Los Arcos Fall 2010

Calendar of Events

cover

MAKING SENSE OF SUSTAINABILITY UTPA takes on the challenge (pg. 18)

Los Arcos Fall 2010

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LOS ARCOS The University of Texas-Pan American Fall 2010, Vol. 16, No. 2

Vice President for Janice Odom University Advancement Executive Director of Dr. Kimberly Selber University Marketing and Communication Director of Sandra Quintanilla-Guzman University Relations Editor Melissa Vasquez Writers Jennifer Berghom Gail Fagan Janice Odom Amanda Perez Melissa Vasquez Contributing Writer Rebecca Sweat

Studio Twelve01 Art Director Aaron Cantu Graphic Designers Roberto Castro Ramiro Rocky Lozano Photographers Josue D. Esparza Ramiro Rocky Lozano Contact Us: Phone: (956) 665-2741 Fax: (956) 665-2416 E-mail: losarcos@utpa.edu Mail: The University of Texas Pan American Attn: Studio Twelve01 VWOB 1.101 1201 W. University Drive Edinburg, TX 78539-2999 Los Arcos is published two times a year for alumni and friends of The University of Texas-Pan American by University Marketing & Communication.

The University of Texas-Pan American is an affirmative action, equal opportunity employer and institution. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed, gender, national origin, age, veteran status or disability.

Individuals with disabilities wishing to acquire this publication in an alternative format or needing assistance or reasonable accommodations to attend any event listed, need to contact the ADA coordinator at (956) 665-2127.

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From the

Editor’s Desk Now that I am a mom, I wonder what kind of a world my baby girl will live in. Will it be safe? Will it still be here?

So what am I doing to ensure my daughter has an environmentally friendly world to grow up in? I have recycled my plastics; I use reusable grocery bags when I shop; and I sometimes buy green products for the household. Now is that enough to save the planet? Probably not, but at least I know I am doing something, albeit small, but at least it is something.

As we prepared for this issue of Los Arcos, our editorial team asked what is UTPA doing to save the planet? We found the University is working toward becoming a leader in sustainability for South Texas by creating a culture of sustainability throughout the campus with assistance from the entire University community – from Physical Plant employees to administrators.

In this edition of Los Arcos, we explore what UTPA is doing to achieve a sustainable future and provide a more healthy, productive and meaningful existence for its students, faculty and staff.

Now what is sustainability? As I searched for a definition, I learned sustainability means something different for everyone. It goes beyond the green initiatives like recycling. It is about developing economic efficiency, protecting ecological systems, and strengthening the well-being of all people. That is one of many descriptions I found.

For UTPA, the ultimate goal is to integrate sustainability into all aspects of the University including research, classrooms, building construction, landscaping, product consumption, and public service, which a lot of universities across the country are already doing. I hope that we can give you a little insight into UTPA’s plans to not just become green, but to save some green (money) during these tough economic times in the state of Texas when higher education institutions are being asked to trim at least 15 percent from their budgets.

As for the rest of the issue, we are excited to present a new section in our publication called Class Notes that gives our alumni an opportunity to tell us what they have been up to since graduating from UTPA. If you just got a promotion, earned a new degree, got married, had a baby, won a major award, or are saving the planet in some way, we want to hear from you. To share your story with us, visit the Office of Alumni Relations website at www.utpa.edu/alumni and click on “Share Your News.”

Also, in this issue you will meet our six faculty members who recently won UT System Regents’ Outstanding Teaching Awards for their innovative teaching methods. This is a major achievement for our faculty, and we are extremely proud of them. Also, if you don’t already know, we have two new deans for our two new colleges and a new vice president for business affairs who we will be introducing you to in these pages.

One more thing … our Los Arcos will finally have a presence on Facebook at www.facebook.com/utpalosarcos, so send in your comments. Don’t forget to check out our online version at www.utpa.edu/losarcos too. Also, if you would like to submit a Letter to the Editor, feel free to do so at losarcos@ utpa.edu. We really want to hear from our UTPA alumni and friends.

Thanks for picking up Los Arcos, flipping through the pages, reading our stories, and checking out the photos and graphics that our wonderful team works hard to put together so we can tell UTPA’s story.

Until the next issue.

–

Melissa Vasquez

Fall Calendar of Events Events

Explore the mysteries of why and how animals, including humans, age. Displayed in a fun, carnival-like environment, this hands-on exhibition focuses on the biology of aging with emphasis on aging across the animal kingdom, healthy aging, and aging of the brain. UTPA will host this threemonth exhibit at the Visitors Center Gallery. Amazing Feats of Aging was created by the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry.

FREE for the entire family!

Sept. 27, 2010Jan. 9, 2011 For information, call (956) 665-2956.

Symphony Valley

UTPA Fine Arts Auditorium • 7:30 p.m.

P. Simran Sethi Award-Winning Journalist and Sustainability Expert

Sept. 22, 2010

An award-winning journalist and professor at the University of Kansas, Simran Sethi is one of today’s most respected experts on sustainability and environmental communications. Named a “Top Ten Eco-Hero” by the United Kingdom’s Independent newspaper and the “environmental messenger” by Vanity Fair, she is a coauthor of the Axiom Award-winning “Ethical Markets: Growing the Green Economy,” the founding host of the Sundance Channel’s “The Green” and the creator of the Sundance web series “The Good Fight.”

David Gergen Senior Political Analyst, CNN

Feb. 23, 2011

David Gergen was an advisor to Presidents Nixon, Ford, Reagan and Clinton. Today he helps audiences break through ideological barriers to recognize simple and lasting political truths. He currently serves as editor-at-large of U.S. News & World Report, as director of the Center for Public Leadership at Harvard’s John F. Kennedy School of Government, and as a regular television commentator for CNN.

Orchestra

September 30, 2010 8 p.m.

UTPA Fine Arts Auditorium Join us as we celebrate Maestro Peter Dabrowski’s 10th season!

Special performance by Dahlia Guerra, College of Arts and Humanities dean, who returns to the stage this fall to perform Poulenc’s “Concerto for 2 pianos in D minor.”

Individual and season subscription tickets are available at the symphony office (200 S. 10th St., Ste. 104 – Neuhaus Tower in McAllen), or via telephone at (956) 661-1615.

Web: http://valleyorchestra.org/

For all Distinguished Speakers events, doors will open at 7 p.m. for UTPA students, faculty and staff with a valid UTPA ID. For the general public, the doors will open at 7:20 p.m.

FREE ADMISSION. Seating is limited.

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HESTEC

goes green Annual event geared toward South Texas youth set for Sept. 26-Oct.2 “The nation that out-educates us today will out-compete us tomorrow.”

– President Barack Obama Before President Barack Obama called for the nation to focus on the science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education crisis in 2009, UTPA was already tackling the issue with its annual HESTEC celebration.

With a theme of Plan* It Green: Your Tomorrow.

Today. HESTEC 2010 promises to be more entertaining and educational than in years past while focusing on UTPA’s efforts to become a sustainable campus in the future.

“The theme reflects the University’s initiative to move toward green and sustainable practices,” said Jessica Salinas, executive director for community and economic development and HESTEC director.

This year Hispanic Engineering, Science and Technology Week heads into its ninth year of making math and science exciting for South Texas youth and providing educators with cutting-edge teaching concepts to motivate students to pursue careers in STEM fields.

The weeklong program geared toward students, educators and the general public embarks on its mission to address the critical shortage of scientists and engineers in the United States on Sept. 26-Oct.2 on the UTPA campus.

