Karen Xian Garcia has always seen herself as a teacher. When she was a child, she used to “teach” a class of her stuffed animals. Now that she is preparing to graduate from the University of Houston-Victoria, she is ready to take her teaching career to the next level.

Karen Garcia

“Obtaining my master’s degree and earning certification to become a principal have become important goals in my career,” the Houston resident said. “With this degree and the experience I’ve gained, I hope to one day become a principal and run my own school.”

Garcia is the Spring 2024 Outstanding Graduate Student for the UHV College of Education & Health Professions. She will graduate on May 11 with a Master of Education in Administration & Supervision with an emphasis on principalship certification. Christen Kraatz of Victoria is the Outstanding Undergraduate Student and will receive a Bachelor of Science in Education with a concentration in early childhood to sixth grade.

Each semester, professors from UHV’s four colleges select outstanding students to be honored during commencement. The university will host two spring commencement ceremonies on May 11 at Faith Family Church, 2002 E. Mockingbird Lane. The first ceremony begins at 9 a.m. to celebrate graduates from the College of Liberal Arts & Social Sciences and College of Natural & Applied Science. The second ceremony will begin at 1 p.m. to celebrate the graduates from the College of Business and College of Education & Health Professions.

Rachel Martinez

“Karen and Christen have a passion for education that is inspiring to see,” said Rachel Martinez, dean of the education college. “Their commitment to fostering excellence is remarkable. It fills us with pride to witness their graduation and take their next steps in their careers.”

Garcia has worked in the Houston Independent School District as a first- and second-grade teacher before transitioning to a teacher specialist in 2018 as part of the school’s administrative team for six years. In that role, she oversees the school’s testing and mentors teachers. During her career, she discovered a passion for supporting teachers and nurturing their professional growth.

“From a young age, I always found myself in leadership positions, including in activities outside the classroom,” Garcia said. “Even in my current role, I am part of the school’s leadership team. I’ve always found myself taking care of people and using this natural gift for nurturing. Now I want to use it to help teachers reach their top potential and run a school that helps students do the same.”

As a first-generation student and the daughter of immigrants, Garcia has always felt a sense of obligation to strive for greater achievements.

“There was a lot of pressure, and I was held to a strict standard to do well,” she said. “It can be difficult to be the first in a family to take such a big step, but it’s so rewarding when the hard work pays off.”

Although she received her undergraduate degree from UH, she chose to attend UHV for her master’s degree due to its online learning option. As a mother who works full time, it offered flexibility that she could work into her daily life.

Christen Kraatz

For Kraatz, getting a degree at UHV was an opportunity to make a living doing what she loved. She first got a job as a paraprofessional in the Victoria Independent School District right before the COVID-19 pandemic hit. Despite the difficulties of the pandemic, she loved the work she was doing, but she needed to move into a better paying position to support her family. With that in mind, she enrolled in the education program at UHV in 2021.

“I’m a first-generation college student, and it’s such a good feeling to know I’ve reached the finish line,” Kraatz said. “I knew UHV was the right choice for me because of their strong reputation, particularly the teaching program. I knew what I wanted to do and where I wanted to go, and all of my hard work has paid off.”

When she first started working as a paraprofessional art teacher at DeLeon Elementary School, the school had just transitioned to virtual learning at the start of the pandemic. Kraatz had to come up with her own lesson plans and figure out how to engage with students online. Then, when students began to return to the classroom while others stayed online, she had to shift gears again.

“I quickly learned that being prepared is everything,” she said. “This experience taught me that I am capable and can develop and execute plans that help students learn. It gave me the confidence I needed to go to UHV and get my degree so I could take my career to the next level.”

Now, as she prepares to graduate, Kraatz is looking forward to stepping into a new teaching position at Dudley Elementary School. Looking back, she is grateful to her family, particularly her parents and her daughter, for their support and understanding as she worked toward her dreams.

“My daughter has been so understanding because she’s had to make sacrifices while I’ve had to devote so much time and energy to school,” Kraatz said. “The other day, she told me, ‘I finally have my mom back.’”

Garcia is grateful for the understanding that she’s received from her own family as well as her colleagues and boss as she’s worked toward earning her master’s degree.

“I’m so thankful for the support from my husband and kids,” she said. “They understood how important this is to me, and they encouraged me to do my best. My colleagues and boss were always understanding and supported me in my career as we all had the same career path and educational growth.”