Texas Border Business
By Roberto Hugo González
On Thursday, March 13, 2025, the Rio South Texas Education and Community Development Foundation (RSTEF) held its second Annual Awards Ceremony at the Radisson Hotel. The evening was hosted by Adam Gonzalez, CEO of COSTEP (Council for South Texas Economic Progress) and RSTEF, and brought together educators, nonprofit partners, community leaders, and board members to celebrate the shared mission of improving education and workforce pathways in the Rio South Texas region.
Gonzalez began the evening by welcoming attendees and reflecting on RSTEF’s history and mission. “It’s a great honor to serve this organization,” he said. He shared that RSTEF was initially founded in 1974 to provide a secondary student loan market, supporting South Texas students by offering lower interest rates on federal loans—sometimes discounted by as much as three percent. “The foundation has always given back to the community,” Gonzalez added, noting that at its peak, RSTEF supported over 45% of higher education students.
As the ceremony progressed, Gonzalez introduced one of the evening’s honorees, the Imaginarium of South Texas, based in Laredo, for its Homework Assistance Program. “This is a tutor program geared towards the S.T.E.A.M. field,” he explained. “This is our second award to the Imaginarium of South Texas.”
Speaking on behalf of the organization, Nora E. Murillo, executive director expressed deep gratitude and shared insight into the Imaginarium’s mission. “Good evening. Thank you all so very much for this honor,” she began. “Our program—we consider ourselves an extension of the classroom. One of the things that we do is we feel that if we catch the children who are struggling when they’re in the elementary level and give them the necessary tools that they need to go on to middle and high school and choose a career path in the S.T.E.A.M.—we add the arts to our acronym.”
She highlighted the organization’s partnership with Laredo College on the historic Fort McIntosh campus. “We hire tutors from the college to come and work with the Homework Assistance Program. Four of our tutors are here, and they’re in a program where they will graduate with a bachelor’s degree in one year.”
She emphasized the importance of early intervention and literacy. “We believe that if you cannot read, you’re not going to be able to do science, math, or any of these programs. So, we focus on reading, science, and math. This is our second year receiving this award, and we’re very pleased to get it again. Thank you.”
The ceremony also honored the dedication of RSTEF’s Board of Directors, who continue to play a vital role in steering the foundation’s vision and impact. Of the nine board members, four were in attendance:
- Mr. James Moore – Laredo
- Dr. Miguel Nevarez
- Mr. Walter Reyna
- Mr. Jimmy Notzon
Gonzalez acknowledged the board’s steadfast service, sharing, “Two of them have been with the organization for over 30 years and have served in many capacities.”
The 2025 RSTEF Annual Awards Ceremony reminded the region of its commitment to educational and workforce advancement. Through joint efforts, visionary leadership, and grassroots programs like those at the Imaginarium, RSTEF continues to foster opportunity and build a brighter future for the communities of Rio South Texas.
See related Stories:
