STC alumna and new counselor at Starr County campus has deep roots in local community
STC’s new counseling representative at its Starr County campus, Alejandra Lopez, says her upbringing in the region makes her familiar with student needs on campus. Lopez is a 2009 graduate of the college
Students attending South Texas College’s Starr County campus have someone in their corner when it comes to mental health services, according to Alejandra Lopez, the campus’s new counseling representative.
Being from the Starr County region and a graduate from STC enables Lopez to understand local student needs from an academic standpoint as well as from a mental health standpoint, she said.
“Like many students from the area, my parents didn't get to finish elementary school, so I want to make sure that students who come by know that even though their parents cannot offer a lot of support for them to finish college, there are people here like me who can help,” Lopez said. “Students need to know there is always tutoring available as well as mental health services and people around that they can talk to.”
Lopez, a graduate of Rio Grande City High School in 2008, began her journey in higher education at STC in 2009 where she obtained an Office Specialist Certificate.
She went on to the University of Texas-Pan American (UTPA) where she received a bachelor’s degree in General Rehabilitation Studies in 2013.
The degree opened the door to an internship with Project Hire, a program between STC and UTPA that gave her experience as an academic coach helping students with disabilities obtain college certifications.
“I have been able to help people in my community by connecting them to these resources, and through my work as a counselor, I have seen the community's needs firsthand.”
“This is when I learned I wanted to become a counselor to assist our community, advocate and provide support,” Lopez said. “A little after graduation, I was hired at South Texas College under High School Programs. This allowed me to learn about the needs of our college students and how to guide them to success.”
A commitment to mental health gave Lopez an opportunity to work with Border Region Behavioral Health Center in Rio Grande City, a local mental health authority where she was employed for over seven years providing a variety of services including assertive community treatment, psychosocial rehab, skills training and case management.
But among the most impactful parts of that job was working within the center’s suicide crisis hotline, she said.
“I have worked in conjunction with the local police department, as well as with juveniles, local schools and doctors’ offices. Being from the community makes me familiar with the resources around here,” she said. “I have been able to help people in my community by connecting them to these resources, and through my work as a counselor, I have seen the community's needs firsthand.”
Lopez recently completed her master’s degree in Counseling and Guidance from Texas A&M-Kingsville.
Since the pandemic she has seen an increase in the number of students seeking mental health services. By some studies, one in three college students has reported suffering anxiety or depression since the start of COVID-19.
For more information about counseling as well as student accessibility services, please visit studentservices.southtexascollege.edu/counseling/ for more information.