Texas Border Business
By Amanda Sotelo
A house fire on January 27, could have derailed Brandon Carrasco from continuing his education at South Texas College as a Medical and Health Services Management student, but thanks to a student emergency fund established by the college, the Weslaco native was able to continue his education as planned, while his family works to rebuild.
“This entire experience has been surreal,” said the 23-year-old. “Watching your house burn, is the most helpless feeling I have ever experienced. That was our home, where I would study, put pen to paper, where memories were made. There was a lot to think about after the fire – salvaging what we could, rebuilding and continuing my education. I didn’t know where to begin.”
The fire, ruled to be electrical, destroyed all the family’s belongings, including Carrasco’s laptop, textbooks, tablet and school supplies. He reached out to his professors asking for deadline extensions, but what he got was much more than that.
“I received a call and an email asking me about my situation and what kind of help I needed because one of my professors had reached out,” said Carrasco. “All my professors had already been so accommodating; this was above and beyond what I had expected. I was in tears.”
Through STC’s student emergency fund, also known as Paws for a Cause, Carrasco received $500 to help cover costs of replacing his items for school and he was given access to resources available on campus such as laptop, hotspot and textbook checkout programs, all of which allowed him to continue his education.
This fund was established through the generous support of the STC Foundation and philanthropic partners, to provide short-term financial assistance for essential needs such as housing, healthcare and transportation after an emergency like Carrasco’s.
“Many college students, including those at STC, face unexpected financial hardships that can disrupt or even prevent them from completing their education, which is why we established Paws for a Cause,” said STC Dean of Enrollment Services Tony Matamoros. “Beyond financial support, students are also connected with campus and community resources that address their individual needs. By providing both emergency assistance and personalized support, we help students like Brandon overcome barriers, remain enrolled and stay on track to achieve their educational goals.”
Carrasco’s mother, Belinda De La Garza, reflected on how this moment defined her son’s experience at STC and what it means to be part of the STC family.
“You read it and see it all the time, ‘The Jag Family, join the STC family,’ and this act of assistance during one of our most difficult and vulnerable times proved that this is more than just a saying,” she said. “My son is a hard worker, go-getter. I couldn’t have asked for a better son. I never wanted him to struggle as I did as a single mom, so school has always been a priority, and I didn’t want this fire to change that. So, despite this setback, because STC has people that genuinely care about their students, he was able to continue moving forward. They truly treated him, us, like family.”
Both mother and son are profoundly grateful for the help Carrasco has received, especially as he enters his final semester toward his degree and the family continues to rebuild a new life.
“My mom has given me everything; always giving 110% of herself so I could have a better future and I’m excited to continue making her proud by graduating and doing what has always meant the most to both of us – helping people in our community,” he said. “The day of the fire we were volunteering, ironic because we never expected to be on the receiving end, but because a community came together to help us in our time of need, through my degree, I can now help make a difference in the healthcare field and connect people with the resources they need to live healthy lives.”
Through it all, Carrasco and his mother said STC has helped them find the blessing in this unfortunate situation.
“There have been times when we were barely floating above water, but we’ve gotten through it together. I’ve always had my mom by my side and looking at this entire situation, we have truly been blessed,” said Carrasco. “We were blessed that we only lost material things, no one was hurt. Blessed that we get to rebuild. Blessed that STC and many from community stepped in to help us when we had nothing. Lastly, blessed that we still have each other.”
Information source: STC
