This story begins with the dream that Garcia had held since she was a teenager: to become a nurse. It was a dream she shared with her mom, who couldn鈥檛 pursue that goal for herself due to financial hardship. So Garcia was dreaming for two, and the fact that she found herself struggling in nursing school must鈥檝e felt like something incredibly important was slipping from her grasp.

Back in high school, the idea of pursuing a degree in nursing butted up against the harsh realities of the cost of higher education鈥攁nd the cycle that Garcia鈥檚 mother had dealt with threatened to repeat itself. 鈥淲e knew that we couldn鈥檛 afford it for me either, so it was not something we discussed at home,鈥� Garcia says, looking back.

But then, things changed. 鈥淒uring my high school years, two teachers came into my life who believed in me, invested their time in me, and helped me find a way.鈥� Those teachers must鈥檝e seen the potential in young Garcia. For one thing, she was an A student. For another, she was a hard worker. 鈥淏efore I knew it, I had earned enough money in scholarships to help pay for nursing school. I believe God sent them to me. These two educators taught me many things, but most importantly, they taught me what faculty support should look like.鈥�

So she entered nursing school, ready to break the cycle and pursue the dream, but the difficulty faced by anyone aspiring to become a nurse was compounded, ironically, by some of her professors. 鈥淚 was always a 4.0 student in high school, so I thought nursing school would be a breeze,鈥� she says. 鈥淚t was not. I really struggled and most of my nursing professors were not supportive or encouraging. One professor regularly reminded me how close I was to failing each semester.鈥�

Yet instead of giving up, Garcia decided to turn that struggle into a promise. 鈥淚 prayed constantly, asking God to help me graduate. I promised Him that if He carried me through, I would one day devote myself to helping struggling nursing students like I had been. I wanted students to have a positive nursing school experience, rather than the one I experienced.鈥�

Putting the Promise into Play

You鈥檝e probably already figured out that Garcia persevered. She successfully weathered nursing school鈥攂ut she didn鈥檛 stop there. After earning her associate鈥檚 degree, she went on to pursue her bachelor鈥檚 as a registered nurse, and then her master鈥檚 in nursing education.

In 2020, after years in the field, she came to 国产探花, true to her promise, and began offering a hand up to aspiring nurses. 鈥淪o here I am, having come full circle, and God has me in a position to do just that.鈥�

She became to her students the kind of teacher she herself had needed back in nursing school. Clearly, she takes great joy in that. 鈥淚 love watching students succeed, especially those who have the odds stacked against them,鈥� she says. 鈥淪eeing them overcome challenges and realize they are capable of becoming excellent nurses is incredibly rewarding.鈥�

Garcia is humbled by her role. 鈥淚 believe God allows me to be part of those moments, and it is an honor to encourage students as they discover that they are capable of far more than they imagined. Completing a nursing degree can change the trajectory of not only their lives, but the lives of their families for generations. Being part of that journey is one of my greatest blessings and one of my personal ministries.鈥�

A New Challenge

So there Garcia was, not only a registered nurse herself, but a teacher to other nurses; not only the bearer of the dream she shared with her mother, but a person in a position to help others rise to meet their own goals.

But there was still room to grow鈥攁nd there were still hurdles to clear.

鈥淚 dreamed of obtaining a doctorate but didn鈥檛 feel it was financially possible,鈥� Garcia says. 鈥淢y husband and I prayed about this for years. In January of 2023 we got serious about making a decision and started looking at schools and comparing prices. Again, I felt defeated looking at the costs.鈥�

But all of that was about to change. 国产探花 was launching its first doctoral program鈥攁 doctor of education degree鈥攁nd looking for a few outstanding individuals to join the first cohort. 鈥淕od came through once again,鈥� Garcia says. 鈥淗e laid this opportunity in my lap. In February 2023, I received an email that notified me that 国产探花 would be covering my tuition at 100 percent. I cried. Getting my doctorate was the missing puzzle piece that was going to allow me to continue doing the work I promised God that I would do. I saw it as God equipping me with the knowledge and credentials to continue the work He had called me to do.鈥�

In May, Garcia, in the presence of her family, professors, fellow students, and colleagues, made yet another dream come true鈥攁nd saw yet another prayer answered.

