On the cusp of two master’s degrees, Jimenez shows no signs of slowing down
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| Carlo Jimenez |
Carlo Jimenez wears lots of hats in his day-to-day life: U.S. Navy veteran. Federal law enforcement officer. Husband. Father. Leader. University of Houston-Victoria mentor. Graduate student. UHV Student Senate senator at large for Cinco Ranch.
And in December, he’ll be a proud UHV graduate with another master’s degree under his belt, all of which he accomplished while working 50 hours a week.
The 27-year-old, full-time student is almost finished with his master’s degree in interdisciplinary studies with concentrations in forensics and homeland security. The diploma will hang nicely beside his master’s degree in criminal justice from another university.
“It’s hard to say why I keep coming back to school. I just want to keep learning. I actually like being in school,” said Jimenez, adding that his years in the Navy, from 2001 to 2005, made him eligible for the GI Bill.
Born in Houston, Jimenez now lives in Richmond with his wife, who is a UHV alumna, and his 1½-year-old daughter. A hard worker, he has been attending graduate school full time, except for part-time summers, since 2007.
“Now I see the light at the end of the tunnel,” he said as he laughed.
But going to school and working full time, in addition to being a family man, hasn’t slowed Jimenez down a bit. In the midst of the pursuit of his most current degree and his work on the Student Senate, he was selected for the USDA Graduate School’s New Leader Program, which lasts six months. He graduated in February from the program. It was an honor, he said, considering that only 1 percent of all federal employees are selected to attend.
He also was selected to be one of 200 people nationwide to help the U.S. Department of Homeland Security reach out and recruit veterans for federal jobs as part of the Veterans Employment Initiative, an executive order signed by President Obama in November.
So just what are Jimenez’s plans after graduation?
Well, he plans to keep doing what he’s already doing.
“My degrees are applicable to what I do as a federal law enforcement officer,” he said. “I know these degrees won’t help me get a raise, but they will help me in obtaining future leadership positions.”
The UHV Outstanding Student is an online feature highlighting the exceptional students who attend the University of Houston-Victoria. To nominate a student, contact UHV Communications Manager Paula Cobler or call 361-570-4350.
The University of Houston-Victoria, located in the heart of the Coastal Bend region since 1973 in Victoria, Texas, offers courses leading to more than 80 academic programs in the schools of Arts & Sciences; Business Administration; and Education, Health Professions & Human Development. UHV provides face-to-face classes at its Victoria campus, as well as an instructional site in Katy, Texas, and online classes that students can take from anywhere. UHV supports the American Association of State Colleges and Universities Opportunities for All initiative to increase awareness about state colleges and universities and the important role they have in providing a high-quality and accessible education to an increasingly diverse student population, as well as contributing to regional and state economic development.
