2012-2013 CE Annual Report
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A department of the Division of Business Affairs of The University of Texas-Pan American
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT ANNUAL REPORT 2012 - 2013
REACHING OUT to ensure the economic and social prosperity of the South Texas Community
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2012-2013 CE Annual Report
THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT HAS THREE MAJOR COMPONENTS.
COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT AND INNOVATION
RURAL ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT
As the “outreach” arm of UTPA, the Department of Community Engagement works strategically to enhance student, faculty and staff learning processes through centers and programs that offer important and diverse services in order to promote the economic and social wellbeing of the South Texas region. Through each one of our programs, our goal is to help empower the people of South Texas with skills that will enable them to succeed in their education, career and in life in general. By partnering with community leaders, government officials and local citizens, we aspire to foster growth in our community in order to secure the futures of our posterity. Together, let’s help South Texas thrive!
contents 2 LETTER FROM THE VICE PRESIDENT FOR BUSINESS AFFAIRS 3 STRATEGIC COLLABORATION 5 COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT 10 BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT AND INNOVATION 13 RURAL ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT 17 STAFF HIGHLIGHTS 18 STUDENT HIGHLIGHTS 19 OFFICES/CONTACT INFORMATION 20 SPONSORS AND PARTNERS
2012-2013 CE Annual Report
DEAR READER, National leaders in economic development concur with leading scholars in higher education that by building sustainable university-community relationships, universities improve their core intellectual and academic work while communities thrive. The Department of Community Engagement has historically linked UTPA’s critical resources to the well-being of the community, as a primary element of the university’s mission. Through strong partnerships with the public and private sectors, UTPA continues to advance student success and regional prosperity.
sincerely, martin baylor
vice president for business affairs
Martin Baylor Vice President for Business Affairs
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2012-2013 CE Annual Report
$21
million in Business Loans Awarded
STRATEGIC COLLABORATION The Department of Community Engagement (DCE) works strategically with UTPA students and faculty, government, corporate, and community partners to promote community and economic development, business development and innovation, and rural enterprise development in South Texas.
51,347 Community Members Reached
4,396 Community Members Received Technical Training
2012-2013 CE Annual Report
$1.4 million
$11
million Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC) Contracts Generated
CE Grants Awarded
110
Businesses Started/ Expanded
8,476
Hours Provided in Business Counseling
1,153
Jobs Created/Retained
75
Students Employed
2,392
Community Members Trained
138 Workshops/ Trainings
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2012-2013 CE Annual Report
COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT The Department of Community Engagement (DCE) provided logistical support and resources for several Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) workshops and educational training sessions held on campus for parents, teachers and students including: Agile Mind Teacher Training (95 STEM teachers), Texas Instruments Core Teacher Academy (150 STEM teachers), Physical Science Days (310 students), Parent Empowerment Training (150 parents), and the Parent Certification Program (175 parents).
HISPANIC ENGINEERING, SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY (HESTEC) WEEK
HESTEC week promotes awareness and Hispanic participation in STEM fields by providing a week of speakers, activities, and attractions. Thousands of students, parents, educators, school administrators, community leaders and members participated in HESTEC 2012 “Ignite the Possibilities.” The annual STEM event included Educator Day, Student Leadership Day, Latina Day, Robotics Day, SeaPerch Competition, Middle School Challenge, Career Expo and symposiums by each college, such as the College of Engineering and Computer Science’s Engineering Wonderland. HESTEC week culminated with Community Day, which attracted 35,000 attendees. Dr. Michio Kaku, theoretical physicist, author, futurist and popularizer of science, was one of the keynote speakers for HESTEC 2012. Educator Day Attendance Student Leadership Day Attendance
500 Latina Day Attendance
300 695
4,000 35,000
Middle School Challenge Student Attendance
Community Day Attendance
Community and Economic Development 6
FESTIVAL OF INTERNATIONAL BOOKS AND ARTS (FESTIBA)
The Festival of International Books and Arts (FESTIBA) Program is an initiative of The Department of Community Engagement and the College of Arts and Humanities. The purpose of FESTIBA is to increase the interest in reading, help improve the success in secondary and postsecondary education, and provide an educational opportunity for at-risk youth in rural communities. During FESTIBA GEAR UP Days, students and parents heard from professional leaders in the arts fields, such as leading authors, musicians, and actors. Parents attended sessions on financial literacy, designed to help them understand the importance of saving for college and how to help their children become financially responsible young adults. On FESTIBA Librarians and Educators Day, librarians, teachers, and administrators listened to a roundtable discussion led by government and education leaders who discussed information and resources on how to promote health literacy in their schools and communities. The Mariachi Director’s Workshop and Mariachi Festival proved to be popular events with mariachi directors and students from across the Rio Grande Valley representing various local middle schools and high schools.
