For Paula Mendoza, an accomplished business owner and holder of two degrees from UHD, success is measured by how many young lives she impacts.  

Whether by employing interns at her multimillion-dollar procurement company or mentoring them through her many volunteer positions, Mendoza strives to encourage others—especially groups society might otherwise overlook—to achieve their dreams.  

Mendoza’s influence casts a wide net. She was appointed to the Texas Ethics Commission, where she served six years, and then appointed to the Board of Regents for the University of Houston System, where she served another six years.   

She recently undertook one of her most challenging roles: serving as a member of the Board of Managers for the Houston Independent School District.  

“It’s personal to me. I want all students in Houston to have access to quality education because that’s not something I had in high school,” said Mendoza, a Houston native.    

Mendoza founded Possible Missions in 2001 to link small businesses with quality products and services. Possible Missions now employees 25 full-time and part-time staff plus interns. The company hires two to three interns every semester, many of them from UHD.   

Like Paula, her husband Robert and stepson Robert Mendoza Jr. also attended UHD. The younger Mendoza received his  bachelor’s degree in 1995. 

“It was the perfect situation for me because I worked part-time for a small technology firm and went to school full-time,” Robert said. “I never could’ve done that without enjoying the flexibility that UHD offered.”   

Following his graduation from UHD, the younger Mendoza pursued an MBA at Rice University and subsequently was hired by Chase Manhattan Bank, the forerunner of JPMorgan Chase & Co. He has worked his way up to become a Managing Partner for the company.

Like Paula, Mendoza Jr. has long been interested in helping the next generation of young professionals succeed.  

“I love helping young bankers and businesspeople do well,” Robert said. “Mentoring them has been the most rewarding part of my career.”  

For the Mendozas, success is measured not just by what they achieve, but by the opportunities they create for the next generation of UHD students and professionals.