Margie Gomez, graduating on May 8, stands in front of a WNMU wall she helped decorate as a studentSILVER CITY, NM — For seven years, Margie Gomez has walked the halls of Western New Mexico University (WNMU) with a quiet, steady determination. On May 8, the Silver City local will reach a long-awaited academic pinnacle. Gomez graduates with a Master of Arts in Counseling. This milestone was born not just from textbooks and lectures; it emerged from a profound personal storm and a calling to serve the community that has always been her home.
Gomez's path to academia was far from traditional. A hairdresser by trade for decades, her life took a sudden, heartbreaking turn in 2019.
The death of her son was unimaginable and enormous, leaving Gomez in a dark place where she struggled to "get above water." During this same period, Gomez faced a staggering series of family crises. She also lost her mother, and her sister to cancer. Through it all, Gomez supported her father, a World War II veteran living with health issues and unspoken PTSD.
"I had to find some type of motivation to keep me going," Gomez shared. "I thought, 'Let me see if I can help somebody else, so that another parent doesn't have to endure the heartache that I have.'"
At age 60, Gomez made the courageous decision to enroll at WNMU. She began by pursuing an undergraduate degree in psychology with a minor in chemical dependency. Entering the university as a non-traditional, first-generation student was daunting. "I was intimidated because this was a whole new world for me," Gomez recalled. "I didn't know what to expect or if I could even do it. It took me a minute to start paying attention and get into it. Proving to myself I could do it—that was a big one."
Gomez credits the close-knit, community-minded environment of WNMU for helping her find a voice she didn't know she had. Once painfully shy and anxious about public speaking, she found that the university's small class sizes allowed her to step out of her shell.
Building on these experiences, Gomez specifically highlighted the mentorship of faculty who went above and beyond. During her undergraduate years, Associate Professor of Psychology Jennifer Johnston, Ph.D., provided the encouragement needed to persist. Gomez also talked about Department Chair of Counseling and Assistant Professor of Counseling Wally Lane, Ph.D., and how his proactive approach made a lasting impression on her. "He calls each of his students every semester just to ask how they are doing and what they need," Gomez said. "When professors go that extra mile, it makes a big difference in a student's ability to succeed."
Now interning at Winborne Wellness and Counseling in Silver City, Gomez has discovered an unexpected passion for working with children aged four to 12. "I thought, 'I'm never going to work with children; that would be too hard,'" Gomez admitted. "But I love it. I look back at my own life, and I wish counseling had been a more acceptable option when I was young. I want to be there for these kids now because I know how much they need help coping with the crazy world we live in."
As she prepares to celebrate her graduation, Gomez is also beginning a two-year journey toward independent licensure. She offers heartfelt advice to other non-traditional students considering a return to school: "Don't give up. Just keep going. There are days you want to hide under the covers, but learning is a lifelong opportunity. Attending WNMU gave me the strength to move forward," she said. "I feel accomplished. I feel empowered. I've learned who I am, and I'm ready to help others find their way out of the dark, too."
