Yulanda Campbell left a town of fewer than 600 people for a campus with more than 30,000 students, and nothing about that leap felt small for her.
She grew up in Matador, Texas, where familiarity was a given, expectations were clear, and her graduating class at Motley County High School had just 25 students who had known each other nearly their entire lives. The University of Houston was the opposite. It was louder, faster, bigger — and, as it turned out, exactly what she needed.
The eight-hour drive from Matador to Houston, whether through Dallas or Abilene, marked a major shift. Most students at Motley County High School came from small towns across the county, with total enrollment of about 160, and most of Campbell’s classmates had been together from kindergarten through 12th grade.
“All the kids from the little towns in Motley County would come to Matador,” she said. “About 90% of us were the same students from kindergarten through 12th grade. We grew up together. And some of us are still on a group text.”
Campbell, an information technology graduate who also earned her Executive MBA from the C.T. Bauer College of Business, transferred to UH after a semester at West Texas A&M University because of a relationship at the time. She arrived knowing little about Houston or the University of Houston, and the transition was jarring at first.
“On Fridays, there would be so many people at the University Center that I would walk all the way around it just to avoid the crowd,” she said, laughing. “But eventually I got used to it, and I loved it. Especially after I pledged Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, and switched my major to information technology, that’s when I really started to thrive. I was on the Dean’s List every semester after that.”
As she settled into life at UH, Campbell found that the experience was shaping her in ways she hadn’t expected. Being far from home pushed her to grow, take risks, and trust her own decisions. The university became more than just a place to earn a degree. It was where she learned independence and made the choice not to return to Matador, deciding instead to build her life and career in Houston.
Campbell originally planned to study education and considered becoming a teacher, but a summer internship led her to rethink that path. With early exposure to computers in high school, information technology — now Information Science Technology at Cullen — emerged as a natural fit.
“My minor is in training and development. I thought, ‘Okay, I’ll train people,’” she said. “But when I started working at Shell and moved from systems analyst to business analyst, then project manager and program manager, I realized how much I loved bringing different people together. You get to understand the systems, the processes, and the people all at the same time.”
Campbell spent 12 years at Shell, building a career that blended technology, business and leadership. She later launched her own firms, Perennial Consulting, LLC and YU Factor, LLC, transitioning into independent consulting.
“You can do a project, learn that system, make new friends, and then move on to a new opportunity,” she said. “I get to keep learning as systems change and evolve, see how different organizations work, how their cultures shape what they do, and meet amazing people along the way.”
Over time, her work has shifted from execution to strategy — helping organizations rethink how they operate rather than simply delivering tasks.
“I’m very process-oriented, which means being able to read a room, understand people, and bring everything together,” she said. “At this stage of my career, I want to be more strategic in my approach and execution — not just a doer.”
Campbell has remained closely connected to both the university and the city. She serves as president of the Cullen College Alumni Association and as a commissioner on the City of Houston Tower Commission, reflecting her continued commitment to civic and alumni leadership.
Family remains central to her story. Campbell is the youngest of 12 siblings, with more than a 20-year gap between her and the oldest. She credits much of her discipline, work ethic, and respect for others to her mother and to the environment she created in their small Texas town.
Growing up as the youngest of 12, Campbell learned the importance of teamwork — where everyone knows their role, plays to their strengths, and shares a desire for everyone to succeed.
“By most measures, we didn’t have much,” she said. “But we didn’t know it, because we were wealthy in integrity, love, peace, and ingenuity.”
“She created an environment that was safe and full of love and peace,” Campbell said of her mother. “You could do your homework without interruption, which led to good grades. She knew what was going on, who your friends were. She knew the details of your life, sometimes before you did. She was my biggest supporter until she passed away after a battle with dementia.”
From a small K–12 community to one of the largest universities in Texas, and from early career roles to leading complex initiatives as an independent consultant, Campbell’s path has been shaped by love, kindness and integrity, along with a willingness to take risks and keep growing. Guided by a deep respect for people and a commitment to service, she has built her career — and her life — on her own terms, grounded in the values that first took root in her small Texas hometown.