Texas Border Business
By Joey Gomez
McALLEN, Texas – Britney Arriaga is building a path to fulfill her dreams.
Now that she is set to receive an associate degree in Construction Supervision from South Texas College, Arriaga said she hopes to use her new skills to build her mother the home she always wanted.
Growing up in Reynosa as the second of four children, Arriaga, 24, said she embraced her role as a mentor to two younger siblings who saw her become the first woman in her family to graduate high school and who will now witness her walk across the stage to receive a college degree at STC’s commencement ceremonies
Now Arriaga said the first home she hopes to build after graduation will go to her mother.
“Growing up we moved all over and we never had a place to call home even though my mom worked hard all her life,” Arriaga said. “I know there are a lot of families with single mothers out there who want to provide a house for their kids, but in my case, I want to use what I have learned at STC to provide a home for her because of all she has done for us.”
Arriaga said her inspiration for entering the construction industry came from her stepfather, a construction worker.
Arriaga said she grew up listening to him talk about his experience on various job sites, which piqued her interest in the industry.
“My stepfather worked in concrete so he would talk a lot about foundation and structural issues which got me even more interested in the construction field,” Arriaga said. “After looking into the industry, I then realized that there are women in this field, and more importantly there are many who are in supervisor positions making a difference. It’s beautiful honestly. I began to motivate myself saying ‘Why not me?’ and I just went for it.”
Starting at STC in 2022, Arriaga said it was the faculty at STC that not only encouraged her to stay motivated, but they gave her the proper skills and networking opportunities to succeed in a male-dominated industry.
“The faculty here in the Construction Supervision program, encouraged me to go for it and I never looked back,” Arriaga said. “I realize the industry is male-dominated and my classes were full of guys, so I was intimidated at first, but the program is built to go beyond that. I visited job sites as part of the class, and we all learned what it meant to be a part of the construction process regardless of gender.”
Arriaga will be among the 3,715 students receiving their certificates or degrees during five ceremonies at the Bert Ogden Arena in Edinburg.
“I’m excited to enter the field,” Arriaga said. “I want to be out there already and to gain experience. Most importantly I want to let every company I apply to know that this is where I come from, and this is what I can do.”
For graduation information including commencement time and preparation, visit www.southtexascollege.edu/graduation/.
For more information about STC’s Construction Supervision program visit www.southtexascollege.edu/academics/construction/.