814
GEAR UP Days Student Attendance
160
Librarians and Educators Day Attendance
84
GEAR UP Days Parent Attendance
1,000
Jardín del Arte Community Festival Attendance
FESTIBA at the Jardín del Arte Community Festival closed the weeklong activities by bringing in members of the community to experience exhibits firsthand and interact with individuals who are Books Distributed involved with the arts. Various local artists, authors, and even celebrities joined in the festivities at Edinburg city courtyard. The South Texas Literacy Coalition distributed books, as patrons watched a children’s play and heard storytellers in the city auditorium and strolled along the City Hall Courtyard during the evening to enjoy all the festivities. FESTIBA 2013 was an extraordinary, exciting event that inspired the lives of many young children in the Rio Grande Valley who face literacy challenges. By motivating students to explore professional careers in the arts, and by educating not only students, but parents and community members as well, FESTIBA 2013 proved to be a powerful event.
3,256
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2012-2013 CE Annual Report
HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT ONECPD (HUD)
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY REGIONAL SCIENCE BOWL
Through the OneCPD project, community engagement staff were part of a project team that conducted a needs assessment for the city of El Paso on the use of their $350,000 grant funds for three years from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. In another technical assistance assignment, CE staff provided demographic and housing data and facilitated strategic planning for the development of affordable housing in the city of New Braunfels. OneCPD Technical Assistance (TA) employs a cross-program approach to build sustainable grantee management systems and organizational capacity. OneCPD TA provides simultaneous support for all applicable CPD programs within a community. Instead of concentrating on a single CPD program, OneCPD TA provides a comprehensive approach to technical assistance that optimizes each grantee’s ability to establish and manage efficient and effective projects. Comprehensive needs assessments determine the nature and scope of TA and/or capacity building needed. Needs assessments involve the use of multiple types of information collection and analysis to develop custom analytics, to quantify the impact of community and economic development engagements, to improve foreclosure response analysis, and to identify local market conditions so that program resources may be better targeted and leveraged. CE staff provide direct TA and capacity building in one-onone settings with grantee staff through in-person and remote communications. Direct TA engagements are prioritized based on need, and categorized depending on the extent of the TA.
The Regional Science Bowl is a regional competition that was hosted by The Department High School Teams of Community Engagement at in Participation: UTPA, through a partnership with the U.S. Department of Energy. UTPA has hosted this event since 2006. In 2013, the Department of Community Engagement was awarded $209,000 through the U.S. Department of Energy to continue hosting this event for the next five years. Forty teams were in attendance for 2013; 20 middle school teams and 20 high school teams from across South Texas participated. The students prepared for this competition for months in advance, working with textbooks, online resources and teachers. UTPA faculty and student organizations helped facilitate the competition for the schools. Another highlight of the Regional Science Bowl was the Electric Car Competition, open to middle school students. Teams spent three weeks before the competition building their vehicles and preparing for the race. The coaches for the middle school students attended a Teacher Training which provided them with an outline of the rules and formatting of both the Academic and Electric Car Competition. At the competition, the top four scoring teams competed in a single race for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd places. The Regional Science Bowl competition impacted both students and their coaches in a positive manner, with many opportunities for both professional and academic growth.
