Job opportunities in the agriculture sector are increasing in Texas, and with no other two-year Agriculture program in the Rio Grande Valley, Texas Southmost College is filling the need with its new Agriculture and Agribusiness programs beginning fall 2022.

“Whenever we consider creating a new program, we look into the demand, the job opportunities in that particular field and after extensive research, we found that there are diverse opportunities in agriculture and many students in the Rio Grande Valley are seeking degree programs like this one,” said TSC Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Dean Murad Abusalim, Ph.D.

According to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment in agriculture sectors is projected to grow 6% through 2026. In Texas, the projected growth is 14.1%, indicating a healthy growth.

Abusalim added that more than 2,000 students are enrolled in agriculture related classes within local school districts.

“Introducing these two new agriculture programs allows us to offer students more opportunities and career paths close to home,” said Abusalim. “This is going to immediately impact thousands of students.”

TSC’s Agriculture and Agribusiness programs will offer an Associate of Science. The agriculture pathway will prepare students to transfer to a four-year university and pursue a bachelor’s degree in agriculture, agriculture science or animal science.

Agribusiness will also prepare students to transfer, but covers advanced topics such as the business and economics foundation of agriculture and horticulture. Graduates from this program can pursue a four-year degree in agriculture business, agriculture economics, horticultural science, plant and soil sciences or poultry science.

“Agriculture is a broad field,” said Abusalim. “Our advisory committee is comprised of agriculture professionals from our region and across the state, so our curriculum was designed to ensure our students are ready for success in any occupation they may choose.”

There are six major sectors in which graduates from these programs can work in – agriculture business, agriculture mechanics, animal science, environmental services, food science, natural resources and veterinary.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and Texas Workforce Commission report that in the state of Texas the total employment in these sectors was more than 80,000 in 2019 with more than 60,000 positions in agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting.

“This is a rewarding career path that offers a number of opportunities and with this program we have the chance to build a strong foundation for gainful employment and to positively impact the lives of our students and their families,” said Abusalim.

Registration for TSC’s new Agriculture and Agribusiness programs for fall 2022 began April 1.

For more information, email [email protected] or call 956-295-3747.

Only a couple of months in, Bryanna Woodman has hit the ground running as the newest Student Services Specialist at Texas Southmost College.

Originally a nutrition major and graduate from a four-year Texas university, the 23-year-old said she realized nutrition wasn’t her calling. Instead, she felt it in her heart to help other first-generation college students like herself and there was no better place to do that than where she grew up – the Rio Grande Valley.

“I believe I was always meant to come back home and help others like me find their way in higher education,” said the Santa Rosa native. “I’m thankful to TSC for giving me that opportunity.”

Now at TSC, Woodman works closely with students overseeing the Campus Activity Board, Student Leadership Academy and organizing student leadership conferences and events such as the Bougainvillea Ball.

“I’m finally able to help others the way I’ve always hoped I could,” she said. “In the little time that I have been here, I have learned so much and I’m excited to continue growing, serving our students, campus community and seeing our students finish strong and become college graduates. That’s a beautiful thing.”

Woodman said her goal is to advise students, give students hope and provide them the college experience she wished she had when she went to college.

“When you have people that understand you and are in your corner, cheering you on, it makes the difference between finishing or giving up,” said Woodman. “My overall goal is to help students reach their full potential.”

She added that some have the misconceived notion that people from the Rio Grande Valley can’t be successful, but she wants to show students that it doesn’t matter where you come from, what matters is the work you put into reaching your goals.

“I want students to know that a college education is possible and it’s never too late,” said Woodman. “I’m here to help them find their interests and passions and to move forward with them. I advise them to not waste any opportunities.”

As for Woodman, she feels right at home at TSC.

“Everyone has been so warm and welcoming, and our students are lucky to have this kind of welcoming environment that fosters learning, growth and family,” she said. “TSC has given me the opportunity to do what I love. This is exactly what I have been looking for.”

