An education for drama student comes full circle

For Ramiro Castro, entering South Texas College as a full-time student while working full-time made it very difficult to deal with the usual distractions in life.

Ramiro said he had to learn to coordinate and manage his time well, but that in itself gave him some insight on how approach college.

After living in San Antonio for the last 16 years, he said he needed a huge change in his life, and going back to college was the next viable step.

 “Attending STC was an ideal privilege for me because it had been over 12 years since I last attended college or a university, and I felt that a smaller class size was in my best interest to be able to understand the process of being a student again,” Ramiro said. “I can proudly say that has worked out well for me (because) I have done great in my classes and I found myself assisting many of my classmates.

“I saw it as a sign of assurance and motivation that if these young adults could confide in my advice and life experiences then I am doing something right and I must keep excelling forward,” he said.

First entering South Texas College in spring 2018, Ramiro will be graduating in December with an associate degree in Drama. He plans to continue his education with a Bachelor's in Theatre Arts with a concentration in TV/Film/Theatre after he transfers to UTRGV. 

With an Associate of Arts degree in Drama from STC, students receive a pre-professional foundation skill-set necessary to compete for beginning positions as technicians and/or performers.

The program is intended to enable students to develop the necessary academic, technical and analytical skills that will provide them with a measurable foundation in the basics of sound theater practices. This degree is useful to an individual seeking employment in the entertainment and media industries

The AA and BA/BFA degrees also serve as the foundation for specialized studies in Drama such as Scene & Lighting Design, Costume Design, Technical Direction, Playwriting, Directing, Performance, Arts Management and Dramaturgy.

“The best advice I can give to anyone pursuing any type of success in college is to accept that it is a long process and that taking any time off or breaks in between semesters will only deter you from accomplishing that goal you have set for yourself,” Ramiro said. “I can say this from my own personal experience that it is never too late to get an education, but I stress that it would be preferable if you can accomplish this early in life. 

“I am very happy that after all these years I have made a complete circle and found this great opportunity to finally pursue my passion,” he said.