Texas Border Business
By Veronica Salinas
WESLACO, Texas – For nearly two decades, Administrative Assistant Carolina Rodriguez has been one of the first faces people see and one they remember at South Texas College’s (STC) Mid-Valley Campus. Long before titles or job descriptions, she became something harder to define but easy to feel: a constant presence, a listening ear and the heart of the campus.
Rodriguez arrived at STC in 2007 after a friend encouraged her to apply. What she thought would be just another job, quietly transformed her life.
“This job has been life changing,” she said. “It opened doors not just for me, but for my family in ways I never expected.”
Over 19 years, STC became more than a workplace. It became a place where Rodriguez grew alongside the students she supported. Through the opportunities the college provided, she earned her Bachelor of Science in Education from Texas A&M University- Kingsville, proving that the same doors she helped open for others were open to her too.
Her family’s story is woven into the campus as well. Her children took dual credit courses at STC, gaining a head start to their futures and several nieces and nephews followed in their footsteps. That is a testament to the ripple effect of access and opportunity.
Those who know Rodriguez often describe her as the heart of the Mid-Valley Campus, a title she carries with humility and gratitude.
“I love being here and I love the people I work with,” she said. “It makes me feel good to know that if someone reaches out to me, I can help in any way I can.”
Year after year, Rodriguez has watched generations of students come and go. The moments that stay with her the most are the ones that continue long after students leave campus.
“I think that’s the most important thing to me,” she said. “Seeing former students and work study employees keep in touch, succeed and move forward reminds me that we’re doing something meaningful for our community. I’m so proud to be part of that.”
For Rodriguez, belonging begins in the smallest moments -a greeting, a pause, a willingness to listen. She wants her office to feel less like an administrative space and more like a place where people can breathe, ask questions and feel supported.
“Welcomed,” she said. “That’s what we’re here for. I want people to feel comfortable walking in, asking questions and knowing they’re not alone. Sometimes all someone needs is to feel like they matter and if I can help with that, then I’m doing my job.”
When she reflects on her time at STC, what stands out most are not the years, but the people.
“I had no idea when I first started here that it would turn into this,” Rodriguez said. “The friendships I’ve made and the people I’ve met here at the Mid-Valley Campus have become my family.”
Daniel Montez, Mid-Valley Campus administrator, said Rodriguez represents the very best of the campus culture.
“She personifies the type of environment we strive to create – friendly, helpful and rooted in respect,” he said. “She is an invaluable asset. She works with everyone and is the central point of contact. She’s the point guard, making sure everything and everyone stays connected.”
Montez added that Rodriguez’s impact is most evident in her absence.
“She is one of those quiet pillars who does so much without asking for recognition,” he said. “When she’s not here, we all feel it. Things don’t run the same. She knows the ins and outs of this campus, and she makes everything run with care and precision.”
After 19 years, Rodriguez’s legacy isn’t written in policies or procedure, but it lives in the students who feel welcomed on their hardest days, the colleagues who felt supported and a campus that feels warmer because she is part of it.