Alexia Velazquez wants to rebuild lives and the Construction Management program at Texas Southmost College is her first step in the process.

The 19-year-old, who recently started her journey and expects to graduate in 2024, said she already knows the program is giving her the tools she needs to make her goals a reality.

“I’ve always wanted to open a homeless shelter or provide housing to those in need, but I wasn’t always sure where to start,” said Velazquez. “When I found TSC’s construction program, I knew this was my starting point. I want to be well-rounded in the field, and this program is going to get me there.”

TSC Construction Management is one of the newest programs in the construction trades courses offered at the college and offers students an associate degree in the trade, in addition to the certificate offered through Construction Technology.

The Brownsville native said she has already been exposed to the realities of the trade and that’s what she loves most about the program – completing real-world work, using industry-standard tools and equipment, while helping her community.

“As a class, we already had the opportunity to build a house frame for a home now available in Brownsville,” she said. “This is one of my biggest accomplishments so far, and I know is only one of many. For someone like me, brand new to the trade, this was an eye opener, but I’m now 100% confident this is where I’m supposed to be.”

Velazquez said before finding TSC’s Construction Management program she was contemplating a few other career paths, but neither seemed right. Now she gets to learn and do what she loves every day, and that’s her favorite part.

“In this program we learn, and we practice what we learn,” said Velazquez. “I consider myself lucky to have found a program that offers this kind of hands-on learning, and even better to have instructors and classmates that are supportive.”

She added, “If I’m being honest, I’m confident in myself and in what I can do, but entering a male-dominated field can be scary, but here I’m an equal. They encourage me and support my growth and goals.”

Velazquez said she is proud to be part of one of the first cohorts that will graduate from the program, and she hopes she’ll be an inspiration for other young girls and women interested in a career in construction and project management.

Project management is Velazquez’s ultimate goal and is already looking up universities, apprenticeships and internships that will help her continue her education and gain more experience.

“I was a waitress working long hours, and now I’m a student at a college that is not only going to give me a better quality of life, but will allow me to give others a better quality of life too, with shelters and houses that will get people off the streets and give them a second chance.”

For more information about TSC’s Construction Management program, visit tsc.edu.

Registration for summer and fall 2022 began April 1.

Celebrations for 95 years of excellence continue at Texas Southmost College on April 2 with the TSC 95th Anniversary Ruby Gala.

The night will include a string quartet, live music by Rockstar Denied, an online and live auction that will include sport, spa and restaurant packages to art pieces and jewelry from local donors, and a surf and turf dinner.

The gala will commence at 6:30 p.m. on the second floor of the TSC Olivera Student Services building with festivities ending at midnight.

This is the third celebratory event honoring the college’s 95th anniversary held over the past year. The other celebrations included a community kick-off event with food and fireworks and a concert featuring the award-winning Del Castillo band.

“Events like this and the donors and supporters that join us, are changing lives,” said TSC Foundation Director David Tumlinson. “We are investing in the community, their education and their futures.”

TSC’s Ruby Gala is offering donors a chance to sponsor a table, each sponsorship coming with various benefits including exclusive tables, sponsor recognitions and full, half or quarter page advertisements in the Gala program.

Sponsorship levels include: Ruby Scorpion Package for $5,000; Gold Scorpion Package for $2,500; and a Silver Scorpion Package for $1,500.

All proceeds from donors and auction purchases will benefit the TSC Foundation’s student scholarships.

“This is giving us a chance to increase the number of scholarships we can award, in turn, increasing the number of students who can get a college education,” said Tumlinson. “Without these scholarships, many would not be able to get a college education, this is their one chance.”

TSC Foundation scholarships help hundreds of students each year, most recently, they have also provided full scholarships to TSC’s Workforce Training students in programs such as Welding, Scaffolding and Insulation, which lead to immediate employment with companies that offer great pay and benefits.

