Natan Gomez Named 2024 Wilson Award Winner at Arkansas State University

JONESBORO – Natan Gomez, a senior from Irapuato, Mexico, received the R.E. Lee Wilson Award for 2024 at the Cooper Alumni Center.

This marks the 91st year the Wilson Award, Arkansas State University's highest honor for graduating students, has been presented.

Gomez will graduate from A-State in May with a degree in biotechnology from the Beck College of Science and Mathematics. He was selected from a group of 6 Distinguished Service Award (DSA) winners honored at the ceremony.

Other DSA honorees included Bailey Blackmon of Perryville, Christopher L. Crutchfield of North Little Rock, Ann Long of Cape Girardeau, Mo., William "Garrett" Parttain of Lepanto, and Khushi Singh of Bryant.

Perry Wilson of Little Rock, great-grandson of the award's namesake, announced Gomez as the recipient.

With a cumulative GPA of 4.0, Gomez has received numerous honors and awards, including the Red Wolf Works Signature Experience Medallion, the Justin M. Humphreys Memorial Scholarship, and the A-State Achievement Scholarship. He has also been on the Chancellor's List throughout his 4 years of study at A-State.

"I think being named the Wilson Award winner will be the most fulfilling moment I've had in my life. It will encapsulate all the hardships, successes, and failures I've experienced in college," Gomez said in an introductory video.

Born in Oregon and raised in his home country of Mexico, Gomez is a dual citizen. He said that when planning for his future, he wanted to take advantage of the opportunities available to him. He considered attending several universities but found that A-State was the best fit for him.

"Arkansas State University actually offered exactly the major I was looking for, and they also provided me with the best financial support and opportunities I needed to attend college," he added.

He said the decision to attend college in the United States was the first step in his journey toward independence.

Gomez continued: "College isn't as hard as you might think. It might seem like a huge place at first, but then it truly turns into your home."

When he arrived at A-State, he was looking for a sense of belonging. Gomez joined Hermana y Hermano after attending an information session.

He said that joining that organization was what helped him make it through college. He has served as a mentor, vice president, and now president of the organization.

"There, I found a family of friends who helped me get through some really tough situations. And not only that, they also helped guide me through the college process because it's a mentorship program," he added.

Gomez said he began his leadership journey at A-State.

"To me, leadership is about inspiring others and sharing your growth with others in a completely transparent way. It creates deep connections with these members and helps them develop their own skills and goals, while also getting to know them to see how you can help them," he said.

He served as the director of culture and arts for the Student Activities Board, and that position truly helped him envision what being a meaningful leader meant to him, as well as the impact he could make on campus and on other students.

"Our greatest purpose here on campus is to share and celebrate our culture with others. A lot of people think we should group ourselves by ethnicity or race, but really, the purpose of going to college, or even just of life, is to share the traits each of us carries and the beauty behind them," he continued.

Gomez already speaks four languages and aspires to one day speak seven. He said he wants to pursue a master's degree in biomedical engineering or drug design. After completing that degree, he is considering pursuing a Ph.D.

He said being named a DSA winner was a very surreal experience and made all his hard work worthwhile.

"The most important thing I've learned while earning my degree is about people. That's what made Arkansas State University feel like home to me," he added. "I am deeply grateful to everyone who has been part of my journey."

R.E. Lee Wilson, a planter and businessman in Mississippi County, served on the university's Board of Trustees from 1917 until his death in 1933. The annual Wilson Award ceremony began the following year, more than eight decades ago.

The names of Wilson Award winners are permanently listed on a prominent display outside Centennial Hall in the Carl R. Reng Student Union. Previous Wilson Award recipients established the Wilson Fellows Group of the A-State Alumni Association to fund a scholarship program. Wilson Award winners receive a graduate scholarship to use for further education after graduating from A-State.