While Michelle Gomez was still a student at Klein High School, her mother was diagnosed with cancer. The associated financial upheaval, coupled with the need for her to stay close to home during her mother’s treatment, led Gomez to choose Lone Star College-University Park on her academic journey.

After starting her education in The Honors College at LSC-University Park, engaging with student life, graduating with distinction, as well as handling family issues, Gomez accepted a scholarship to the prestigious University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC-Chapel Hill) while simultaneously earning an ambassador position at Pearson Publishing Company, the British multinational publishing and educational organization.

“It was life’s circumstances that steered Michelle toward attending LSC-University Park,” said Dr. Shah Ardalan, LSC-University Park president. “However, it was the quality of education provided by competent and passionate faculty and staff that kept her here and paved the way for her amazing success.”

Gomez enrolled at LSC-University Park on an Honors College Presidential Award scholarship, and she continued to accumulate scholarships, honors, and significant opportunities throughout her tenure at the college. She credits Honors College for the development of qualities necessary to become a leader.

The Honors College at LSC-University Park provides high-achieving students challenging coursework and a variety of opportunities for research and engagement. Opportunities to enrich the total college experience include international travel as part of the capstone course, off-campus educational and cultural events, service learning, conferences and special seminars.

“Michelle is a multi-talented wonder who found a way to be influential and involved in meaningful campus pursuits, many of these within our Honors College program,” said Brian Kyser, executive director, Honors College. “She served as a peer mentor for our leadership program, supporting incoming generations of honors students.  She ultimately graduated with High Honors in Research and was chosen to participate in the Honors College Capstone trip to Italy in Spring 2017, both testaments to her exceptional academic achievements.”

At LSC-University Park, Gomez served as president of the International Studies Club, vice president of the Student Business Organization and as a student ambassador. Her leadership in the student organizations on campus enabled her to motivate and assist her peers in finding their path to engagement.

Through Honors College and LSC-University Park, Gomez was afforded unique opportunities. Her ties with both peers and faculty taught her to work in teams, supported her through rigorous course studies and enabled her to make wise decisions throughout her time at the school.

“Honors College was challenging from an educational perspective, yet it opened my eyes and my world to new opportunities,” said Gomez. “I’ve become very confident in my abilities. If I had two words to describe my time here, they would be empowering and rewarding. Without my experiences at LSC-University Park, I would not have been prepared for UNC-Chapel Hill or the ambassador position at Pearson Publishing.”

As a participant in the Pearson Campus Ambassador (PCA) program, she joined an organization of more than 24,000 employees in 70 countries around the world. PCAs serve as liaisons between Pearson and the student body at UNC-Chapel Hill, as well as other colleges.

The Student Program Manager from Pearson initially reached out to Gomez via LinkedIn. Impressed with her online resume, which included academics, extracurricular activities, and past relevant experience, Pearson quickly hired her. While Gomez’s career with Pearson is just beginning, she understands the importance of the tasks in front of her. 

At the beginning of each semester, Gomez will ensure students are up and running smoothly on the textbook technology, as Pearson has moved from a textbook legacy to the digital age. She’s also charged with apprising students of the available Pearson products as well as gaining input from them. Students’ feedback will be used in the development of new products while making sure the student voice is incorporated into future growth.

Gomez, a Houston native, recently returned to LSC-University Park for Pearson to film a video about her life and academic journey.  The video, which promotes the company’s commitment to its employees, was debuted at the company’s national sales meeting last month in Phoenix, Arizona.

At UNC-Chapel Hill, Gomez is working toward a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, focusing on multinational finance from the Kenan-Flagler Business School. The school is consistently ranked as one of the best business schools in the nation. Her minor is in Spanish for Business Professions. She is looking forward to her next adventure, while gratefully looking back at her LSC-University Park education experiences. Her associate degree in arts provided a solid foundation and a powerful trajectory toward a brilliant future.