TAMIU Annual Report 2019

2019 Annual Report / AWORLDOF DIFFERENCE Alumni/ DIFFERENCE 12 James Buckley ( ’02) is Proudly ExtendingaTAMIUFamily Legacy Texas A&M international University alumnus andgraduate English student James Buckleywas a bigpart of TAMIU’s 50thAnniversary year. Buckley was the 1000th student to enroll in TAMIU’s graduate programs andpart of a recordSpring enrollment of 7,436 students. That enrollment included a 25% increase in Graduate School enrollment. Buckley, a secondary ELA teacher for the Laredo Independent School District at its VidalM. TreviñoMagnet School of Communication and Fine Arts, said his graduate degree pursuit is paying off…even before graduation. “I already receivedwhat I wanted frompursuing a graduate degree at TAMIU. I havemany fondmemories,metmanywonderful people, and stretched my brain by having high-level discussions on various literature offerings. Everyone should continue taking classes, just for the conversations about life that result fromanalyzing literature,” he observed. Buckley earned his undergraduate degree at TAMIU and comes froma long line of TAMIU alumni. His latemother, Esther Buckley, a popular CigarroaHighSchool Science teacher andMartinHighSchool teacher at the Health Science Magnet, was the University’s 3000th student to enroll in 1998 and was active in the Alumni Association. Other familymembers include his sisters, Trina Bratton and Rebecca Rodríguez, and his nephews Sean and SamBratton and Rene Peña. Buckley’s family legacy to TAMIU has clearly impacted him, and he proudly shares his family’s love of learning. “As an English teacher, I love literature. I wanted to enjoy the opportunity of having stimulating conversations about literature while learningmore aboutwhat I teach. Also, you can’t helpbut grow when you learn. I met many wonderful people in the program, and I am grateful for that too,” he concluded. Esther Buckley J. J. Gonzalez, ’99… From First Freshman to Global IT Project Manager. What University course would you take all over again today? * “ProfessionalWritten Communication.” I would be curious to see how the course has been updated to reflect current communication tools. Who was your favorite professor and why? * The lateDr. Stephen Lunce. His excitement about the future of ITwas contagious. He convincedme that a CISdegreewouldnot only helpme find a job after graduation, but that it would provide the foundation for a successful career that would be ripewith opportunity. Recently, I had a professional decision to make and I remember thinking that he would be able to guide me to the right decision. When did you know that your hard work had paid off and your degree hadmade a "World of Difference" for you? Despite an intense travel schedule to Angola, Argentina, Brazil, Co- lombia andNigeria, I successfully led and completed an Information Risk Management Project for Chevron. What would your advice be to today's students as they make their way through their University experience? * Internships, paidor unpaid, are a greatway tomake your resume stand out.More importantly, I would advise anyone entering theworkforce toproactivelymanage their careers. Always be on the lookout for new opportunities, even within your current role. What's your proudest accomplishment to date? * I recently celebratedmy 12thwork anniversary at Chevron’s Houston office. Tell us what you're doing today career or life-wise and what you look forward to each day: “I work for a great company and I’m fortunate to work with people who make my job fun. I do get homesick at times, but I try to visit Laredo at least every three months, and am amazed by how much it has changed and how far TAMIU has come from those early days.” González was part of TAMIU’s Student Ambassadors. He has since served as a systems analyst with USAA in San Antonio, a job he landed right after graduation. While at USAA he earned his MBA at St. Mary’s University.