Texas Border Business
By Selene Rodriguez
South Texas College is taking bold steps to combat food insecurity among its students and continues its fight against hunger with its newly opened Student Food Pantry at STC’s Health Professions (HSP) campus in McAllen, marking a major milestone in the college’s ongoing commitment to ensure no student has to choose between a meal and their education.
A longstanding resource for STC students, with pantries already serving the Pecan, Mid-Valley and Starr County campuses, the initiative recently expanded through support from the STC Foundation, which last year donated $10,000 to extend services to the two remaining campuses without a pantry.
The Technology Campus pantry opened first and the HSP campus location opened this semester, furthering the college’s mission to support student well-being and success.
“We are proud to continue supporting our students through initiatives that address their most essential needs,” said STC Foundation Executive Director Marcos Silva, Ed.D. “Opening this new food pantry reflects our shared commitment to ensuring no student has to choose between their education and their well-being. Through the generosity of our donors and partners, we’re helping create a campus of care, an environment where every student has the resources they need to succeed.”
More than a source of nutritious food, the pantry connects students with vital campus resources that promote stability, engagement and academic success.
Serving students who aspire to enter health care professions, the HSP campus pantry is open Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 2 to 5 p.m., offering items such as cereal, apple juice, beans, applesauce and fresh fruit including strawberries and blueberries.
Students may visit once a week to receive as many food items as they need.
“I am so happy that we can now help provide students and their families with the services of the pantry at the Health Professions Campus,” said HSP Student Activities Specialist Carolina Miranda. “Most of our students here are full time and cannot work because of the rigorous programs they are in, so the pantry is a great help in putting food on the table for not only the students, but their families as well.”
This is the case for STC student Brittany Flores Tijerina, 22, who is in her first semester of the Occupational Therapy Assistant program.
Flores Tijerina began using the Student Food Pantry at HSP Campus soon after it opened earlier this semester, after learning about it from campus faculty.
“I registered the same day it was announced,” she said. “It’s been such a big help for me and my family. They offer a wide variety of essential items that we don’t have to go out of our way to buy anymore.”
An Edinburg native and graduate of Johnny G. Economedes High School’s Early College program, Flores Tijerina earned an associate degree in Interdisciplinary Studies from STC in 2021, before receiving her high school diploma.
A first-generation college student, she hopes to become the first in her family to work in the health care field, and though she describes herself as shy, she said she’s gaining confidence every day and is grateful for the opportunities and support STC provides.
“I’m so excited to be here. I feel like I belong,” she said. “STC really cares about its students, and resources such as the food pantry, help us focus on our goals. My dream is to graduate and become an occupational therapy assistant, but also to grow as a person and become more confident along the way.”
Sustained through generous contributions to the STC Foundation, STC’s Student Food Pantry reflects the college’s continued promise to nourish student well-being and ensure every student has the opportunity to succeed.
To receive assistance, students must be enrolled at STC, be eligible for income-based or other assistance programs and register at the pantry location of their choice.
For more information on how to register, visit life.southtexascollege.edu/food-pantry/ or call 956-872-3530.
