Outstanding students ready for new chapter
This coming graduation will be extra special for Dustin Perez. When he graduated with his bachelor’s degree in business administration, Perez said he couldn’t walk the stage to receive his degree.
This December, Perez, who was named the Outstanding Graduate Student for the UHV College of Education & Health Professions, will walk the stage to receive his degree in front of his wife, two sons and the rest of his family. Ana Rodriguez was named the Outstanding Undergraduate Student, and she will graduate with a Bachelor of Science in Education.
“The drive, tenacity and passion shown by Ana and Dustin are commendable,” said Rachel Martinez, dean of the UHV College of Education & Health Professions. “They are remarkable students who were recognized by the faculty for their outstanding work. We congratulate them on all their hard work, wish them the best as they take the next step and invite them to engage as valued alumni.”
Each semester, faculty from UHV’s four colleges select outstanding graduates to be honored during commencement. UHV will hold four fall graduation ceremonies on Dec. 16 in the Leonard E. Merrell Center, 6301 S. Stadium Lane in Katy. The 9 a.m. ceremony will be for graduates of the colleges of Liberal Arts & Social Sciences and Natural & Applied Science. The ceremony for the College of Business and College of Education & Health Professions will be held at 1 p.m. A live-streaming broadcast of the ceremonies will be available at www.uhv.edu/commencement/commencement-ceremony.
“I was very excited when I found out,” Perez said. “All of this hard work accumulating to this moment – it’s amazing.”
A decade prior, Perez earned his Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Houston and set out to work as a teacher. This year marks his 10th year in education, navigating through elementary school as a science teacher. As a husband and father of boys, Perez said he wanted to go back to school to show them the importance of getting a good education. This summer he completed his Master of Education in Educational Technology and Curriculum and Instruction and will walk the stage at commencement this December.
“During this journey, my wife and I not only learned how to harmonize our roles within the family but also developed a deep appreciation for each other’s sacrifices and contributions,” Perez said. “On a personal level, I learned that with unwavering determination, I could conquer any challenge – a valuable lesson I am proud to share with my growing boys.”
Perez said he plans to continue teaching after his graduation but wants to look for leadership roles that will allow him to assist students and his colleagues on a higher level. It has been a passion he has carried throughout his career: to help others succeed and to instill knowledge and inspiration in students in the classroom setting.
“I really enjoy working with my students and being there to help them learn,” Perez said. “It’s been a great journey so far.”
Originally from Monterrey, Mexico, Rodriguez is now living in Katy. With graduation just on the horizon, the first-generation college student will graduate with a bachelor’s degree in education. She had plans to become a teacher, but with the arrival of her first child, Rodriguez said she has altered that idea and now plans to pursue child psychology in the future.
“After having my first child, I went through postpartum depression and anxiety, and I saw firsthand how important mental health is and how it can affect daily life” Rodriguez said. “We just don’t know what children go through every day, and I can't imagine being so young and having mental health illnesses that affect every aspect of their lives. I want to better understand and enrich the lives of children who face these challenges just as I did with postpartum."
After she graduates, Rodriguez said she plans to take a step back and focus on being a mom. She has another baby on the way, and she is expecting to deliver in December, the same month as her graduation.
“I’m just learning from my experience; it’s been a long time coming, especially with being a full-time mom,” Rodriguez said. “There was a time when I had a full-time job and was going to school full time. It’s definitely tough, but I’m happy to say I’m almost there.”
She remembers her journey all the way back to when she was just a freshman, having to navigate through uncharted waters and learning how to balance her classwork and responsibilities outside of school. The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic made it more difficult, she recalled. What helped her through that period was having an online presence so she could continue to connect with her professors and fellow students online. Coming out of it, Rodriguez said all she has her eyes on now is graduation in December.
“Graduation is approaching, and my delivery date is approaching so I try not to panic,” she said. “I bought my regalia, and I am ready to walk that stage.”
The University of Houston-Victoria, located in the heart of the Coastal Bend region since 1973 in Victoria, Texas, offers courses leading to more than 50 academic programs in the schools of Arts & Sciences; Business Administration; and Education, Health Professions & Human Development. UHV provides face-to-face classes at its Victoria campus, as well as an instructional site in Katy, Texas, and online classes that students can take from anywhere. UHV supports the American Association of State Colleges and Universities Opportunities for All initiative to increase awareness about state colleges and universities and the important role they have in providing a high-quality and accessible education to an increasingly diverse student population, as well as contributing to regional and state economic development.