When Nate González walks the stage on May 20 during A&M-San Antonio’s Spring 2025 Commencement Ceremony, he’ll earn the distinction of being the first graduate of the University’s Community Health Program. Helping address the region’s shortage of qualified health workers, the program provides a foundation for students planning to enter the fields of health promotion and education.
For González, promoting public health has been a longtime passion. He has worked for nearly a decade as an ophthalmic technician, performing research, screening and testing for professional eye care services. He most recently worked as a research clinician for Lackland Air Force Base.
While the experience has been fascinating and educational — “chronic disease presents itself in the eyes before it touches the body,” he said — it's also provided a sobering look at the health care industry.
“During my time in medicine, I’ve seen this constant pattern of disparities in health care and health care access, especially with Blacks and Latinos,” he said. “They have a higher likelihood of developing chronic diseases like diabetes. I saw this time and time and time again working in the field.”
This disparity is one reason why González is so excited about earning his B.S in Community Health. “The program speaks to everything I believe in about addressing these disparities in an equitable, tailored way that makes sense for the San Antonio community.”
González has been a strong advocate for community health outside of the classroom as well. In January, he launched Public Health Jaguars, a student organization focused on promoting public health awareness and well-being. The group aims to empower individuals to adopt healthy habits.
“The group has had an almost 750 percent membership growth since its inception,” he said. “We’ve reached hundreds of people.”
Looking to support the community at large, the group works with the San Antonio Food Bank to address food insecurity. Other projects include a collaboration with the University’s Kinesiology Club to promote fitness and ways to prevent chronic diseases. The group also works with the Mays Center and Psychology Club to host interactive workshops about maintaining mental health.
In addition, Public Health Jaguars helped host a wellness fair in April to educate the campus community during National Public Health Week. The fair featured a variety of organizations that offered activities ranging from body mass index testing to free dental hygiene kits.
“We aim to address all these different health topics, do real hands-on work, and create change for the better,” said González, who works at the University part time as a public health research assistant.
For all his efforts, the University’s Public Health Program recently awarded González the Public Health Horizon Award for all his advocacy work.
“A&M-San Antonio has changed my life,” he said. “My experience here has been unbelievable. It’s contributed so much to who I am, and now I can give back to my community because of it.”
After he graduates, González said he plans to pursue a Master of Public Health and Master of Business Administration in a dual degree program.
“I want to be a leader in health care, and I want to deliver health care in an equitable way,” he said. “Addressing the chronic disease crisis is imperative to the future of the United States, and I want to help in that effort.”