“I want to do this, and I’m going to do this,” she remembers telling herself when she first applied to the Dual Enrollment Medical Science Academy (DEMSA) program.  

 A senior at Progresso High School, the aspiring pediatrician joined STC’s dual enrollment program at the start of the pandemic to obtain an associate of science degree before graduating high school. 

“This is a program for students who are passionate about the sciences and want to pursue a medical profession,” said Zavala. “As a DEMSA student, you have to be a responsible student and committed to your studies.”  

The academy is designed to encourage area high school students to pursue the health care professions by providing college coursework and health-related opportunities that will educate and prepare students for higher education in the field. 

The seventeen-year-old shares a memory that inspired her ambitious career choice.  

“Something happened when I was six-years-old at a playground where all of a sudden, I heard a little girl crying,” recalls Zavala. “And I see that she is on the floor crying holding her knee up cradling, and I looked at my mom where she gave me this nod of approval knowing that I wanted to help, and I saw it was a scrape with blood which I asked my mom for tissues and a band-aid, and the girl just smiled at me, and I reassured her that everything was going to be O.K.”  

Her instinct to help those in need is why she wants to pursue a Master’s of Science in Nursing (MSN) and serve the Valley community.  

“I always think of that little girl and know I want to help kids like her,” she said. 

Working toward her career goals, Zavala excels in athletics and currently serves as president of her high school’s Medical Health Careers Club. 

“I have built on my responsibility and trustworthiness with my coaches and teammates and leadership amongst my peers,” said Zavala. “I use these qualities throughout school and am going to continue applying them throughout my college education and future profession.” 

Zavala earned an STC President’s Honor Roll Award for her academic achievements. 

She plans to care for children in the Valley where she feels the need to be. 

“My parents have supported me all along and I am reminded that this is what I want to do,” she said.  

To learn more about STC’s DEMSA program visit, https://www.southtexascollege.edu/dual/academies/  

At first becoming enamored with the work of hackers at an early age through film and television, Villarreal says his perception of what a computer professional does changed as he became more familiar with the subject.

Now as a junior in high school, Villarreal says he is immersed in the subject, learning new techniques ranging from computer networking to combatting cyber threats in one of STC’s newest programs created for high school students seeking to enter a career in Cybersecurity.

Villarreal, 17, is currently part of STC’s newest cohort of students participating in the Dual Credit Cybersecurity Program, which began in fall 2019.

Villarreal currently attends Mission High School and is slated to receive his certificate in Cybersecurity when he graduates high school in May 2021.

“Personally, I really enjoy the course,” Villarreal said. “This is something I have been into since I was in elementary school, especially the cybersecurity aspect of it, and so I entered computer science in high school and learned about coding but to be honest I didn’t like it.

“I found out about this program last year and I jumped at the chance because I am really interested in a career in cybersecurity, which I think is a fascinating topic,” he said.

Villarreal says he is currently taking Intro to Security along with the Fundamentals of Networking in his second semester in the program. Seeking to one day land a job with the U.S. government or a similar agency, Villarreal says his first step would be to continue at STC once he graduates high school in order to receive his associate degree before moving on.

“In my case, I plan to finish my associate degree at STC because I really like the campus and the environment, and then hopefully transfer to UTSA for my bachelor’s degree,” Villarreal said. “In this degree plan you have to be open to learning a lot of information. It’s not easy. You have to learn to utilize a lot of different programs and the different terminology so you have to be really dedicated.

“I know it’s going to pay off in the end,” Villarreal said.

The Dual Credit Cybersecurity Program provides students from partnering area high schools the opportunity to pursue a Certificate in the field of Cybersecurity.

Students participating in the Career and Technical Education (CTE) pathway, are on track to complete their Cybersecurity Specialist Certificate by the end of their senior year in high school, according to leaders in STC’s Dual Credit Program.

“The strong partnerships with our ISD partners and the partnerships they have with each other, has given students the opportunity to offer these courses,” said Leonardo Castañeda, Director of Academies and High School Projects at STC. “The program serves to address the shortage of professionals in an emerging field due to the demand in protecting one of the most valuable assets that many organizations have, which is data.”

The National Security Agency and the Department of Homeland Security’s designation of South Texas College as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense, speaks volumes about the faculty teaching STC cybersecurity courses and resources available to Dual Credit Cybersecurity Program students.

Through the efforts of faculty, Dual Credit Cybersecurity students are set to graduate as highly skilled and highly trained professionals in the field as they make the most out of access to cutting edge technology which is essential in this field of study. Students are introduced to the latest techniques required to combat unauthorized access or attaches of a computer or computer system/network.