COLLEGE OF SCIENCE AND MATHEMATICS COLLABORATION CE worked with Dr. Liang Zeng, associate professor of physics and geology, and a Fellow of a NSF ADVANCE grant, to expand UTPA physical science outreach programs for local school districts. Zeng helped write grants that will expand the capacities of the university to host a physics teacher training and a physics summer camp for middle school students.
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Middle School Teams in Participation:
20
100
High School Student Attendance
100
Middle School Student Attendance
Community and Economic 2012-2013Development CE Annual Report 88
COLLEGE OF ARTS AND HUMANITIES (ARHU) COLLABORATION UTPA’s Mariachi Aztlán was invited to be a part of the 57th Presidential Inauguration festivities, including performances at the “Black Tie and Boots Ball,” which featured 20 performers from Texas; the Latino Inaugural 2013 at the Kennedy Center; and as guests at President Barack Obama’s Second Inaugural Address. CE saff facilitated the logistics for the performances of the orchestra group, which included 14 talented students.
SOUTHWEST BORDER NONPROFIT RESOURCE CENTER (SBNRC) The SBNRC builds capacity for sustainable, long-term development of nonprofit organizations in the Rio Grande Valley through technical skills training, funding-sources research, and philanthropic organizations’ networks. The SBNRC partnered with the Office of Congressman Rubén Hinojosa to offer grant writing workshops to the community. Grant Writing Workshop I introduced participants to basic grant writing concepts and strategies. Grant Writing Workshop II covered in-depth grant writing strategies. Workshop participants represented members of the community involved in education, nonprofits, law enforcement, and other entities.
12
Clients Assisted
105
SBNRC Visitor Attendance
9
2012-2013 CE Annual Report
DEEP SOUTH TEXAS FINANCIAL LITERACY ALLIANCE
Representing the UTPA Department of Community Engagement, Joe Garcia and Dr. Doris Mendiola are members of the Deep South Texas Financial Literacy Alliance. This organization was created through the Region One Education Service Center’s Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs (GEAR UP) in conjunction with Congressman Rubén Hinojosa (TX-15). The Alliance has over 25 active members who represent colleges and universities, community partners and banking institutions such as Lone Star Bank represented by Sonia Falcon, Senior Vice President for Commercial Lending, and Nora Vasquez, Community Relations Coordinator. Wells Fargo Bank was represented by Yolanda Gonzalez, District Manager for Laredo and the Upper Rio Grande Valley. In an effort to increase financial literacy awareness of families, committee members provide insight on bringing information to students and their families regarding financial literacy, banking, and saving for college. The Alliance hosted a Financial Literacy Summit where more than 350 students and parents from the region were served and more than 70 community members, business and higher education partners attended.
DATA AND INFORMATION SYSTEM CENTER (DISC) The Data and Information Service Center provides research, data, geographic information systems, economic impact analysis, and mapping services to businesses, local governments, economic development organizations, and the community. In conjunction with Congressman Rubén Hinojosa and the Census Bureau’s Denver Regional Office, DISC held several computer lab workshops to help individuals, organizations, and businesses learn how to use census data for grant writing, community assessments, and business planning and market analysis. DISC also conducted a community needs assessment for the Hidalgo County Head Start program. DISC used UTPA students in the research project which involved gathering demographic and socioeconomic data, hosting community group meetings, and surveying over 2,000 parents of children in the Head Start program.
282
Census Workshop Attendance
76
Demographics Provided
Clients Assisted
52
Ring Analysis and Economic Impact Analysis Census Workshops Co-hosted
29
Market Research Studies Maps
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Business Development and Innovation 10
BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT AND INNOVATION (BDI)
CE’s Business Development and Innovation Group created the CIVIC (Community Involvement via Institutional Collaboration) Roundtable. The CIVIC Roundtables are discussions aimed at increasing internal collaboration, student engagement and learning, and community outreach.
The BBVA Foundation awarded BDI and the UTPA Foundation $40,000 in grants to support the Business Financial Literacy Initiative to provide financial literacy-focused training to small businesses to increase awareness and skills building and foster skills use for increased business success.
