Texas Border Business
By Amanda Sotelo
Double up – a college degree before a high school diploma is trending, and nearly a hundred Hidalgo and Starr County counselors gathered at South Texas College recently for the college’s Spring Dual Credit Academic Pathways Counselors Symposium.
The annual symposium provides an inside look into updates related to dual credit pathways, programs and resources available to local students who enroll in dual credit at one of STC’s 21 partnering school districts.
“Our Dual Credit Pathways Counselors Symposium was an invaluable opportunity to connect with counselors across our 21 partnering school districts,” said Rebecca De Leon, Ed.D., associate vice president of Dual Credit Programs and School District Partnerships. “It was an inspiring morning of collaboration as counselors and Dual Credit Programs staff shared best practices and explored innovative strategies to support student success.”
Yvonne Muhammad, Edinburg North Early College counselor, was one of the many counselors at the symposium who have dedicated their life to helping students achieve a higher education.
“I love this event. I’ve been in this field for 20 years, but every time I’m here, I learn something new. Things are always evolving and STC keeps up to date,” said Muhammad. “STC and its partnerships has really grown. The services and advisement provided to students has been a huge success. They ensure our students finish and know their next steps.”
She added that the Valley Promise has added a layer of financial help that hasn’t always been available.
“Now more than ever, our students have the help they need to continue college, and the Valley Promise is taking that to the next level by also providing mentorship and guidance for these students throughout their college journey,” she said. “Our students, parents and their families need to know that our district and STC is working closely, together, toward student success, and being able to foster and grow this partnership is a gamechanger. Our students need this and us.”
Muhammad and other counselors like Ruby Aguilar, a GEAR UP coordinator at Vanguard Academy, also got hear from a panel of three Educate Texas coaches, who shared best practices in data reporting, accountability and student success across the region.
“This is so informative, especially because a lot of this information impacts our students and how we advise them,” said Aguilar. “There are shifts in the process that we need to keep up with, we learn about new options available to us as educators and our students. I’m also excited to hear about the Adult Valley Promise. I’ll be transitioning to Vanguard alumni, so now I have a resource for those wanting to return to college. We have a strong partnership with STC, and their support is invaluable.”
Additionally, this year’s event included table discussions that covered topics such as student accommodations and compliance, advisement, instructional plans, enrollment processes, student withdrawals and testing requirements.
“We are incredibly grateful for the hard work and commitment of these professionals who help support student success,” said De Leon. “By working together, we enhance educational pathways and create more opportunities for our dual credit students to thrive.”
Since the inception of STC’s Dual Credit Programs, 25 years ago, the program has served more than 145,000 students and has saved families more than $425 million in tuition.
For more information on STC’s Dual Credit Programs, visit southtexascollege.edu/dual.