“Through state-of-the-art equipment and the faculty who are teaching these courses, students are becoming highly prepared to go on and pursue their associate degree or bachelor degree, and we hope they continue with these degrees after they complete the program,” Castañeda said.

The two-year program prepares students to learn practices that are designed to protect networks, computers, programs, and data from attacks, damage, or unauthorized access. For more information, students can contact their high school counselor or STC’s Dual Credit Programs office at 956-872-3520.

In honor of School Board Appreciation Month, South Texas College hosted its 6th annual Board Appreciation Breakfast Friday Jan. 24. The event was organized as a ‘thank you’ to its many partners in education across Hidalgo and Starr Counties. At the event, STC’s Board of Trustees gathered with superintendents and board members from local school districts as well as Region One Education Service Center, and were lauded for their leadership, hard work, and dedication.

STC trustees in attendance included Vice Chair Rose Benavidez, Gary Gurwitz, Dr. Alejo Salinas Jr., and Victoria Cantu.

“When we talk about partnerships there is absolutely no question that there is a genuine effort to work on having the best kind of collaboration, partnerships, and friendships between many of us at South Texas College and each of your school districts,” Benavidez said. “When we are talking about where we go next, it is quite evident that the changes that have transpired in the region are attributed to many of the partnerships we have in common.”

Districts in attendance at the event included leadership from McAllen ISD, PSJA ISD, Hidalgo ISD, La Joya ISD, La Villa ISD, Valley View ISD, Vanguard Academy, Mercedes ISD, Edcouch-Elsa ISD, South Texas ISD, Mission ISD, as well as Region One.

At the event, school district leadership was updated on the continued success of the college’s dual credit program, which serves over 15,000 dual credit students throughout Hidalgo and Starr Counties.

“January is Board Appreciation Month, and this is our way of saying ‘thank you’,” said STC President Dr. Shirley A. Reed. “The great work we do simply cannot be done without partnerships, and I always reflect that they are not always easy.

“Partnerships can be challenging but we can’t lose sight of that greater good,” Dr. Reed said.

At the event, attendees were informed on STC’s Dual Credit Programs as the most effective pathway to creating a college-going and college-completing culture for families in the Valley. Now in its 21st year of academic excellence, the program has grown to more than 200 college faculty and over 300 dual credit faculty across both counties.

Since 2000, STC has served over 106,000 dual credit high school students tuition-free, and has saved families over $200 million in tuition and fees.

Beginning with the first early college high school in 2006, to date there are now 33 Early College High Schools across the Valley with a pipeline of more than 15,000 students and 200 unique dual credit courses in partnership with South Texas College.

“People say college for all, but we say careers for all,” said Mission ISD superintendent Dr. Carol G. Perez. “It’s about offering children options and also meeting their needs and interests.

“This meeting just validates what we believe as well as our philosophies,” Dr. Perez said. “Every single superintendent believes wholeheartedly that the way to go is to continue to partner with STC and continue to innovate in order to offer our students the best curriculum programming possible.”

La Villa superintendent Alejos Salazar said the event reaffirmed the positive work done to transform his district and community.

“These events are crucial to our success because it validates what we are doing, and that is the important thing,” Salazar said. “It validates our work and us validating the support that STC gives us as a dual enrollment partner.”

De la garza is one of 19 Dual Enrollment students in the Medical Science Academy at STC that is hunting for new viruses in her very own community as part of the prestigious program, SEA-PHAGES — Science Education Alliance-Phage Hunters Advancing Genomics and Evolutionary Science. If a unique virus is found, it could ultimately be used as an alternative to antibiotics.

SEA-PHAGES is a nationwide collaboration in which undergraduates from 177 institutions search for new bacteriophages, which are viruses that eat bacterial cells.

The Howard Hughes Medical Institute established SEA-PHAGES to encourage interest in biological sciences by providing undergraduates with valuable research opportunities. The institute runs the program with the University of Pittsburgh.

STC is the first institution in the Rio Grande Valley to join SEA-PHAGES, says Dr. Maria Y. Cervantes, chair of STC’s Biology Department. The program is a great way to get students involved in research and promote STEM fields.

“We’re very unique especially because we are a border town, so the expectation is that we probably do have bacteriophages that are very unique to the area,” Dr. Cervantes says.

The College’s participation is also significant because there are few laboratory research projects at community colleges. Most of the students in the SEA-PHAGES course at STC are high school juniors and seniors.

“I just thought it was really interesting that we could have the chance to find something ourselves,” says De la garza, who is in the first group of students to take the course at STC. “It’s one thing to hear about discoveries but it’s another thing to be going through it myself.”