Since its inception in 2002, in conjunction with the Office of Congressman Rubén Hinojosa, more than 35,000 pre-college students have participated in HESTEC conferences; more than 8,350 teachers have attended HESTEC workshops; $2 million has been raised for student scholarships and University programs; more than 12,400 students from UTPA and other Texas universities have attended the Career Expo; and more than 365,000 people have participated in Community Day. New this year to HESTEC will be the NASA Summer of Innovation program hosted by the Johnson Space Center in Houston throughout the week. UTPA is one of only a few venues across the state selected by JSC to host the program, which is part of a national initiative by NASA, and will feature educational presentations and exhibits for middle school students.

Monday, Sept. 27 - Educator Day

Returning to UTPA will be Telemundo Network anchor Jose Diaz-Balart, who will moderate the Congressional Roundtable on Science Literacy during Educator Day. The roundtable, led by Congressman Rubén Hinojosa, will feature the first Hispanic female astronaut and deputy director for NASA Johnson Space Center, Dr. Ellen Ochoa; politicians; and executives from Marathon Oil Corporation, The Boeing Company, and Lockheed Martin.

Thursday, Sept. 30 - Robotics Event

A HESTEC highlight for high school students is the Robotics Sumo Competition where teams will compete for prizes. The contest offers students the chance to build robots out of Lego Mindstorm NXT 2.0 Robot kits, with the help of UTPA engineering students, and get a first-hand learning experience in robotics engineering and programming.

Saturday, Oct. 2 - Community Day

HESTEC Community Day will kick off at 4 p.m. at the UTPA Quad with free musical entertainment from Tejano artists Jay Perez, Marcos Orozco, Bobby Pulido – and norteño group Duelo, a HESTEC favorite. In addition, the annual NASA showcase will be on display with its interactive science exhibits and special guest NASA astronaut Jose Hernandez, who will return for a second visit.

For the first time at HESTEC, visitors to Community Day will get the opportunity to view NASA’s one-man electric plane, dubbed “The Puffin.” The plane, which runs on rechargeable lithium phosphate batteries, will be on display at the South Texas International Airport in Edinburg, located off of U.S. Expressway 281, north of the city.

Major sponsors for HESTEC 2010 include Marathon Oil Corporation for Educator Day, Lockheed Martin for Student Leadership Day, ExxonMobil for Latina Day and HEB for Community Day. For more information on HESTEC, visit

www.hestec.org

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around campus

taking charge

New deans take the reins of two new colleges This fall the College of Science and Engineering split into the College of Engineering and Computer Science and the College of Science and Mathematics with new leaders at the helm. Here is a glimpse of two of UTPA’s newest family members.

For Dr. John M. Trant, the new dean of the new College of Science and Mathematics, his life in the field of biology began when he was a child growing up in Virginia Beach, Va. “I grew up right on the water and my interests started there with aquariums, scuba diving, and it kept on going,” he said.

The former associate vice president of academic affairs at the University of Maryland Biotechnology Institute in Baltimore, said he wants to bring those same interests to the new college he was chosen to lead.

“Because of my diverse experiences, I can take the tiniest most focused aspects of my research and see how it can apply to the medical field, aquaculture, agriculture, and so on. At UMBI, my role was to help faculty take their research and extend it into the

biotech industry. I am excited to work with the faculty at UTPA to try and get that same idea of entrepreneurship, investing themselves beyond the laboratory,” said Trant.

As head of the new college, his immediate goal is to craft a strategic plan and work with the faculty, chairs and others to determine what direction it should go.

“I think this new college can have a greater impact by focusing on key signature areas or programs where it can really make a mark for itself. We can’t be everything to everybody. We still have to provide the services to our students but, in addition, we need to ask ‘what do we want to be known for?’” he said.

“All this is just another phase of growing up, and I am very excited about being a part of that here.”

Dr. David H. Allen

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Dr. John Miller Trant Dean Science and Mathematics

From the time he was a child, Dr. David H. Allen, the new dean of the College of Engineering and Computer Science, has enjoyed building things.

“I was always making things. I was the guy building models, I was the guy in the backyard building a tree house, I was making a sled in the winter,” said Allen, the former dean of the College of Engineering at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

“It was second nature to me.”

Having the opportunity to build a new college is what attracted Allen to UTPA. “It’s an opportunity to build from the ground up,” Allen said. “I’m looking forward to sitting down with the faculty and saying, ‘Let’s wipe the slate clean and start from zero,’ and

say, ‘What do we build if we want to build any college of engineering in the world, how would we build it, what would it be, and build it in a way that it would fit the needs of the community.”

Allen said he wanted to work for an institution that is growing in population and programs. UTPA stood out to him in his search because it is increasing both in students and in academics.

“That’s what excites me – the opportunity to be involved in the lives of more and more students as the college and the University go forward,” Allen said.

Plus, the Dallas native said, he and his wife, Claudia, have been looking forward to returning to their home state.

Taking Care of Business Story by Melissa Vasquez

At a time when Texas universities are seeing budget cuts, Martin projects during the past two years.

Baylor was one of four candidates interviewed for the position in V. Baylor plans to keep the University moving forward on the busiJune after a nationwide search. ness side of things.

He began his leadership role at UTPA on Aug. 23 and is responBaylor, who was named the new UTPA vice president for business affairs in July, plans to work closely with the president, vice sible for addressing the business and finance needs of the University community and a $243.8 presidents and the campus million budget. community to identify the Baylor succeeds James best possible ways to help R. Langabeer, who retired the University weather the Aug. 31 after 22 years of tough economic condiservice to the University. tions, he said.

“I was so delighted to “It will be necessary get the offer. I couldn’t to identify operational efMartin V. Baylor, have asked for a more ficiencies so that we can Vice President for Business Affairs wonderful opportunity,” spend less and get more.

Baylor said.

This is an easy statement In addition to familiarizing himself with his Division of Busito make and very difficult to achieve. Although, I have gotten a strong sense that UTPA can achieve anything that we set as a goal,” ness Affairs team, Baylor said he plans to continue to build on the relationships UTPA has established with local and state leaders over Baylor said.

He comes to UTPA from The University of Texas at Dallas, where the years.

“I want to ensure that everyone, local and state, understands he served as the associate vice president for budget and resource planning. At UTD he was the principal budget advisor and respon- the University’s goals and all of the issues that we face as an institusible for managing and monitoring the debt capacity for the uni- tion of higher education. Having the support of these individuals versity, which included approximately $250 million of construction will really enhance the University’s future,” he said.

I was so delighted to get the offer.

I couldn’t have asked for a more wonderful opportunity.

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around campus

Bronc Aquatics makes

big splash this fall

UTPA is tops in educating Hispanics According to a handful of national publications this summer, UTPA continues to be one of the best universities for Hispanics to receive a higher education.

Forbes Magazine Once again UTPA made the list of Forbes “America’s Best Colleges.”

The 2010 list shows UTPA rated fifth among the 12 Texas public universities on the list. UTPA remains the top ranked public Hispanic Serving Institution in the state and the least expensive of all 23 Texas colleges and universities – both public and private – on the list.

Among the 221 public universities on the “America’s Best Colleges” list, UTPA ranked No. 114. On the overall list of 610 selected, UTPA ranked No. 436.

Diverse: Issues in Higher Education UTPA owned the No. 2 spot in the awarding of bachelor’s and fourth in the conferring of master’s degrees to Hispanics in Diverse’s latest “Top 100 Degree Producers” listing.

Diverse also ranked UTPA in the awarding of degrees by programs: • 2nd in biological and biomedical sciences • 4th in business management, marketing, and related support services • 10th in engineering

Hispanic Outlook in Higher Education UTPA held on to its No. 2 ranking in awarding Hispanic students bachelor’s degrees, fourth in awarding master’s degrees — down from third last year — and 19th in doctorates. UTPA was also listed among the top 10 institutions to issue bachelor’s degrees to Hispanics by academic programs: 1st in English literature, foreign languages, multi/interdisciplinary studies, and parks, recreation and fitness studies; 2nd in mathematics, health sciences, and biological and biomedical studies; 3rd in education; 4th in communications; 7th in psychology; and 10th in engineering/engineering tech, public administration, security and protective studies, and visual and performing arts.

