Texas Border Business
By Sara Reyna
Partnering with Texas A&M-Kingsville (TAMUK) has brought a unique scholarship opportunity to South Texas College students who are interested in starting a career with the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the meat industry.
STC Biology faculty member Sandra Espinoza shared that a new Workforce Training Experience About Meat (TEAM) grant offers students the chance to receive up to $950 in tuition assistance, personalized mentorship from TAMUK faculty, field trips and certification opportunities in food safety and meat evaluation. The program is designed to give students the skills and connections needed to succeed in a high-demand industry.
“We are really excited about what our students have been able to accomplish so far through this new grant opportunity. We have been able to work closely with highly skilled industry professionals from TAMUK like Tanner Machado, Ph.D.,” Espinoza explained. “His mentorship to our students has allowed us to compete in competitions in Omaha, Nebraska which is the first time STC has ever participated in an intercollegiate meat grading competition.”
In October, under the supervision of STC Biology faculty Thomas Ndolo, Ph.D., Espinoza and Machado, STC students competed in the American Royal and American Meat Science Association (AMSA) Meat Grading Competition.
Marking a significant milestone for the institution, the STC team placed 7th in the AMSA Teams American Royal National Division, while student Marian Carmen Salinas earned 10th place in the individual alternate division.
STC Bachelor’s in Organizational Leadership major Nicolas Canales was one of the students who seized the scholarship opportunity, expressing his excitement about representing the college at the meat grading competition.
“To be honest, this opportunity has been a once-in-a-lifetime experience for me,” Canales shared. “I still can’t believe that we were able to compete against over 20 other universities. I feel really fortunate that I got to be on the first-ever meat judging team for the college. I am not a science major; I am studying something completely different and yet I have taken away so much by networking and working closely with STC and TAMUK faculty members.”
Reflecting on his once-in-a-lifetime experience, Canales shared that he is now focused on earning industry certifications to further advance his career and educational opportunities.
“This experience has made me feel really empowered to continue my studies and get a master’s degree,” the 36-year-old explained. “I think my biggest takeaway from this is the certifications and employment opportunities I am walking away with. In fact, I was recently offered a position with England Cattle Company as a farmers’ market assistant. I am so grateful and this is just the start of something incredible for me.”
Espinoza explained that the TEAM grant provides students not only with field experience through competitions and field trips, but also with the opportunity to earn industry-recognized certifications. These include certifications in Food Safety, Culinary Meat Selection and Meat Evaluation, credentials that prepare students for high-paying, in-demand careers as USDA-certified meat graders.
“These certifications are designed to help our students enter various fields within the food industry, especially those related to the meat industry,” Espinoza said. “Earning these certifications increases their competitiveness in the workforce and enhances diversity in key positions across the industry, just as we’ve seen with Nicolas.”
Sharing that same sentiment was STC Biology Program Chair Maria Cervantes, Ph.D., highlighting that this opportunity is unique, but intentional as the biology program strives to expand the ways students can apply their associate degrees.
“At STC, our Biology department is committed to helping students make the most of their associate degrees by preparing them for rewarding careers,” Cervantes said. “Through grant-supported opportunities like this one, students can explore new career paths, earn valuable certifications and gain hands-on experience, all while receiving a stipend. Over the course of a year, students can network, compete and build essential professional skills at no cost, setting them up for success beyond graduation.”
To learn more about STC’s Biology department, visit https://www.southtexascollege.edu/academics/biology/.
