Texas Border Business
By Joey Gomez
McALLEN, Texas – A new collaboration between South Texas College’s Library Services and the college’s Veterans Affairs Office is giving student and community veterans a powerful new platform to share their stories.
This new initiative launched this month and debuted with a veteran author exhibit at STC’s Pecan Campus Library featuring published works and personal photos from local writers who served in the U.S. military.
The display, which is set up for viewing through December, currently highlights three veteran authors including Randal Gritzner, David Mendoza and Daniel Garcia Ordaz.
Mendoza, a retired federal law enforcement officer and Marine Corps veteran, has written several children’s books and released his latest work “Unleashed Redemption – A K9 Handler’s Story of Hope and Healing” in 2024.
Gritzner is a U.S. Navy veteran and retired science and physics teacher who has self-published 28 books across numerous genres including youth science, a romance trilogy, a 13-book science fiction saga and a children’s picture book available in English and Spanish.
Ordaz is also a U.S. Navy veteran, poet and educator whose work has been recognized as a celebration of identity and empowering Latino culture through his literary work.
This marks the first time the library had dedicated space to celebrating veteran voices through literature.
For STC Librarian Patricia Sotelo, who helped coordinate the exhibit, the project grew from a desire to offer support wherever it is needed.
“I thought it would be good for us to reach out,” Sotelo said. “We have so many resources here like books, research help and a space open to everyone. I wanted to know how the library could be a part of what Veterans Affairs was already doing.”
The idea was created when Sotelo noticed a campuswide email promoting a Veterans Affairs event on suicide prevention. The message inspired her to reach out and explore how the library could support future efforts.
The initial outreach led Sotelo to meet with Javier Cardenas, STC’s Veteran Affairs certifying official and outreach specialist. Together they both began discussing possibilities for honoring veterans within the library space, especially ahead of the recent Veterans Day holiday.
Cardenas suggested spotlighting local veteran authors, which was a concept Sotelo said she accepted immediately.
“When he (Cardenas) mentioned local authors, I thought it was perfect,” Sotelo said. “We started with the authors he recommended and from there the idea grew.”
The library was able to display existing books already housed in its collection, including works by Garcia Ordaz, while Sotelo initiated plans to purchase additional titles from Gritzner and Mendoza for students and faculty to access.
Cardenas said the effort marks a new milestone for the Veterans Affairs Office and hopes the project becomes the start of ongoing collaborations that highlight veteran achievements throughout the year.
“This was a first-of-its-kind collaboration for us,” Cardenas said. “Bringing local veteran authors together and highlighting their creative storytelling is something we have never done before, and I am grateful for the chance to recognize their contributions to our community.”
Mendoza, one of the featured writers, said the opportunity to share his work publicly was deeply meaningful.
“It was truly a heartfelt honor, both as a veteran and an author, to see my book showcased for so many to appreciate,” Mendoza said. “Life will always bring challenges. It is our choice whether it will be a stumbling block or a steppingstone.”
Sotelo added that future displays may include other forms of creative expression from veterans including visual art. The library will continue to look for new ways to honor veterans year-round.”
“We want to keep collaborating and finding meaningful ways to highlight our veterans,” Sotelo said. “Everyone expresses themselves differently, and we want to showcase that.”