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Looking to become a breeding ground for competitive youth swimmers in the area, UTPA has begun taking steps to establish a Bronc Aquatics Program.

Starting on a small scale with Learn to Swim Classes this summer, the University kicked off its aquatics program with two courses – WaterBaby and Learn to Swim – led by renowned swim coach Ray Mitchell.

Mitchell, who co-founded the Terrapins Swim Team in California, which has produced numerous national and Olympic Trial finalists, is developing a multi-faceted program at UTPA that will include Learn to Swim lessons for people of all ages; a swimming group that will be open to all UTPA students, staff and faculty; and a year-round youth competitive swim team.

The swimming club and youth competitive swimming programs, which start this fall, will be housed at the Wellness and Recreational Sports Complex. Swimmers of all skill levels are invited to join throughout the year. Currently there are about 60 children on the competitive team.

Assisting Mitchell is Karen Rice, one of his coaches from the Terrapins Swim Team who specializes in training youth.

For more information, call (956) 665-7818 or visit http://www.utpa.edu/wellness.

AROUND CAMPUS

New digs

f or researchers and rats Story by Gail Fagan

When UTPA senior biology major Michael Reilly first entered the Biology Annex to conduct research alongside experimental psychology graduate students, he was excited about the opportunity to do interdisciplinary study. .

“A lot of times those separate fields stay to themselves. But here, the psychologists teach the biologists some stuff and we biologists teach psychologists some things and both groups are better off than if we worked separately,” said Reilly, who hopes to pursue a Ph.D. in the biological sciences.

However, his first impression of the 26-year-old Biology Annex was not flattering.

“It was a dump,” he said of the building that had fallen into disrepair and was barely complying with the stringent regulations on housing for animals used in research.

Soon, though, Reilly will be proud to call the building his research home. The facility is currently undergoing an $800,000 transformation into a “best practices” animal research facility that will attract more students into graduate programs at UTPA. On Aug. 12, this transformation included the approval of a facility name change by The University of Texas System Board of Regents to the Behavioral Neuroscience Building.

“This place will become a magnet for students,” said Dr. Fred Ernst, professor of psychology, who was joined by associate professor of psychology, Dr. Mark Winkel, to initiate new use of the building in 2008 by graduate students in the first cohort of UTPA’s experimental psychology master’s program with a concentration in applied behavior analysis.

Applied behavior analysis employs techniques derived from 75 years of study by scientists and famed psychologist B.F. Skinner, who created the training chamber called a Skinner box used in operant conditioning research with mice and rats. In their lab research, BCBA (Board Certified Behavior Analyst) students learn how to shape behavior and all the ways behavior changes when reinforcement schedules change, said Ernst.

“Everything we teach in that laboratory is applicable to studying behavior of a rat, but it is also applicable to intervening in complex problems in human behavior. These are the interventions used in problematic behavior in children and adults,” Ernst said. “Behavioral

analysis has become the treatment of choice for children with autism, and many parents of children with autism are demanding access to this form of treatment because of the proven results from early and intensive intervention. This approach also has similar applications to health, fitness, sports, rehabilitation and organizational behavior, creating even greater employment opportunities in a wide variety of clinical, education and corporate environments.”

Before the master’s program with the BCBA concentration was offered, there was only one BCBA in the Valley, an area of one million people. Now completing its second year, the program is able to enroll 10 students per cohort per year and has three graduates already filling positions in South Texas.

Valerie Moreno, who earned her bachelor’s degree in psychology in 2007 from UTPA, is a May 2010 graduate of the master’s program with the BCBA certification concentration. She did her practicum at the Autism Treatment Center in San Antonio and Rio Grande State Center in Harlingen, where she now works. She appreciated the opportunity to complete her graduate studies in the Valley and the availability of jobs in the field.

“The lab experience really helps students learn the concept of the applications of applied behavior analysis to help individuals with autism and developmental disabilities. There is definitely a need for BCBAs to practice in the Valley to assist families who are in need of our services,” she said.

The building renovations, made possible by HEAF (Higher Education Assistance Fund) unallocated funds, are expected to be completed later this fall and will comply with all institutional rules and regulations applicable to animal research and care. New lab equipment purchased by the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences is already in use.

A temperature-, pressure- and humidity-controlled environment is necessary or research results can be impacted, said Dr. Robert K. Dearth, assistant professor of biology, who initiated collaborative research with Ernst’s BCBA students in fall 2009. Both professors hope to prepare a proposal for an interdisciplinary collaboration between biology and psychology in behavioral neuroscience as a concentration within the master of interdisciplinary studies to be offered to students sometime in the near future.

“Dr. Ernst and I are excited to do student-led research that impacts humans using animals as models,” said Dearth, an endocrinologist whose research has focused on identifying environmental factors that disrupt female pubertal development and increase a woman’s risk of getting breast cancer.

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Here today,

COMMUNITY HISTORICAL ARCHAEOLOGY PROJECT WITH SCHOOLS

Story by Gail Fagan

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henever another person dies or an old landscape is altered for development in the Valley, a part of South Texas’ rich history is lost forever, says Dr. Russell Skowronek, a professor of history and anthropology at The University of Texas-Pan American.

Skowronek, a historical archaeologist of the Spanish colonial period, is at the head of an innovative, interdisciplinary program initiated last year at the University titled Community Historic Archaeology Project with Schools (CHAPS). CHAPS is designed to discover the untapped heritage resources of South Texas, bring them to light through research and develop them for education, tourism and community pride.

“If we don’t act to preserve that information today, it will most assuredly be lost. No single person can collect it. We want to create archaeologically and historically literate citizens who are aware of their local cultural and natural history and of its importance to the future economic development of the Rio Grande Valley,” he said.

The program has incorporated joint scholarly research and expertise of UTPA faculty and administrators from five colleges and the library in collaboration with educators from area public and private schools to create a pilot curriculum for K-12th grade students focused on local history, archaeology and earth sciences. It is intended to increase students’ mastery of math, science, language/ communication and social studies skills by using hands-on experience for the discovery and preservation of historical resources.

The current curriculum, developed with the Edinburg, Hidalgo, Donna and La Joya school districts, was piloted with about 300 6th, 7th and 8th grade students in May 2010. A smaller pilot project, focused on archaeology and oral history, was also completed with 60 students at St. Joseph Catholic School in Edinburg. The oral histories will be published on a CHAPS website available in

gone tomorrow Historic archaeology project preserves South Texas heritage while engaging students and the community

Shary Collection, Library Archives and Special Collections, The University of Texas-Pan American Arrival of the Standard Land Co. party San Juan, Texas. Date: February 9, 1912

fall 2010 and retained in the UTPA Library archives.

“We wanted young students to ask their grandparents what it was like. The results have been beyond our wildest expectations. I have had some kids come back and say that my grandmother had to go to schools that were segregated. Another learned his grandfather’s first language was Polish. We have those stories here,” Skowronek said.

“An ultimate goal is to engage students in compelling and reoccurring ways throughout the K-12 experience. We hope that the same students will matriculate at UTPA, where they will continue this research as both undergraduate and graduate students,” he said.

UTPA students have also recorded oral histories and conducted property searches tracing a documentary history to the original land grant.

Janine Bounous, a senior with a major in English and a minor in history, said she learned a lot about her family’s land, called La Sal Colorada, in La Gloria, Texas, while scouring Starr County title/ deed books for information on its ownership since the early 1800s.

