Surpassing Limitations

One popular quote from the 1989 film: “Field of Dreams” states, “If you build it, he will come.”  This quote exemplifies the law of attraction; a belief that demonstrates how we attract things into creating the future we want for ourselves. Cindy Mata, the Director for Student Activities at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV), is pursuing her passions and thinking beyond her realm of dreams for her future and the students’ future. 

“I’m a dreamer,” said Cindy Mata, Director for Student Activities at UTRGV. “I like to think big. I don’t think a dream is ever too big.”
 

Mata was born in Mexico and moved to Harlingen at six–years–old and has stayed in the Valley since. In 2000, Mata began her undergraduate studies at the University of Texas – Pan American (UTPA). 

“When I started my freshman year at UTPA, my mind was set to study International Business,” Mata said.  

Mata aspired to run a multi-international company while working overseas. Like many students, Mata’s college experience molded her into new interests and new ventures, paving her way into opportunities that would soon lead to her position as Director for Student Activities. 

“I was your typical commuter student,” Mata said. “I would drive from Harlingen to Edinburg to go to class and I would come home.” Mata followed this dull routine throughout her first semester of college until she realized she should be making the most out of her experience at UTPA.  

“I was shy. I definitely credit my friends who were like ‘Hey, come with us to this event!’.” Mata was able to meet friends, get involved on campus and meet some of her best friends that she still keeps in touch with. 

“Once you break that initial ice, you end up realizing everyone’s just as nervous and scared [to make new friends]. It’s all about who wants to take that first step and connect with others.” 

As Mata began to break out of her shell and become more invested in campus activites, she took initiative to connect with more people and seek opportunities. She set a goal to work for Latina Magazine, a lifestyle, entertainment, beauty and fashion publication highlighting bilingual Hispanic women.  

“Advertising and communications have always been so interesting to me,” Mata said. “I have always been really proud of my Mexican heritage. I thought if I could write, if I could interview people, if I could work in their sales department or help oversee their advertising campaigns, that would be so much fun.” 

This interest led Mata to get involved in UTPA’s student-magazine, Panorama, as a writer.  

“By my senior year, I was able to be the copy editor. That was a whole different view into the world of publishing and what could happen if I did go into that area,” Mata said.  

The recently discovered perspective set the foundation for Mata to accomplish her next goal: attending graduate school at the University of Texas at Austin. Her mentors, communication professors Dr. Kimberly Selber and Dr. Greg Selber, pushed Mata to surpass her limits and apply to UT Austin’s advertising graduate program.  

“Me and one of my classmates said ‘Okay, let’s try it. The worst they [UT Austin] can say is no’,” Mata said. “To our surprise, we both got in.” 

Mata graduated in the spring of 2004, earning her bachelor’s degree in communication with a focus on advertising and public relations. By fall, she began her graduate degree in advertising. 

“I started learning more about the advertising industry. I went more into the account planning track which is the business side of it,” Mata said.  

In 2007, two years after receiving her first master’s degree in advertising at UT Austin, Mata returned to the Rio Grande Valley and began her work in higher education. She started at the Student Union at UTPA as the Assistant Director of Student Activities with the goal of filling up the venue with a fun and loud environment. 

“I am happy to see the Student Union the way it is now. It’s kind of seen as the living room of campus,” Mata said.  

In 2010, Mata ventured out to Texas State Technical College (TSTC) to oversee the College Assistance Migrant Program, serving students from migrant and seasonal farm work backgrounds. Nearly three years after working at TSTC, she was offered a position at UTRGV, the university formed from the merger of UTPA and UT-Brownsville. 

“When the position for Director for Student Activities was offered to me, it was a little intimidating at first,” Mata said. “It’s a brand new university and we [Student Activities team] were going to have a role in saying what traditions are going to be those big signature events. We wanted to marry the cultures from both legacy institutions.” 

Led by her own college experience, Mata’s goal as Director for Student Activities is to continue improving and creating new opportunities for students to want to be involved and engaged, fascinated by playing a part of students’ college memories.  

“Maybe they meet someone, a best friend, their future bridesmaids and their future best friend. Their future comadres and compadres. That is definitely something I like to think about when we’re coming up with these events,” Mata said.  

Student Activities requires meeting with students, trying to bring to life the vision on how to make UTRGV have a better campus experience for students. Mata and the Student Activities team are taking on the mission to bring new experiences for the campus community.  

  “There’s definitely a lot of planning and a lot of visualizing and thinking ahead,” Mata said. “I’m a visionary. I like to see what or envision what the future will look like, whether that’s a month, six months or a year in advance.” 

This mindset challenged her to study for her second master’s degree in Business Administration with UTRGV in 2019.  

“I went back to school to push myself. I did it while being a full-time mom and a full-time director. It definitely shows me what I’m capable of as an individual,” Mata said. “It’s allowed me to push myself and really see what we’re capable of in the [Student Activities] team.”  

Bonded by experience and trust, Mata and her team share the vision of making students’ college experience be one of the best ones they can make. 

“The team and I are privileged to be one of the first to have a say as to what traditions we’re implementing at the university. I get to see a lot of students achieve their goals as well as have their ‘aha’ moments, become exceptional adults and make a change in their communities.” 

Mata and her team have been testing the waters to create a new tradition for UTRGV — a morning show program with Student Activities where the team can interview faculty and students on university life once the institution returns to a fully in-person capacity. 

“I’m excited to sit down with our team and brainstorm and see what the next five years within Student Activities will look like, how we can continue pushing boundaries, breaking the mold and being the best advocates for our students that we can be.” 

Even with Mata’s accomplishments she continues to pursue other passions and goals outside of her profession. Mata’s next two goals are to write a children’s book focusing on her Mexican roots and creating a podcast. 

“For the last couple of years since I became a mom, I wanted to write a children’s book,” Mata said. “I would love to accomplish that during the next five years of writing a children’s book. Hopefully, if I am successful at that, make it into a little series and go with my life.” 

Mata proves that by leaving one’s comfort zone and allowing yourself to pursue your dreams, the possibilities are endless. She has strived to reach her goals and continues to go after the things she is both interested and passionate about, proving both to herself and the people around her that dreams are worth pursuing.