TSC Foundation Chair Manny Casanova said each fundraising event held from the inaugural golf tournament to the Del Castillo benefit concert, has been a success for meeting the scholarship needs of TSC students.

“It’s been so enriching getting to celebrate 95 years with the community, while raising funds so that students in our community can get the college education they deserve,” he said. “This has only been possible thanks to our donors and the collaborative work the foundation does with the TSC leadership and Board of Trustees.”

Casanova added that it’s an honor to play a role in making educational dreams come true and he is excited to see everything the college will achieve in the next 95 years.

For more information on sponsorships or to donate an auction item, please call the TSC Foundation at 956-295-3679.

Visit the TSC Foundation to learn more about becoming a TSC donor.

Beginning fall 2022, Texas Southmost College will expand its offerings with five new, fully online degree programs, in addition to its online General Studies program.

The new online programs will include: Social Work, Criminal Justice, Business, Teaching 4th – 8th Grade and Teaching 8th – 12th Grade.

TSC Dean of Humanities Brian McCormack, Ph.D. said introducing these fully online degrees is a game changer for the college and the communities it serves.

“These programs can be completed from anywhere at any time, broadening who we reach and serve and increasing what our students can do online,” he said. “If the past two years have taught us anything, it is that students are becoming progressively comfortable with online course technologies.”

McCormack added that students, especially non-traditional students, are preferring the flexibility that online programs and courses provide in relation to in-person learning.

A significant portion of TSC’s student population are non-traditional students, meaning they are older, have families to provide for or other responsibilities, or must maintain full-time to part-time employment, leaving little to no time for in-person learning.

“All of this is a reflection of changing times,” said McCormack. “We’re excited to introduce this option, to meet demand and increase the opportunities students have to earn a degree.”

The new online programs are already popular programs on campus, graduating several hundred each year and offering great paying careers upon graduation.

McCormack said being able to offer these programs as an online degree has brought TSC goals to fruition.

“From our Board of Trustees and president to our faculty and staff, the design, creation, review and implementation of these programs has been made possible for our students because of them. Everyone has been instrumental,” he said. “We’re about to change more lives and we’re doing it together.”

Students can begin to register for the new online courses that begin in fall 2022, on April 1, the first day of summer and fall registration.

For more information, call 956-295-3600.

For more than three decades, Texas Southmost College Emergency Medical Science (EMS) Program Director and Instructor Scott Nelson has worked and trained in the EMS field and is a published writer; he recently added another publication to his list of credentials.

In collaboration with his EMS colleagues from across the country – Paul Murphy, Christopher Colwell, Gilbert Pineda, Clay Wortham and Nelson published, EMS Telemedicine: Watch the Details in Healthcare Business Today.

Telemedicine, in the article, is defined as, remote care services furnished via synchronous audio/visual technology or asynchronous “store and forward” technology.

“Technology in the health care field is advancing so rapidly, and it’s no different in the pre-hospital setting,” said Nelson. “We’re finding more efficient and reliable technology to help us in the field. So, it’s no wonder with telemedicine usage on the rise, that EMS professionals would also incorporate it in the field.”

The article explains the role EMS play in providing basic and advanced life support in an uncontrolled field setting that can include rural, suburban, urban or remote care environments and how telemedicine would be an excellent supplement to standard EMS offline and online medical control.

Working in rural areas from Alaska to Colorado, Nelson has implemented telemedicine and robotics as a paramedic and expanding it across the country will give everyone the opportunity to benefit from its services.

“Every EMS agency and its technicians and paramedics has a protocol to follow and as medical professionals we sometimes face difficult life-saving decisions,” said Nelson. “Now imagine we can get real-time feedback from doctors and specialists in a hospital setting, it’s a game changer.”

Another game changer is what TSC EMS students get to learn under the direction of Nelson as an author and longtime EMS professional.

In addition to this article on telemedicine services for EMS, he has also coauthored four other articles for “EMS Magazine”: Project Management, Managing the Patient with Psychological Disorders, Time Management for EMS Personnel and Make Meetings Matter.