Bounous also interviewed her mother who recalled stories of time spent with her grandmother on that land.

“I learned that my great grandmother, Juliana Duran, was a very strong matriarch. She had 10 children, raised seven survivors despite being widowed and kept the family together. The land was the most important thing in her life after her children...(who) never sold the land which is still in her name,” she said. “Having the research available in the UTPA archives for students and the community to view freely is honorable for the researcher and informative to the community.”

A quest for community involvement in CHAPS has Skowronek and other faculty speaking to not only school children and educators but also to groups like the Polish-American Club of the

Rio Grande Valley and the Las Porciones Genealogical Society.

Upcoming presentations are planned for HESTEC 2010, the Rio Grande Delta International Archaeology Fair, and state and international archaeology meetings. People are highly interested, Skowronek said.

“I’ve been taken out and shown ruins of 200-year-old wells and buildings. I’ve had people show me their collections of arrowheads,” he said.

Skowronek and John Milford, a UTPA public administration program faculty member, have gained the support of U.S. Congressmen Rúben Hinojosa and Henry Cuellar for a grant they have submitted to the National Endowment for the Humanities to inventory sites and historical resources as well as expand CHAPS into more school districts and communities. Milford said the City of Alton has also incorporated an interpretive center focusing on countywide archaeological projects arising out of CHAPS into a recent grant/loan proposal to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

A long-range vision for CHAPS, Skowronek said, is to transform the Rio Grande Valley into a destination for heritage tourism. By developing a generation that appreciates heritage and eco/heritage tourism, it is hoped that it will lead to enhancement of existing museums and the creation of new cultural heritage centers and historic trails that will attract visitors nationwide.

“What we are trying to save down here is the story of South Texas and where that history fits into the larger U.S. history and perhaps global history. Why did people come here? Why was this Valley transformed to the Magic Valley? This is crucial research,” Skowronek said.

For more information on CHAPS, e-mail Skowronek at rskowronek@utpa.edu.

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Student Union Celebrates 10 years

Bucky, cheer and dance teams bring home honors

Here are 10 things you should know about the Student Union

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

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The Student Union is considered the “living room” of the University. This is the place to be when you are on campus.

More than 4,000 people a day walk through its doors.

It is 44,000 square feet and includes a 500-seat theater.

More than 75% of the UTPA community eats there, whether they eat at the food court or grab a quick bite at the c-store.

The Student Union was the first place in the Rio Grande Valley to serve Starbucks Coffee.

More than 45 student activities are held each semester at the Student Union and they are FREE.

The Student Union’s two-story game room is one of the largest in the state. It offers seven pool tables, arcade games on the first floor and a state-of-the art Gaming Lounge on the second floor. It’s a great place to unwind.

The Student Union is run by five full-time staff members and 2730 work studies.

In 2009, the Student Union added canopies to its east and south patios to protect its patrons from the hot South Texas sun.

The Student Union is open 7 days a week, 7:30 a.m.-10 p.m.

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Cheers go out to the UTPA cheer and dance teams, who brought home numerous trophies after participating in the Universal Cheerleaders Association and Universal Dance Association camps held at Texas State University in San Marcos. UTPA’s Division I coed teams competed against schools such as The University of Texas at Austin and Louisiana State University.

The 11-member cheer team won a multitude of awards including: first place, cheer; second place, fight song; and second place, sideline competitions. They were also recipients of the leadership award voted on by all teams in their division. The six-member dance team received most improved team and superior trophy awards. UTPA’s mascot, Bucky, earned the award “Upcoming Mascot.”

Mariachi Aztlan

earns Grand Champion title

For Rogelio Escobedo, winning the Grand Champion title at one of the highest-rated mariachi conferences in the western hemisphere was an incredible distinction for his musical career.

“When I heard them announce our name, I guess I felt then that we had done our job,” he said.

Escobedo, who teaches music at the Pharr Oratory of Saint Philip Neri School System and is a graduate student in music at UTPA, plays the trumpet for the award-winning Mariachi Aztlan, which placed first at the University level and won the overall Grand Champion title at the Mariachi Spectacular de Albuquerque competition in July.

The 16-member Mariachi Aztlan beat out professional groups to bring home the title and continue the tradition of award-winning performances of an important folk music genre – mariachi – at UTPA. Mariachi Aztlan competed against 25 other university-level mariachi ensembles from New Mexico, Colorado, Arizona, California, Washington, Nevada and Texas.

“This is the most exciting and difficult competition that our mariachi has ever won in its 20 years of existence,” said Dr. Dahlia Guerra, College of Arts and Humanities dean and founder of the University’s mariachi group, “It is significant because they won both at the university level and were selected as Grand Champion of the entire competition. I am very proud of our students.”

STUDENT SUCCESS

‘Bronco’ races way to top in national competition Battling a tight budget and treacherous weather, UTPA’s Human Powered Vehicle team, Human Powered Bronco, prevailed in bringing home two trophies from a recent national event.

UTPA’s entry placed third in two categories at the American Society of Mechanical Engineers’ (ASME) 2010 Human Powered Vehicle Challenge East, hosted by Central Connecticut State University in New Britain, Conn. in May. The competition involved 29 teams vying for trophies in drag and endurance racing events at Stafford Motor Speedway in Stafford Springs, Conn.

The UTPA team brought home trophies for the unrestricted class men’s drag racing and the unrestricted class utility-endurance racing categories. The team also placed fourth in the unrestricted class women’s drag racing event.

This is the second year UTPA has competed in the challenge. Last year, the team placed 11th overall and 8th in the endurance race.

“We’ve come a long way from last year,” said Vanessa Brown, the team member who rode the vehicle for the women’s drag race competition.

Dr. Seokyoung Ahn, assistant professor of mechanical engineering and the team’s advisor, said he was proud of the group, which went up against teams from larger institutions including the University of Wisconsin-Madison and Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology in Terre Haute, Ind.

UTPA Human Powered Bronco placed third in two categories at the ASME Human Powered Vehicle Challenge 2010 hosted by Central Connecticut State University.

“(The competition is) a good index of how we’re training engineers.

They know how to work as a team, they know how to work on project-based (tasks),” he said. “It’s a good index of how UTPA is doing compared to other schools.”

Next year, the UTPA Human Powered Vehicle team will compete at the Indiana Motor Speedway, site of the Indianapolis 500 race.

Students experience weightlessness during flight It was a once in a lifetime event and an opportunity for three UTPA students and 27 public school teachers to experience conditions people would encounter if they were on the moon, Mars and in zero gravity.

The UTPA students and educators from South Texas boarded a Boeing 727 in April thanks to a partnership between UTPA and the Northrop Grumman Foundation and Zero Gravity Corporation that offered the Weightless Flights of Discovery program.

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Calendar of Events

Dr. Hassan Ahmad Professor and Chair Department of Chemistry Tenured Faculty

Teaching Philosophy: Teaching and learning is a process where often difficult and unfamiliar subject content is made more meaningful by effective communication.

In my subject area of biochemistry, providing everyday real-life examples makes learning much more meaningful and fun. In the classroom setting or one-to-one teaching, I consider myself as a facilitator of learning and often allow the students to take center stage. Listening to students’ comments and questions is something that I consider essential in my teaching practice. I promote critical thinking concepts and expect them to become skillful listeners. As an effective teacher it is imperative that I maintain a welcoming atmosphere in the classroom by getting to know my students as individuals as well as a class.

Thoughts on Winning Award: Winning this award further fuels my desire to continue my best efforts for students’ success. I believe the UTPA pre-professional science students should also be credited for my triumph because they are the ones who demand a superior learning experience. At a time when science education is encouraged in the Rio Grande Valley, we are duty-bound to serve as the best role models with finest performance in and outside the classrooms.

