Texas Border Business
BROWNSVILLE, Texas – Texas Southmost College played a pivotal role in shaping Martin Jaramillo’s future.
As a student in TSC’s Architecture program, Jaramillo discovered a passion for design, gained the skills and confidence to continue his education and met fellow architecture student Celia Padilla, who later became his wife.
More than a decade after first stepping onto campus, Jaramillo has returned to TSC as a full-time architecture and design instructor dedicated to preparing the next generation of architects.
“I’m teaching in the same classroom where I was ten years ago,” said Jaramillo. “It’s rewarding teaching students and making them grow and feel confident. Architecture is not just about drafting or drawing. My job is to teach them how to design anything or communicate their ideas.”
Discovering Architecture at Texas Southmost College
Jaramillo’s path to TSC was influenced by an architecture teacher at Mercedes High School. The teacher’s son had studied architecture at TSC, prompting Jaramillo to visit the college and learn more about the program.
He recognized TSC would offer him an opportunity to build a strong foundation before transferring to a four-year university.
“It was like, ‘Okay, I’m going to do two years and then if I feel ready, I can transfer and I don’t have to start from zero,’” he said.
His experience at TSC ultimately gave him the confidence to continue pursuing architecture.
“Without TSC, I don’t think I would have continued. I think just the instructors that I had, the way they taught me and how confident I felt once I graduated, really made a big impact on me.”
Watch a video form TSC below:
Building on His TSC Foundation
After earning an associate degree in architecture from TSC, he transferred to Texas Tech University, where he earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in the field.
Although his university cohort included students who had already spent two years at Texas Tech, Jaramillo said his experience at TSC gave him the confidence and skills to excel from the start.
“I felt confident and the programs that I had learned, the software, and how to express my ideas and design really helped me compete on that level,” said Jaramillo.
The experience reinforced his belief that a student’s success is shaped less by an institution’s name and more by the dedication of its instructors.
“At the end of the semester, I was doing way better work than them,” he said. “The name of the college or university doesn’t really matter. It’s the people who are teaching. TSC offers that, in my opinion. It offers that perspective of love from the instructors to the students.”
Bringing Industry Experience Back to TSC
After earning his degrees, Jaramillo’s professional career took him beyond Texas. He worked on projects along the East Coast ranging from small restaurants to major retail developments.
His professional experience and expertise eventually led him back to TSC. Before joining the faculty, Jaramillo was invited to review student work and later became a part-time instructor in 2025. At the start of the current academic year, he accepted a full-time teaching position.
“Nobody can really predict the future, right?” he said. “Coming back and being on this side and being able to push my students to be better than me, that’s my goal. I want them to be better than me because they’re the next generation.”
As an instructor, Jaramillo takes pride in sharing the practical knowledge he gained throughout his professional career.
“They’re learning what you have to learn in school, but they’re also learning what they’re going to see out there,” he said. “School and the profession are two different things.”
Drawing on real-world experience, Jaramillo helps students understand the details and terminology they’ll encounter in the field, from architectural drawings and symbols to industry abbreviations.
“They’re getting that perspective of what details look like, symbols, certain abbreviations and all that stuff,” he said. “So, they feel more confident when they go out there and they have a conversation with a contractor or an architect.”
In addition to teaching full time at TSC, Jaramillo also works for HFA, an architecture and engineering firm based in Arkansas. During the summer, he travelled to Arkansas and North Carolina to work on projects.
Maintaining an active role in the industry allows him to bring current experiences back to his students.
“That really helps me because I’m able to show and explain to students what I’m currently doing while I still teach them,” he said. “Sharing that experience gives me the strength to really make my classes even stronger.”
Finding Purpose Through Teaching
Inspired by the instructors who helped shape his own future, Jaramillo is committed to preparing students for success long after they leave TSC.
“I have a purpose and that purpose is my students,” he said. “If they go out there and their work doesn’t look good, that means I failed as an instructor. If they go out and shine, that means I’m doing something right.”
For Jaramillo, returning to TSC is more than a professional milestone. It is an opportunity to give back to the institution that helped launch his journey.
Through mentorship, industry experience and a passion for teaching, he hopes to inspire students to continue their education, enter the workforce with confidence and someday create their own success stories.
