Meet the Alumni Turning a St. Edward’s Education Into Impactful Careers
From Austin to across the country, St. Edward’s alumni are turning their passions into meaningful careers.
Whether designing for public spaces, advancing in medicine, serving patients, shaping major events or advocating for their communities, these Hilltoppers are building on the experiences, mentorship and sense of purpose they found on the hilltop. Meet five alumni putting their education into action and making an impact in their fields.
The Bill Munday School of Business
Daniella Gonzalez ‘21
Brownsville, TX
As a first-generation student, Daniella Gonzalez sought out a place that felt supportive and welcoming. With a family member in Austin, her transition to the city wasn’t too daunting, but the community she experienced during orientation really drew her in to write her own story on the hilltop.
The support she received during orientation week inspired her to stay involved and to become an orientation leader herself so she could offer students the same welcoming experience she had. She later joined the University programming Board, leading and creating events to strengthen students’ sense of belonging.
Although Gonzalez started as a psychology and criminal justice major, inspired by her love for true crime shows, her peers and success coach helped her identify the major best suited to her. With guidance from faculty and staff like Director of Student Transitions and Family Engagement Kyle Clark, Professor of Business Communication Kerri Qunell, and Professor of Social Media and Marketing Kristen Sussman, Gonzalez paved her own path.
“With their help, I not only transferred into a new degree program but also optimized my classes in a way that allowed me to study abroad in Milan, Italy, giving me an opportunity that opened doors and gave me experiences I still carry with me today,” Gonzalez said.
Today, Gonzalez works as the Associate Festival Marketing Manager at C3 Presents, where she helps festivals like Austin City Limits, Bonnaroo, and High Water come to life through digital marketing.
School of Behavioral and Social Sciences
Michelle Ramirez
Weslaco, TX
Before her acceptance to St. Edward’s University, Michelle Ramirez knew the hilltop was meant for her during her campus tour. Through the former College Assistance Migrant Program (CAMP), Michelle Ramirez was accepted to St. Edward’s University. She loved the idea of being in a city and how St. Edward’s was still its own community.
Ramirez found community through faculty and staff who helped her navigate her college career as a first-generation student. She credits Lionel Lopez as one of the first staff members who made St. Edward’s feel like her home away from home.
“By providing his leadership and mentorship, Lionel was instrumental in my professional and personal growth,” Ramirez said. “I learned a lot about what it takes to be a leader who is community-driven, while also learning about the importance of self-care in this work.”
Other community members, like CAMP staff members Sonia Briseno and Gilbert Contreras, and Linda Valdez, provided her with the academic, professional and personal guidance she needed to get through college. Although she was not a Social Work major, the program’s faculty members, like Dr. Heffron, Dr. Beck and Dr. McCormick, supported her advocacy-related goals. She also found belonging after joining the Latinx Student Leaders Organization and Feminist Leadership in Practice (FLIP) organization.
“Being surrounded by them motivated me to stay in spaces that did not always feel meant for me, and their friendship always made me feel like I was home,” Ramirez said.
Now, Ramirez serves as a Legal Access Fellow with the Texas Immigration Law Council, where she’s been learning about what it takes to be in the law field as she continues to love the advocacy and social justice aspect of her role. In the next five years, Ramirez hopes to earn her Master of Social Work with a policy focus or to enroll in law school, pursuing a career in public interest law.
School of Arts and Humanities
Scarlett Houser ‘25
Austin, TX
Like many, Scarlett Houser chose to attend St. Edward’s for its close-knit community and location. As a graphic design major with an art minor, Houser felt she belonged in the fine arts, specifically in her clay and sculpture classes, where she bonded with classmates and professors.
Her Visual Studies and Fine Arts professors, Jenn Hassin, Tuan Phan, Hollis Hammonds and Daniel Lievens, supported her throughout her college career, helping her reach her goals. Houser began as the Outreach and Communications Intern at the Wild Basin Wilderness Preserve, where she created promotional social media content and materials. Houser also brought her skills to Hilltop Views as the graphic designer for print newspapers and web stories.
