Texas Border Business
By Joey Gomez
McALLEN, Texas – Every morning, Sebastian Perez said he crosses the Hidalgo International Bridge from Reynosa to South Texas College with his career aspirations following right behind him, proving that borders are not barriers when it comes to achieving his goals.
Recently graduating as valedictorian from Instituto Internacional de Estudios Superiores, a technical school in Reynosa, Perez said he took advantage of STC’s international dual credit partnership to get ahead while studying in a programming technician degree track.
His coursework in high school combined coding with networking and hands-on experience with computer hardware while also introducing him to multiple programming languages starting with C, then C++ and eventually Visual C#.
Perez said he valued that his teachers encouraged independence with assignments that required initiative and creativity, features that carried on to his experiences at the Texas A&M Engineering Academy at STC, his top choice of schools to attend right after high school.
“My high school taught me how to problemsolve and create on my own. That experience gave me the confidence to keep moving forward,” Perez said. “When I arrived at STC and entered the Texas A&M Engineering Academy, I immediately got the sense that they wanted me to be a part of something bigger. That really motivated me.”
Perez is now among the 50 new “Jaggies” that comprise the third cohort of the Texas A&M Engineering Academy at STC.
Offered in partnership with Texas A&M University’s College of Engineering, the Academy offers students an opportunity to pursue one of 22 engineering majors at Texas A&M, while being co-enrolled at the university and STC.
From the academy, students transition with automatic acceptance into Texas A&M’s highly competitive engineering program either at Texas A&M College Station, Galveston or Higher Education Center in McAllen to complete their bachelor’s degree.
To attend in-person classes, Perez said he crosses from Reynosa into the United States on a regular basis, which comes with its own set of challenges, but helps him adapt gradually to differences in language, culture and schedules.
He considered the University of Texas at Austin first, but Perez said he was drawn to Texas A&M after seeing how the Academy actively recruited students and provided strong support systems.
“Crossing the border is not easy, but it’s worth it. Being close to home while starting this journey helps me adapt and it makes me grateful for the opportunities I have,” Perez said.
Staff at STC say students like Perez are proof that borders are not barriers when it comes to finding the best educational options, such as those found through the engineering academy.
“The beauty of the Academy is that it gives students a year to explore all of the engineering majors before they make that big decision. Sebastian may be undecided now, but that’s exactly what this program is designed for,” said Maricruz Hinojosa, project manager II with the Texas A&M Engineering Academies at STC. “He’s a perfect example of why borders are not barriers. His determination is inspiring.”
As he begins his first semester of college at STC, Perez said he is still undecided about his exact engineering major, but looks forward to exploring possibilities in Mechanical Engineering, Biology, Environmental Engineering and even Entomology, which is the study of insects.
“I don’t know exactly what field I’ll end up in yet, but the truth is I love learning. I know that with time, I’ll find the right path,” Perez said. “If there’s one thing I’d tell other students, it would be to try. Even if you think you won’t get accepted or you’re running out of time, just try. If you don’t, you will never know the doors that can open for you.”
Information source: STC
