Hilda Pedraza returns to college and finds success in Public Administration
Student of the Week: Hilda Pedraza
Returning to college after nearly 30 years, Hilda Pedraza said she took advantage of night and online courses at South Texas College, which enabled her to manage a high-paced career along with her goals for higher education.
Her resilience and tenacity helped her earn an associate in Public Administration in December 2018 despite a full-time work schedule as city clerk for the City of Pharr.
“I didn't have the opportunity to go back to college thirty years ago so when I started working for the city 18 years ago I told myself ‘You know what, it's time for me to further my career’,” Hilda said. “Earning my degree helped with my current job because this position requires a lot of education and a lot of experience. We attend a lot of conferences because we have to keep updated with the laws and what we do.”
The Associates of Applied Science degree in Public Administration program is designed to provide students with the knowledge and skills necessary for employment in the public sector and not-for-profit programs.
“I didn't have the opportunity to go back to college thirty years ago so when I started working for the city 18 years ago I told myself ‘You know what, it's time for me to further my career’,”
The program enables students to understand the political, legal, ethical and social context of public administration and includes areas such as public sector management, budgeting, ethics and supervision. The program includes a three credit hour practicum designed to give the student real-world experience related to the area of their career interest.
Hilda says the program has ensured she is ready to complete a bachelor degree in Organizational Leadership or Business Management.
“I love what I do. It's never too late for people to go back to school and get education,” Hilda said. “Nowadays, it's very important to get your education and STC has great programs, great teachers, and my overall experience here has been great.
“The opportunity is here. Everything is in your own hands,” she said. “We just need to learn to take advantage of those opportunities.”