By Stephen Greenwell
When it came to choosing the University of Houston, it wasn’t just one factor that led Alexia Robert to make her decision. Rather, it was the combination of academics, a clear educational path that made economic sense, and the proximity to her family and a thriving job market to make it the right fit.
Robert, who earned her systems engineering degree in Spring 2026, took advantage of the UH/HCC Engineering Academies offered by both schools. After completing courses at the Houston City College campus in Katy, it was only a short half-mile drive for her to continue her degree at the University of Houston at Katy.
“I became a UH engineering student through the HCC/UH engineering cohort at the Katy Campus because it offered a clear path into the engineering college,” she said, adding that the economic incentives were substantial. “The cohort allowed for a significantly reduced cost for core courses, while also being close to home and family.”
The versatility of a degree in systems engineering attracted her to the field.
“The skills you learn in systems engineering are highly transferable, which prepares you for job opportunities in many industries,” she said. “Houston offers job opportunities in many industries. My interest is in healthcare, but I can just as easily work in Oil & Gas, Software Engineering and Space Exploration.”
This is reflected in the internship opportunities she’s taken advantage of, working for both Chartwells and Memorial Hermann. She has excelled as a student at Cullen, earning the Outstanding Senior award for systems engineering in 2025-26, and the Outstanding Junior award in 2024–25. She also founded a student branch for the International Council on Systems Engineering at UH.
“It took a village to guide me through my undergraduate studies successfully,” she said. “I could not have succeeded without the help of God, my church community, my family — especially my grandparents, Lubert and Joann, and my mother, Aliesha. There is also my mentor Susan Griffin, my former professors Nathanial Wiggins and Nirathi Keerthi Govindu, INCOSE at UH, and the friends I made along the way.”
Robert won’t be leaving UH right away either. She is currently a research assistant and continuing her studies at Cullen.
“I am currently pursuing my Ph.D in Industrial Engineering at the University of Houston,” she said, adding that it would be with Jamison Kovach, a Professor and Associate Dean for Student Success and Undergraduate Support Services, and Tomika W. Greer, Associate Professor in Human Resources Development.
“I am not sure where I will be in five years, but I have a strong desire to work in healthcare and anticipate having an opportunity to make a positive impact in that field.”