TWICE IS NICE Six UTPA faculty members win Regents’ Outstanding Teaching Award For the second time in a row, six faculty members from The University of Texas-Pan American were recognized with The University of Texas System’s Regents’ Outstanding Teaching Awards in Austin.

“These six faculty members come from a variety of disciplines – from political science to chemistry – and they are making a true difference in the lives of our students. I applaud them heartily,” UTPA President Robert S. Nelsen said.

“For the second year in a row, we have proof from outside the University how outstanding the teaching is at Pan Am.” The $2 million in awards were presented to 72 faculty members from UT System academic institutions on Aug. 11. Tenured faculty awardees were presented with $30,000 each, while those in the tenure-track category earned $25,000 each.

Contingent faculty (including adjuncts, lecturers, and instructional assistants) winners were awarded $15,000. In addition to the cash awards, winners also received a bronze medallion and a 14 utpa.edu/losarcos 14 certificate commemorating the achievement.

Dr. Muhammad I. Bhatti Professor Department of Physics and Geology Tenured Faculty

Teaching Philosophy: My teaching philosophy hinges on the facts that we are living in a period of rapid changes. As a result, it is more important than ever to convince students that expanding and deepening our base of knowledge is a worthwhile endeavor. I am privileged to teach and guide my students to learn the subject of physics, which is the basis for modern science. As an educator, I always try to turn my students’ minds on by using an inquiry approach to learning and that turns their brains on. To see the students gain a deeper understanding, those are the most rewarding moments of my career.

Thoughts on Winning Award: It is certainly an honor to be a winner, but it is also a great honor to be nominated by the colleagues whom I respect dearly. The teaching award demonstrates our commitment to maintaining excellence in teaching, research and innovation. We are happy The University of Texas System recognized our innovative approaches to teaching and research endeavors.

Of course, this would not have been possible without the support of the students, department, college and peers.

awards

Dr. Kenneth Buckman

Associate Professor Department of History and Philosophy Director of the Rafael A. “Felo” and Carmen Guerra Honors Program Tenured Faculty

Teaching Philosophy: Whatever the vehicle or mode of presentation one uses, to enter a classroom means to intend to be the most challenging, the most fair, and the most rewarding teacher students will have at this institution or any institution. Teaching means to stimulate student imagination and creativity, to cultivate powerful standards, to engender a profound sense of self, and to nurture a deep and enduring ethicality.

Thoughts on Winning Award: Being awarded a Regents’ Outstanding Teaching Award imposes a great responsibility on me to live up to the commitments to teaching that have guided me throughout my teaching career. To receive the award in the company of five other amazing faculty from UTPA is a humbling experience, but an honor to be included among them. That there are six of us receiving this award from the System is a loud testament to the standards of excellence and the quality of higher education at UTPA.

Dr. Elvia Ardalani Assistant Professor Department of Modern Languages and Literature Tenure-track Faculty

Teaching Philosophy: For me, the classroom offers the possibility to empower the students by means of cultural acknowledgment and the power of writing. An individual who writes is above all an individual who has read, reflected, and quantified the importance of the individual experience and the creative process, becoming a person who knows, beyond the appreciation of beauty and the technical knowledge of a discipline, how to appreciate a cultural background. Culture should be incorporated into the experience of intellectual formation, for such is the only way that a student can become a truly complete being, illuminated in the finding of the spiritual enlightenment that all university experience should converge.

Thoughts on Winning Award: It is a great honor to receive such recognition. It is exciting and motivating to know that the UT System is supporting the efforts of professors and students alike, because we should not forget that these awards are possible thanks to the students who attend our classrooms every day. Providing a strong undergraduate education is essential within any educational framework, and The University of Texas System is well aware of that.

Dr. Jessica Lavariega Monforti

Dr. Brian J. Warren

Assistant Professor Department of Political Science Tenure-track Faculty

Lecturer Department of Communication Contingent Faculty

Teaching Philosophy:

Teaching Philosophy:

Overall, my teaching philosophy is centered on four main goals: 1) fostering critical thinking skills through teaching and research opportunities, 2) a commitment to continually improving my teaching style and methods, 3) effectively using technology as an instructional tool, and 4) mentoring students to help them meet their potential.

Through use of an energetic and genuinely devoted approach to leading students, I endeavor to constantly “sell” my subject matter while also exhibiting a personal stake in my discipline by my own professional involvement. This encourages active participation from the students, and I am never more gratified than when my students make practical, consistent, and responsible application of the concepts learned in my courses.

Thoughts on Winning Award: I love being in the classroom with students, so to be awarded for doing something I love is incredible. As an educator, to me, this award demonstrates that the UT System values good teaching. With the ever-increasing research and service responsibilities faculty face, unfortunately this message can get lost at times. Therefore, this award symbolizes an appreciation for the hard (but wonderful) work faculty engages in with students in and out of the classroom, which is a core part of a teacher’s mission.

Thoughts on Winning Award: For me, this recognition means that the UT System truly values commitment to teaching. I am honored to represent “contingent faculty” in the UT System, who sometimes, though they often bear the brunt of the teaching responsibilities, get little or no notice for their efforts. Though it is the students who provide our teaching satisfaction on a daily basis, I am proud to know that the UT administration knows the importance of good teaching for the universities in the System.

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Calendar of Events

UTPA undergraduate students assist Hidalgo children with CASSO activities at the Hidalgo Public Library.

Left to right are UTPA students Hazell Quintanilla, Lucila Mendoza, Alexandra Galvan, and Dr. Peter Farruggio.

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utpa.edu/losarcos

LANGUAGE and Culture Story by Jennifer Berghom

Brothers A.J. and Angel Mendoza put the finishing touches on their Lucha Libre masks before showing them off to each other and setting them down to dry.

A.J. named his mask, with fierce red eyes and mouth upon a white face, “el escorpión.”

“I see a lot of wrestling and saw one like that,” said the 12-year-old boy from Hidalgo. “I like to draw.”

The Mendoza brothers and other children in their group spent the morning creating papier-mâché masks as part of their activities one morning at the Hidalgo Public Library. They had just finished reading the book “Lucha Libre: The Man in the Silver Mask” by Xavier Garza with their teachers — all education majors at The University of Texas-Pan American — and created the masks as part of their activities for that day.

This summer, UTPA students preparing to become bilingual teachers have been teaching students who are limited in their English proficiency everything from holistic health to Chinese culture in their primary language — Spanish — while incorporating English so that they will develop full command of both languages.

The children, from pre-school age to 12 years old, are all from the area.

The UTPA students are part of the University’s Curricular Assessment for Successful Student Outcomes (CASSO), a research initiative funded by the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of English Language Acquisition to improve the institution’s early childhood through sixth-grade bilingual education curriculum.

Dr. Peter Farruggio, assistant professor of curriculum and instruction in the University’s College of Education and one of the grant’s co-principal investigator, said faculty members sought the five-year, $1.3 million grant to create a superior program for its bilingual education students. The project currently has its second cohort of students, and CASSO plans to continue funding the initiative for a third cohort starting this fall.

Farruggio said he was looking for an opportunity for his students taking an ESL (English as a Second Language) teaching methods class he was teaching during the summer to work with school-aged children. With the help of Arlene Robinson, the college’s coordinator of special projects, Farruggio formed a partnership with the Hidalgo Public Library to have his students teach a summer reading and enrichment program for youth at

the library.

During the month-long program, the UTPA student teachers read books to the children and create activities based on what they have read. Children are divided among age groups.

“It’s working way better than I thought,” Farruggio said.

Farruggio and Dr. Alcione Ostorga, an associate professor of curriculum and instruction, involved in the CASSO project, said the library setting has given their students more freedom in developing their lessons.

