UHCL graduate shares journey of overcoming fears to achieve dreams

Learning a second language can be challenging, but imagine being a 7-year-old child forced to learn a second language after moving more than 1,000 miles from home. That 7-year-old was Lizjalet Rodriguez. A native of Ponce, Puerto Rico, and soon-to-be graduate from the University of Houston-Clear Lake (UHCL), Lizjalet is one step closer to achieving her dream of becoming a school psychologist, despite many language barrier-related challenges she faced over the years.

“The first time I visited a library in the United States, I was so excited,” she said. “That excitement quickly vanished when I realized I couldn’t understand the books because they were written in English. One of the librarians noticed me struggling to understand the text and took me to this small section of the library where they had Junie B. Jones books translated to Spanish,” added Lizjalet. “From that day on, I started checking out two copies of the same book, one in English and the other in Spanish.”

On December 9, she will prove that her dedication has taken precedence over all her struggles when she walks across the stage to receive a Bachelor of Science in Psychology.

“I taught myself English using song lyrics, books and movies,” said Lizjalet. “By the time I reached high school, I had nearly mastered the language and graduated with honors.”

Despite her attainments, Lizjalet still had reservations about attending college. Her apprehensions stemmed from previous challenges with English, so she was afraid that they would hinder her ability to write essays and complete other assignments.

“I knew that majoring in psychology would require a lot of writing, and I just didn’t know if I was equipped to handle it,” she said.

After enrolling at UH-Clear Lake, her fear of writing dissipated, thanks to her professors, the loving support from her family, and her coloring book. To cope with the stress of writing, Lizjalet found solace in coloring; it helped her clear her head and reset. She also enjoys painting and Bible journaling.

Lizjalet plans to continue her studies at UHCL because she trusts it will fully prepare her for her future career.

She dedicates her accomplishments to her godmother, Wanda Lugo, who recently passed away. She believes none of her achievements would have been possible without her godmother.

For more information about UHCL's fall 2023 commencement, go to www.uhcl.edu/academics/commencement/.