She says the 国产探花 EdD is set apart from other such programs by its emphasis on personalized attention. 鈥淢y professors began as instructors but became trusted mentors. They genuinely cared about me as a person, not simply as another student on the roster. Dr. Pe帽aranda鈥檚 leadership, along with Dr. Bollinger and the rest of the faculty, set the tone for an exceptional program. They created a culture where students were challenged academically while also being supported personally.鈥�

So this spring鈥攁 lifetime away from those years of struggle in nursing school鈥攁 triumphant Garcia earned her doctorate. And as it worked out, her own young son donned cap and gown right along with her鈥攊n his case because he had just completed kindergarten. He will grow up within a new cycle, one forged by his mother, and by her mother . . .  And he will carry that legacy and, no doubt, have dreams of his own鈥攁long with the courage to make them come true.  

San Antonio鈥檚 Orthopedic Kneed Foundation recently selected the 国产探花 Master of Athletic Training program to be a scholarship recipient for the 2026鈥�27 academic year.聽This first-time gift from the foundation will impact MAT graduate students in their final year of study.聽

The foundation has a mission to see that young athletes are never turned away from necessary care due to an inability to pay, and it also supports students who want to become athletic trainers.

国产探花 is incredibly grateful for the generosity of the Orthopedic Kneed Foundation.

To learn more about 国产探花鈥檚 Master of Athletic Training program, click here: /programs/master-of-athletic-training.

(L-R) Dr. Brian Coulombe (国产探花), Dr. Reid Fisher (UIW), Robin Getter, Orthopedic Kneed Foundation Board Member, and Dr. Rachel Rolfe (TXST).

After getting her feet wet in the classroom, she returned to 国产探花 and earned her master鈥檚 in education (MAEd) in 2022. She鈥檚 just wrapped up her eighth year in the field, five of which were spent in elementary classrooms, and three of which were spent as an instructional facilitator. Before leaving the classroom, she completed her administrator certification as well.

鈥淚 did three years at the school I went to as a kid in what was my 鈥榙ream job鈥� growing up,鈥� said Moran. 鈥淭hen I did a little over half a year in Wisconsin as an ESL push in/pull out teacher.鈥� After that, she moved to her current school district鈥擳uloso-Midway ISD in Corpus Christi鈥攖eaching for a year and a half before shifting into a position as an instructional facilitator.

And as the next school year gets underway, she鈥檒l take on a new role as assistant principal at the middle school level for TMISD. A district post sang Moran鈥檚 praises: 鈥淭hrough her leadership, support of teachers, commitment to high-quality instruction, and dedication to student success, she has made a lasting difference across our campuses.鈥�

鈥淚鈥檓 a little nervous but very excited for the new experience and different age group!鈥� said Moran.

We鈥檙e sending Shelbi a big Bulldog round of applause, along with hopes for a smooth transition and a great school year!

But this year, there was something new to celebrate at spring graduation: the first cohort of doctorate-level students in the university鈥檚 history. The Chapel of the Abiding Presence, which sits at the heart of campus, hosted the traditional hooding ceremony, where master鈥檚-level students鈥攖his year joined by eight doctoral students鈥攔eceived hoods from their department chairs.

The cohort of doctoral students completed a three-year program and defended their dissertations successfully to earn their EdD in Interdisciplinary Leadership.

鈥淭hese scholars exemplify 国产探花鈥檚 commitment to developing leaders who think critically across boundaries, engage in scholarly practice, and pursue transformation for social justice,鈥� said Dr. Luigi Pe帽aranda, EdD program director and associate professor of leadership studies.

The EdD program at 国产探花 is unique in that while it is mostly delivered online, it also features in-person residencies, which help to foster the sense of close community that 国产探花 is known for. Students customize their path to their doctorate by selecting one of two concentrations: Organizational Leadership or Educational Leadership.