“The library allows them to be creative,” Ostorga said.

The UTPA student teachers said they appreciate being able to work with students in this setting because it gives them the chance to better understand what is working and what isn’t in their teaching.

“We’re able to see the theories that we read in our research,” said Alexandra Galvan, a senior majoring in bilingual education. “You’re able to see what is in the books can actually be applied.”

Though the program is literacy-based, the teachers have allowed the students to pick what topics they would like to study.

Earlier in the program, the older students decided they wanted to learn about China, so they researched Chinese culture on the Internet and read books about China. They also created banners with words written in Chinese and English.

“We did our names in Chinese. It was cool,” said A.J. Brydney Ramirez said she also has enjoyed the program, especially making the banners and masks and telling scary stories with the other students.

“It’s very fun, I’m enjoying it a lot,” said Brydney, 9.

“I hope there’s one every summer.”

Having UTPA at the library has been beneficial to its staff, said Edward Lopez, director of the Hidalgo Public Library.

The number of children attending summer programs tripled this year from the previous one. Between 50 and 60 students come to the library each day, so having the UTPA student teachers helps keep student to teacher ratios low. Plus their expertise in teaching allows them to go further into lessons with the children, he said.

“The kids are having a blast,” he said.

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sustainability

What is Sustainability?

There are many words that describe sustainability.

It means something different to everyone. For instance, the Environmental Protection Agency’s definition describes it as “calling for policies and strategies that meet society’s present needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.” At UTPA sustainability is defined as the entire University working in unison to integrate environmental, economic and social values in the daily decision making and functions of the campus.

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sustainability

Story by Gail Fagan & Jennifer Berghom

aintenance workers have been replacing old light bulbs with more energy-efficient halogen ones. Dining services did away with serving trays. And police are driving electric scooters around campus.

These are all measures toward maintaining a sustainable campus at UTPA. As communities, businesses and other entities look for ways to save money in a lethargic economy and preserve the earth, more are turning to sustainable methods such as recycling, limiting the amount of energy they use and even adopting more traditional practices such as walking instead of driving or growing their own fruits and vegetables.

“Sustainability is a shift in lifestyle,” said Marianella Franklin, UTPA’s director for sustainability programs.

And UTPA has been changing its lifestyle – from using software that enables it to more efficiently store servers to designing its Starr County Upper Level Center to meet LEED sustainable building design criteria.

Over the past year, the University instituted a Sustainability Council to develop a comprehensive plan that will steer efforts that all areas of the institution are taking to be better stewards of the resources they use.

The council is composed of 15 committees that examined what measures could be taken to contribute to and promote sustainability at UTPA. Their findings were used to produce the institution’s Sustainability Campus Action Plan, which was presented to President Robert S.

Nelsen in August.

“What you have accomplished is remarkable,” Nelsen told council members during a council meeting in which the sustainability report was presented.

The president noted that despite the fact that the University is entering a difficult time financially – UTPA has cut $7.4 million from its operating budget to comply with a state request for budget reductions – the institution cannot stop pursuing its sustainability efforts because it is the right thing to do. Some of the measures it takes can also save the University money, he said.

“Sustainability is one of the right things,” Nelsen said. “It’s the right thing to do and UT Pan Am has always taken pride in doing the right thing and moving forward and being on the cutting edge.”

Already, the University has seen some results in efforts already begun.

Its recycling program is saving the institution $60,000 annually in cost avoidance and has reduced waste production by 24 percent. The University estimates an annual savings of $100,000 by retrofitting lights in the institution’s five most inefficient buildings.

While the 100-plus page Sustainability Campus Action Plan covers the goals and achievements from all 15 committees, a few are highlighted on the following pages to show the wide spectrum of the University’s efforts:

Los Arcos Fall 2010

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sustainability

Edward Yduarte, general manager of UTPA’s food service contractor, Sodexo, said the company has been on board with the University in its earliest sustainability efforts. On Earth Day 2008, the dining hall on campus went “trayless,” which has reduced water usage and the use of cleaning supplies to wash the trays by 25 to 30 percent, he said.

Their “Weigh the Waste” program has met with success, too. Students were asked to throw the food they didn’t finish at the end of each dining hall meal into a special container. From week one to week two, the amount of wasted food went from 1,200 pounds per meal to around 200 pounds per meal. The small move to do away with trays not only reduced costs but made students more aware of their eating habits, Yduarte said.

Plans for the future include allowing students, faculty and staff to purchase reusable cups for soda and coffee that will allow them to pay just 99 cents for refills. This will reduce the amount of paper goods currently being thrown away, Yduarte said.

For the past two years, UTPA has been helping colonias in northeastern Hidalgo County develop and empower their communities through several initiatives funded from a federal program.

The University received the Hispanic Serving Institutions Assisting Communities (HSIAC) grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) in 2008 to establish programs that would provide colonia residents information and resources on a variety of topics from financial literacy to nutrition.

“The greatest form of economic development is human capital,” said Ismael Delgado, director of special projects for UTPA’s Department of Community Engagement. “We cannot continue to do the same things with limited resources and expect the same results or better. We need to think outside the box and we need to respond to the new challenges and address them.

Hiding them under the sand is not going to solve them.”

Representatives from UTPA as well as community organizations conduct workshops on five areas of need in these neighborhoods: microenterprises, financial literacy, nutrition, housing and job skills.

“While it’s not going to solve all the problems in rural areas it might help alleviate poverty. At minimum, it will increase the human capital,” Delgado said.

Maggie D. Rangel, procurement supervisor, said the purchasing department at the University intends to implement an electronic ordering system that could track the purchasing of “green” products and provide a place where a purchaser could compare prices of a needed product that might have a “recycled” version. Such a site would also allow the purchaser to do comparisons of costs of a sustainable item vs. a non-sustainable one over the life cycle of the product.

The current vending catalog is already loaded with recyclable product identifiers so purchasers can make comparisons in cost.

The Division of Information Technology’s sustainability efforts span just about every aspect of campus, from recycling old copper cables and printer cartridges to using software that allows more information to be stored in fewer servers.

Other initiatives have included introducing more online systems that reduce the amount of paper being used and allow students to complete registration and other needs without having to drive to campus, which also saves them money on gas.

“I think we are moving in the right direction,” said Anne Toal, technology assessment officer and a member of the Sustainability Council. “It means we’re being more efficient, that means we’re saving money. Being green makes more business sense, and when we take green measures, it moves us toward meeting the University’s needs and the students’ needs.” l l l l

Though the University is off to a good start, sustainability takes a long time to achieve, Franklin said.

“The teamwork of all the contributors has been amazing and indicates their commitment toward achieving a carbon neutral campus,” Franklin said.

“All of these are great accomplishments, and implementing change at a time when funding is limited indicates the determination of everyone involved.

UTPA is proud to show concern over quality of life for today’s and tomorrow’s students.”

Story by Gail Fagan

Imagine a learning tool where criminal justice students can enter a virtual courtroom as a character they create and encounter situations like a plea or sentencing hearing or a home visit that they would conduct as a real-life probation officer.

Students in the Corrections Systems and Practices class taught this past academic year by George Bowe, lecturer in criminal justice, got to participate in this technology-based learning experience through Second Life, a 3-D virtual world created in 2003 by Linden Lab. In Second Life, users create a visual representation of themselves, called an avatar, and can manage it to fly, walk and speak to other users via talking or typing. The Second Life world is boundless and can include participants from around the world who have Internet access.

“This process gave the student serving as a virtual probation officer an opportunity to apply academic principal to practical application. Second Life offers an almost unlimited expansion of teaching experiences in my field of criminal justice instruction,” said Bowe, who was skeptical at first of learning how to use Second Life and its value in teaching.

