Ritzy Dominguez was 14 years old when she first learned to play golf. She was encouraged by her dad who wanted someone to join him on the course.
“He told me I should try it. It felt kind of boring to me,” she said. “Obviously, now that I know, it’s not.”
By the time Ritzy was a sophomore in high school, she made the varsity team. Her mom was one of her biggest supporters.
“There were times when the road was tough, so she would tell me why I should continue,” Ritzy said. “She raised me as a single mom for most of my life, and my successes have also been her successes. Both of my parents have had a huge influence on me, and I am always grateful to them.”
Her parents' support led Ritzy to the opportunity to play golf in college. That’s how she found College of Saint Mary and Flames Coach Keri Rodriguez.
“When I visited, Keri was one of the reasons why I really wanted to come to College of Saint Mary,” Ritzy said. “She made me feel so welcome. Everyone on campus was so nice. I had no doubts that if I needed help, there would be someone here that I could read out to.”
The Flames golf team also welcomed the freshman. She competed in her first meets this past fall. At the Peru State Invite, the year's final tournament, Ritzy placed in the Top 10 and earned her first collegiate medal.
When she’s not on the golf course, Ritzy is studying to earn her degree in mathematics. She’s also minoring in business. During her recruiting process, Coach Rodriguez told Ritzy about the University’s prestigious Marie Curie Scholarship, which provides significant financial support and resources to outstanding young women pursuing STEM majors – biology, chemistry, math, or human biology. So, she applied.
Marie Curie Scholars receive up to $20,000 annually for four years in gift aid. In addition to having access to substantial financial resources and facilities, participants also receive free tutoring, have opportunities for undergraduate research, and have access to top programs like the National Institute of Health and NASA research fellowships.
Ritzy learned she received the scholarship during a surprise presentation at her high school. “It was a very emotional experience for me,” she said.
Moving far from her Mission, TX, home made her a bit nervous, but she talked with her parents about it. “This was a really good opportunity,” she said. “I couldn’t let it go.”
Ritzy has found support from her teachers, including Mark Sand, PhD, the director of the math and physics programs at CSM. “He’s encouraged me a lot to keep going forward,” she said.
Ritzy has always enjoyed math, participating in math competitions when she was younger. She excelled at the subject in high school and now in college. She loves problem-solving.
“To me, it is so much fun,” she said. “It’s like a little puzzle.”
Ritzy hopes to one day work for the FBI as an analyst – a job she discovered thanks to her dad. In his free time, her dad works as an Uber driver.
“He meets a lot of people. He met this woman who majored in math in college. She was an analyst in the FBI building in Mission,” Ritzy said. “We looked on the website and investigated the benefits of the job.”
