At the Regional Sites

TTU at Fredericksburg Student Graduates with Honors

By Delaney Moreno, graduate assistant

Tatiana Neri, a student at the Texas Tech University at Fredericksburg Regional Site, graduates this month with a Bachelor of Arts in University Studies. She has been selected as the Banner Bearer for University Programs at the December commencement, an honor that recognizes her all-around achievement. In addition, University Programs has chosen her to serve as the student speaker at the ceremony. Although the surroundings of her college experience were a drastic change, she always felt at home at Texas Tech.

Tatiana, a Fredericksburg native, has an eight-year-old daughter and since 2014 has worked at the Good Samaritan Center, a nonprofit charitable clinic that provides medical, dental and mental health services for low-income and uninsured patients. Tatiana is a non-traditional first-generation college student and will be the first person in her family to graduate from a four-year university. She enrolled at Central Texas College (CTC) in August 2015 and completed an associate degree in business administration in May 2018. She began her journey at Texas Tech University at Fredericksburg in the spring of 2019.

Making the switch to Texas Tech at Fredericksburg seemed like a win-win decision for Tatiana.

"After I earned my degree from CTC, I thought I was done with school. But I ultimately felt like there was more that I needed to learn," she said. "I did not know exactly what I wanted to pursue other than a basic business degree, but my academic advisor Anne Arnecke described a degree that would be perfect for me. I told her I wanted to continue working in nonprofits because I found so much joy in helping those in need. University Studies has allowed me to get a deeper understanding of how I am able to achieve that by taking three different disciplines and learning how to integrate and use them together."

Many students faced the same obstacles Tatiana faced. She explained the impact COVID-19 had while earning her education.

"This year has been tough, and I am certain that I speak for everyone. Being a full-time student, employee, and mother is challenging enough. But when you add a global pandemic, it makes everything much more difficult. I had a hard time trying to focus on my schoolwork when my daughter, who is also in school, required my attention when all her schoolwork was to be done at home. It was difficult, I will be honest, but I feel it has made me a better student by overcoming these challenges."

Through a challenging final semester, Tatiana explained that she has learned she has much more potential than she ever imagined.

"I am capable of achieving my dreams if I set my mind to it. I did not think I could go back to school, especially after being out of high school for four years and having a toddler. This year was particularly difficult and there were times where I felt maybe I needed to take a step back until things settled. But I was grateful to find structure and continuity in my studies. It was the only part of my life where I felt I had control, which was comforting during these difficult times."

Tatiana strongly recommends any students considering transferring Texas Tech to do so.

"The entire experience has been incredible, and there has been no shortage of people who are rooting for you to succeed. I was amazed at how much support I received from those at the TTU regional site and the main campus. It is difficult at times, but it is the most rewarding experience. Learning time management and prioritizing my life helped me get through it. The fact that I could do my classwork at any time also made it possible, especially as a mother and employee. There are about a million excuses you can use to not go back to school, but you can overcome those boundaries and you will be so proud of yourself."