Brownsville Fire Department Chief Jarrett Sheldon has spent nearly 30 years of his life serving his community, but has never forgotten where he started – Texas Southmost College.

The Los Fresnos native first became a volunteer fire fighter when he was only 15 years old, following in his father’s footsteps, who served decades in the U.S. Navy as a firefighter, in crash rescue, in the industrial emergency medical services and with the Brownsville and Los Fresnos fire departments.

Brownsville Fire Department Chief Jarrett Sheldon graduated from TSC’s Emergency Medical Services program as a paramedic in 2001, beginning his career at a fire fighter/paramedic with the Brownsville Fire Department shortly after.

For Texas Southmost College student and Composition tutor Elvira Olivarez, it was time to finish what she started years ago – her college education.

For the single mother juggling two part-time jobs as a tutor and a home health care provider, all while ensuring her two children are excelling in school, has made this journey anything but easy.

Elvira Olivarez is a General Studies student and Composition tutor at Texas Southmost College finally realizing her dream of a college education.

Texas Southmost College students will have their unpaid balances from fall 2020 and spring 2021 forgiven with a TSC Clean Slate scholarship, thanks to a unanimous vote by the TSC Board of Trustees at their July 14 special meeting.

More than 800 TSC students are eligible for the scholarship that comes as additional assistance from the American Rescue Plan’s Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. This aid complements the investments the Texas Southmost College Board of Trustees has authorized since spring 2020 as part of TSC’s Comprehensive Care Package.

Salathiel Sotuyo is taking his first steps toward a career in science at Texas Southmost College, a dream he is fulfilling for himself and to honor his late father.

The 20-year-old lost his father to cancer during his senior year in high school, which was also the same time he found his passion for science.

Salathiel Sotuyo expects to graduate with an associate degree in Science spring 2022 and is currently a Composition tutor on campus helping students with their writing.

Daniel Zuñiga has been the Construction Technology instructor at Texas Southmost College since 2013, and this fall, along with TSC leadership and administration, will introduce the program’s first associate degree track.

The Harlingen native’s journey in construction began in middle school when he took his first wood shop class. The interest continued into high school as a building trades student, until he eventually decided it was the career he should follow.

TSC’s Construction Technology program will begin offering an associate degree in fall 2021. Daniel Zuñiga (pictured) is the program’s instructor and said this new degree offering is aligned with industry need.