'Motivated to do my best'
Student of the Week: Yuliana Ramirez
“They care about you here. They care about how you’re doing, and they want to motivate you to be your best.”
Yuliana Ramirez found her future at South Texas College.
Born and raised in Edinburg, Ramirez, 19, said she never felt like she belonged in high school and wasn’t thinking about going to college until her high school music teacher encouraged her to enroll at STC. That was in the spring of 2019. Ramirez is on schedule to graduate with an associate degree in music this summer and hopes to enroll at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley in the spring of 2022.
Her career goal? To become an elementary school music teacher.
“I didn’t get into music until my senior year of high school when I took a guitar class as an elective,” Ramirez said. “It helped me grow as a person, it opened up new doors and helped me find out who I was. One of the reasons music wasn’t something I thought about pursuing when I was younger was that music wasn’t emphasized or something I was exposed to in school. I want to bring music to kids at a young age to help them find something they’re passionate about.”
Ramirez said South Texas College has nurtured her ambitions.
“I love it here,” she said. “I love it here so much. The student/professor connection is close, it’s genuine. They care about how you’re doing and they want to motivate you to be your best. Even when you leave here, the faculty and staff stays in touch to make sure you continue to succeed.”
STC’s Music Program includes an associate of arts degree that focuses on establishing a solid foundation in music theory and literature and gives the opportunity participate in solo performances and musical ensembles. Courses include Music Theory, Sight Singing and Ear Training, Piano, and Music Literature. Those courses have kept Ramirez tuned into her studies and have come in handy in her work-study job with the STC Music Program.
How does Ramirez motivate herself?
“I see people in other parts of the country and other parts of the world who don’t have the same educational opportunities that I do, and it motivates me to take advantage of what I have and to do my best.
“I’m learning a lot about myself here,” Ramirez added. “STC is a great place to continue your education, to explore the possibilities and to get a great education without spending a ridiculous amount of money on tuition.”