RIO GRANDE VALLEY – As Georgina Hernandez wraps up her collegiate career, she can look back at her accomplishments and list off moments that have helped shape who she has become over the last four years. 
 
It would only be fitting that Hernandez have one more moment that she can look back on when it's all said and done as she was selected to participate in the inaugural NCAA Student-Athlete Symposium. 
 
Hernandez was 1 of 20 selected from NCAA Division I applicants and was honored to have the opportunity to represent The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) and the Rio Grande Valley. 
 
It was something that Hernandez could not pass up. 
 
The symposium was meant to bring student-athletes from around the country and let each of their voices and experiences be heard. Hernandez was not only able to learn different things but was able to make connections that will last a lifetime.  
 
"The idea was centered on us student-athletes, our voices," Hernandez said. "How we can maximize our experiences, how we can be better athletes, students, better people outside of sports. That was really the focus. A lot of the people that were there were student leaders. You had people that were in leadership positions at their schools. That was really rewarding. It was a super cool experience. The learning part was awesome, but the connecting part was really cool. I made some friends from across the country and the world. It was an awesome experience, and it was cool to be part of the first one ever."
 
When you put all different types of people into one room, there is an opportunity to learn different things. Hernandez learned something that she hopes she will never forget and something that she hopes everyone gets to understand one day. 
 
That one thing was that her story matters and your does too. 
 
"A big message was that my story matters and that my experience matters and yours does too," Hernandez said. "We had speakers that spoke about their experiences and that little message was what stuck out to me a lot. I think everybody goes through different turbulence and experiences but at the end of the day how can you take your experience and your life and make something of it and uplift other people through it. That little saying was something that I took away. I thought it was something that everybody can relate to. It was cool that there are people out there that care about your experience and your story." 
 
There was so much to learn and from so many different people. Hernandez loved the fact that there were so many different types of people there while even connecting with someone who also spoke Spanish. 
 
Hernandez learned a lot about those in the same room as her but most importantly, she learned even more about herself throughout this trip.  
 
"It's good to see that there are leaders in the NCAA and leaders at all these universities that are out there advocating for people and a lot of it was through diversity, equity, and inclusion," Hernandez said. "You can picture a room of 600 people there, all different cultures, backgrounds, and nationalities. Obviously being from Mexico and a minority, connecting with a couple of people who spoke Spanish too was something I learned a lot from. There are people in the world who you can relate to and there are also people in the world that are so different, but you can learn so much from. There were a lot of peers that I learned a lot from not just about them, but they helped me learn about myself."
 
While there was plenty to learn at the NCAA Symposium, there was also a time to give back. 
 
As UTRGV Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) President, Hernandez has been a big proponent of community service and giving back, which has led to UTRGV ranking sixth in the country in community service hours in 2023-24. 
 
In fact, one of her favorite moments of the symposium was a community service event where the group passed out books to kids in nearby schools. Moments like those where she can spend time with children, reminded her of when she was a kid looking up at people in her shoes then. 
 
"We did a community service drive," Hernandez said. "They collected a bunch of books to give to students in elementary schools. We got the opportunity to go in there and sign books and write a cool message on there. I thought that was really cool. I think if I looked at myself now from those elementary kid's eyes, I think I would look up to myself a lot. I thought it was cool to take a moment and sign books for those kids and step away from all of the responsibilities we had that week. I think that had to be my favorite part, being able to give back and connect with people."
 
The NCAA Student-Athlete Symposium was also in conjunction with the NCAA Diversity and Inclusion Forum. Hernandez was able to sit in on different sessions and take some valuable lessons with her. 
 
One of the keynote speakers was South Carolina Women's Basketball Head Coach Dawn Staley. Hernandez made it a point to speak with her after the session. 
 
For Hernandez, it was special to have someone of the caliber of Coach Staley take time to speak at an event like the NCAA Diversity and Inclusion Forum. 
 
