Bauer Built Career

Within her first year studying at the C. T. Bauer College of Business, MS Marketing candidate Julia Garza has been promoted to a new leadership position within the University of Houston.

Now she's using her education to improve fundraising efforts and the alumni experience.

Garza, who considers herself a dedicated Coog, is an alumna of the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences (CLASS) and started her career after graduation as the Student & Young Alumni Program Manager in the Division of Advancement and Alumni.

"I knew that eventually I wanted to move up," Garza said. "After working as the program manager for a while, I thought, 'there's a lot of marketing in what I do.' I applied for the MS Marketing program at Bauer, and I've been so happy with the experience."

In her recent promotion to Assistant Director of Memberships & Benefits, Garza is leading the Life Member program. As a proud alumna herself, she is passionate about finding new ways to give back and show thanks to the alumni who donate annually to the university's mission and scholarship funds.

"I know I wouldn’t want to do this job anywhere else," Garza said. "As a first-generation graduate, I am so thankful for everything this school has given me."

The stars aligned for Garza when she was accepted into the graduate program at Bauer, she said. As an online student, she has the flexibility to manage her career and education, and she doesn't feel as though she's missing out on the college experience because she comes on campus for work each day.

So much of her life is intertwined with the university, she said, and the lessons she's learning in class directly coincide with the work she's doing as assistant director.

"I know I wouldn’t want to do this job anywhere else."

Last semester, in a course taught by Bauer College Department of Marketing & Entrepreneurship adjunct professor and president of Pierpont Communications Phil Morabito, Garza gained a new perspective on marketing. Part of the class assignment involved touring different businesses across Houston to learn what strategies they use to build their success.

One of the companies they visited was a print shop, and they learned how many people still rely on physical mail, Garza said. She took that information back to her office and suggested sending a postcard for one of their promotional campaigns.

"When you check your mail it's either junk or a bill. No one sends letters anymore," Garza explained. "So when you get something from the university, you know it's going to be something important because you're either currently in school or an alumni. We included in the mailer little gifts, as well. It's our 'thank you' for being a part of the UH family."

A year and a half into her master's program, Garza said she has grown so much on a personal and professional level. She pursued her graduate school education to advance her career, and now that she's been promoted before she's done, she said she can only go up from here.

"I’m happy where I am,” Garza said. “I hope to continue this upward trajectory and maybe be director one day.”