Brian Gomez ‘13 is a senior at the University of Richmond majoring in Business Administration with a Marketing concentration. After graduating from Waterside, he attended King School with his brother Cliv ‘11. The Gomez brothers are familiar faces on campus, as they often visit their mother, Mrs. Gomez, who has been a part of our community since 2005.

Brian with his brother Cliv and their mother Mrs. Claudia Gomez

“My Waterside experience is ongoing, but it started in kindergarten,” Brian said. “Fortunately, I was blessed to attend and graduate from Waterside, and I had the privilege of doing so while my mom was working at the School!”

In high school, Brian was involved in Waterside’s alumni programs for tutoring, college applications, and he was a counselor for our Summer Program. Today, he continues his involvement through the Alumni Careers Initiative, where he obtained a paid summer internship at BAGS in 2023.

Waterside’s values have followed Brian throughout his undergraduate career as he takes on new experiences that challenge him.

“What I love most about my college experience is constantly putting myself into situations where I don’t feel the most comfortable,” he shared. “When I decided to take an English class my junior fall semester, I took the class to try and push myself to become better in areas where I don’t normally see much success. It is in these situations where I can not only become a better student, but also become better as an individual.” 

Brian Gomez as a Summer Program counselor with members of the Class of 2018

The School’s Daily Commitment has played a large part of Brian’s character development and work ethic as he has grown from a Waterside student into a soon-to-be-college-grad. 

Brian with Waterside peers at 2010 Graduation Ceremony

“If you want to strive to reach your full potential, you need to work hard to achieve that. It means becoming better than the person you were yesterday. ‘Being kind’ isn’t just putting on a facade and saying words to be nice. Being kind is empathy, generosity, and understanding; to be kind, one needs to be considerate of others’ feelings and well-being. I respect the process of learning by being open to new ideas and recognizing the importance of intellectual growth. This is about respecting educators and institutions like they are your peers or friends.” 

As he strives for excellence in his last semester, Brian hopes to find a job in sports marketing. We are proud of the work Brian has done and all he will do in the future, all while keeping Waterside close. 

“In truth, no word or phrase can possibly define what Waterside means to me,” he shared. “In its halls and classrooms, I found a profound sense of belonging, growth, and the building blocks of the person I am today. Waterside is much more than just an elementary school. Waterside is family. They always have my back.”