A Raven’s journey: Tabitha Godinez’s story comes full circle
Tabitha Godinez’s connection to San Jacinto College spans nearly two decades, three generations, and countless personal transformations.
Her story of perseverance, reinvention, and deep community roots mirrors the journeys of many San Jac students who return not only to learn but to lead.
From dual credit to lifelong impact
Godinez’s San Jac story began in 2006 as a high school senior in Pearland, enrolled in dual credit courses.
“We all called it ‘13th grade’ back then,” she said. “Everyone I knew was taking classes at San Jac. It was close, affordable, and just felt like the natural next step.”
Godinez needed more than a job but a career that would allow her to provide for her
family while still being present as a mom. That’s when she returned to San Jac to
pursue her Associate of Applied Science in early childhood education.
“I went to school at night, worked during the day, raised a young child, and somehow made it work,” she said. “It was hard, but it was doable because of the support I found at San Jac.”
She describes her professors not just as instructors but as mentors and cheerleaders.
“They didn’t just teach — they cared,” she said. “They asked about my daughter. They noticed when I looked overwhelmed. That sense of belonging changed everything.”
Loss, resilience, and rediscovery
Godinez graduated in 2016, also earning her child development associate training for director occupational certificate. Shortly after, she realized her dream by opening a licensed child care center at a local church.
But within nine months, that dream came crashing down when a fire in the church’s HVAC system forced the center to close permanently.
“I was heartbroken,” she said. “Everything I’d worked for just disappeared.”
I started looking for ways to stay connected to students, even while working behind the scenes.
With a family to support, Godinez looked for new opportunities and landed a role in the Central Campus business office at San Jac. Though grateful, she wasn’t yet sure if higher education was where she belonged.
A year later, she left to work at Head Start in La Porte, but something pulled her back to San Jac’s district office as a grant accounting specialist in 2018. There, she began to see the bigger picture: how funding drives innovation, how programs are built to serve the community, and how behind every spreadsheet number is a student, a dream, and a future.
Still, Godinez longed for more personal connection.
“I started looking for ways to stay connected to students, even while working behind the scenes,” she said. “I’d go to student art shows or steel drum performances, and I’d send photos and encouraging notes with my monthly reports. That reminded me why the work matters: It’s about people.”
Connecting students and community
That same passion eventually led Godinez to the Small Business Development Center, where serving as senior administrative assistant proved transformative.
“That small act helped the restaurant survive, and that student gained real-world
experience,” she said. “It was the perfect example of how our students and local businesses
can grow together.”
That experience sparked a realization: Work-based learning isn’t just a student benefit — it’s a community strategy.
“That moment shifted my entire perspective,” she said. “We have students with real-world skills, and we have businesses with real-time needs. Connecting the two is powerful.”
Mentorship and a dream role
Even as she made an impact at the Small Business Development Center, Godinez began to feel the familiar pull for something more. With her San Jac mentor, she reflected, set goals, and crafted a vision for her future.
“He asked me to write out my dream job — not just the title but the kind of work that would bring me fulfillment,” she said. “A few months later, he forwarded me a posting for the education and workforce coordinator role. It was exactly what I had described.”
I get to help students gain confidence, grow professionally, and take the next step in their own journeys, just like others helped me.
Now in that position, Godinez connects students with work-based learning opportunities and builds partnerships with employers across the region.
“This job brings everything full circle,” she said. “I get to help students gain confidence, grow professionally, and take the next step in their own journeys, just like others helped me.”
Legacy across generations
Her grandmother graduated in 1987 as a registered nurse. Her father launched his academic
career at San Jac, and her mother not only took prerequisite courses here but later
returned to teach as an adjunct nursing faculty member. Her siblings have also passed
through its doors.
Now Godinez looks to the future.
“I can’t help but imagine my daughter walking these halls in 2031 through the Promise program,” she said. “Whether she becomes a teacher, a cosmetologist, or something totally unexpected, I know she’ll find the same support and opportunity here that shaped my own life.”
Raven in flight
From a dual credit student to a working mom, from a child care provider to a college staff member, Godinez’s journey embodies the spirit of San Jac — a place where challenges turn into growth and where people invest in each other’s success.
“San Jac isn’t just a step in my story,” she said. “It’s woven through every chapter. This place gave me space to become who I am. And now I get to do the same for someone else.”
Her Raven’s journey continues, not just as a personal story of transformation but as a daily commitment to helping others soar.