"I got to meet Dawn Staley, which was pretty cool," Hernandez said. "She had just won a national championship and I think having her there showed how invested people are to help our experience grow. She could have been anywhere else in the world. She could have been on a big-time interview, but she chose to be at that place at that moment speaking to the next leaders of the world. To me, that was one of the best experiences ever. It's not every day you get to sit in front of a national championship coach. What's going on in women's sports, for me, to have her there and give her insight was awesome. What she has done, along with Kaitlin Clark, they have pushed women's sports. All those eyes are on women's basketball and then that trickles down to sports like women's soccer. I got to talk to her after and I thanked her for all she has done to push women's sports. She was someone really cool to meet."
 
That opportunity not only allowed Hernandez to meet someone of the likes of Coach Staley but something that Staley said really hit home with Hernandez. 
 
Being able to attend the NCAA Diversity and Inclusion Forum along with the NCAA Student-Athlete Symposium gave Hernandez an opportunity to listen. 
 
"Dawn Staley said that people don't have to agree but that we should listen," Hernandez said. "Sometimes you have to have those difficult conversations and I think this forum was a space to do that freely. Sometimes we have trouble igniting those conversations and having the willingness to have tough conversations. You see what's going on in the world right now with protest and what not. It's hard to do it when you don't have the space to feel that you can. I think the NCAA provided the best possible space to have open conversations."
 
Hernandez was able to take so much away from her trip to Indianapolis, so much so that she returned home with a different mindset. 
 
A mindset that sees things differently now and feels like she has grown even more as a person. This trip has provided Hernandez with knowledge that will be used in her next step of her journey. 
 
"I feel more mature," Hernandez said. "I feel like I am mature beyond my years, I think. I feel more mature, more open-minded. I felt like it added to my person and made me more observant. It has opened my mind on how I can be a servant-leader. How can I serve without wanting anything in return, which is so big. So often we are so worried about ourselves that we don't serve without wanting something back. I feel like I have been a lot more open-minded, and it definitely changed me for the better. It was an experience that I will carry with me for life. I learned a lot of different professional development things that I can take on to my career. I feel a lot better coming back from it and hopefully how I carry myself will rub off on other people. If I had to sum it all it, it would be with that phrase. My story matters. My experience matters and yours does too. I don't think we say that enough to each other and I don't think we listen to each other enough. I hope to carry that on with my actions."
 
Hernandez will now pass the torch of SAAC President on to the next one but now will be able to pass on the knowledge she gained from the symposium and forum and share that with the next student leaders of UTRGV Athletics.
 
As she transitions out of SAAC and athletics, Hernandez now gets ready for the next stages of life. She is looking to attend medical school and maybe even do a little bit of coaching. 
 
Hernandez is excited to be find her new normal and enjoy life outside of the student life, at least for a little bit. 
 
One thing is for sure, she wants to keep giving back. Whether it is helping young soccer athletes find their passion or helping the new SAAC leaders get comfortable in their new roles.
 
Hernandez knows the importance of the SAAC President and she hopes that she can help them take that role to another level. 
 
"I want to tell them to use their voice," Hernandez said. "Lean on the people that are in your corner and have people in your corner that are there to support you. Don't shy away from advocating for something you believe in or something that your classmates believe in. I think SAAC Presidents carry a big voice and it's not until you are in that position that you realize it and so speaking with the next SAAC President, I hope this person learns as much as I did and is as passionate about it. You need passionate people in these positions. Use your voice. It carries more than you think it does. That's not just for SAAC but for any student-athlete. The voice we carry is huge and sometimes we just need that leader that will help everyone else. Hopefully the next president can do that." 

Hernandez knows that UTRGV will always have a spot in her heart. UTRGV has given her so many opportunities from playing Division I soccer to helping push the athletics department into a new era. 
 
Opportunities like the one she experienced in Indianapolis don't always come around, but she hopes that those after her need those opportunities as well. 
 
Hernandez believes those in leadership in the athletics department have the best in mind when it comes to student-athletes and she hopes they keep pushing for opportunities like the one she had with the NCAA Student-Athlete Symposium. 
 
"I would keep encouraging people," Hernandez said. "Keep sending representation from the Valley. We those eyes on us. We will be humble about it, but we want those eyes and that experience. This is the first year they send three to an NCAA symposium type event and I think it's just the start. The future is bright for UTRGV. I would encourage anyone who has a part in getting student-athletes there to keep doing it. I think we need more people out there."

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