With fewer funds available to the University for brick and mortar projects, UTPA’s Center for Online Learning, Teaching and Technology (COLTT) recognized the program’s potential to provide more classroom space and the need to accommodate the devices used and demands of a technologically astute generation of students.

In 2007, the University purchased a piece of computer service capacity in Second Life, called an island. In 2009, UTPA was part of a $2.5 million University of Texas System-wide initiative to support expansion of each institution’s virtual campuses in cyberspace and to develop innovative education initiatives using Second Life. Now, UTPA has three islands, on which 100 structures have been created where users can learn about the University, attend or teach classes or hold conferences. Many structures represent those on the real campus.

Some are temporary, such as art exhibitions that display the work of students in that discipline.

COLTT regularly offers training in the use of Second Life to students and faculty and helps in course development. In spring 2009, 16 classes were either taught fully in Second Life or were a hybrid of Second Life and traditional classroom teaching. Most of the classes also incorporate other programs such as Blackboard classroom management software and Tegrity software, which allows faculty to record lectures for their students and put them online.

Maria Cristina Escobedo, a senior majoring in interdisciplinary studies-bilingual specialist, was able to participate in simulations in which she became a teacher leading a class during her Second Life Teaching Language Arts course she took this spring.

“We got the chance to practice conducting a class before working with students and this made it safe for us to make mistakes and actually learn from the simulations with the help and feedback from our professor and our classmates,” she said.

For information on Second Life, visit http://www.utpa.edu/secondlife Los Arcos Fall 2010

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Growing Next Generation of

Environmen al Scientists According to the United Nations Environment Program, the creation of green jobs will surge in the years ahead. More than 8.5 million people are expected to be working in industries ranging from solar power to energy efficiency by 2030.

At UTPA, preparing students for these green jobs is a task that was taken on in fall 2009 when the Department of Biology began offering a bachelor’s degree in environmental science.

“Having an environmental science degree is a very useful thing,” said Dr. Robert J. Edwards, director of the Environmental Science Program, in an interview in 2009. “These days more and more environmental laws are being enacted because we now recognize that the Earth is our support system. Companies throughout the world are also having to abide by certain environmental regulations, which will take an expert to figure out how to do that.”

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports the employment of environmental scientists is expected to increase by 25 percent, much faster than the average for all occupations, through 2016.

Meeting demands Report shows what’s needed in the valley Projected Growth by Occupational Categories in the Rio Grande Valley 2006-2016 Personal Care & Service

30,850

Education, Training, & Library

39,350

Office & Administrative Support

55,250

15,150 13,850 11,150

29,550

Food Preparation & Serving Related

22,300

Healthcare Practitioners & Technical

9,500 8,500

40,900

Sales & Related 13,850

Healthcare Support Transportation & Material Moving

24,050

Management

19,450

Protective Service

10,500

Construction & Extraction

14,600 0

10,000

2006 Estimate

7,550

6,150 4,250 3,300 3,050 2,800 20,000

30,000

40,000

50,000

60,000

70,000

Change through 2016

The top three occupational categories that will add the largest number of jobs by 2016 are Personal Care and Service; Education, Training & Library; and Office & Administrative Support.

Story by Jennifer Berghom

As UTPA strives to meet the nation’s demands for more graduates in the green job market, it is also preparing its students for employment in the Rio Grande Valley region in this type of sector and others.

UTPA’s Office of Institutional Research and Effectiveness has at the request of President Robert S. Nelsen, prepared an “Academic Program Needs Assessment of the Rio Grande Valley of Texas.” Nelsen asked for the report to determine what academic needs are being met and which ones aren’t to identify what UTPA programs need to be expanded, developed or considered in the future.

“This report will assist me and my executive team make well-informed decisions for the course this institution needs to take in the near future,” Nelsen said.

The 100-plus page report, released in April, provides demographic information about the educational attainment and employment of Rio Grande Valley residents, as well as what occupational demands there are in the area. It also shows which jobs the University is training enough people for and which ones are still in need of more employees. Overall UTPA has the greatest numeric increase in graduates from fiscal year 2000 to 2009 – from 1,780 to 3,468 – among the Valley’s five main higher education institutions.

Professions in which the University is meeting demands include: computer and information sciences and support services; counseling related professions; education administration; engineering; social work; business management; marketing; finance; accounting; criminal justice and some health care professions, such as occupational therapy, physician assistants and medical and health service managers.

But there remains a high demand for registered nurses, physicians, surgeons, pharmacists, physical therapists, teachers, lawyers and human resource managers, and the future employees the University is producing are not enough to fill those needs.

For example, 1,640 new jobs become available in education each year, but the University only graduated 364 teachers in fiscal year 2009. The Valley needs about 440 more registered nurses each year, but in 2009 UTPA only graduated 83.

Recommendations include consideration of providing more programs related to green jobs and developing a pipeline for science, technology and math (STEM) fields by forming partnerships with local high schools and other postsecondary institutions and developing a separate teachers college to produce high-quality and well-trained educators for the Valley and the state.

To read the entire report, visit http://oire.utpa.edu.

sustainability

TXU Energy

supports UTPA’s sustainability with solar efforts arrays

Installing solar arrays on campus is not just about producing renewable energy, it is about teaching UTPA students a new field of engineering.

Dr. Jaime Ramos, a UTPA engineering professor, is providing his electrical engineering students with hands-on experience in the area of solar energy through UTPA’s Energy and Power Systems Lab in the Engineering Building, which includes solar array panels on the roof of the facility.

“The purpose of these solar panels is not so much for energy, but for educational purposes for the students,” Ramos said.

Working with Ramos to make UTPA more energy efficient are the College of Engineering and Computer Science, Physical Plant and Environmental Health and Safety. Also partnering with Ramos and UTPA in this endeavor is TXU Energy, a retail energy company with more than two million residential, commercial and industrial customers, which recently donated two solar arrays to the campus to increase awareness of this renewable resource. With this donation, UTPA and South Texas students and teachers will also have access to TXU Energy’s Solar Academy that brings solar energy education to the classroom.

“At TXU Energy it is all about how we can educate the world on renewable opportunities and renewable resources. Our TXU Solar Academy has been used throughout the state at many grade schools and high schools for curriculum, but we wanted to come to UTPA because it helps us educate across the board. We have got students from the entire Valley that are able to learn about solar energy through these arrays,” said Kelli Rod, vice president of community relations at Irving-based TXU Energy.

TXU Energy has become a corporate supporter of UTPA over the last year. In 2009, TXU donated 30 trees for planting on the campus through its Committed to Community Growth program and supported HESTEC 2009. TXU Energy will partner again with the program for 2010.

With the solar array donation, Ramos said UTPA will have an opportunity to study and develop alternative energies on campus, offering engineering faculty the chance to do research in this area and allowing students the opportunity to work with technology that may give them an advantage in the job market.

Ramos said the departments of Electrical and Mechanical Engineering will teach courses in renewable energy and incorporate the solar arrays into a senior design course for engineering students.

“The students will be able to test their inventiveness with the TXU sun tracking array that is equipped with a web service that monitors its energy production. This information is very valuable,” Ramos said.

-Melissa Vasquez

Los Arcos Fall 2010

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Bronc Profile Q&A with

Jermaine Rico Seagears, No. 20 on the Bronc Basketball team for the 2010-2011 season, is also the face for UTPA’s “It’s Life” commercial shown regionally. We wanted to know more about UTPA’s star student-athlete.

