(HARLINGEN, Texas) – Cledia Hernandez, provost of Texas State Technical College’s Harlingen campus, was featured in the summer 2020 issue of Valley Women Inspire, a free quarterly magazine published in the Rio Grande Valley.
Valley Women Inspire’s mission is to empower women in South Texas, and Hernandez’s determination and resilience are just a few of the traits that made her the perfect cover story for the magazine.
“Provost Hernandez was an incredibly charismatic and welcoming host at the regional spelling bee hosted by TSTC,” said Ernie Garrido, deputy editor of the Valley Morning Star. “Several of the Inspire team members who met her there knew immediately she would be a perfect person to profile as our cover story for the summer issue.”
In the issue, Hernandez, a first-generation college graduate, detailed her journey on the winding road to success. She credits the work ethic she saw in her parents for getting her where she is today.
“She shared very moving and emotional memories of her childhood,” said Garrido. “Her message is exactly what Inspire magazine is all about, and we certainly hope our readers will be moved and encouraged by her story.”
Life lessons from Hernandez’s childhood continue to influence her today.
“There comes a point in your life when you realize that everything your parents told you growing up truly resonates with you,” she said. “My dad taught me never to look at the barriers you may face. Instead, he always told me to look at how I could overcome them.”
Those lessons have helped Hernandez build a career that allows her to achieve her biggest passion: education.
“Our students are why we do what we do,” she said. “Knowing that I have an amazing group of colleagues I can surround myself with is inspiring. The impact that all of us have together is what drives me. The sky’s the limit.”
The latest issue of Valley Women Inspire is available now.
Fall registration at TSTC is currently underway. To learn more, visit tstc.edu.
