(HARLINGEN, Texas) – Texas State Technical College recently welcomed more than 230 high school seniors at the National CTE (career and technical education) Letter of Intent Signing Day event held in Harlingen on Thursday, April 18.
Representatives from area schools were on hand to help celebrate their students’ decisions to pursue technical educations at TSTC.
Students’ families, TSTC Board of Regents member Lizzy de la Garza Putegnat, and several TSTC program team leads and staff members also attended.
Cheers filled TSTC’s Wellness and Sports Center as the students smiled and signed their letters of intent.
Each student received a $1,000 scholarship to use toward their college educations. The TSTC Foundation made the scholarships possible in partnership with the Harlingen Economic Development Corporation and the Rio-South Texas Education and Community Development Foundation Inc. (RSTEF).
Rafael Tapia, grant manager for RSTEF, said the scholarships will make a difference in the students’ educations.
“RSTEF hopes that our funding will lead to these students having a career or professional pathway that will allow them to have a well-paying job, stay close to home, and benefit their community,” he said.
Brandon Felix, a senior at La Villa Early College High School, will enroll in TSTC’s HVAC Technology program.
“I feel there’s plenty of opportunities to have a good HVAC career in South Texas,” he said. “I look forward to starting in the fall.”
Ismael Gomez, a senior at Rio Hondo High School, will enroll in TSTC’s Building Construction Technology program.
“I chose that program because I have an interest in building homes,” he said. “I also want to learn more about electrical and plumbing.”
Eladio Jaimez, provost at TSTC’s Harlingen location, said the event showcased the college’s pride.
“It was a special day for these future TSTC students,” he said. “We were honored to celebrate with them and their families.”
For more information about National CTE Letter of Intent Signing Day, visit https://nc3.net/signingday/.
Registration for TSTC’s summer and fall semesters is underway. For more information, visit tstc.edu.