The course is designed as an introductory lab course for students, Dr. Cervantes says. The SEA-PHAGES program has found that students who take part in this authentic lab experience are more likely to continue studying the sciences than those who take traditional biology lab courses.

De la garza has always had dreams of working in the healthcare field. “I’ve always wanted to do something medical,” she says. “I’ve always just wanted to help people.”

“The students are going to experience something that is new, something that has not been done here before, with an opportunity to open doors to a life of science,” Dr. Cervantes says.

For those who want to go to medical school, it shows them how science goes hand in hand with that career, she explains. The tools and methods physicians use to treat patients all started in a lab.

“So exposing the students to that very first step in medicine, which is learning how organisms work, how drugs work, is going to hopefully give them a better appreciation for when they become doctors and move onto something bigger and better,” Dr. Cervantes says. “And hopefully the students will be encouraged to not just pursue their associate, but their bachelor’s and then a higher level degree – graduate school, medical school, and the sky’s the limit for them.”

The students’ research so far has exceeded expectations, Dr. Cervantes says. “They told us if you get three students to purify a virus out of a 20, you are doing great. You know what these students did? Fourteen out of the 19 have successfully purified a virus,” she says.

The prevalence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria makes this area of study particularly important and timely, Dr. Cervantes says. There are so many viruses being found that the possibility the students have discovered new ones is very high, she says.

Recently, a virus identified by university students in the SEA-PHAGES program helped cure an England girl’s antibiotic-resistant respiratory infection, Dr. Cervantes says. The girl received an injection of a cocktail of three viruses that specifically fought this bacteria.

The potential for STC students to make an impact in microbiology is “phenomenal,” says STC President Shirley A. Reed, who visited the lab to learn about their work. “Just think if we actually could identify a selected virus that would eat bacteria. We wouldn’t be using prescription drugs to kill bacteria,” Dr. Reed says. “And I understand viruses are rather smart critters; they evolve and change. Maybe they can be trained to go after cancer cells.”

Most of the students took soil samples from near their homes during their research. They will find out next semester if their viruses are unique. If so, they will be able to name them and submit them to the depository.

“We’ve got very interesting results,” says Dr. Thomas Ndolo, who teaches the course, adding that the phages students are collecting look very different.

The students are engaged in the research, he says. They are meticulous and some are spending extra time in the laboratory. It took 10 weeks for them to develop their phages.

Students in the class who did not find any phages have teamed up with others who have, says De la garza. They are preparing to send their samples to the University of North Texas, which will use electron microscopes to visualize the viruses and send back photos.

In the spring semester, the STC students will perform DNA sequencing and analyze the genomes through bioinformatics. They will compare their phages to those that are already in the repository to see if they have something unique.

“We’ll be having them use a lot of computer programs, where they’ll be putting in their DNA sequence and comparing it to different databases, sort of like forensic science, but in this case we’re trying to identify the virus and see if it’s something that is worth publishing and looking into,” Dr. Cervantes says.

The students are also getting valuable experience in the long and labor-intensive research process, and the highs and lows that accompany it. “It’s on your way of getting to your destination that you’re learning, that you’re going through trials, that you’re feeling heartbroken and then excited,” Dr. Cervantes says.

They will also have the satisfaction of contributing to an extensive body of knowledge that expands with each addition to the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s national library of phages, she says.

“South Texas College encourages the pursuit of the sciences to ensure that our students are prepared for high-demand, high-skilled workforce and academic opportunities in healthcare, research, and related fields,” said Mr. Paul R. Rodriguez, Chairman of the Board.

“The highly competitive Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s (HHMI) SEA PHAGES Program recognizes the quality of our students, faculty and facilities. This is an incredible opportunity to take part in cutting edge research addressing critical issues, and we could not be more proud of our students’ exceptional successes and contributions to this prestigious program.”

No one knows the program better than Dr. Rebecca De Leon, a Rio Grande Valley native, former dual credit student, and the Dean for Dual Credit Programs at South Texas College.

“I participated in dual credit while in high school and completed 17 college credit hours,” says De Leon. “My mom was a migrant farm worker, so to her and my father, education was first— they didn’t care what I majored in, I just had to get a degree!”

“When I started taking my courses at the university setting, I felt very well prepared for the rigor and knew what was expected, including time management and strong study habits.”

STC boasts one of the largest Dual Credit Programs in the state, serving high school students, tuition-free, since 2000. The program collaborates with 70 high schools across the Valley and offers four options, so students can follow the specific option that meets their career and educational goals.

The first option is Dual Credit Courses, which are perfect for students who want to complete their core curriculum requirements. This option entails about 42 college hours, and students can start as early as 10th grade.

