
A new family member
Separated by generational, race, ethnicity, class, and citizenship status differences, a lasting friendship between Meza and Andress may have seemed unlikely to many. When they met, Andress was nearing retirement, after spending more than three decades as a consultant, facilitator, speaker, trainer, and evaluator for Search Institute, a national youth development research organization. Having worked in more than 350 communities in 35 states and Canada, Andress was well-traveled and seasoned in her career, while Meza’s professional life was only just beginning.
Meza says it was Andress’ initial curiosity about his life that solidified that she was destined to be more than a casual acquaintance.
“My whole experience at Augsburg was impacted by my immigration status,” he says. “Whenever anyone wanted to talk to me, I made sure they knew about my experience. I have always wanted to make sure people heard positive stories about immigrants and not just the negative rhetoric that always floats around. And Shelby was always eager to ask more questions and learn more.”
Over the years, Andress became a regular within the Meza household, getting to know Juventino’s parents and younger siblings. From birthday parties to casual gatherings, Andress says she feels very much a part of Meza’s family.
“I have so many favorite memories,” she reflects. “Learning about their [immigration] experience, what it was like for them. Communicating without them knowing English. I felt so close to them, even though we didn’t speak the same language. They were loving and accepting, always.”
Representation matters
With his background serving as motivation for his path forward, Meza’s many accomplishments have been a great source of pride for Andress. A peace and justice studies major while at Augsburg, Meza has since played a critical role in the founding of both NAVIGATE MN, a leadership development program for immigrant young adults, and Capitol Pathways, a program aiming to diversify Minnesota’s policy sector. He also served as an unwavering advocate for the creation or passage of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, the Minnesota Dream Act, and the Minnesota Green Bank.
In addition to service with the Minnesota Council on Latino Affairs, the Immigrant Law Center of Minnesota’s policy committee, and Portico Healthnet, Meza has also been awarded the Ohtli Award, the Mexican government’s highest recognition for a civilian Mexican living outside Mexico. Most recently, Meza graduated from Mitchell Hamline School of Law and became one of just a few undocumented immigrants to graduate law school in Minnesota. He was sworn in as an attorney this past May and granted permanent resident status, making him eligible for citizenship in three years.
“It’s very meaningful to be able to observe his growing, his developing,” Andress explains. “Watching him grow into his profession has been an amazing joy in my life.”
Both Meza and Andress express gratitude for their milestone service to Augsburg as student body presidents. While the campus climate and their individual areas of focus certainly differed, given the decades that separated their experiences at Augsburg, it was a common trait of persistence that secured the position for them both.
“We’re stubborn people,” Meza says, speaking for himself and Andress. “It’s the stubbornness of ‘why not me and why not now?’ It was about representation; we needed to be in the room. We were opening doors for other people. When I was at Augsburg, we talked a lot about serving the neighbor and your vocation. And my experience at Augsburg still echoes through what I’m doing now.”
Auggies for life
In many ways, the relationship maintained between Meza and Andress mirrors their continued connections to the Augsburg community. Both have been back for Homecoming numerous times since graduation and say that their prioritization of ongoing campus involvement has made all the difference.
“[Meza] has been very generous in showing up regularly,” Andress reflects. “It just amazes me.”
An English major while a student, Andress was heavily involved with Augsburg Women Engaged, serving as a philanthropy council member for years. She received a Distinguished Alumni Award in 1992, has shared career insights through public speaking opportunities, and continues to contribute toward the Jim and Shelby Andress Education Scholarship, actively supporting current students who have a passion for teaching.
Meza says he has also returned to campus post-graduation, having been invited by student groups to speak about civic engagement and getting involved in politics. He was also honored with a First Decade Award in 2022, which recognizes young Augsburg alumni with significant progress in professional achievements and contributions to the community.
Conversations that count
Considering their history of service on student government and lifelong dedication to community engagement, it’s no wonder that politics are a common source of conversation for the pair. On the surface, they are both self-proclaimed “news junkies”—Andress carefully reads every page of the morning newspaper, while Meza lives and breathes the news through his work in public policy. But beyond their media consumption lie deeper conversations, centered around life, loss, relationships, and career changes.
For Meza, building connections across generations isn’t something that happens frequently, but their shared friendship has further motivated him to connect with others who are different from him.
“People tend to get stuck in their bubbles of people with similar beliefs or ages,” he says. “Shelby mentioned when we first met that she enjoyed connecting with young people because she wanted to stay connected to the world. For me, it has been sobering to have conversations with Shelby that no one else is able to have about loss. When there are deep losses in your life, you have to remember that life also continues. I don’t have other relationships that are honest like that. I’ve found that to be really meaningful in my life now.”
For Andress, her memories of Meza are less about the topics they discuss and more about what she feels inside.
“There are a lot of details I don’t remember and so many things I can’t express. But I can feel it in my heart—this warmth that I have for this young man.”
Top photo: Juventino Meza ’11 and Shelby (Gimse) Andres ’56 meet on Augsburg’s campus to catch up. (Photo by Courtney Perry)