Victoria Gomez-Meza (middle), the first Truman Scholar in DePaul history, poses with Scott Hibbard (left), chair of DePaul's political science department and a mentor for Victoria throughout her time as a Blue Demon, and DePaul President Robert L. Manuel. (DePaul University/Alicia Pope)
Victoria Gomez-Meza with Miguel Angel Cardona, the secretary of education under President Joe Biden. (Photo courtesy of Victoria Gomez-Meza)
Growing up in Reno, Nevada, Victoria Gomez-Meza never imagined she’d one day walk the halls of the White House. As a first-generation college student whose parents immigrated from Mexico, she navigated school with limited resources and few role models who looked like her. But those same experiences fueled a passion for public service.
Based on her record of leadership, public service and academic achievement, Gomez-Meza was recently selected as one of 54 students from 49 colleges nationwide to be named a
Truman Scholar, the first such honoree from DePaul since the award was founded in 1975.
“When I found out I got the scholarship, I was super excited,” Gomez-Meza says. “It felt like validation — that the work I’ve been doing is being seen, that I’m on the right path. It was a reminder that I’ve committed my life to public service, and this was a way to celebrate that.”
DePaul President Robert L. Manuel met with Gomez-Meza soon after she found out she was a Truman Scholar.
“I'm thrilled Victoria has been named a Truman Scholar,” Manuel says. “At DePaul, she has been a tireless advocate for her peers, particularly first-generation college students like herself. She lives DePaul’s Catholic, Vincentian mission by working to expand educational opportunity and empower everyone to pursue their dreams. I can't wait to see all she will accomplish in the future.”
Path to DePaul
A political science major with minors in public policy studies and Latin American and Latino studies and a concentration in American politics, Gomez-Meza chose DePaul for its Vincentian mission, service-oriented culture and location in Chicago.
“I decided it was time for me to get to know a different community, to see what their resources look like and to bring them back to my own community of Reno,” she says.
Victoria Gomez-Meza with NASA astronaut Jose Hernandez. (Photo courtesy of Victoria Gomez-Meza)Once on campus, Gomez-Meza made supporting first-generation students like herself a top priority. She began working in the
TRiO office, connecting her further with her fellow first-generation student community. As a
McNair Scholar, Gomez-Meza conducted research on Latino civic engagement and educational attainment. She also helped organize the
National First-Generation College Celebration week last November. During her first two years at DePaul, she served two years as the first-generation student senator for the Student Government Association.
She wanted to do more, so in May 2024 she founded
First Gen DePaul, a student organization that supports first-generation college students academically, professionally and personally.
“The Truman Scholarship rightly recognizes Victoria’s potential to bridge research, policy, and direct community action,” says Joe Tafoya, an assistant professor of political science who specializes in Latino communities and supervised Gomez-Meza on her McNair Scholar work.
“As a first-generation student herself, Victoria brings an essential perspective to her work. This lived experience informs her leadership in creating supportive communities, like the First Gen-DePaul group she founded. It gives her policy interests authenticity and drive. She's an excellent role model for students who will follow her path to success,” Tafoya adds.
Gomez-Meza goes to D.C.
Last fall, Gomez-Meza took her passion to Washington, D.C., for an internship with the White House Hispanic Initiative. Based at the Department of Education, Gomez Meza contributed to a significant report highlighting resources for Latino students — including scholarships, internships and loan programs. The report was published on the White House’s website and distributed to nonprofits nationwide.
“That work felt personal,” she says. “It was about making sure the information reaches the people who need it most.”
From escorting guests at the White House to planning Hispanic Heritage events alongside Department of Education Secretary Miguel Cardona's team, Gomez-Meza’s time in D.C. was formative.
“It was surreal. I never imagined I would walk into the White House as part of my job,” she says. “But more than that, it confirmed for me that I belong in these spaces.”
What’s next
Gomez-Meza’s goals are bold but clear. She’s turned her lived experiences into fuel for advocacy and a career in public service — one she hopes will bring systemic change to educational policy. She plans to pursue a master’s in public policy or educational policy — and perhaps a law degree focused on civil rights.
“Seeing how committed people are to improving education — it makes me want to be a part of that work, to be that person for the next generation,” she says.
Russell Dorn is a senior manager of media relations in University Communications.