Texas Border Business
By Veronica Salinas
McALLEN, Texas – For South Texas College (STC) alumna and mathematics faculty member Maria Munguia, mathematics is about much more than numbers and equations.
The oldest of five children and the first in her family to attend college, Munguia immigrated from Mexico and grew up in a low-income household. Her experiences shaped her commitment to education and to supporting students who may be navigating challenges like hers.
“My own first‑generation journey helps me create spaces where students build confidence, find community and access the resources they need to thrive,” she said.
Munguia earner her associate degree in mathematics from STC in 2010 before completing her bachelor’s and master’s degrees at the University of Texas-Pan American, now the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley.
Her passion for math began when two teachers recognized her potential. Her eighth-grade math teacher noticed her ability, while her high school Algebra teacher advocated for her to move to Pre-AP Algebra.
“I didn’t know I was good at anything until my teachers noticed my ability,” she said. “They changed the direction of my future.”
By high school graduation, Munguia knew she wanted to become a math teacher. It was during College Algebra at STC that she realized she wanted to teach at the college level.
“STC has been my second home since 2008. It’s where I met people who changed my life and where I learned to believe in my own potential,” she said.
Today, Munguia works to provide her students with the same encouragement that once helped shape her path.
“What I enjoy most is helping students recognize abilities within themselves that they may not yet see,” she said.
She creates a classroom environment where students feel comfortable asking questions and making mistakes, while also helping them connect with resources across campus. Her assignments encourage students to visit services such as the tutoring center, student activities, counseling and academic coaching.
Munguia also incorporates opportunities for the students to step outside the classroom and connect with their peers. She occasionally takes her classes to student activities events, giving students a chance to experience campus life and take a break.
Beyond her classroom, Munguia remains deeply involved in helping students build community and explore their futures. She is active with the Ascender program, Noche de Familia at the Mid-Valley Campus has chaperoned university tours for her students and serves as an advisor for the Girls Discovering Math Club.
For Munguia, the greatest reward of teaching is watching students begin to believe in themselves.
“Every visit to Building J (STC’s South Academic Building) takes me back to that shy student who came from humble beginnings and was quietly working through a difficult chapter, but determined to keep going,” she said.
She carries that memory with her as she supports today’s students who may be facing their own difficult chapters.
“STC becomes their home, their safe space, their place to breathe, to hope and to build a better future,” Munguia said.
Through her teaching and involvement across STC, Munguia strives to help students leave the college with more confidence, resilience, critical thinking skills, the ability to advocate for themselves and a sense of purpose that motivates them to keep moving forward.
Information source: STC
