STEPHENVILLE, Texas — Julia Biberdorf believes in paying it forward. 

A seventh-grade math teacher at Henderson Junior High in Stephenville, she receives her master’s in mathematics Saturday morning and will address Tarleton State University graduates and guests at the 9 a.m. commencement ceremonies at Memorial Stadium.

Her speech will center on the idea that we all make a difference in the lives of others. 

“It’s about how friends, family, teachers and professors have all shaped you,” she said, “and that now you can be that difference maker for someone else.”

Biberdorf has been at Tarleton State for six years, earning her bachelor’s in mathematics and her teaching certification in 2022 before beginning work on her advanced degree.

She came from State College, Pa., where her family had settled. Both her mom and aunt previously lived in Texas, and both received degrees from Tarleton State.

“I took a gap year after high school,” she said. “When I got ready to go to college, my family had all moved back to Texas. At that point, I thought, ‘Well, we’re going to Tarleton.’”

Although State College is considerably larger than Stephenville, she saw similarities. “The people are very friendly in both places. They’re both college towns, and the colleges are very important to them.”

The move to Texas did cause some angst. The rural atmosphere is much different than the Biberdorfs’ urban life in Pennsylvania. 

“I was originally nervous to come to Tarleton,” Julia said. “I was more used to a city environment. I didn’t participate in FFA or anything like that, so having farm animals was crazy to me.”

However, she found her niche in the mathematics department and playing saxophone in the marching band, where she was a fixture for four years.

“That was truly one of my life’s great experiences.” 

She also took a job as a supplemental instructor and tutor, mostly in the mathematics department, where she developed friendships with fellow classmates and colleagues.

“Overall, being a part of the Tarleton State community has been a great experience. Getting involved and becoming part of all the traditions was nice. I really enjoyed it.”

She plans to continue her work teaching at the junior high and high school level but has an eye on transitioning to college. Her experiences at Tarleton State have built up her confidence to consider that move.

“The quality of professors in my major was amazing,” she said. “They were very enthusiastic, and on top of that, the math classes gave me a strong foundation to teach my students, to connect with them.”Now, she’s paying it forward by educating the next generation. 

A founding member of The Texas A&M System, Tarleton State University is breaking records — in enrollment, research, scholarship, athletics, philanthropy and engagement — while transforming the lives of approximately 18,000 students in Stephenville, Fort Worth, Waco, Bryan and online. For 125 years, Tarleton State has been committed to accessible higher education opportunities for all while helping students grow academically, socially and professionally through programs that emphasize real world learning and address regional, state and national needs.