When third-year law student Camila Blanco attended orientation as an Academic Success Program (ASP) Fellow at St. Thomas University College of Law, she didn’t expect a childhood memory to come rushing back.
Blanco began speaking to another ASP Fellow, 2L Shanaya Chamizo, and while exchanging names and stories she soon realized she was speaking to her childhood friend.
“I have chills thinking about that,” Chamizo said.
“We have known each other since age 6,” Blanco said.
The two grew up together in Cuba, inseparable as little girls. They shared classrooms, laughter and playground games, and they even remember swapping shoes. But when Blanco’s family left Cuba for the United States, the girls lost touch.
A decade later, Chamizo’s family made the same journey, settling in the U.S. as well.
Both built new lives, learned new languages and pursued education with a shared determination to honor their families’ sacrifices. Neither could have guessed that law school in Miami would one day reunite them.
“As soon as she told me her name and shared the childhood photo, I knew who she was,” Chamizo said.
Blanco added, “Meeting Shanaya here has been a wink from God that this is what we are meant to do.”
For both, the discovery felt surreal. It was proof that some connections never fade and can be easily picked up where they left off.
“It literally feels like 20 years never passed and we are just back to normal,” Chamizo said. “It was just a stop in time for true friendship.”
Reconnecting through purpose
Their reunion didn’t happen over coffee or in class; it happened through service.
Both women had joined the Academic Success Program, which pairs upper-level students with 1Ls to provide guidance and mentoring.
While helping to prepare materials for new students, they began chatting about where they grew up.
“When we started talking about Cuba, it all clicked,” Chamizo said. “We realized we went to the same elementary school. We started naming teachers, friends and even the games we used to play. It was an emotional moment.”
What makes the story even more powerful is that both women came to law school driven by similar values: faith, family and a desire to help others.
“Law school became the vehicle not only to honor my family’s choice to come to the United States to create a better life but also to give me the tools to create change and live with purpose,” Blanco said.
Chamizo, too, connected her legal ambitions to her immigrant experience.
“When I came to this country, I realized I could say anything, fight for anything and have my own ideas and they mattered,” she said. “That sense of freedom led me here and propells my direction for a legal career designed to make a difference.”
A home away from home
Law school can be an isolating experience for many students, but for Blanco and Chamizo, rediscovering each other has brought warmth, reassurance and a sense of belonging.
“I think law school can be a lonely experience,” Blanco said. “Even though I’ve made great friends here, having Shanaya is like having a little piece of home with me all the time. Seeing her on campus just makes me feel grounded.”
For Chamizo, who started law school without knowing anyone, that connection has been transformative.
“I walked into orientation completely by myself,” she said. “I talked to the first person I saw, just trying to make friends. But reconnecting with Camila is different. It feels like having a sister on campus.”
The two see each other between classes, study together and check in regularly.
“Sometimes we don’t see each other for a week and we just text, ‘I miss you so much,’” Chamizo said. “When we catch up, it’s like no time has passed.”
That deep sense of familiarity has become a pillar of emotional support.
“Camila knows how I think and how I express myself,” Chamizo said. “Even when I can’t find the words in English, she understands what I mean. That’s rare.”
The power of support
Their friendship mirrors the culture of community that STU College of Law strives to build and maintain.
Dean Tarlika Nuñez-Navarro said their story embodies the law school’s mission.
“Friendship and strong relationships are at the heart of everything we do at St. Thomas University College of Law,” Dean Nuñez-Navarro said. “The reunion of childhood friends Camila and Shanaya after 20 years shows how STU College of Law’s close-knit community rekindles old bonds and builds new ones, fueling success in law school and beyond.”
Friendship outside the classroom
The connection between the two extends beyond academics. Their friendship plays an important role in maintaining balance, wellness and perspective.
“There have been times when I’ve been overwhelmed,” Chamizo said. “And I just text Camila and tell her I can’t take it anymore. She reminds me that it’s okay to take a day off. She’ll say, ‘Don’t worry, I’ll send you my notes.’ That kind of support makes all the difference.”
Blanco said their friendship extends through all aspects of law school.
“We’ve even ended up interviewing for the same positions on the same days without realizing it,” she said. “It’s such a comforting feeling to walk out of an interview and see your friend there. We always root for each other.”
Both women noted that having someone who truly understands their experiences, both as law students and as immigrants, creates an invaluable sense of empathy.
“Even though STU College of Law is very diverse, it’s different when someone knows where you come from,” Chamizo said. “We share the same culture, the same childhood memories, even the same neighborhood. That creates a level of understanding that’s hard to describe.”
Advice for others
Reflecting on their journeys, Blanco and Chamizo both emphasized the importance of finding purpose and community in law school.
“Having your ‘why’ is the one thing that keeps you going,” Chamizo said. “Law school is one of the most challenging things I’ve ever done but remembering why I’m here — why I’m fighting through the hard days — gives me strength.”
Blanco agreed.
“Whenever I doubt myself, I go back to my why. For me, it’s about justice, family and using my knowledge to serve others. And it’s also about making my parents’ sacrifices worth it.”
Looking ahead
Both Blanco and Chamizo are exploring careers in criminal law, a shared interest they discovered like so much else together.
“We didn’t plan it,” Blanco said. “But somehow, we’re walking the same path again.”
As graduation nears for Blanco and Chamizo moves closer to her own 3L year, both say their friendship has become a steady reminder of how far they’ve come.
“Law school has changed me,” Blanco said. “It’s made me more confident, more disciplined and more certain of my purpose. Having Shanaya here confirms that I’m on the right path.”
Chamizo said it was everything but planned.
“But here we are… two girls who learned cursive together, now learning the law together,” she said. “It feels like destiny.”
