Ricardo Gonzalez holds his UHV degree after his graduation ceremony in 2022. Gonzalez spent seven years working toward his degree while working full time and supporting his family.

After graduating from high school, Ricardo Gonzalez planned to work and save money before eventually pursuing college. However, it took having a daughter and a push from his mom to put his plans into motion.

“My mom had always encouraged me to get a degree because she never had the opportunity to do it herself,” the Houston resident said. “Then, when I was 33 and found out that my wife was pregnant, my mom thought that meant I wouldn’t be able to go to college. Instead, that triggered something in me, and I knew this was my ‘now or never’ moment.”

Gonzalez graduated from the University of Houston-Victoria in 2022 with a Bachelor of Business Administration in international business. It was the culmination of seven years of hard work, starting with his enrollment in Lone Star College and then transferring to UHV to attend classes at the UHV Katy instructional site.

“UHV was a great option for me because it offered online classes and in-person classes scheduled at night and on weekends to accommodate my work schedule,” Gonzalez said. “It was perfect for my situation.”

When he graduated from high school, Gonzalez built a career as a material handler for a chemical company in the Houston area. Working for a company in a major port city like Houston showed him the importance and impact of international business, so he chose to study that topic when pursuing his degree, he said.

Over the seven years of taking classes part time, working full time and providing for his family, Gonzalez knew that earning a degree would be a worthwhile investment. Not only has it helped him advance in his career, it is also creating a new legacy for his own children.

“My mom came from a place of hardship, and school wasn’t really an option for her,” he said. “She had an expectation for her children to get an education, but there was still a feeling when I was growing up that our background somehow limited us. But now that I have a degree, I know how much of a difference it makes, and I can share that with my children.”

Some of his favorite memories include times when he was studying in the evenings, and his daughter was sitting beside him coloring or working on her own homework. That shared experience is something he hopes she will remember as she grows older.

“Those nights sitting together were a clear picture of how important education is in this household,” he said. “I want my children to grow up knowing that when they decide to get their degrees, they will be supported.”

Today, Gonzalez is the production manager for a cosmetics company in Houston. In that role, he is trusted with a range of responsibilities, including leading personnel, building a great work environment and workplace safety.

“I’m extremely happy where I am, and it’s all because I was able to set goals for myself and do the work to reach them,” Gonzalez said. “UHV has helped me develop my communication skills and being able to express myself and my ideas clearly and effectively has made a big difference in my career and my life. I wouldn’t be where I am today without those skills and the knowledge I gained through UHV.”