Texas Border Business
By Joey Gomez
McALLEN, Texas – For South Texas College Professor Emeritus Rogelio Escaname, retirement was never about simply stepping away, it was about finding another way to serve.
After a nearly 30-year career with the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS), Escaname said he began a second career at STC in his 50s, developing a teaching philosophy that transformed decades of law enforcement experience into lessons that helped students find their own paths to success.
“I had already been there and done that,” Escaname said about his experience in law enforcement. “I just wanted to pass that knowledge on to the students.”
It was this approach to teaching that would earn him the distinction as a Professor Emeritus upon his retirement from STC in 2025 after nearly 20 years as a faculty member.
Being named Emeritus is a lifetime honor for faculty, who are given the distinction upon their retirement by their peers. Those faculty who have earned Emeritus status remain visible with the college, and remain engaged in academic and professional activities.
To date, Escaname is one of only 10 distinguished faculty recognized for exceptional service, leadership and contributions to the college community.
“It’s an honor. I feel very blessed that I received this recognition, but it wasn’t just me. It was everybody who supported me including our department chair, my colleagues and everyone else I worked with,” Escaname said. “I’d also like to mention that it’s not just about the recognition. It’s staying connected to the college. With this honor, I am still part of the college for as long as I live.”
Escaname joined STC as an adjunct professor in 2006 while preparing to retire from DPS. Throughout his career, he had served as a trooper, investigator and supervisor, regularly training new recruits and troopers who were also seeking to become investigators.
Inspired by his wife, who spent nearly 40 years as an educator, Escaname earned his master’s degree and began considering teaching as his next chapter.
Within six months of joining STC, he became a full-time faculty member.
He spent his first two years at STC’s Starr County campus, where he established its Criminal Justice Club while building lasting connections with the students there. He later transferred to McAllen, where taught for the next 17 years, eight of which he served as the program’s assistant chair.
Escaname said he incorporated real investigations, reports and lessons from his DPS career into the curriculum, giving students a practical understanding of careers throughout the justice system. Some former students even went on to serve as police officers, DPS personnel, correctional officers and federal court employees, he said.
He also became one of the program’s earliest instructors to embrace online education, despite having no previous experience with online courses.
“It was not about me. It was always about them, the students,” Escaname said. “I wanted to inspire them to do something incredible with their lives, and thanks to STC, I had that opportunity to do it.”
The commitment extended beyond instruction. Escaname said he learned every student’s name, served as a faculty advisor and offered guidance on course selection, career paths, interviews and gave professional references to students applying for jobs.
On the first day of class every semester, Escaname said he would show students an image of an STC commencement ceremony and tell them exactly where he hoped their journey would lead.
“I would tell them ‘I want to see you there. I want to see you walk across that stage and get your diploma,’’’ he recalls. “And then when they finished that goal that I set out for them, I told them that my door would always remain open for them, even when they step out into the world.”
Now focused on family, Escaname said he remains connected to STC and continues to follow the work of his former colleagues.
He is forever thankful to the chairs, faculty and community partners who supported him throughout his career. He encourages them to become involved and embrace the opportunities around them.
“My 19 years with STC were some of the most memorable among my long history contributing to the Criminal Justice field,” he said. “You can never forget to be involved and have fun while doing it. Time flies so fast, especially when you enjoy something as much as I did, being a part of the college community as a faculty member.”
