For Immediate Release

Email this story

Click here to watch video

UTB/TSC Student Employment Initiative wins state award

AUSTIN, TEXAS – DECEMBER 2, 2008 – The University of Texas at Brownsville and Texas Southmost College’s Student Employment Initiative was one of seven programs to receive the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board’s Star Award during a ceremony on Tuesday, Dec. 2 in Austin.

“It is a pleasure to know that you have accomplished what you set out to do,” UTB/TSC Dean of Students Mari Fuentes-Martin said. “I remember when we first started the program people were skeptical because of what we were demanding of our students, but we knew if we raised the bar for our students, they would meet our expectations, and they did. They exceeded them.”

SEI was one of 19 finalists for the award that were selected from a pool of 69 applicants. This is the second year SEI has been a finalist and the third year for a UTB/TSC program. In 2006, the Early Medical Acceptance Program was finalist, and in 2007, SEI and Upward Bound Math and Science program were finalists. Winning programs from Texas’ institutions promote aspects of Closing the Gaps by 2015, an initiative approved in 2000 by the state higher education board to improve research, excellence, student success and student participation.

“We would like to thank each program here today,” said Mary E. Smith, THECB Assistant Deputy Commissioner for Academic Planning  and Policy. “Every day, you are working to achieve our goals.”

The SEI began in fall 2005 and enables UTB/TSC students to work up to 20 hours a week on campus while maintaining at least a 2.75 grade point average and taking at least 15 semester credit hours. The $439,000 used for the program is from set aside tuition.

Students work in 87 positions geared toward their majors in departments and academic schools and colleges throughout campus. Participants can find themselves doing research, working on presentations, mentoring other students and other tasks.

Since 2005, 451 students have benefited from the program with an average GPA of 3.27 and a 99 percent retention rate.

“It is hard to express what this means to be recognized (by THECB), but this is a big accomplishment for our students,” said Career Services Program Director Juan Andres Rodriguez.
Rodriguez said the program helps students also gain real world experience
“Studies show that students who are employed on campus have higher GPAs than other students,” he said. “But besides that, the program offers them the opportunity to get hands-on experience. They are on campus gaining knowledge as accountants, in communications, researchers, mentors. These students learn a sense of leadership and professionalism needed when they leave college.”

Cristina Caballero has been an SEI worker in the Office of News and Information since the fisrt summer session. Caballero, 20, a junior communication major from Brownsville, writes media advisories and releases and works on special projects as assigned.

She heard about the initiative from the Career Services Office.

“It’s preparing you for what you want to do,” Caballero said about the work program. “You get to see all aspects of whatever job you want to go into. You learn a good work ethic.”

Rodriguez said the program currently has 20 students on a waiting list for future job openings.

Incoming freshmen learn about the program at Scorpiontation, the university’s orientation experience held several times throughout the year, but the program also gets around campus by word of mouth.

“I once overheard a conversation of a group of students and one was so excited to learn that she could meet the criteria to be in SEI, and she was so excited,” Fuentes-Martin said. “That got me excited. To know that the students are encouraging each other to be a part of this program means it is working and we accomplished what we set out to do.”

For more information on the Student Employment Initiative, call Career Services at (956) 882-5627.

UTB/TSC | 80 Fort Brown, Brownsville, Texas 78520 | 956.882.8200

 2008 Security Report  | Accessibility Policy   |   Privacy Statement   |   State Of Texas