RIO SOUTH TEXAS REGIONAL PROCUREMENT TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE CENTER (PTAC) PTAC provides procurement counseling, planning assistance, and training to business owners in a nine-county South Texas region to assist them in obtaining federal, state, local, and private contracts. Rio South Texas Regional Procurement Technical Assistance Center hosted a “Meet-the-Buyer New Year 2013 Expo” in conjunction with the Office of Congressman Rubén Hinojosa. Held at the UTPA McAllen Teaching Site, the free expo featured buyers from local, state, and federal agencies who provided information on their procurement processes and news on upcoming contracts.
Outreach Events Led/Supported 33 Contracts Awarded to PTAC Clients 17 Value of Contracts Awarded to PTAC Clients $11 million
554
207
Outreach Event Attendance
Initial Counseling Sessions
516
220
Follow-up Counseling Sessions
Jobs Created/Retained
11
2012-2013 CE Annual Report
VETERANS BUSINESS OUTREACH CENTER (VBOC)
207
Clients Counseled
411
Counseling Hours Provided
5
Business Starts
24
Jobs Created
VBOC assists in the creation, retention, and development of veteranowned businesses across Texas and four surrounding states through online and on-site counseling and training seminars. The Small Business Administration awarded the VBOC $20,000 to support a newly-released “Boots to Business� program, an intensive online and on-base business training program for veterans interested in business ownership or who already have businesses. VBOC also received $70,000 from the Texas Veterans Commission to provide intensive, on-site business development trainings for veterans in South Texas.
Sales:
Capital Raised:
43
6,056
$2 million $345,000
Training and Outreach Events
Training and Outreach Events Attendance
Business Development and Innovation 12
SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CENTER (SBDC) The SBDC provides managerial and technical assistance to small business owners and entrepreneurs through free, confidential, oneon-one business counseling, training, research, and business planning assistance. The SBDC was awarded full accreditation from America’s Small Business Development Centers (ASBDC) network, the national accrediting body for Small Business Development Centers.
6,558 Counseling Hours Provided
105
Businesses Started or Expanded
Secured Loans Capital Raised Persons Trained Jobs Created or Retained
44 $21 million 1,776 909
SBDC partnered with San Juan Economic Development Corporation and the Edinburg Chamber of Commerce to implement separate workshops, providing financial literacy-focused trainings for small businesses – to increase awareness and skills building and foster skills use for increased business success. The SBDC developed a “Guide to Starting and Growing Your Business” which has articles on business management topics and contains information on licenses, permits, taxes, financing sources, market planning, counseling, and business planning for entrepreneurs. The SBDC hosted a “Trade & Business Opportunities with China for Texas Businesses” conference. Conference topics included current marketing opportunities, payment methods, foreign exchange risks, freight forwarding, exporting and importing, and the financial aspects of the supply chain when doing business with China. The SBDC collaborated with the UTPA College of Business Administration on their 2013 Finance, Insurance & Real Estate Symposium, an annual CoBA event, which focused on the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and the insurance industry. Over 175 participants attended and listened to various industry experts on the ACA.
The SBDC partnered with the Office of Technology Transfer (OTT) and the Texas Manufacturing Assistance Center to host the 2013 “Technology Ventures Conference: Resources to Launch Your Idea!” With a focus on “How to Take Your Business Idea to the Next Level,” the conference provided over 100 attendees with the resources and information specific to innovation and technology-based enterprises.
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2012-2013 CE Annual Report
RURAL ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT (RED) June 30 marked the completion of a $15.7 million federal grant to build the RGV Med-Ed Fiber Optic Network, a 10 Gigabit fiber-optic network that connects the UT campuses in Edinburg, Brownsville, McAllen, and Rio Grande City, and the UT Regional Academic Health Center, providing critical telecommunications capacity for the new university and its medical school. CE’s Rural Enterprise Development and Valley Telephone Cooperative wrote and were awarded the grant.
