Karla Jimenez-Novick is passionate about becoming a bilingual school psychologist to help culturally diverse children, and she will be empowered for that pursuit with the graduate degree she receives from the University of Houston-Victoria.

Karla Jimenez-Novick

�When a child is learning a second language, his or her learning pattern might be mistaken for a disability, so it�s important to have bilingual professionals in schools who are skilled at distinguishing between cultural factors and what truly is a disability,� said Jimenez-Novick, who is fluent in Spanish and English and was born and raised in Costa Rica.

The UHV School of Arts & Sciences recently named Jimenez-Novick its outstanding spring graduate student, and Kirsten Lynn Machicek its outstanding spring undergraduate student. Jimenez-Novick, a Houston resident, will graduate with a master�s degree in school psychology, and Machicek, a Louise resident, will graduate with a bachelor�s degree in biology.

Each semester, professors from UHV�s four schools select an outstanding student from both their graduate and undergraduate programs to be honored during commencement. Grade-point average is a key consideration.

UHV will hold two spring graduation ceremonies on May 10 at Faith Family Church, 2002 E. Mockingbird Lane. The 9 a.m. ceremony will be for graduates of the schools of Arts & Sciences and Education and Human Development. The 1 p.m. ceremony will be for graduates of the schools of Business Administration and Nursing.

Kirsten Lynn Machicek

Both Jimenez-Novick and Machicek plan to use their degrees to make a positive difference in the world. After graduation, Machicek intends to apply for a physician assistant master�s degree program.

�My senior year in high school, I decided I liked medicine,� she said. �I wasn�t sure I wanted to go the extra miles to become a doctor, but I knew I wanted to do something with medicine. I like being around people and helping people. I also love learning and science, and with medicine, you�re learning something new every day.�

While going to school, Machicek studied her future career by job-shadowing a physician assistant and working part time. Since September, she also has volunteered every weekend with Habitat for Humanity and weekly in the day-surgery nursing unit at the Memorial Hermann Sugar Land Hospital.

�I feel like if I have that chance to make a difference, I�m going to do it,� Machicek said. �I cannot see myself sitting at home because I don�t like just sitting still. I like helping people, learning and experiencing new things, and meeting people.�

Jeffrey Di Leo

It�s that kind of initiative and concern for others that makes Machicek and Jimenez-Novick outstanding students, said Jeffrey Di Leo, dean of the UHV School of Arts & Sciences.

�These women are inspiring examples of how people can transform knowledge into a powerful tool to improve their surroundings and the quality of life others enjoy,� he said. �They exemplify what this university is about.�

Jimenez-Novick said she is thankful that she has come this far in her studies.

�I�m really excited about getting my master�s degree,� she said. �It�s going to open more doors for me and enable me to reach a wider population of students.�

She came to the U.S. at age 16 to attend college in Philadelphia, where her father was employed at a university hospital. After working there for eight years as an elementary school teacher, she moved to Houston, where she has lived and worked for the past 10 years.

Jimenez-Novick credits UHV for making it possible to pursue graduate studies while working simultaneously as an educational diagnostician for different school districts on a contractual basis. As such, she evaluated students suspected of having learning or intellectual disabilities.

�I had always wanted to be a school psychologist, and it was just a matter of being able to go to school part time and work part time,� she said. �UHV�s program offered the flexibility for my situation as a working adult, and to be honest, I wouldn�t have been able to do it without the features this program offers. I was able to go to class on weekends and in the evenings and take some courses online, and it was an affordable quality education.�

Likewise, Machicek found UHV to be the ideal fit for her.

�I first went to a junior college for two years but then realized UHV better suited me because I could save money, stay close to home and still get my degree,� she said.

Machicek also credits her faith, family, hard work, work/life balance and academic focus for helping her overcome the challenges of getting through school.

�I wouldn�t be where I am today if it weren�t for my family and their love and support,� she said.