Texas Border Business
By Selene Rodriguez
After facing loss and mental health challenges, South Texas College student John Haugland has not only found healing through higher education, but he’s also discovered a powerful new purpose – to create lasting change in the world around him.
Currently serving as the newest Undergraduate Student Representative on the board of the Association for Applied and Clinical Sociology (AACS), a nonprofit, professional organization that promotes the application of social scientific knowledge, the 24-year-old is set to graduate from STC soon, but his impact is already being felt nationwide.
Haugland is part of a national champion team that recently made history by making STC the first two-year institution ever to win the AACS Student Problem-Solving Competition.
“That’s the true purpose of applied and clinical Sociology really, to create solutions. It’s not just about studying problems, it’s about understanding why they exist and how we can fix them,” he explained. “It gives us the tools to look at systems, environments and relationships and then intervene in ways that actually help people.”
Their proposal—developed for Texas Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) and focused on helping children reconnect with their incarcerated parents, supporting rehabilitation and breaking cycles of generational trauma—is now being recognized as a potential national model for reform.
“I hope our work can help reconnect many children with their parents, because those relationships truly matter. Even if someone has struggled with addiction or made mistakes, they’re still human and their kids still need them,” he said. “Rebuilding those bonds can stop the cycle of trauma and violence. We say we want rehabilitation. This is how we do it.”
The Houston native draws strength from his own trauma, having come a long way from a past marked by grief and addiction. After losing his mother at 21, he struggled with alcoholism and was consumed by overwhelming thoughts of hopelessness.
“We moved to the Rio Grande Valley to be close to my mother’s side of the family while she was battling her illness,” he said. “When she passed, it was tough. I found myself working graveyard shifts at a convenience store, wondering what the point of life even was.”
Labeled by family and friends as “wasted potential,” he knew something had to change.
In 2023, he took a bold step toward a new beginning by enrolling in STC’s Sociology program, choosing the applied and clinical sociology track to help others heal, just as he was learning to heal himself.
“I always knew I wanted to go to college. It was something I kept telling myself had to happen. While working those long shifts alone, I’d think, ‘There has to be something better,’” he shared. “During therapy at Tropical Texas Behavioral Health, someone recommended STC and told me their Sociology program was one of the best in the country. They were right. This place changed my life.”
Haugland went on to become one of the top students in his program, earning multiple recognitions and accolades along the way. He founded STC’s Ethics Bowl team, a national competition where students debate real-world ethical dilemmas and as president of the Sociology Club for two consecutive semesters, he didn’t just find his voice, he found a community that believed in him.
“STC’s Sociology program is an incredible opportunity that truly prepares you for a career,” he said. “You work directly with AACS, so you’re not just learning theory, you’re building real-world connections and developing a project to solve real-world issues. If you apply yourself, you can’t help but move forward.”
With a renewed outlook on life, Haugland is now preparing to continue his education, with plans to pursue both a bachelor’s and master’s degree in Philosophy.
Fueled by purpose and passion, he also dreams of one day becoming a published author.
“I want to go to graduate school and focus on writing, whether it’s fiction, social commentary or research, there are so many directions I could take,” he said. “I’ve also thought about teaching and returning to STC one day as a professor. I just hope I’ve left behind a strong foundation with the Ethics Bowl team, something that continues to inspire others to create real social change. But now, I’m ready for what’s next. STC was the beginning and I’ll always be grateful for how it helped me.”
For more information on STC’s Sociology program, visit southtexascollege.edu/academics/sociology/ or call 956-872-3452.
Information source: STC
