The perfect fit: Juana Rodriguez earns second degree at UHCL

For Rodriguez, who also serves as chair of UHCL's Alumni Association Board of Directors, the Ring Ceremony carried particular weight, reflecting a journey through UHCL that unfolded in stages rather than a straight path.

She described seeing UHCL as the first place where her academic goals and her life circumstances felt aligned rather than conflicted. That alignment deepened when she returned years later for her master's. When she decided to return, she said she did not apply broadly. UHCL was the only institution she considered.

"For me, it came down to structure and support," Rodriguez said. "Flexible scheduling, smaller classes, and faculty engagement that felt personal rather than distant."

She described professors who made time outside of formal hours, and a learning environment where students were known, not just registered. That support system, she said, was the difference between finishing a degree and simply attempting one.

Her return to graduate study was not without disruption. The COVID-19 pandemic forced her to pause again, this time to support her daughter through a difficult period of isolation and adjustment. Later, when her daughter reached adulthood and her household responsibilities shifted, Rodriguez returned once more, this time with a clear sense of finality. She re-entered the program with the intention of completing it, no matter the workload ahead.

That determination carried her through multiple graduate courses at once, while working full-time. Along the way, she reconnected with faculty mentors and regained momentum in a program that, in her words, had always felt like the right place.

Building confidence and giving back

Rodriguez's perspective on UHCL is not only academic, but professional. In her role as an HR director, she has applied the analytical and writing skills developed through her legal studies and HR coursework directly to her work. But she also points to something less tangible - confidence. A shift in how she sees herself in professional spaces, especially those where she once questioned whether she belonged.

That shift extended into mentorship, including partnering with UHCL's Strategic Partnerships Program Manager, Bernie Streeter, to support student internships. Through that collaboration, she worked closely with UHCL student intern Josh Loera over multiple semesters, guiding him as he developed experience in human resources. Loera eventually secured his first full-time position in the field, an outcome Rodriguez describes as a clear example of how education and opportunity can extend beyond the classroom. For her, the experience reflected a broader responsibility to pass forward the support she once received.

Her involvement with UHCL expanded in parallel. Through alumni events, donor engagement activities, and volunteer opportunities, she gradually became more embedded in the university community. Encouraged by figures such as Marilyn Sims, a distinguished alumna and dedicated supporter of UHCL, she moved from participant to leader within the Alumni Association, eventually serving in executive roles, including vice chair and later chair. What began as a casual engagement evolved into sustained leadership, built on a growing sense of responsibility to the institution that had shaped her path.