“I get to share my work with my students, to introduce and expose them to the foundations and advancements in EMS,” said Nelson. “Really, this is all a great learning experience for them and for me. Sharing my knowledge is something I love as I train the future of EMS, and this gives me another way to add to their tool belt of skills.”

As advancements in the EMS field are made, Nelson looks forward to publishing further works sharing his newfound knowledge.

“EMS is a field where you learn something new every day. Learning never stops,” he said. “And as long as I am learning, I plan on teaching others and sharing what I know both in the classroom and with the written word.”

For more information, visit TSC’s EMS program or call 956-295-3731.

In honor of Women’s History Month, during the month of March, Texas Southmost College celebrated women in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) with “STEM is your Superpower,” a series of community events for all ages.

“We want to encourage everyone to pursue STEM careers, but more so young girls and women because opportunities are increasing and they’re in demand,” said TSC Mathematics Instructor Roxana Jimenez. “STEM careers have a stigma, that they’re only for men, but there are plenty of women leading successful careers and we want to bring awareness to that.”

The first event in “STEM is your Superpower,” was a virtual panel that included four speakers: Carolina Civarolo, registered architect, LEED Accredited Professional and founder/partner of ORANGE MADE architecture studio; Elizabeth Solis, manufacturing engineer at Lockheed Martin; Marija Jette, communication, outreach and science visualization and founding member of the South Texas Astronomical Society (STARS); and Adriana Myers, software developer and project manager at The Pinnacle Corp S.R.L.

Each panelist shared their stories and journeys, discussed career insights, why STEM is important and participated in a question-and-answer session.

“Each panelist is a great example, an inspiration, of what it means to find success in STEM fields,” said Jimenez. “They gave our audience great advice and guidance on what it takes to study and train for these types of careers. Their lessons are invaluable.”

To continue inspiring the future generations of STEM professionals, TSC also hosted an in-person event – Fantastic Friday.

The event consisted of several hands-on experiments from test driving a robotic rover and construction workshops to computer engineering, chemistry and physics.

The most popular experiment for those in attendance was the Orion Splashdown, in which future NASA engineers designed and constructed a watertight capsule that would protect an astronaut (marshmallow) from getting wet.

“To really inspire, there needs to be hands-on experiences. This is what plants that seed at an early age and engages interest in STEM,” said Jimenez. “It’s all about exposure and building confidence. These experiments and projects did just that.”

Both events were well attended with more than 100 children and their families and college students participating.

“These events continue to grow annually and it’s great to see everyone engaged and having fun with STEM,” said Jimenez. “There are so many people at TSC that make this event possible, so garnering this much excitement is a success and we can’t wait to see our future STEM leaders succeed.”

To learn more about TSC’s STEM programs, visit tsc.edu.

Texas Southmost College student Cristian Castro went from building Legos as a child to interning with one of Brownsville’s prestigious design firms – B&B Designs.

The 27-year-old is a Computer-Aided Drafting student and expects to graduate this spring with his second associate degree from the college.

He first earned an associate degree in 2019 from TSC’s Architecture program.

“Being a student at TSC has really been a great experience for learning and for growth,” said the Brownsville native. “My confidence has been boosted, enough to apply for internships on my own, and it’s the best chance I’ve ever taken.”

Castro has been an intern with B&B Designs for nearly one year.

“I’ve come a long way from my Legos,” Castro laughed. “I’m learning so much and getting to apply everything I’m learning in the classroom. It’s been such an eye opener.”

As an intern, Castro designs and renders three-dimensional models for the firm and its clients.

“The training I’m receiving at TSC has led to this great opportunity,” said Castro. “It validates that this is what I’m meant to be doing. I’m working toward a career that I love because of the foundation TSC has helped me build.”

Castro added that every instructor he’s had, from Architecture to Computer-Aided Drafting, has also influenced his success.

