Texas Border Business
By Roberto Hugo González
On April 17, 2025, a gathering at Malfitany Pasta Co. in McAllen highlighted the expansion of a nationally recognized dual-credit initiative coordinated by the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) in collaboration with regional educators, health professionals, and industry leaders. The event centered around the accomplishments of high-achieving Valley View High School students enrolled in the Spanish Minor program and efforts to grow the initiative’s reach and impact.
Dr. Glenn Martinez, Dean of the College of Liberal and Fine Arts at UTSA, emphasized the origins and growth of the program. With deep ties to the Rio Grande Valley and a 25-year career in education, Martinez credited Valley View High School educator David De Leon for identifying a unique challenge in 2009: students excelling in Spanish language and literature exams had no further coursework available. In response, Martinez and De Leon partnered to launch an early college initiative allowing students to begin college-level Spanish classes in 10th grade, culminating in a minor by high school graduation.
The program has since grown to include dual-enrollment courses taught by UTSA faculty, summer residencies at the UTSA campus in San Antonio, and immersive cultural and academic experiences designed to strengthen student-university bonds. Martinez explained that the program is built on the philosophy that early success leads to future achievement. He credited this supportive structure for helping students complete bachelor’s degrees in less than three years and preparing them for impactful careers across fields.
Paul Treviño, OPA-C, an orthopedic physician assistant and founder of Real Health Medical Clinic, has served as a key supporter and mentor within the program, offering students hands-on exposure to the medical profession. Treviño spoke candidly about the Valley’s ongoing challenge in retaining local talent, particularly in medicine and specialized fields. He noted that while many students leave South Texas for education, few return to practice. He said his goal is to “spark interest early and bring them back.”
Treviño stressed the importance of meaningful career exploration and apprenticeships, pointing out that students often make costly decisions without understanding their long-term implications. Through clinic-based mentorships and leadership engagement, he hopes to guide students toward informed choices that serve personal and community goals. “These students represent the top 10% of the 10%. They need direction, not just ambition,” he said.
David De Leon, the longtime educator and program coordinator at Valley View, was widely credited by both Martinez and Treviño for his foundational work in creating and sustaining the program. De Leon noted that nearly 90 percent of the participating students rank in the top 10 percent of their class, and many have earned national recognition. Several alumni, including Paula Cardona, who now teaches science at her alma mater, returned to speak about the program’s influence on their lives.
The students at the center of this initiative reflected a wide range of interests, from music and teaching to medicine and engineering. They spoke of the life-changing experience of attending UTSA for immersive summer sessions, where they lived on campus, built academic confidence, and formed bonds with mentors and peers. Student Frida Montelongo, a state champion mariachi singer, shared her appreciation for the opportunities the program provided. Others, like Geraldo Medina and Ana Gudiño, explained how the program opened doors they hadn’t imagined and deepened their desire to give back to the region. Whether interpreting medical terms, teaching future generations, or pursuing careers in healthcare, the students expressed a strong sense of purpose and a renewed commitment to their community.
The UTSA initiative, supported partly by industry partnerships and the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), plans to increase its cohort to 120 students next year and expand into additional school districts across South Texas. Organizers said the goal is academic excellence and cultivating future leaders who will return to and uplift their communities.
