Lindsey Koch

What happens inside the classroom is important for students, but so is what happens outside it. University of Houston-Victoria graduate student Lindsey Koch is doing her part to make sure students get the best of both worlds.

Koch is UHV�s director of student life and services, and she helps Jaguars find niche and gets them involved in mixers, leadership events and fundraisers.

�I love my job,� she said. �I enjoy working with the students, helping them figure out what they�re good at and giving them opportunities through student engagement they wouldn�t have otherwise.�

Born and raised in Abilene, Koch earned a bachelor�s degree in public relations and advertising, with a minor in leadership, from Hardin-Simmons University. She moved to Victoria in 2010 and soon linked up with UHV.

Her job and studies for a master�s degree in Adult and Higher Education go hand in hand. Her classroom lessons help her with one-on-one student interaction, and her work with students contributes to her studies.

Each student is different. While there are general traits that reflect a person�s age, their life experiences and background contribute a lot to how they act.

�I kind of work with everybody, from students struggling to obey the rules to those rising to the top through leadership opportunities,� she said. �Every student brings a unique set of experiences to the table, and that�s a good thing.�

Away from the classroom and office, Koch still finds time for hobbies.

She loves music and singing, and also travels when she can. She enjoys watching baseball, which is a good thing, since her husband, Blake, manages the Victoria Generals baseball team.

Books also are high on her list.

�Someday, when I�m not in school, I�ll read for pleasure,� she said, with a laugh. �At least I�m not bored with my textbooks.�

Koch admitted that between her full-time job, master�s work and other activities, she�s busy. Time management helps keep things in order, but she said her age helps, too. Although still young, the 26-year-old is older than a traditional college student who is straight out of high school.

�The level of maturity can make a difference,� she said. �A lot of times older students know themselves more. They have better routines and are more stable than the more traditional college student.�

Looking ahead, Koch plans to continue her coursework and remain focused on the higher education world. She is rewarded by working with students, and she�s definitely found her calling.

�College is a time that offers people a real opportunity for growth and a chance to develop into the best form of their self,� she said. �For me to have a chance to help them grow really means a lot.�

The UHV Outstanding Student is an online feature highlighting the exceptional students who attend the University of Houston-Victoria. To nominate a student, contact Paula Cobler, UHV interim director of marketing and communications, or call 361-570-4350.