“Each one of my instructors has pushed me to do better, aim higher, work harder and become a better me,” he said. “In high school, I learned about robotics and engineering to set me up for this, and TSC has shaped me for who I will become tomorrow.”

Upon graduating this semester from TSC, Castro plans on transferring to a four-year university in San Antonio or Lubbock to pursue his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Architecture with the goal of becoming a licensed architect.

“I plan on gaining as much experience as I can so that one day I can be my own boss and open my own firm,” said Castro. “I have big dreams and both of my worlds right now, TSC and B&B, are shaping me for this.”

To learn more about TSC’s Architecture and Computer-Aided Drafting programs, visit tsc.edu.

The Conjunto History Roots Club at Porter Early College High School, through the Texas Southmost College Nita M. Lowey 21st Century Community Learning Centers, performed at the Mr. Amigo Walk of Fame, an event hosted by Brownsville’s Mr. Amigo Association during the 85th Annual Charro Days.

The Conjunto History Roots Club was created to keep the tradition of conjunto music alive in the region and is comprised of Porter ECHS students.

“The purpose of the Charro Days festivities is to promote the heritage and culture along the border,” said Prisci Tipton, Ph.D., TSC director of Special Instructional Projects. “We are honored that our students from our TSC 21st Century Community Learning Centers program have been invited to perform during the Mr. Amigo Walk of Fame Star Unveiling Ceremony.”

Conjunto music, also known as conjunto Tejano, fuses Mexican, European and American influences and derived in the late 19th century in South Texas. The instruments that make up a conjunto band include an accordion, bajo sexto, a type of guitar, an electric bass and drum set.

Porter ECHS sophomore and two-year member of the club Miah P. Garcia is no stranger to the Charro Days stage. She has been performing with conjuntos since she was in elementary school, singing and playing percussion.

Today, Garcia said it’s an honor to once again be invited to Charro Days, except this time she also plays the accordion and bass guitar.

“Teaching new generations about conjunto music and keeping it alive is important for us as a club,” said the 16-year-old. “Performing for our community brings such energy to us up on stage. It’s been an honor performing and seeing everyone having fun and enjoying our music.”

The Conjunto History Roots Club is an after-school club, meaning each student dedicates time before or after school or on the weekends practicing and preparing for performances.

For Porter junior Miguel Garcia, his first year as a club member has been one to remember.

“This is my first year in this club and I joined for the unique experiences and opportunities it can give,” said the 17-year-old. “Performing at Charro Days is one of them.”

Learning how to play the accordion, bass guitar and drums has broadened his ability to play different types of music, important because he plans on becoming a music major.

“I’m so thankful to Mr. [Orlando] Moreno our conjunto instructor, Ms. [Lisa] Gonzales our TSC 21st Century coordinator and TSC for giving us this type of opportunity, one we might not get if not for them,” said Garcia. “I hope performing for Charro Days and other community events and the Conjunto History Roots Club continues for years to come to give others the same opportunities it has given us.”

Tipton said she is proud of her Porter conjunto students for committing their time to practicing and performing for their community. She calls this experience an unforgettable teaching and learning moment for everyone involved.

“We are very pleased that our students have access to enriching activities, safe places and caring teachers through the TSC 21st Century Community Learning Centers program,” said Tipton. “Enrichment activities define student’s interests and develop their skills. Participating in these community events that would otherwise not readily be available to them, at-risk students have access to new, enriching experiences that may provide lasting developmental benefits.”

Students from Perkins Middle School in Brownsville also participated as volunteers during the Mr. Amigo Walk of Fame event assisting the conjunto band and handing out water and information at the TSC 21st Century tent.

The goal of TSC’s 21st Century program is to increase academic achievement, decrease disciplinary referrals, increase attendance and graduation rates.

All services and programs provided by TSC 21st Century are provided by the Texas 21st Century Community Learning Centers Grant, funded by the 21st Century Community Learning Centers Program administered by the U.S. Department of Education.