Lindsay Young

Between a full-time job, graduate-level courses and life in general, University of Houston-Victoria graduate student Lindsay Young thought she knew what hard work was. But about a year and a half ago, she took busy to a whole different level.

On April 7, 2011, she and husband Dale Young brought a set of triplets into the world.

Entering into parenthood means change for anyone, but three little ones at once meant triple the diapers and feedings that most moms handle, and presumably even less sleep.

To keep the peace, the family implemented a schedule – work times, sleep times and everything in between – and stuck to it as closely as possible.

“To be able to juggle three children all the same age who can’t take care of themselves, having a schedule is required,” she said as she laughed. “It has been a wild ride, but we’re having fun.”

But Young’s work doesn’t end when she leaves the house.

As a certified business advisor with the UHV Small Business Development Center, she works with aspiring entrepreneurs to get their ideas off the ground.

“You get them through the idea stage into that infancy stage, and then you watch their doors open,” she said, likening the process to parenthood itself. “They’re rocking and rolling and becoming successful. They’re living their dream, and it doesn’t get much better than that.”

Business has always been a calling for Young, who spent years in the banking industry.

The Friendswood native completed courses at Blinn College and Austin Community College. She later moved on to Texas A&M University where she earned a bachelor’s degree in agricultural development in 2005.

Young began her course work at UHV three years later after relocating to Goliad. She took a necessary hiatus from course work when she learned she had children on the way, but she knew all along it was only temporary.

“I always knew I wanted to go back, but it was just a matter of when,” she said, noting that it helped that her MBA program was 100 percent online. “But I did it, and we’ve made it work. It’s very rewarding.”

Even more rewarding is knowing she’ll have her three children – daughters Laney and Dylan, and son Hayes – there in December, when she walks the stage at graduation.

Young encouraged others to continue working toward their dreams even if their workloads seem overwhelming.

“Figure out your priorities, and even if you have 100 things on your to-do list do what’s important to you,” she said. “For me, that was finishing school. It might not be easy, but it’s possible.”

I am a Jaguar 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.