Don’t Wait to Believe in Yourself

According to her parents, a college education was always the plan for Natalie Gomez (BA ’04). Her mother was from Colombia, and her father came to America from Cuba as a child under Operation Peter Pan, a program that brought over 14,000 unaccompanied Cuban minors to the United States between 1960 and 1962.

While Natalie’s mother had family members in the U.S., her father did not — he was raised in a group home with 40 other children. That may sound difficult, but thanks to the generosity, kindness, and faith of others, he was brought up in a loving environment and given a chance at the American dream. Thanks to this family history, Natalie was taught the value of hard work and that success comes from a traditional, stable, corporate job. But that is where her parents’ dreams and her own ambitions diverge.

As Natalie approached high school graduation in Houston, most of her peers were considering attending The University of Texas or Texas A&M University. Those options did not sit well with her adventurous spirit. She wanted something different, something that felt more like her, and something further away. After a brief tour of campus, she knew she was meant to be a Red Raider. From the architecture, to the people, to the big skies, she loved Texas Tech and Lubbock right away.

Natalie called Horn Hall home her freshman year. She went to potlucks with her roommate, made lifelong friends, and sledded down the amphitheater hill on a tray borrowed from the cafeteria. She spent the next three years finishing her degree in photocommunications, and she never lost her zeal for Lubbock. Something about the small-town charm with big-city amenities — plus the lack of humidity — made her feel right at home.

But, Natalie had always dreamed of making another place her home, at least for awhile. After moving to New York City, she put her Texas Tech degree to work, moving up the corporate ladder. Natalie imported steel, worked logistics in the jewelry industry, managed corporate awards, and bought for a large baby brand. Her success was exactly what her parents had dreamed of for her. The salary, the insurance, the retirement were all there, but one thing was missing — the adventure.

After years working for corporate America, Natalie found herself between jobs and looking for inspiration. One day, she opened her closet, picked a dress, and listed it online to see what would happen. It sold overnight for $60.

Natalie was hooked — but she quickly realized selling her personal wardrobe could only take her so far. She slowly and smartly began to expand her inventory and move onto multiple selling platforms.

Three years ago, Natalie’s upscale-resale business, Costume Baldor, outgrew her apartment and New York City’s tax burden. Now based in Austin, Texas, Costume Baldor manages over 4,000 active online listings between six different platforms.

Growing up, the idea of becoming an entrepreneur was foreign to Natalie. She saw it as something reserved for the brilliant and gifted, people with endless resources and connections. Natalie credits her adventurous spirit and determined grit for giving her the bravery to exit corporate America and chase her dreams.

Between expanding her business and moving back to Texas, Natalie recognized the need for an updated estate plan. She made two lists to help organize her thoughts. The first listed everything most important to her. The second listed what helped her arrive to where she is today.

The generosity her father received fell into the first list, and the degree she received from Texas Tech fell into the second. With these two factors in mind, Natalie used a gift in her will to create the Natalie Gomez Scholarship Endowment at Texas Tech University.

The scholarship will be available to all students, with a preference for first-generation students with financial need. Natalie’s goal is to provide hope, confidence, relief, pride, and motivation for first-generation students to continue pursuing their education.

By investing in scholarships at Texas Tech, Natalie is carrying forward a legacy of generosity, kindness, and faith. It was these three things that gave her family a better life in America — and Natalie has chosen to pay it forward in the most impactful way possible.

When asked why she chose to give back to her alma mater, Natalie’s answer came easily.

“Don’t wait to believe in yourself,” she said. “Nothing is out of reach.”

Like Natalie, you can help future Red Raiders take advantage of all Texas Tech has to offer. Creating a scholarship, or contributing to an existing scholarship fund, is a meaningful way to make a deep impact on someone else’s life. Contact Nathan Rice, CFRE at 806-742-1781 or nathan.rice@ttu.edu to find out how you can transform what you’re most grateful for into a scholarship at Texas Tech.

Learn more about Natalie Gomez and her upscale-resale business, Costume Baldor, through Poshmark and Instagram.