Fall 2021 Great Grads: Kristen Miguel | College of Science
December 8, 2021

Fall 2021 Great Grads: Kristen Miguel

Kristen Miguel's decision to pursue her degree came after dealing with a tragic loss in her family. It was then that she decided not to wait any longer. It was time to go after her dreams.

Kristen came to UNT to pursue a bachelor's degree in biology with a minor in chemistry.

"Science has always fascinated me -- I got this crazy idea that I wanted to become a doctor, so that's the dream I've been chasing since I started at UNT," says Kristen, who has been heavily involved with the chemistry department as a peer-led team learning leader and in the chemistry education research lab.

Along with being a student, she also is a wife and a mother to two boys. During the pandemic, she became a teacher to her children when the world went into lockdown.

The challenges that Kristen faced during her college career have made her more resilient, and she has enjoyed every step of her journey.

"I learned how much grit I have, and the things that I thought would break me I made it through," she says. "You shouldn't ever limit yourself to the things you think are the easiest or aren't difficult."

After earning her bachelor's degree in biology, Kristen hopes to further her education either in a medical or physician's assistant program and start working. With balancing schoolwork and devoting time to her family, she has made it through even the toughest obstacles and hopes to show others that hard work really does pays off.

"I want to show my children that you can follow your dreams and that anything is possible at any age," she says.

Kristen also wants to be an example to other UNT students that anyone can achieve their hopes and goals no matter how old they are or what place they're at in life.

"As we're coming out of a pandemic, and we all kind of survived this together, remember that you're enough," she says. "Your dreams are possible and just keep going, one day at a time."

Read more UNT Great Grads stories at: https://commencement.unt.edu/great-grads-fall-2021