Texas Border Business
BROWNSVILLE, Texas– Alejandra Aldrete is the newest Texas Southmost College trustee, bringing a passion for teaching and serving others to the board. Sworn in November 16, 2020, she is proud to have been elected by the communities she loves.
“Serving our communities in this capacity is a great privilege,” said Aldrete. “It’s a role that comes with great responsibility. I feel that a large part of my service is bringing everyone together and committing to accomplishing the goals we have for our prospective students, current students and our communities.”
The commitment to service is what inspired Aldrete, not only to become a trustee, but also in her role as an educator. She currently serves as the Curriculum Specialist for the Bilingual/English as a Second Language/Title III Department for the Brownsville Independent School District. She has been with BISD for the past 15 years.
Raised on both sides of the Texas-Mexico border provided Aldrete with a rich bicultural experience that opened her eyes to the varying needs of students in the region. From an early age, she was committed to assisting in providing quality education to the children in the Lower Rio Grande Valley.
“I was that little girl who asked for a chalkboard and chalk for my birthday,” she reminisced. “I’ve always known that my purpose is to teach and provide educational opportunities. To be living out my passion, by doing what I love and seeing students succeed, is a dream come true.”
After graduating from St. Joseph’s Academy, Aldrete earned a bachelor’s degree in bilingual education from the UTB/Texas Southmost College. She continued her education and received a master’s degree in educational leadership from Lamar University. She also holds a principal certification from Lamar University and a diagnostician certification from the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley.
Prior to her current position with BISD, she was a teacher at El Jardin Elementary School for eight years and then dean of instruction for Skinner Elementary for five years.
“Education is a rewarding career,” said Aldrete. “I’ve watched my students grow up and find success. That makes me so proud. Many have even become TSC students, and I have had the honor of personally seeing them become college graduates. That is the ultimate reward.”
Now, as a TSC Trustee, Aldrete’s goal is to increase students’ exposure to the skills needed to fulfill the demands of high-paying trade industries—locally and across the state—and to improve TSC’s network infrastructures to ensure students have the advanced technology they need to obtain these skills.
“All of our students need access to a high-quality education that will give them the skills they need to build better lives,” said Aldrete. “Knowing this invigorates our work as trustees and it influences the approaches we take in making our goals a reality. We always have our students’ and communities’ best interests in mind.”
Aldrete’s passion for service is also evident through her entrepreneurship and volunteerism. For the past eight years, she has operated a successful business, Classic Auto Rent. She uses the expertise she has gained as a businesswoman to mentor future female business leaders. She has also served as a volunteer with the Disaster TexStar Relief Network and at the TSC COVID-19 vaccination clinics. “It is with great honor that I continue to serve my hometown in every way possible,” she said. “It’s wonderful being back at TSC as a trustee. As a returning alumna of the Scorpion family, the feelings of joy and anticipation I had when I was a student on campus are the same feelings I have now. TSC has created a warm and welcoming environment where we have the opportunity every day to make a positive impact on students’ lives. I want to make sure all students have a great experience and know we are here to serve them.”
