LISLE, Ill. – May 19, 2025 – On June 8, DeVry University and its Keller Graduate School of Management will welcome back one of their own: Team USA gold medal-winning Paralympian Jorge Sanchez, who will serve as the keynote speaker for the 2025 commencement ceremonies.
A proud Keller alum and elite wheelchair basketball athlete, Sanchez brings more than medals and accolades to the podium. He brings lived experience, deep perspective and a powerful message for graduates about the strength that emerges when belief outweighs doubt.
“This moment is an incredible honor and privilege for me,” Sanchez said. “DeVry University played a pivotal role in shaping my professional journey, and now I have the honor of addressing this graduating class to offer a message of hope and possibility.”
Sanchez’s journey began in Oakland, Calif., where, at just eight years old, he was diagnosed with osteogenic sarcoma in his left femur. After enduring multiple surgeries and grueling rounds of chemotherapy, he ultimately made the decision, with the support of his parents, to amputate his left leg. That choice marked not an ending, but the beginning of a new journey defined by courage, clarity and growth.
Throughout that chapter, Sanchez leaned on the strength of his parents, Maria Elena and Jorge Sanchez, who immigrated to the United States from Guadalajara, Mexico. “They’re my warriors,” he said. “They stuck by me through the hardest moments and never gave up on me.” He credits their example with shaping his mindset and teaching him that limits are only as strong as we allow them to be.
“Adversity isn’t the end; it’s the beginning of a new chapter,” Sanchez said. “Life will challenge you unexpectedly, but those challenges are opportunities to adapt, to grow, to uncover your strength.”
He found his own strength in an unlikely place: a casual trip to Costco. A stranger approached the Sanchez family and asked if Jorge had ever heard of wheelchair basketball. He hadn’t. But that one conversation led to a first practice, and from that moment, he was hooked. The sport gave him more than just a competitive outlet. It gave him community, confidence and the self-acceptance he hadn’t yet known he needed.
Over the years, Sanchez’s journey through sport would be anything but linear. He was cut from the national team three times before finally making the U.S. men’s roster for the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games. There, after years of setbacks and sacrifice, he helped Team USA capture the gold.
“Winning wasn’t just about the medal. It was about perseverance. It was about every moment of doubt I overcame, and finally believing in myself as much as others believed in me,” he added.
That mindset, rooted in the belief that winning begins with belief itself, has shaped not only his athletic career but also his life off the court. It carried him through one of his most demanding off-court pursuits: earning his MBA from Keller in 2021 while playing professionally overseas in Spain. Despite the nine-hour time difference, he credits the Keller community for fostering connection and support throughout his studies. It was a demanding season but one that taught him how to lead with discipline, time management and intention.
“As an athlete, I learned teamwork. As an MBA graduate, I learned leadership,” he noted. “The program showed me how to apply that same focus and grit to the business world.”
Following his athletic career in Spain, Sanchez joined Visa, where he held roles in both sponsorship marketing and talent acquisition. During his tenure, he drew on his experience as an athlete and motivational speaker to advocate for authenticity and inclusivity.
Today, alongside his wife Cristal, who serves as his full-time trainer, Sanchez continues to train with hopes of representing Team USA once again at the 2028 Paralympic Games in Los Angeles. Off the court, he is a national speaker, disability advocate and mentor to emerging athletes, including through his work with the Golden State Warriors Academy and Challenged Athletes Foundation.
Through it all, Jorge’s mission remains the same: to help others unlock their potential just as his community once did for him.
“I was told ‘no’ so many times. I was told I wouldn’t survive cancer. I was told that I wasn’t good enough for the team and yet I kept going because I had people who believed in me,” he said. “It’s not about having it all figured out. It’s about believing in the possibility of what’s next and being bold enough to take that first step.”
