Texas Border Business
By Amanda Sotelo
For nearly 10 years, Nicholas Hinojosa has transformed the lives of hundreds of South Texas College students pursuing degrees in Computer Science, and for his dedication and commitment to student success, professional development and research, he has officially been named an assistant professor.
“I’m elated that I’ve earned this accomplishment,” said Hinojosa. “This is a huge milestone in my career, and I’ve found support and motivation all around me. From our Dean of Math, Science, Information Technology and Bachelor Programs Ali Esmaeili, Ph.D., to my family, everyone encouraged me to do this. They all helped me get here.”
It’s a meticulous process to achieve an academic title such as assistant professor. For the last year, Hinojosa had to compile and create a 600-page portfolio that included student surveys, professional development completions, industry certifications, information on conferences attended and research within his field. The portfolio was then reviewed and judged.
Hinojosa’s journey at STC began as a student, earning his associate degree in Math in 2009 and a bachelor’s degree in Computer Information Technology in 2012.
“I’ve really enjoyed my journey at STC. The college changed my life,” he said. “As a student, I got the degrees I needed to kickstart my career and as faculty, I’ve been inspired to be a lifelong learner and am motivated to teach the future professionals of our field.”
Prior to making the classroom his home as a faculty member, Hinojosa also earned a master’s degree in Information Technology from the University of Texas-Pan American, now known as the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV).
Nonetheless, from his time at the STC library as a part-time employee to the classroom as full-time faculty, Hinojosa’s goal has remained the same – to inspire students.
“Mr. Hinojosa merits academic classification due to his exceptional performance as both a professor and mentor,” said Saeed Molki, STC associate professor of Computer Science. “His students consistently praise his courses, providing excellent evaluations each semester. He maintains a strong rapport with both students and colleagues, participating in departmental initiatives and serving as the advisor to the Computer Science Club. His most notable strength – his ongoing commitment to professional development.”
Hinojosa holds a wide array of certifications within the IT field from leading organizations such as EC-Council, Oracle, CompTIA, Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Cisco.
He has also contributed to the academic community through presentations at nationally respected conferences hosted by Community College Baccalaureate Association, the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges and the League of Innovation in the Community College.
Combining everything he learns and teaches through these organizations, he can continue motivating his students and modeling success within the field, giving students something to aspire toward and getting them excited about their chosen profession.
“It has been a lot of work getting to this milestone, but everything I do, I do for my students. Not only do I aim to inspire them, but they inspire me also,” said Hinojosa. “Their ‘aha’ moments are rewarding and it’s a treasure knowing that we all inspire each other.”
Drawing from his students’ and family’s inspiration, he aims to pursue an academic classification that will allow him to be an associate professor soon.
“There is no stopping now,” said Hinojosa. “I must continue striving to be my best. As faculty members, our job is to change lives and at STC, we get the chance to grow so that as we evolve, so do our classrooms. The goal is to become better at serving our students and community.”
For more information on STC’s Computer Science program, visit southtexascollege.edu.
Information source: STC
