In 1971, Donna Riojas Gay ’74, relocated with her family from Racine, Wis., to Kerrville, in a move that would eventually redefine her family and her sense of self.

Her first year in Texas, Donna finished her senior year at Comfort High School, but soon set her sights on college.

It was while working as a housekeeper for Mrs. E. T. Butt that Donna first became acquainted with Schreiner College, as it was known in 1972.

“She immediately paid for my first semester and bought me a bicycle and I rode to school as a freshman in 1972,” Donna said. “It (school) was so much fun.”

In fact, as the weeks went by school became so much fun that Mrs. Butt was concerned that Donna wasn’t focusing enough on her work.

“One day I came home from classes and my mother’s station wagon was in the driveway of Mrs. Butt’s home,” Donna said. “She (Mrs. Butt) felt I was torn between my school and my responsibilities as a house companion, so she asked my parents to come and get me.”

Upon returning home Donna announced that she wanted to return to Schreiner and continue her education.

“My mother said no, that we didn’t have the money to pay for college,” Donna remembers. “She wanted me to stay and work in the family restaurant, which I did not want to do. I wanted to do more with my life than that.”

Her mother laid down the law and told Donna that if she left home to return to Schreiner she would never be welcome at home again.

“Those words would follow me for years to come,” Donna said. “But I had to go and make something of myself.”

With help and support from her father Donna returned to Schreiner.

“My father delivered me to Suzi Gee’s L.A. Schreiner dorm room. Suzi and Joan Brown got a group of friends together to discuss what I was going to do. We decided that I would stay in the dorm room and I did that,” Donna said. “Suzi brought me food from the cafeteria and I slept on the floor next to her bed for at least three weeks. I went to talk to Howard Hall, former Schreiner business manager, and told him that I would work as a maid to earn my way at Schreiner. I went to him for three weeks straight to ask if I could stay and he continued to say no. After much perseverance and prayer on my part, he finally said yes, Wow, I got my own dorm room and I went to work in the business office and in the cafeteria.”

Donna thrived at Schreiner, and yet, every holiday she remembered what her mother said and never attempted to go back home.

“I cried a lot because I missed my family, but I did not tell anyone that I had no home to go home to. I was proud, and even during spring break when all of the parents came to pick up their kids, I just acted like I had a home to go to also.”

Donna graduated from Schreiner and entered the University of Texas at Austin, where she graduated in 1977 with a bachelor’s degree in business administration, with only her father in attendance.

Today Donna is the human resources manager for Wilson Industries, an international oil and gas services company, and the newly elected president of the Schreiner Former Students Association. She was elected to a two-year term during Recall 2005, the annual gathering of former students held on the Schreiner campus.

“I carry with me everyday what I learned at Schreiner, which is that I am a capable individual. Schreiner taught me to achieve, to look forward, not backward; it instilled in me hope that there was something for me and all my God-given talents out there in the world.”

Donna, who was at her mother’s bedside when she passed away, said she harbors no ill will about struggling for her education.

In fact, she is now using her experiences in her role as president of SFSA.

“At this time in my life, I feel it is my responsibility to embrace the task of continuing to shine a light on my experience to help show people what a beautiful place Schreiner is and what it can do for you if you work hard.”

As the first female president of SFSA, Donna’s sense of passion and love for Schreiner are helping to define her new role.

“This represents to me that anyone can aspire to achieve a leadership role and overcome potential and real barriers if you are determined,” she said.

And she should know.