Texas Border Business
BROWNSVILLE, Texas – Generations of community supporters joined in the celebration to mark Texas Southmost College’s 95th Anniversary October 30 at the TSC Performing Arts Center. The event offered something for everyone, with a string quartet and mariachis, authentic seafood paella and local street tacos, free commemorative tee shirts and posters, all capped off by a spectacular fireworks show.
As an alumnus of TSC, TSC Board of Trustees Chair Ruben Herrera said he knows, first hand, the monumental impact the college has on families in the Lower Rio Grande Valley, and he thanked the members of the Scorpion Family—past and present—for their dedication to transforming lives.
“We are grateful to the incredible employees who help our students achieve their dream of earning a college education,” said Herrera. “And we are grateful to our students and their families who entrust us with their education.”
Herrera also highlighted the robust collaboration from industry partners, who help ensure programs remain on the cutting edge of technology, as well as the unwavering support for the college shared by our communities.
As alumni and other members of the Scorpion family reconnected during the evening, they shared their stories of how TSC helped transform their lives. Alumna Rosanna Betancourt, for example, noted that she graduated with an associate degree in nursing and is now an intensive care unit nurse at Solara Specialty Hospital in Harlingen and Harlingen Medical Center.
“It’s pretty exciting to see how TSC has positively affected this community over the last 95 years,” said Betancourt. “And not only has it impacted the community, but it impacted my life. I was a divorced, single mother, and TSC gave me the training I needed for a career that has allowed me to support my family. Like many others, TSC changed my life.”
TSC President Jesus Roberto Rodriguez, Ph.D., said the 95th Anniversary event was a great success in bringing the Scorpion family together, including students, employees, elected officials and community supporters who filled TSC’s Performing Arts Center theater for the event.
“As the oldest institution of higher education in the region and the first accredited community college in Texas, TSC serves as the heartbeat of the Rio Grande Valley,” said Rodriguez. “Throughout the years, the college has evolved as the needs of the community have evolved. As a comprehensive community college, TSC serves the entire lifecycle of an individual, from middle school camps to high school dual credit, through TSC degree programs, to additional training when you are in a job, to leisure learning. In fact, since 2017, TSC has saved families more than $28 million in tuition and fees through dual credit classes offered to them at no cost.”
During the event, participants also celebrated the 10th anniversary of the courageous vote TSC Trustees made to re-establish TSC as an independent comprehensive community college in February 2011.
“We had a strong belief that the community would benefit greatly from reclaiming the community college mission,” said TSC Board of Trustees Past Chair Adela G. Garza. “Over the past several years, the TSC Board has made college more accessible for our community by lowering tuition to become the most affordable institution of higher education in the Rio Grande Valley, and we remain committed to ensuring students have access to high-quality education.”
The four board members who voted to re-establish TSC as an independent college and reclaim the community college mission were honored with a commemorative poster designed by local artist and TSC alumnus Don Breeden. The poster highlights notable milestones throughout the college’s 95-year history, such as the move to historic Fort Brown, vibrant student life programs and the rapid evolution of new programs as technology advanced.
State and federal elected officials also took part in the celebration by issuing proclamations and letters of congratulations in support of TSC’s many accomplishments over the past 95 years, including greetings from U.S. House of Representatives Filemon Vela and Vicente Gonzalez, U.S. Senators Ted Cruz and John Cornyn, Texas Governor Greg Abbot and U.S. President Joe Biden.
“I send my warmest congratulations as you mark the 95th anniversary of Texas Southmost College and its Board of Trustees,” Biden’s letter stated. “We have all been shaped by educators who have sparked our curiosity, helped us find confidence…and inspired us to build a better world. Institutions like yours not only educate our students – they shape our future.”
TSC’s 95th Anniversary celebration will continue throughout the year with numerous events to mark the college’s important milestone. To learn more about TSC, its history, programs offered and upcoming events, visit tsc.edu.
