Maggie Sandoval leads with heart

BY CAROLINE CRAIN

News Editor

When Maggie Sandoval first arrived at Tarleton State University, she was timid and unsure of her place. As a first-generation college student and the daughter of an immigrant mother, the path to higher education often felt like a maze she had to figure out alone.

“It started with my mom,” Sandoval said. “She’s an immigrant from Mexico. She came down with no money, literally no plan, just wanting a better future.”

Without a parent who knew the process, Sandoval often had to figure things out on her own. She leaned on the kindness of advisers, asked countless questions and found extra support from her “bonus family” – her sister-in-law’s parents. Every small success— registering for classes, finding housing, applying for scholarships—felt like a personal victory.

One group of people Sandoval credits for a smoother transition into college was her Duck Camp Tarleton’s Transition Mentors (TTMs). After her freshman year, Sandoval became a TTM herself, where she found her place helping incoming students – students whose shoes she once stood in.

“In Duck Camp, I got to connect with so many students,” Sandoval said. “Seeing their growth—freshmen them were so terrified, so scared you could see it in their eyes like, ‘I don’t know if I’ll make it,’ —and seeing them now killing it, it’s so cool to see their growth and just know that I had a little bit of an impact on that.”

Eventually, she joined the TTM leadership team, a role that pushed her into public-facing leadership positions to help her step outside her comfort zone.

But Sandoval didn’t just think about students – she thought about their families, too. As a TTM during orientations and a Texan Rep during campus tours, she noticed how many parents were eager to support their children but didn’t understand English. The language barrier often left them sitting quietly, unable to fully experience their child’s big moment.

This challenge hit close to home for Sandoval.

“When I came to orientation as a student, my mom didn’t get to come because she speaks Spanish only,” Sandoval said. “It made me kind of sad, like everyone has their parents, and I don’t.”

Determined to bridge the gap, Sandoval worked with New Student Programs to implement a system where she can translate everything going on in orientations into an earpiece for Spanish speakers.

“They’re still getting all the information, all the hype and the excitement of their student going, and it’s encouraging more families with a diverse language to still come,” Sandoval said.

As a Texan Rep, she also gives bilingual tours, ensuring every family feels included and empowered.

“We would have families that would have preferred to have them bilingual, and I saw them go on a regular tour, and it was just the student listening to all the information, but the families were just in the back,” Sandoval said. “We started doing tours where I got to give them a tour and translate the whole thing to Spanish.”

Along with her roles in campus tours and transitions, Sandoval also worked as student manager in Tarleton’s Division of Student Engagement and Success under the guidance of the department’s vice president, Dr. Diana Ortega. Among many other duties, Sandoval helped plan and organize events that connect Tarleton and the greater Stephenville community.

“Fortunately enough, I met Dr. Ortega, who is one of my biggest mentors, and Keely McMillian,” Sandoval said. “I got connected with them, and they pushed me way beyond anything I’ve ever experienced. They don’t treat me just as a student worker; they treat me almost like a full-time staff member.”

Ortega has witnessed Sandoval grow both in her skills and in her personal confidence.

“Her character is really caring about people, leading with dignity,” Ortega said. “She really takes the time to show compassion and dignity as she’s dealing with situations. She’s kind hearted, she’s loving and she’s definitely an advocate.”

Sandoval is graduating in May with a bachelor’s degree in education. As part of her hands-on teaching residency, Sandoval has spent her senior year teaching second graders at Chamberlin Elementary under the mentorship of Loretta Greeney.

“I’ve gotten the opportunity to actually experience what it means to be a teacher,” Sandoval said.

Students and teachers alike quickly grew to love Sandoval for her kindness, her energy and the way she made every child feel seen.

“She’s just a bright light, and we have really enjoyed her,” Greeney said. “Our principals would hire her on the spot if she would take a job.”

But the year wasn’t without heartbreak. Sandoval witnessed several students being removed from her classroom due to family situations — moments that left a lasting impact on her. That experience shifted Sandoval’s vision for her future. She realized her calling was bigger than a single classroom.

“I had three really sad situations happen where kids were taken out of my classroom through CPS, and it kind of lit a fire under me that said, ‘I want to make a difference.’ I want to help those at-risk kids and not only in my classroom,” Sandoval said.

After graduation, Sandoval plans to take a year off to prepare for the next chapter: law school. She hopes to attend the A&M law program beginning in the fall of 2027 to advocate for children and families in vulnerable situations.

“I have fallen in love with working with the at-risk kids, the ones that most people are like, ‘Oh, I’d rather not have them in my classroom.’ I love those kids,” Sandoval said. “I want to support those kids, and I want to fight for them because usually they don’t have a great background and no one is really advocating for them.”

Her heart and leadership have not gone unnoticed. This spring, Sandoval was crowned Lady Tarleton during the university’s historic Mayfete celebration — a tradition that has honored outstanding students for over 100 years. Each year, students select individuals who embody Tarleton’s spirit, integrity and leadership.

“Whenever I got called, it was literally an out-of-body experience,” Sandoval said. “It’s so surprising to me that people think it’s cool to have my story. It’s an honor to be able to have that title and maybe inspire someone that doesn’t fit the description of a ‘regular college student.’”

During the quiz portion of Mayfete, the contestants were asked what their biggest achievement was at Tarleton. Sandoval had a unique answer.

“My biggest achievement is making my mom proud,” Sandoval said during the event. “She has always been my biggest inspiration. Making her proud and making my family proud; they didn’t get the opportunities that I did have, so I just know that if it wasn’t for them, I wouldn’t be here.”

That sense of pride extends beyond family to the Tarleton community she’s come to call home.

“I am also proud to make my work family and my Tarleton family proud,” Sandoval said. “It feels like I have a family even when I leave.”

Sandoval’s crowning was a special moment, not just for her, but for those who had watched her journey. One of her coworkers, friends and the former Lady Tarleton, Magaly Lopez, reflected on how fitting the honor was.

“Everything she does, she puts in 110, 120% into, and I feel like that is what being Lady Tarleton is about,” Lopez said. “I know it used to be about how poised you were and how pretty you were and the outfit that you were wearing, but I feel like now, it’s more of who embodies this idea of a Texan; who can make Tarleton a home. I feel like her experiences have definitely earned her that.”

Sandoval’s story is one of perseverance, compassion and purpose — a reminder that sometimes the biggest impact comes from those who once wondered if they belonged .

“My biggest advice is even if you’re terrified, just go for it–find your people, get involved, connect,” Sandoval said. “I’m not the typical stereotype of someone that gets crowned or the stereotype of a college student. I didn’t have the finances, I didn’t have the background, I did not have anything behind me. And now I have the best family supporting me. Not necessarily just biological, but also my Tarleton family.”