The perfect fit: Juana Rodriguez earns second degree at UHCL
Juana Rodriguez knows a perfect fit when she sees one. She saw it when she first visited the University of Houston-Clear Lake before enrolling for her Bachelor of Science in Legal Studies. The smaller campus, proximity to home, and the program's strength drew her in.
She saw it again when she received her perfect-fitting class ring at UHCL’s Ring Ceremony on April 28 in a tradition that recognizes upcoming graduates and underscores academic achievement and institutional connection.
Rodriguez is scheduled to graduate with a second UHCL degree, a Master of Arts in Human Resource Management, on Saturday, May 9, at NRG Arena. Surrounded by faculty, family, and peers, 60 students gathered to mark a milestone that formally links them to the university’s broader alumni community, with Rodriguez representing the ring recipients as the student speaker.
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.
One ring, multiple perspectives
By the time Rodriguez stood at the podium at the Ring Ceremony, she was speaking not only as a graduate but also as someone who had experienced the university from multiple perspectives — student, alumna, mentor, and board leader.
When she spoke about the ring itself, her words captured years of experience into a single reflection: “For me, this ring represents hope,” she said, describing it as a reminder of resilience and future opportunity.
Rodriguez also said that the ring carries the weight of a life shaped by migration, early medical fragility, and the responsibilities of being one of nine children in a family that relied heavily on her single mother’s resilience.
“It reflects years of translating for family members as a child, stepping into adult spaces long before I was fully grown, and navigating education alongside financial and emotional hardship,” she added.
At one point, Rodriguez considered leaving school entirely to support her family. But a counselor’s warning that leaving education would likely mean a lifetime of minimum-wage work became a turning point. Staying in school, she later realized, was not just a personal choice but a structural one that shaped her long-term ability to support others.
Connecting the past to the future
That perspective now defines how she sees her role in education and leadership. “This ring represents 51 years of perseverance through life, and 30 years of dedication to education,” Rodriguez reflected. It serves as a reminder and a promise, a circle that connects past struggle with future responsibility.
Dr. Carlissa Runnels, vice chair of UHCL’s Alumni Association Board of Directors, sponsor of the Ring Ceremony, echoed the persistence behind each student’s journey. “Your ring is more than just a symbol of pride,” she said. “It’s a reminder that you are capable of achieving whatever you set your mind to.”
Vice President for University Advancement Joe Staley welcomed the student graduates into the alumni network. “I consider you alumni,” he said, noting their place among more than 84,000 UHCL graduates.
At UHCL, the Ring Ceremony serves as more than a celebration. It is an invitation to a lifelong community. As graduates step into their next chapter, they carry their education and a shared responsibility to lead, mentor, and give back. Students approaching graduation are encouraged to participate in future ceremonies and take their place within UHCL’s growing alumni network.
For more information about UHCL’s Alumni Association and upcoming events, visit www.uhcl.edu/alumni/.
