Our #WesleyanWednesday feature this week is Eddie Gomez ’08!
Eddie is a Sigma Phi Epsilon alumnus who also participated in SGA, Catholics in Action and was a member of the men’s soccer team. He now works as the Vice President of Facilities and Emergency Management at Ascension Living Senior Care and is beginning a term on the Alumni Association’s Board of Directors!
Learn more about him here.
Q: Tell us a little about your job.
A: I am responsible for the Ascension Living Senior Care Facilities Management communities throughout the U.S. We are the largest non-profit Catholic health systems for Senior Living Care. We assure that all of our associates, residents, and participants have a safe and sound healing environment. There are multiple things that fall under my leadership, but to make it simple, I lead a group of leaders that oversee maintenance, safety, security, environmental services, food services, transportation ministries, and construction. As a leader, I coach, mentor, and develop our facilities team and support center team to grow and succeed. We don’t like status-quo; we push the boundaries so that we can be a ministry that is always improving the environment around us. We are innovators and like to think that we are also the ones helping change the world one project at a time.
Q: Why did you choose KWC?
A: I had just recently moved to the U.S. with my aunt in Louisville and it was close to home. It was also a small college that allowed me to adapt to the culture better, make some close relationships and not feel like I had to travel too far to be back at home. When I visited the campus, I immediately liked the vibe and culture. I met some very cool basketball and football players and they made me feel at home. I am a social butterfly and I like to break the ice with jokes. The people I met enjoyed that and made me feel more comfortable.
Q: Have you earned any degree/certificates since graduating from KWC?
A: I am a certified trainer for an Environmental Services Technician program. This is a program that trains you on the proper process to disinfect and sanitize the environment in the healthcare space.
Q: Are you married? Do you have any children? Tell us a little about your home life!
A: I am married to my own Wesleyan Sweetheart, Brittany (Yates) Gomez ’09, and we have two wonderful kids, Kaleb Wyatt (9) and Emilia Paige (6). We are avid Disney fans, especially the cruises now that we got to experience those. We love the beach and going camping during the weekends (and sometimes for long weeks since I work from home). Both of our kids are homeschooled, and it is a joy and an adventure—trust me! But, we wouldn’t have it any other way. We live each day to not only give thanks to God for what he has provided, but for the many blessings that we place upon others. Emilia is a competitive gymnast. She is the current state champions for her age group, so to say we are proud of her is an understatement. Kaleb is a master Lego builder; no, not from the show. He has an incredible talent to build many things without needing directions. Recently, he built a replica of the Titanic (small scale), as he is obsessed with the ship and its history.
Q: What are your favorite hobbies?
A: I enjoy watching soccer, specifically Tottenham Hotspur from England, but the St. Louis Cardinals and Louisville Cardinals follow right behind. If I am not watching these teams, I am lying by the pool with my kids or sitting by the campfire planning my next vacation.
Q: What is your favorite KWC memory?
A: I have too many, but perhaps Commencement day. It was special to me because I had to overcome many hurdles, language being one of those. My English was not perfect (and I don’t think it every will be), but I was able to overcome that, and that made graduation day special for me.
Q: What’s an interesting fact about yourself?
A: I didn’t know any English when I moved to the U.S. Many don’t believe me, but I had zero knowledge and had to learn it on the fly.
Q: Why should a prospective student choose KWC?
A: I’d say it would be for the environment and togetherness that you can find in a small college. While it is easy to make friends (for some, not all) at any college, at KWC, you can make lifelong relationships with classmates. Your connection with professors is better and they can provide a better 1:1 experience that larger colleges or universities cannot provide. As a foreign student, this was extremely helpful to me. I knew they cared and wanted to help me succeed in my college and professional career.
Q: What advice do you have for future alumni?
A: Do not be afraid to reach out to people. Network and build relationships. Yes, the “real world” can be brutal, but with the right coaching and advice, you will do just fine. Be willing to listen to what professors or advisors have to say. It is hard to accept those brutal and honest comments we get as students, but they are meant to be helpful and not detrimental.
Thanks, Eddie, for letting us feature you this week for #WesleyanWednesday! We’re so proud of your accomplishments and we appreciate the advice you’ve offered to our prospective students and future alumni!
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