Texas Border Business
By Amanda Sotelo
South Texas College was recently recognized as one of the state’s exemplary leaders in workforce training and apprenticeships, at this year’s Funder Impact Summit in Dallas.
This year’s second annual summit was hosted by Economic Mobility Systems, in partnership with The Greater Texas Foundation, Commit Partnerships, Education Texas and the Rural Community College Alliance, and focused on creating a space where regional education leaders and college presidents come together to celebrate and share best practices in their collective community impact on college and workforce outcomes.
Since the passage of House Bill 8, which provides a new outcome-based funding model for community colleges throughout the state, STC President Ricardo J. Solis said it’s more important than ever to collaborate and collectively work on solving a talent gap the state is experiencing.
“To be celebrated during this summit as an exemplary institution for our work is an honor, because for 30 years our goal at STC has been to create a skilled workforce that meets demands and creates regional growth,” said Solis. “Through our soon-to-be launched Promise Scholarship Initiative, we are not only creating a promise to our students, but we are creating a promise to their families and our communities that says, we will continue to make college accessible and affordable, and it will break barriers and transform generations, all while solving a skills gap.”
STC was among three other colleges to be identified as an outstanding college that exemplifies dedication and excellence in advancing economic mobility across the state of Texas through innovative strategies, to include the Valley Promise, or Promesa Del Valle Initiative, a last-dollar scholarship for eligible students already implemented in cities across Texas, including Dallas, Houston and San Antonio.
To continue this trend, Economic Mobility Systems, Educate Texas and The Greater Texas Foundation, have invested at least $1 million into facilitating STC’s Valley Promise program, which will provide eligible STC students with the financial support needed to cover tuition and fees.
“STC is at the forefront of creating enhancements within our system that will continue making higher education an equalizer for the residents of our region,” said STC Vice President of Institutional Advancement and Economic Development Rodney Rodriguez, Ph.D. “Through our partnerships, finances no longer have to be a barrier to the innovative education and training we offer at STC, which in turn will create a more robust economy.”
At the summit, Solis was also among other leaders of higher education to sit on a Texas Policy Panel, one of three panels available to summit attendees, to discuss the implementation and launch of STC’s Valley Promise program that is aligned to training pathways connected to the needs of the region’s labor market.
Eric Ban, Ph.D., executive director of Economic Mobility Systems, said that the Regional Talent Networks Funder Summit marks a significant milestone in the ongoing journey toward greater and more equitable college and workforce outcomes aligned to regional talent needs.
“We are thrilled to have convened such a dynamic group of leaders, partners and advocates committed to advancing economic mobility and opportunity across our communities,” said Ban. “The summit not only showcased innovative initiatives and collaborative efforts, but also underscored the collective commitment to creating pathways to success for all individuals.”