“I especially recommend that Hilltoppers take at least one cross-disciplinary course,” Houser said. “I found that pushing myself to learn about unfamiliar topics was one of my most meaningful experiences on the hilltop. “
Her marketing internships with the Austin Film Festival and the Long Center for the Performing Arts prepared her for her current role. Within eight months of her first full-time job as a junior graphic designer, Houser was promoted to Graphic Designer for the San Antonio Botanical Garden, where she designs merchandise and environmental graphics for print pieces.
School of Health Sciences
Elyse Wick ‘23, ‘25
Albuquerque, NM
Elyse Wick didn’t know she’d be a part of university history when she chose to attend St. Edward’s in 2019. The university’s mission aligned with her personal values, and the hilltop became a second home to her, nurturing and challenging her.
“Being on the Hilltop opened up my world. It gave me the confidence to lead, the curiosity to ask deeper questions, and the purpose to serve others,” Wick said.
Wick used her time on the hilltop to take on leadership roles and give back to her community. In 2023, she received the Presidential Award for her leadership and dedication to service, reflecting her 300-plus hours of volunteer work while at St. Edward’s. She contributed to both education-focused initiatives, like the GO Project (a community-based transition program through AISD for students with disabilities who are 18-22 years of age), and health-centered programs like Regarding Cancer in the Austin area. On campus, she started the Women’s Club Basketball team, serving as president, and eventually became a Student Ambassador for the Admissions Office. Wick became familiar with many faces across campus, as she also served as the Facility Supervisor at RecWell and as a TA for multiple biology labs.
“My time in Dr. Steffensons' (biology) research lab led to the publication of our research on the immunology of honeybees. This experience has inspired me to continue my education and possibly be involved in clinical research as a nurse,” Wick said. “Dr. Katy Allen in nursing inspired me to connect with the health care community and ultimately find a nursing career I feel passionate about.”
Wick made history on the hilltop as one of the first students to graduate from the Nursing program at St. Edward’s. She now works as a registered nurse at Ascension Seton Main in the Cardiovascular Intermediate Care Unit.
“I am leaving with more than just two degrees,” Wick said, “I am leaving with a clear vision of the impact I want to make in the community.”
School of Arts and Humanities & School of Natural Sciences
Caroline Podvin ‘22
Dallas, TX
Caroline Podvin always knew she wanted to study medicine, and as a graduate of Ursuline Academy, a Catholic high school, attending a Catholic university just made sense to her. As she determined her major between pre-med and Spanish, Podvin realized college was the time to take advantage of learning a language and other cultures before diving into med school. With that decision, she declared her minors as biology and chemistry so she could still receive the education and research opportunities required to get into med school.
Podvin combined her interest in Spanish and sciences into one as she helped spearhead the Certificate for Advanced Spanish for Health and Helping Professions with her Spanish professor, Emily Berante. Although the certificate wasn’t finalized until after she graduated, Podvin is a big proponent of how Hilltoppers can close the language barrier in healthcare.
From Spanish and Natural Science professors like Berante, Regina Faunes, Lisa Goering and Trish Baynham to the staff at the Student Disabilities Services, Podvin knew all along she was in the right place.
“The staff at SDS were very instrumental in my time there. They were fantastic,” Podvin said. “That was another reason I chose St. Ed’s, because my learning disabilities weren’t dismissed.”
Today, Podvin is in her third year at Sam Houston State University College of Osteopathic Medicine. After meeting a patient who showed symptoms of an underlying condition that are often difficult to connect to a diagnosis, Podvin met with her preceptor and researched syndromes that matched their history and exam. This occurred during her internal medicine rotation (her first rotation), and Podvin successfully diagnosed the patient with Sneddon syndrome.
“Med school is very daunting, and people will choose a big-name institution when applying for med school. I was more than prepared when I applied. I was organized and got in on my first try. Go to the small institution where you get your own zebra fish in embryology,” Podvin said. “Those things often get dismissed when we talk about smaller institutions. I would encourage people, if you want to be a doctor, to go to St. Ed's.”
