Texas Border Business
Brownsville, Texas – The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley and the City of Matamoros, Tamps., Mexico, have partnered to provide a student services center in that city.
The City of Matamoros will provide the 1,607-square-foot, rent-free office space in the IMACULTA (Instituto Matamorense para la Cultura y las Artes) building, along with utilities, at no cost to the university.
The center, at Avenida Constitución 57 just across from the Brownsville-Matamoros International Bridge and close to the new U.S. Consulate General in Matamoros, will be called U Central Matamoros and will replicate UTRGV’s other U Central offices on the Brownsville and Edinburg campuses.
U Central Matamoros will be a space where UTRGV students from Mexico can access enrollment-related services and where potential students can receive information about the university. The center is scheduled to open in late February.
Dara Newton, UTRGV’s associate vice president for strategic enrollment, will oversee the center. She said the plan is to initially hire two combo recruiter/generalist positions capable of serving students throughout their entire career, from recruitment in area schools to graduation from UTRGV. The university currently has more than 100 enrolled undergraduate and graduate students from Matamoros.
“The main goal is to provide current and potential students from Matamoros and the surrounding area access to enrollment services in their hometown,” Newton said. “Our staff members will also serve as liaisons for students and work with points of contact at Brownsville and Edinburg to help students with their particular situations.”
UTRGV President Guy Bailey said this agreement is yet another way to provide a path to success for the university’s students.
“UTRGV’s top priority is student success, and this student services center helps us achieve that goal,” Bailey said. “We thank the City of Matamoros and Mayor Mario Alberto López-Hernández for providing this beautiful office space. We also thank the U.S. Consulate General in Matamoros for their collaboration and guidance through this project.”
López-Hernández said this Buena Voluntad (goodwill) agreement reinforces the ties of brotherhood and cooperation between Matamoros and UTRGV, and between Mexico and the United States. He said it also is a big step toward future agreements that will help improve the quality of life not just for matamorenses but also for people throughout Mexico.
“We are pleased to be able to help support our students from Matamoros, and we encourage them to make full use of this center to facilitate their college careers,” Lopez-Hernandez said. “UTRGV is an excellent university that offers many opportunities, and we encourage our students to utilize this service center that can help facilitate their ultimate path to a career.”
The initial rental agreement is for one year, with three one-year renewal options.