RED led a multidisciplinary task force to develop recommendations for the establishment of a community garden on the UTPA campus. The 21-member task force was led by George Bennack, Executive Director for Business and Rural Development, and included eight faculty members from four colleges as well as staff from across campus.
Rural programs received an award of $45,000 from the Southern Risk Management Education Center to help small-scale Hispanic farmers and ranchers manage their financial risks. The 12-month “Risk Management Education for Hispanic and Other Small Producers in South Texas” project aims to provide educational workshops to help producers better understand the financial aspects of their operations and provide them with strategies to enhance their profitability.
Rural Enterprise Development 14
CE’s Rural Enterprise Development Program submitted four competitive grant proposals and was awarded $1.4 million. This grant funding included: $678,016 to provide assistance to beginning farmers and ranchers; $300,000 to provide minority farmers and ranchers with U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) program information; $281,154 to provide minority farmers and ranchers with information on USDA conservation programs; and $174,977 to provide assistance to rural cooperatives.
RED hosted the event “Understanding Rural Economic and Community-Development Partnerships” in collaboration with USDA Rural Development. Directors and staff from CE’s rural programs and USDA-Rural Development met with these partners to discuss current challenges, new district alignments, how to develop effective partnerships, and how to pave the way for the formation of a South Texas Rural-Development Council.
Directors created the CIVIC Student Training and Employment Program (STEP), a structured internship program that offers learning opportunities tailored to qualified students. Through the program, students can apply academic knowledge to a sponsored project with the department, developing practical skills within the scopes of the job.
Rural Enterprise Development received a two-year Southern Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SSARE) On-Farm Research Grant for $14,962 to investigate production techniques for huitlacoche, a potentially highly-profitable specialty crop known as corn smut or blister smut of maize.
$14,962 Grant Awarded
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2012-2013 CE Annual Report
NRCS TEXAS OUTREACH INITIATIVE FOR THE SOCIALLY DISADVANTAGED (NRCS TOISD)
413
Participants
TEXAS RURAL COOPERATIVE CENTER (TRCC) TRCC provides training and technical assistance to rural cooperatives, cooperative members, and member businesses in Texas with an emphasis on rural cooperative development in the South Texas region.
356
Socially Disadvantaged Participants
Natural Resources Conservation Services (NRCS) TOISD assists socially disadvantaged, limited resource and women agricultural producers in 47 counties in Texas to promote awareness of NRCS technical and financial assistance, program availability and awareness of other U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) programs. Percent of Goal Completed – Participants
23.6%
Number of Women Participants
95
39 Events
61.9% Percent of Goal Completed - Events
Videos Produced Promoting Cooperatives, Rural Development and the Cooperative Business Model
3
Training Provided to Groups Interested in Forming Cooperatives in Spanish Start-up Plans for Cooperatives or Rural Businesses
5
New Markets Production Assistance Provided
4
Feasibility, Business, Marketing, and Capitalization Assistance Provided
10
Cooperatives Assisted to Reduce Operational Costs
2
5
SOCIALLY DISADVANTAGED PRODUCERS SMALL-ACREAGE INITIATIVE (SAI)
1,549
Socially Disadvantaged Participants
1,675
SAI is an innovative outreach network that helps increase participation in USDA programs. SAI strengthens relations with USDA offices and producers and helps producers learn about small-acreage strategies, including the development of niche markets, specialty crops, direct marketing, and marketing cooperatives.
82 Events
115%
Participants
Percent of Goal Completed – Participants
109%
Number of Women Participants
475
Percent of Goal Completed - Events
Rural Enterprise Development 16
RURAL VIDEO AND BROADCAST PRODUCTION INITIATIVE (RVBPI) The RVBPI provides video and broadcast production services to Valley Telephone Cooperative through a service agreement. This initiative also provides UTPA’s rural outreach programs with a strong venue for broadcasting its video segments that promote UTPA’s efforts to advance rural South Texas. TV Episodes “Back Road Reporter” Produced 6 TV Episodes “Communities Newsletter” Produced 6 Other Educational Videos Produced 2
DIRECT MARKETING INITIATIVE FOR BEGINNING FARMERS AND RANCHERS IN SOUTH TEXAS (DMI) DMI provides training and hands-on technical assistance to beginning farmers and ranchers in South Texas, with a focus on the small-scale production of fruit and vegetable specialty crops that can be marketed directly to consumers through farmers markets and other direct-marketing venues.