The next option is the Career and Technical Education (CTE) Program, geared toward students who want to complete a workforce certificate so they can start working right after high school. Students choose from more than 40 workforce programs to earn college credit toward an Associate of Applied Science degree or a certificate in a high-demand technical field.

Early College High Schools by design provide participating high school students the opportunity to earn up to 60 credit hours and/or an associate degree. In this option, students start earning college credit as early as the spring semester of the ninth grade.

Meanwhile, in the Academy Programs, students focus on achieving associate degrees in the STEM fields, as well as business and criminal justice. The program has an astounding 100 percent graduation rate and 100 percent transfer rate, and to date, 12 students have received the Gates Millennium Scholarship to continue their education in bachelor’s and doctoral degree programs.

It took dedication and vision from South Texas College leaders to make the programs the successes they are today.

“In 1999, Nicolas Gonzalez led the Dual Credit Programs at STC and assisted in writing House Bill 415, which transformed this opportunity
for high school students,” explains De Leon. “Through Mr. Gonzalez’s vision and persistence, he began to visit local school districts and advertise the program within the community.” Now, 20 years later, the programs have grown from 441 students to more than 15,000 in Spring 2019, demonstrating just how much support the Dual Credit Programs have received.

The Dual Credit Programs at STC are widely recognized and have won multiple awards, including the 2012 Star Award from the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, the
2015 Excelencia in Education Award and the 2015 “Bright Spots in Hispanic Education” recognition by the White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for Hispanics. De Leon says these awards demonstrate how the school excels in serving its student population, which is approximately 94 percent Latinos.

“Our program truly makes a difference in students’ lives, especially for those who are first-generation. We have seen and continue
to experience a college-going culture shift in our region,” says Dr. Shirley A. Reed, President, South Texas College.

All of the credits from the Dual Credit Programs transfers to two- and four-year public schools in the State of Texas. In fact, STC has more than 150 articulation agreements with universities in Texas and beyond. Students also have the option of transferring into one of South Texas College’s four bachelor programs.

“I truly believe that the Dual Credit Programs has transformed the culture in the Rio Grande Valley. It has set a foundation for students to have an opportunity to start earning college hours that lead to a degree while in high school,” said De Leon.

Krystal Flores is just one outstanding success stories, as a 2009 graduate from the Dual Enrollment Medical Science Academy (DEMSA) at Rio Grande City High School. “As a first- generation, low-income student, the DEMSA program laid a strong foundation from which I was able to build a successful academic career,” Flores says.

And Flores has certainly excelled in her studies. At STC, she was one of 12 Dual Enrollment Academy students to receive the Gates Millennium Scholarship. She went on to complete a Bachelor of Science and a Master of Public Health at Texas A&M University, and is currently a doctoral student in the school’s Maternal and Child Health Program. Presently, she is focusing her research on disparities in reproductive health service access for women and adolescent girls in the Rio Grande Valley.

Flores’ experience in the DEMSA program inspired her to become an instructor at the Texas A&M University Higher Education Center in the Rio Grande Valley.

“I currently work with many first-generation, low-income students — some of whom are former South Texas College graduates,” says Flores. “I believe every student in the Rio Grande Valley should have the opportunity to obtain a college degree.

“For this reason, I am a strong supporter of any and every effort by South Texas College to provide educational opportunities to youth in the area.”

For more information, visit southtexascollege.edu/dual or call 956-872-3520.

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The summit will provide a forum for public and private schools, as well as higher education professionals to engage in a dialogue on closing the achievement gap in college readiness for high school graduates.

The theme for this year’s summit is “Bridging Student’s Success.”

The annual event will feature a day-long slate of relevant and timely issues facing educators today including equality for undocumented students and what learners need now for success in the future of work.

Dean for Dual Credit Programs and School District Partnerships, Dr. Rebecca De Leon, says the event carries special significance.

“The summit provides the opportunity for key stakeholders from school districts, higher education, community leaders and regional workforce to engage in the importance of preparing students to be college and career ready,” said De Leon. “Stakeholders identify how to bridge student success to ensure that key issues are being addressed in order for students to be well prepared for their future.”

Keynote speaker Dr. Joel Vargas, Vice President for JFF, will focus on what is essential for students to learn and what it means for shifting our education to employment systems, as well as the partnerships that will be needed.

The event will take place Monday, April 15, from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Mission Event Center located at 200 N Shary Rd, Mission TX 78572.

For more information on how to register for the summit please visit https://www.southtexascollege.edu/summit/ or contact April Castaneda at 956-872-8369.