Texas Border Business
By Amanda Sotelo
The Diesel Technology program at South Texas College was recently one of only three local colleges to be awarded a $10,000 grant from the Harlingen Cotton Club to prepare the future agriculture workforce of the region.
Diesel Technology plays a large role in the agricultural industry, powering more than two-thirds of all farm equipment, transports nearly 90% of agricultural products and pumps one-fifth of water dedicated to agriculture in the United States, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
“Our recent partnership with the Harlingen Cotton Committee has benefitted our program and most importantly, our students overall. We are so grateful for their support. It’s invaluable,” said STC Dean of Business, Public Safety and Technology Sara Lozano, Ed.D.
Thanks to the grant, two Diesel Technology students Briana Zuniga and Matthew Rodriguez, were selected as part of an application process to receive expansive, industry-standard tool kits, valued at $5,000 each.
“At STC, our mission is to prepare our students to enter the workforce and for us, that means with skills and with the tools they need to do the job,” said Lozano. “The workforce expects our graduates to enter the workforce with tools in hand, and for many that is difficult for them to afford. They’re very expensive. This grant helps alleviate that worry.”
For Briana Zuniga, it was easy expressing her gratitude to STC and the Harlingen Cotton Committee for her new tool kit, consisting of a rolling tool chest, socket wrenches, sockets, drill drivers, torx ratchet wrenches and much more.
“I can promise that these tools will be put to good use,” said the Diesel Technology student. “I can’t thank everyone enough for this opportunity. I just started a new job, and this means more to me than they’ll ever know. So, here’s a big thank you.”
Within the last week, Zuniga secured a job with Anderson Equipment in Pharr as a shop technician, a few months before her expected graduation date.
“My dad is a truck driver, owner/operator and for as long as I can remember, I’ve helped in the shop,” Zuniga said. “I’m excited to be starting my own career and with the help and tools I have received, I am on the right track. I can’t wait to learn more, grow and become a professional technician like my dad.”
With a goal of becoming a master diesel technician, Matthew Rodriguez is also thankful for the opportunity that STC and the Harlingen Cotton Committee have afforded him. He can remember, that as young as 8-years-old, he would help his dad with basic auto repairs.
“During high school I was fortunate to get a job as a ranch hand and this was when I began working on diesel engines,” he said. “It was during this time, that I realized my purpose, but I don’t come from a wealthy family, so everything we have, we have worked very hard for. That is why, this scholarship, this tool kit, is a life changer. Tools are expensive and I’m constantly borrowing tools, but now I have my own. I’m going to take excellent care of them.”
Rodriguez has also been hired before his December graduation, currently working at Tellus Equipment, a John Deere dealer, with locations across the Rio Grande Valley.
Alfred Spence Pennington, member of the Harlingen Cotton Committee and STC Diesel Technology advisory committee member, said that it has been amazing seeing the impact that their grant has on local students, so to be a part of the STC’s role in preparing the future agricultural workforce, has been an honor.
“We know that when students graduate, it’s a huge financial burden to put together a toolbox that has all the tools necessary to get their job done,” said Pennington. “To be able to give the gift of tools to our region’s students and the ability to walk into a job interview or new job confidently knowing they have what they need to be productive is instrumental. We hope to continue expanding on our partnership with STC, continue raising funds and providing these students with the education and tools they deserve.”
For more information STC’s Diesel Technology program, visit southtexascollege.edu.
