Texas Border Business
Amanda Sotelo
The South Texas College Foundation recently hosted its second annual Foundation Gala. The sold-out event raised nearly $200,000, with all proceeds going to student scholarships, creating opportunities and resources needed to make college accessible to every student in the Rio Grande Valley.
The event, hosted at the McAllen Convention Center, brought together hundreds of STC donors and supporters, including elected officials, community leaders and philanthropists who support creating a college-going culture.
“Everything we do, is so our students walk across that stage in a cap and gown, debt-free. And you, our donors, make this mission possible,” said STC Vice President of Institutional Advancement and External Affairs Rodney Rodriguez, Ph.D. “As we look ahead, I am filled with excitement for what is to come. Together, we are establishing and creating opportunities throughout the Rio Grande Valley, and I can’t wait to see how all our efforts positively impact our students.”
Rodriguez also announced upcoming initiatives that he credits to college partnerships and donors. In the coming months, STC will introduce an Adult Promise Program, established to help stop-out students return to the classroom at no cost to them and Valley Promise partnerships with Valley Initiative for Development and Advancement (VIDA), the Valley Alliance of Mentors for Opportunities and Scholarships (VAMOS) and Texas A&M University.
He also touted the success STC’s Valley Promise Program has seen in its first year, helping more than 1,100 students get a free education.
In adding to the message of success the Valley Promise Program has seen, STC President Ricardo J. Solis, Ph.D., addressed donors with a heartfelt thanks and made a promise.
“As a college, we have not been short of successes this past year. We continue to enhance partnerships to create innovative programming, we celebrate the national recognition and success our apprenticeship, bachelor’s and dual credit programs have seen and we applaud the achievements we have been able to make during the first year of our Valley Promise Program,” said Solis. “I promise you, that before I retire, I will ensure that our Valley Promise Program, our Promesa Del Valle, will provide a free college education for all students.”
The night also included two check presentations – one from the STC Foundation to the college’s drumline team, after an inspiring performance, for $4,000 to secure their trip to the Percussive Arts Society International Convention (PASIC) in Indiana, where last year, the team earned national championship recognition, and two, South Texas Health System (STHS), this year’s gala Title Sponsor gave an additional donation of $37,000.
“As a hospital, we employ many of our nurses from South Texas College. STC does an amazing job at producing valuable members for our work community and we depend on STC’s Foundation to help support those nurses toward graduation and employment,” said STHS System Chief Nursing Officer Kennetha Foster. “We’ve partnered with STC for many years and for the last two years, we’ve supported the STC Foundation because we’re always impressed with the quality of the college’s graduates, and we want to continue helping STC meet students’ needs through scholarships and grants and providing community support to the RGV.”
STC Foundation Board Director Yvonne “Bonnie” Gonzalez shared the sentiment and reiterated the gratitude STC has for its supporters.
“To look at where we are, 30 years later after STC opened, it’s amazing,” said Hernandez. “I am very honored to be surrounded by incredible people like you, who are committed to continuously supporting our vision, mission and our students. As we embark on our second year as a Foundation, we’ve already raised about $1.4 million and none of this is possible without our partners’ support. Muchas gracias, and we look forward to a continued relationship and in our belief that together, everything is possible.” For more information on the STC Foundation or to learn more about becoming a donor, visit southtexascollege.edu/foundation.
