"The network at Sewanee is so powerful. Even now I can expect to reach out to another alumnus and know that they’ll be willing to help."
Edgar Huerta, C’21
Group Sales Executive, Houston Rockets
Edgar Huerta, C’21
Sewanee economics major Edgar Huerta, C’21, discusses his journey from Houston to Sewanee and back home again, where he now works for the Houston Rockets NBA team as a group sales executive. Topics covered include the power of the Sewanee network, the impact of events like Beyond the Gates, and lessons learned from student leadership experiences.
Edgar Huerta, C’21
Group Sales Executive, Houston Rockets
Major: Economics
Minor: Education
What do you do now? What is an interesting project on which you are currently working?
I work with the Houston Rockets professional basketball team as a group sales executive. What that means is that I help different organizations—like schools, businesses, or others—attend Rockets games and craft unique experiences as part of their visits. Right now, I’m working with the organization YES Prep, an open-enrollment public charter school system serving students in Houston's underserved communities, to create a day of takeover activities at a Rockets game. I went to a YES Prep high school, and they helped me to get to Sewanee in the first place. So it’s kind of a full circle moment for me.
How did Sewanee help you to develop career readiness and prepare you to succeed?
My time at Sewanee helped in so many ways, from the student activities to talking to professors and the various mentors I met. The specific moment that I think about is Beyond the Gates. I got to hear stories from different alumni, and it struck me that every single one talked about not being sure what they would do when they were seniors. But for each of them, something fell into place and they landed where they were supposed to be.
Looking back, what are the actions you took or decisions you made that now stand out as particularly important?
In my freshman year, I decided to run for president of HOLA (Hispanic Organization for Latino Awareness). It might have been a bit ambitious to run for it so early, but I was lucky that I had people who supported me and believed in me. That experience helped me to realize that I am capable of being a leader, and am capable of more than I knew. I developed organizational skills, communication skills, and the ability to delegate tasks—all of which I use in my current role.
What advice do you have for students looking ahead to their future careers?
My advice is to continue to connect with alumni. That may be a cliché at this point, since so many people have said it, but at the end of the day that’s what it boils down to. At events like Beyond the Gates and others, approach those conversations with good intentions and be open to the feedback and advice that they give. Listen to them and work on the things that they tell you to work on. The network at Sewanee is so powerful, and even now I can expect to reach out to another alumnus and know that they’ll be willing to help.
Career Readiness at Sewanee
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First Destinations after Graduation
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