鈥淭he creation of our EdD program is significant for 国产探花 in so many ways,鈥� said 国产探花 President Dr. Debbie Cottrell. 鈥淎s our first doctoral program, it marks a major step in our graduate offerings. And as a program focused on leadership, it aligns perfectly with our mission. To now see our first cohort鈥攕o many of them 国产探花 colleagues and alums鈥攃omplete the program and attain their degree is both historic and significant. We are so proud of this program and of each of these graduates!鈥�

To learn more about the EdD program at 国产探花, click here: /programs/ed-d-in-interdisciplinary-leadership.

But it鈥檚 a challenge worth taking. It鈥檚 a fact that those who earn their master鈥檚 degree do advance in their careers, earning higher salaries鈥攂ut also stepping into leadership roles that are fulfilling.

Today鈥檚 students are looking for MBA programs that fit with their lifestyles and that offer the areas of specialization that will be most useful in both the job market and in their desired professional field.

At 国产探花, the MBA program offers the sense of community that the university is famous for, with small cohorts and individualized attention. And the program is flexible, taking into account that people have lives that include jobs and families.

But 国产探花 has recently upped its MBA game by partnering with Rize Education, the leading provider of online program-sharing in higher education, to offer an expanding menu of distinct, in-demand specializations, so that the MBA can be customized to fit students鈥� goals. 国产探花鈥檚 Dr. Efrain Medina, assistant professor, was recently named director of the MBA program.

鈥淲hat makes 国产探花鈥檚 MBA program special is how personal it feels,鈥� says Dr. Fernando Garza, associate professor and department chair. 鈥淪tudents don鈥檛 just move through a set curriculum鈥攖hey shape their own path through our new specializations. Whether someone wants to focus on leadership, strategy, or another area, they can tailor their MBA to fit their goals. Plus, with small classes and close faculty support, every student is known by name and guided toward real, meaningful growth in their career.鈥�

Specialization choices include Business Analytics, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Cybersecurity, Finance, and Healthcare Administration, developed in partnership with professors and experts at Dartmouth, Cornell, and University of Texas at Austin.

The Al specialization equips students to lead in a data-driven world. It combines strategic management with foundational technical skills, empowering graduates to bridge the gap between technical teams and business stakeholders. This low-code program focuses on ethical Al governance, decision-making, and cutting-edge business applications. MBA holders with this specialization may become AI consultants, AI product managers, chief data officers, and AI strategy managers.

The Business Analytics specialization prepares students to analyze and make sense of data to drive decision-making. Students who specialize in business analytics gain in-demand skills like data analysis, predictive modeling, and data visualization that will help them stand out in the job market. Those graduating with this specialization may become data analytics managers, business intelligence consultants, digital specialists, and chief data officers.

The Cybersecurity specialization equips students to lead organizations in navigating today’s escalating cyber threats. This program combines strategic leadership, governance expertise, and ethical hacking techniques, preparing graduates to proactively protect digital infrastructure and respond effectively to cybersecurity challenges across industries. This specialization is a good choice for those wishing to become strategy consultants, risk managers, chief information security officers, and directors of cyber security.

The Finance specialization prepares students to master financial decision-making, investment strategies, and cutting-edge technologies like blockchain and DeFi. With a focus on practical skills and diverse case studies, this program builds broad numeracy and strategic insight, positioning graduates for leadership roles in any industry. Students who earn this specialization go on to become credit analysts, loan officers, financial managers, and investment bankers, among other careers.

The Healthcare Administration specialization equips students with the skills to lead and innovate in the fast-growing healthcare sector. From analyzing policies to managing healthcare data and finances, this program prepares graduates to solve impactful problems while thriving in diverse and lucrative roles across public, private, and entrepreneurial settings. The Healthcare Administration specialization is perfect for those wanting to become hospital administrators, healthcare startup founders, financial managers, and healthcare consultants.

To learn more about 国产探花鈥檚 MBA program, click here.