STC holds second COVID-19 vaccination clinic

South Texas College, in collaboration with Hidalgo County’s Health Department, held its second COVID-19 vaccination clinic on Wednesday, Sept. 22 at the Pecan campus. Those in attendance were able to see a growing difference on Wednesday’s site from its first clinic held at the later start of the school year.

In attendance were McAllen City Commissioner District 3, Omar Quintanilla, Hidalgo County Precinct 3 Commissioner, Everardo “Ever” Villarreal, STC Board of Trustees Victoria Cantu, District 2, Paul R. Rodriguez, District 3, Rene Guajardo, District 6, and STC President, Dr. Ricardo J. Solis.

The start of the fall semester put a brief pause for in-person classes, but the busy sidewalks of the Pecan campus resumed with students on Sept. 7.

“To have the clinic at STC with the amount of students that are here is just a great thing,” said District 3 Commissioner, Omar Quintanilla. “I am glad it’s here in District 3 with the City of McAllen."

Not only were the first- and second-dose of Moderna and Pfizer vaccines available to students, staff and faculty but volunteer STC nursing students and their Hidalgo County colleagues were administering the booster shot.

One staff member who received her booster shot says this will serve as a shield of protection.

“The reason I got the vaccine was to protect my parents, my granddaughter, and most of all to protect my family and me,” said Nelda Saenz, STC Academic Advisor whose been with the college for 18-years. “As the second dosage came around [my family and I] were in line, and the same factor was that we wanted to be safe. We wanted to make sure that the people we were around were safe from us. I just wanted the safety - I wanted that shield of protection to be around us.”

Hidalgo County’s Health Department assisted in registering students and staff while STC’s NAH students got to rolling up sleeves.

“More people keep showing up and that’s a good thing,” said Leslie Mirelez, STC Vocational Nursing student. “People are still trying to seek the vaccines we desperately need.”

South Texas College is committed to supporting and providing vaccines to college-bound students and their families with the county’s help recognizing its students and colleagues.

“This is an amazing initiative and I just want to congratulate everybody’s efforts for coming together and allowing for this project to come through,” said STC Trustee Victoria Cantu.

Hidalgo County’s Health Department with Everardo Ibarra and team along with Hidalgo County Precinct 3 Commissioner, Everardo “Ever” Villarreal supported the college’s vaccine clinic in making it accessible and free for all.

“[Hidalgo County] is happy to help with our health department, my precinct, the county judge and everybody else who fully supports helping our school districts and colleges in helping our students and staff get vaccinated so we can keep everybody safe,” said Hidalgo County Precinct 3 Commissioner, Everardo Villareal.

Hidalgo County’s efforts and joint forces with the college have been a long-time partner in growing opportunities.

“It’s encouraging to see this happening and we continue trying to be a leader in our community as far as encouraging the vaccines and making them accessible as possible,” said STC Trustee Paul R. Rodriguez. “If STC is about anything besides community involvement, it’s about partnerships.”

To read about the previous COVID-19 vaccination clinic held Aug. 18, visit our story here.