Texas Border Business
By Sara Reyna
South Texas College (STC) Student Financial Services recently hosted a financial aid event, providing students with the necessary tools and support to navigate the financial aid landscape, including the recently revised Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) application.
The week-long event, aimed at making the financial aid process accessible, allowed students to also join in a drawing for a $500 scholarship for attending the event and completing FAFSA or Texas Application for Student Financial Aid (TASFA) forms.
Kattierina Reyna, STC Engineering major, said that being one of seven recipients to receive the scholarship will take a huge weight off her shoulders going into the summer semester.
“When I learned that I was one of the recipients for the $500, I felt this sense of relief and gratitude because, with this assistance, I’d be able to comfortably continue pursuing my education by taking summer courses, ultimately keeping me on track with my academic timeline,” she said.
These financial aid events are particularly important this year with the federal government’s revision of the FAFSA which has resulted in technology glitches and subsequent delays for many students.
STC Financial Aid Specialist Lorena Martinez explained that apart from providing extensive financial resources, like scholarships and work study opportunities, hosting events that share the message of financial literacy is crucial to their mission of making college accessible for all.
“Financial literacy events and building awareness is so important for college students because we want these application processes to be seamless and help make college affordable,” Lorena explained. “With grants and other financial resources, our ultimate goal is to minimize those costs and stressors for our students so that they can continue pursuing their degrees debt-free. We also want to emphasize that applying for FAFSA is a federal right, and we want students to be familiar with these resources to best prepare for their classes.”
Jose Jimenez, set to graduate with a bachelor’s degree in Organizational Leadership in December 2024, described his positive experience with the Student Financial Services office, highlighting the support in overcoming hurdles he has encountered with seeking financial aid.
“Student Financial Services has been very helpful, supportive and reliable in assisting me with seeking financial assistance,” described Jimenez. “I’ve had a couple of hiccups in the past couple of years while working through financial aid applications and they have always stepped in to provide me with the information I need or point me in the right direction.”
Jimenez, also a $500 scholarship recipient, said he found the FAFSA application process straightforward, especially with the help he received from the recent financial aid event.
Smoothly completing his FAFSA application and also receiving the scholarship for his summer courses has significantly impacted his outlook on his final semester with STC.
“This year I completed my application during the FAFSA event which made me feel a little more confident when submitting my application,” he explained. “The process to become FAFSA complete was seamless and quick with the help of the financial aid specialists. This fall semester is also extra special because it is the last semester of my undergraduate journey, and receiving the scholarship award has lifted part of the weight that comes with paying for my education. Financially and emotionally, I feel less stressed about my fall tuition, and I feel even more prepared and motivated to face my final semester,” Jimenez added.
With the rollout of the new FAFSA application for the 2024-2025 school year, Martinez highlighted that the application remains open until June 2025 and that the Student Financial Services office is ready to assist students and their families.
“We want to make these types of decisions easier for students and the first step is starting a FAFSA application,” Martinez shared. “It’s an easy process that we are willing to walk through with any of our students and parents, and we will continue supporting them in our office and through other financial aid events to help them reach their goals.”
STC’s Student Services will be offering extended hours of operation at the college’s Pecan campus, Friday, May 31, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
The Mid-Valley campus will be open Friday, May 31, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and Starr County campus May 31, Friday, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
For more information on student financial services offered at STC, visit https://studentservices.southtexascollege.edu/finaid/