38
Training Events
203
Community Members Provided with Technical Assistance
PROJECT FARM OWNERSHIP AND RURAL GROWERS EMPOWERMENT (FORGE) Project FORGE provides outreach, training, and technical assistance to Hispanic producers of traditional crops in a 56-county border region area in Texas and New Mexico.
45
PSA’s Distributed
Workshops/Field Days/Conferences
52
Community Members Provided with Technical Assistance
4,193
268 28,898 772
Community Members Provided with Loan Assistance
Database Contacts
Community Members Provided with One-on-One Assistance
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2012-2013 CE Annual Report
The Small Business Development Center was awarded full accreditation from America’s Small Business Development Centers network, the national accrediting body for Small Business Development Centers. The accreditation review process is based on a strict set of standards guided by the Malcolm Baldrige Quality Awards to ensure that SBDC programs are operating efficiently and effectively.
STAFF HIGHLIGHTS CE STAFF WORKS BEYOND THE JOB DESCRIPTION Cristina Trejo-Vasquez was selected as the Community Engagement Liaison for the Divisions of Business and Academic Affairs. In this role, she is charged with collaborating across divisions and departments to strengthen UTPA’s community engagement.
Joe Garcia and Dr. Doris Mendiola with the UTPA Department of Community Engagement currently serve on the Deep South Texas Financial Literacy Alliance, an organization created through the Region One Education Service Center in conjunction with Congressman Rubén Hinojosa. The Alliance aims to provide financial literacy to students and families in the area.
George Bennack, CE’s Executive Director for Business and Rural Development, passed the 50-grant threshold for awarded grants that he individually developed. Currently, he has developed 51 awarded grants for $7.7 million in grant funding.
Janie Caballero, a Senior Business Advisor at the SBDC, was announced as the 2013 “State Star” for the South-West Texas SBDC Border Network due to her outstanding work performance.
Business Advisor Reynaldo Soto with UTPA’s Rio South Texas Regional Procurement Technical Assistance Center obtained certification as a Contracting Assistance Specialist from the Association of Procurement Technical Assistance Centers.
Cristina Cantu and Marcela Arredondo, both Business Advisors at the SBDC, earned their Certified Business Advisor (CBA) Levels III and IV, respectively. The CBA designation attests to an advisor’s technical ability to provide quality counseling and training to start-up and existing business owners.
Several Community Engagement staff members completed a five-day federal proposal development workshop delivered by the Grantsmanship Training Center. The “Competing for Federal Grants” training program covers researching funding sources and developing, writing, and reviewing proposals.
Cruz Salinas and Veronica Guzman with CE’s rural programs participated as science fair judges at A.N. Rico Elementary School in Weslaco. Both judged science projects by 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade students.
Staff and Student Highlights 18 As a Graduate Research Assistant with the UTPA SBDC, Geoffrey Schwarz believes that small businesses are the cornerstone of the Rio Grande Valley economy. At the SBDC, he supports business development efforts by lending in-depth research assistance to clients of the center. Schwarz, who has an undergraduate degree and a Master of Science in Sociology from UTPA, is currently pursuing his second master’s degree in anthropology with the goal of eventually entering a doctoral program in sociology. Shawn Kiefer, a senior marketing major, did full-time work during the summer helping develop specialty-crop research projects. He reported directly to DCE’s lead specialty-crop researcher, Veronica Guzman. Kiefer helped with the development of wine-grape, huitlacoche, and tomato research projects. He graduated in December with a Bachelor of Business Administration and plans to pursue a Master of Business Administration at UTPA.
