June 14, 2019 | UHCL Staff
For Jesus Guadarrama, receiving his Bachelor of Science in Interdisciplinary Studies with Early Childhood-6th-Grade Bilingual Certification from University of Houston-Clear Lake and getting a teaching position in the same school district in which he grew up is a full-circle moment that did not come easily. He is the first in his family to graduate from college, and now, he’s able to do what he believes he was raised to do — give back to his community.
“I honor my parents’ sacrifices,” he said. “They worked long and hard to provide me with a better life and education. They taught me to focus in school, get good grades and push myself.” Guadarrama said he graduated from Alvin High School having completed a dual credit degree from Alvin Community College.
“I was a transfer freshman at UH-Clear Lake right out of high school,” he said. “My dual credit adviser in high school worked at UHCL and she recommended it to me. I’m grateful for all the guidance and support I needed to navigate the application and financial aid process, and transfer my grant and scholarships. It helped my family a lot.”
He said he wasn’t sure what degree he should pursue, but remembered enjoying his time volunteering at summer school when he was in high school. “I liked being around kids, and I liked the atmosphere,” he said. “When I was looking for a university, I wanted a place with a good education program and small classes that was not too far from home. UHCL was a perfect fit for me.”
Part of the reason why he chose education as his career path, he said, were his memories of his own teachers growing up. “My parents worked day and night to make a stable place for me to live,” he said. “I used to work with my parents on the weekends and get home very late at night and then have to get up and go to school in the morning. They worked to buy a place of their own and raise me, and their priority was always education. My teachers were always there for me during this time.”
He said his UHCL professors have been the same role models for him. “I think as an educator, you have to be there to provide every student the help they need to succeed, and they do a great job of that here,” he said. “Every class instilled that in me. My professors were all always there for me.”
(Associate Professor of Curriculum and Instruction) Kent Divoll, Guadarrama said, had a great impact on him. “Dr. Divoll was one of my first professors here, and his class was an amazing way for students to get to know what to expect from the teaching profession,” he said. “I didn’t understand about lesson planning and learning how to differentiate instruction so that all the learners in the classroom can understand. I’m grateful to him, he was a great influence on my choice to stay in education as my career path.”
“One thing that I love about teaching the introductory courses is that I get to have
students early on in the program and see them grow over time,” Divoll said. “It has
been a pleasure seeing Jesus come in as a first-year UHCL student and to watch him
graduate as a knowledgeable teacher. I am excited for him and know that he will make
a great teacher.”
Today, Guadarrama said, he wants to show gratitude to his professors and his parents.
“I came to the U.S. from Mexico when I was four and I was an English language learner,”
he said. “My parents always stood with me and supported me.”
In the fall, he will begin his career at Bell N. Sanchez Elementary in Alvin Independent School District, where he will be a fourth- and fifth-grade science and math teacher. “I’m excited because it’s full circle for me to go back to my own school district,” he said. “I’m ready to work hard and give back to my community.”
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