Grad’s many firsts set course for family to follow

May 5, 2023 – DENTON – Wandaliz Turner has a history of being the first in her family to do many things.

She was the first to attend college. The first to enlist in the military. First to go into law enforcement. And the first to earn a university degree – two, in fact.

But if you ask Turner, the drive to earning those achievements is less about being first and more about opening doors for others.

Since blazing new trails in each of those areas, relatives have been emboldened to follow her lead: A cousin has joined the U.S. Customs and Border Protection agency; her son and another cousin enlisted in the military; and her younger sister earned a college degree of her own that launched a successful career in a health field.

Turner said she is most grateful that she was in a position to show others in her family that they could carve productive paths through quality higher education for themselves.

“It not only helps you, it normalizes the hard work, the accessibility, the late nights and the sacrifices – all worth it for a higher education,” Turner said.

Through it all, Turner stayed focus on her academic passion: government and history.

“History has always helped me understand the ‘why’ of my present situations,” she said, noting that prior to serving in the U.S. Army, she recalled how the war in Bosnia had impacted U.S. policy, even though the conflict was thousands of miles away.

But it is another passion – service – that has guided her career choices throughout her lifetime.

Since coming to Texas Woman’s to pursue an undergraduate degree in government, which she completed in 2010, Turner has become a fixture on the Denton campus, serving in several capacities aimed at helping others.

As she alternated between those career pursuits at TWU, Turner stayed focused on her academic journey. This month she celebrates with her family her latest accolade: a master’s in political science with a graduate certificate in history – and she attained it with a perfect 4.0 GPA to boot.

It is significant to note she achieved this accomplishment while raising a family, overcoming a health challenge, and maintaining a full-time job, all while continuing to represent Texas Woman’s with fierce dedication.

She has served as a special events coordinator; as assistant director of admissions, helping guide students to have an extraordinary campus experience; as associate director of alumni engagement; and most recently, as associate director at the Center for Women in Politics & Public Policy, where she is in a key position to steer women’s leadership activities at the university.

One could say she is one of Texas Woman’s biggest cheerleaders, focusing much of her time coaxing others to enroll, stay engaged or become a leader.

“Being a staff member here has given me a special view of the university – and I think that says a lot about a university that makes you want to keep your career here,” she said.

Page last updated 4:38 PM, May 8, 2023