Sanath Kodali worked with CE’s Data and Information System Center while attending graduate school. As a graduate student in the field of Information Technology, he applied his classroom knowledge in the real world through several economic development projects. He used DISC’s computer and specialized software to provide demographic data, write statistical programs, and develop customized GIS applications. Kodali graduated in Spring 2013 with a Master of Science in Information Technology and was hired by IBM.
STUDENT HIGHLIGHTS
CE EMPLOYS UTPA GRADUATE AND UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS Jan Obieray, a Graduate Student Assistant with CE’s Rural Programs, enhanced his academic learning through his involvement in rural economic development. He worked on a federally-funded grant by creating and updating databases; researching and documenting federal, state, and private programs; assisting with outreach and training events; and with the preparation of quarterly progress reports.
Albert Garza Barrera, UTPA electrical engineering student, helped construct the obstacle courses used during HESTEC Robotics Day and made daily updates to the HESTEC website while employed with Community Engagement. “It feels good to contribute to the community,” said Garza. “HESTEC is one of the biggest events that the University hosts, and I love being a part of it.” Garza graduated with his Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering in May 2012 and is currently pursuing a Master of Science in Electrical Engineering with an expected graduation date of Spring 2014.
75
Students Employed
Student assistant Juan Maciel was selected to participate in a three-month-long internship with the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute (CHCI) that began in February 2014. Maciel works in the DCE, where his primary focus is data collection and analysis. Maciel, who is currently working on his Bachelor of Business Administration with an emphasis in Accounting at UTPA, practices basic program evaluation methodology related to survey implementation to contribute to the HESTEC Impact Report.
“The time I spent working in this center has been a major step in my career. Not only did I have the opportunity to improve my technical skills as an IT engineer, but also, I had the opportunity to develop other important areas.” - Andres Arguelles Graduate Student Assistant with CE’s Rural Programs
Karen Dorado, after five years of service, was promoted to Event Manager at CE. Karen earned a Master of Public Administration in December 2012.
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COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT Data and Information System Center (DISC) (956) 665-2301
Hispanic Engineering, Science and Technology (HESTEC) Week (956) 665-7305 www.utpa.edu/hestec
Festival of International Books and Arts (FESTIBA) (956) 665-7305 www.utpa.edu/festiba
Housing and Urban Development OneCPD (HUD) (956) 665-7185 International Trade and Technology (ITT) Building 1201 W. University Drive Edinburg, TX 78539 (956) 665-3361
Jessica Idy Salinas, MBA Executive Director of External Relations lopezj@utpa.edu
Southwest Border Nonprofit Resource Center (SBNRC) (956) 665-7566
PROGRAM OFFICES CE PROGRAMS SPAN TWO LOCATIONS
Community Engagement and Student Success (CESS) Building 1407 E. Freddy Gonzalez Drive Edinburg, TX 78539 (956) 665-7570
George Bennack Executive Director of Rural and Business Development bennack@utpa.edu
RURAL ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT Project Farm Ownership and Rural Growers Empowerment (FORGE) www.utpa.edu/RED Texas Rural Cooperative Center (TRCC) (956) 665-7545
Direct Marketing Initiative for Beginning Farmers & Ranchers in South Texas (DMI) www.utpa.edu/RED
Socially Disadvantaged Producers Small-Acreage Initiative (SAI) (956) 665-3118 www.utpa.edu/RED
NRCS Texas Outreach Initiative for the Socially Disadvantaged (TOISD) (956) 665-3118 Rural Video and Broadcast Production Initiative (RVBPI) (956) 642-1179
BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT AND INNOVATION GROUP Small Business Development Center (SBDC) Harlingen Satellite Office (956) 665-7535 www.utpa.edu/sbdc
Small Business Development Center (SBDC) Brownsville Satellite Office (956) 544-4667
Rio South Texas Regional Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC) Phone: (956) 665-8931 www.utpa.edu/ptac
Veterans Business Outreach Center (VBOC) Phone: (956) 665-8931 www.utpa.edu/vboc
Program Offices and Sponsors 20
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THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS-PAN AMERICAN DIVISION OF BUSINESS AFFAIRS DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
ANNUAL REPORT 2012-2013