When TLU senior Ariana Gomez suffered an injury that sidelined her collegiate soccer career, it didn’t seem like a blessing. It didn’t seem like a teachable moment or the dawn of wisdom, either. 

She’d played soccer since age four and made it all the way to the TLU soccer team without any major setbacks. “That changed when I suffered a quad injury here at TLU that kept me out of games, and even when I did play, I was never fully at a hundred percent,” she says.

But as it turned out, that challenging experience, surprisingly, did lead to a rather profound lesson. “Balancing the academic load at TLU while dealing with both the physical and emotional side of being injured taught me an unexpected lesson: how to handle uncertainty and stay resilient,” Gomez says. “I learned that setbacks aren’t the end—they can actually set you up for something greater. Pushing through that season reminded me that perseverance really is key to success.”

This December, Gomez will carry with her that hard-won tenacity when she graduates with her MBA and heads out into the world beyond college. She’s already got a definite career opportunity ready and waiting. “After graduation, I plan to join my parents' consulting and services company, focusing on the distribution contract side,” she says. “In this role, I will oversee product distribution, manage logistics operations, and maintain strong relationships with clients.”

But Gomez’s goals go far beyond her occupation, into the realm of living a life filled with higher purpose, paying forward all she’s learned. “In addition to spreading kindness, compassion, and respect for others, I hope to share what I’ve learned from eighteen years of club soccer, five years of playing in college, and my journey through earning my bachelor’s and master’s degrees,” she says. “I want to use those experiences to be someone who encourages others, supports people through challenges, and helps create spaces where people feel valued and motivated to grow.”