HOME Nov. 17 Northwestern University Nov. 20 Texas State University Nov. 23 Lamar University Nov. 24 SUNY-Cobleskill Dec. 5 Victory University Dec. 22 Loyola University -Chicago Dec. 29 Army Jan. 18 Texas A&M

Int’l University Feb. 3 Utah Valley University Feb. 5 Chicago State University Feb 9 Houston Baptist University Feb. 19 NJIT Feb. 26 University of St. Thomas March 3 University of South Dakota March 5 University of North Dakota

Jermaine Rico Seagears

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What’s it like being a star in a commercial and on the court?

I really don’t see myself as a star. My teammates and I are representing the school and community on and off the court. It’s a blessing to be able to represent The University of Texas-Pan American. The opportunity has shown and taught me to have a positive and respectable image, not only for my peers, but for young children in the community, too. This experience has definitely made me more humble and made me want to continue to improve my work ethic in the classroom, on the basketball court, and in anything I do in life.

Do you get recognized a lot because of the commercial?

Yes, people do recognize me from the commercial and approach me. They usually say “hey, aren’t you the guy from the commercial.” That is when I take the time to speak with people and give them motivational and encouraging words about education, sports and life. For the people who stop and talk to me, I find some type of connection with the University and try to enlighten that person’s views on what UTPA stands for and the direction the University wants to achieve. That’s success on every level.

Why did you choose UTPA? Blessing in disguise; everything happens for a reason. I talked it over with my family and my junior college coach at the time and took a deeper look into it.

I wanted to find a university that could be a home for me. I had never been to Texas. After graduating from Chandler-Gilbert Community College, Arizona, I had three choices to continue my education and play basketball – No. 1 Texas-Pan American, No. 2 Texas-Pan American, and No. 3 Texas-Pan American. I think I made a great choice. Ryan Marks called me and gave me an opportunity to play at UTPA, and I said “yes.” Thanks Coach!

What does it mean to you to be a UTPA representative?

It feels phenomenal to be a UTPA representative. I’m truly honored to be the face of the University and represent the faculty and student body in a positive manner.

It has given me more responsibility to be a leader.

As my years at UTPA come to a conclusion, I want to continue to portray a positive image and encourage more current students and future students to take on leadership roles as well.

It’s Time.

It’s UTPA’s Year.

Let’s Go BRONCS!

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To order your season tickets for exciting Bronc Basketball action, call the UTPA Athletics Department at (956) 665-2221.

Online ticketing options will also be utpa.edu/losarcos available at www.utpabroncs.com.

To see Rico in his “starring” role, go to UTPA It’s Life at www.youtube.com/utpa

HOME

Fieldhouse Gets Facelift Getting a facelift this summer was the UTPA Fieldhouse as it underwent renovations to improve the overall appearance of the 41-year-old building.

Demolition began in early June, with bleachers and chairs removed one by one – to make way for new courtside seating, chair back seating on both the north and south sections and new bench-bleachers in the top sections. Safety rails were also installed along the stairways of each section.

“Improvements will continue to be made to the inside of the Fieldhouse throughout the fall to improve the appearance and overall game day and event experience for the UTPA community, fans and alumni,” said Chris King, director of athletics.

In July, the center court was removed to make way for the new court design of the Sam Williams Court, an NBA-style court featuring a refreshed UTPA Broncs logo and wordmark.

“The women’s basketball team is extremely excited to be the first to play a game on the new court when we host Our Lady of the Lake Nov. 13. This game will be a historical moment for our team because there are only a few times when you get to be the first,” head women’s basketball coach Denny Downing said. “Hopefully, we will create an even stronger home court advantage for our teams with the excitement of the updated facility.”

New sponsorship panels and exciting graphics will finish off the renovations for the new and improved UTPA Fieldhouse just before the start of the 2010 Bronc Basketball season.

For more on the Fieldhouse’s progress, visit the UTPA Broncs page on Facebook at www.facebook.com/UTPABroncs

ATHLETICS UPDATES BRONC LOGO AND WORDMARKS The updated look will be featured on the new Sam Williams Court inside the UTPA Fieldhouse and on all team uniforms, practice gear and equipment.

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the Lake Nov. 20 Texas A&M- Corpus Christi Nov. 22 Texas A&M- Kingsville Dec. 10 University of North Texas Dec. 14 Texas A&M International Dec. 28 Sam Houston

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Dr. Jerry Polinard Passion for politics and the law

Professor recognized for love of teaching

When a reporter from the New York Times or Newsweek wants insight on a politician in Texas or the views of the Mexican-American voter, The University of Texas-Pan American’s own professor of political science, Dr. Jerry Polinard, ranks high on their calling list of experts.

In his 37 years at the University, where he initiated the Department of Political Science in 1973 and served as its first chair, Polinard has come to be known as the “go to” person for more than just political commentary. For students and his colleagues, Polinard is also the “go to” person for excellence in teaching and guidance into becoming a legal professional. Whatever his role, he does it with passion.

“They say if you love what you do you never work a day in your life. A half hour into my very first class I taught I remember thinking to myself this is great, this is fantastic. It has remained that way for 40-plus years. To me, the classroom is magic,” he said.

So it is no surprise that Polinard, professor of political science and pre-law adviser, was awarded the prestigious 2010 Minnie Stevens Piper Award, an honor signifying he ranks as one of the top college educators in the state of Texas.

The Minnie Stevens Piper Foundation, a nonprofit charitable corporation formed in 1950, recognizes 15 professors from across the state during each academic year for their dedication to teaching and for outstanding scholarly achievement. Each two and four-year college and university in the state can submit only one nominee annually. Each Piper Professor receives a certificate of merit, a gold pin and a $5,000 honorarium.

Polinard, who has taught at UTPA since 1972, is only the fifth recipient from the University to be selected since the award 26

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“I love what I do. Being a university professor of political science is the best job in the world.”

– Dr. Jerry Polinard

program began in 1958.

“I am humbled,” Polinard said. “It is certainly an honor to be selected but it is also a great honor to be nominated by the faculty – colleagues whom I work with and respect.”

Polinard, a native Texan from Corpus Christi, worked on ships at that town’s docks during high school and college. He said his intellectual interests and values were rooted in the 1960s counterculture, a transformational era noted for the Kennedy and Martin Luther King assassinations, the civil rights movement and the Vietnam War. He earned both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Texas A&I, now Texas A&M-Kingsville, and his Ph.D. in government from the University of Arizona.

“I love what I do. Being a university professor of political science is the best job in the world. It is a constant wonderful challenge to be in the classroom and having a conversation with students,” he said. “I am never talking about the same thing. Last year we were talking about the upcoming Obama administration. Now we are talking about the Arizona immigration law. Another enjoyable thing about political science is that the questions we ask don’t have correct answers like two plus two equals four.”

Calendar of Events

2009-2010 1 Dr. Miguel Gonzalez: An Integrated STEM Pathways Support Initiative for the Rio South Texas Region, U.S. Department of Education/Office of Postsecondary Education, $1,200,000 2 Jessica Salinas: ARRA Strengthening Communities Fund Nonprofit Capacity Building Program, U.S. Department of Health & Human Services/Adminstration for Children & Families, $982,117 3 Dr. Kristine Lowe: ARRA Undergraduate Research and Mentoring at a Hispanic Serving Institution: Investigating a Rare Ecosystem, National Science Foundation/Directorate for Biological Sciences, $768,552 4 George Bennack: Direct Marketing Initiative for Beginning Farmers and Ranchers in South Texas, U.S. Department of Agriculture, $665,038 5 Dr. Karen Watt: AVID Center Special Research Projects, AVID Center, $629,088 6 Manuel Ochoa: Upward Bound Program, U.S. Department of Education, $580,258 7 Dr. Karen Lozano: PREM-UTPA/University of Minnesota-Science and Engineering of Polymeric and Nanoparticle-based Materials for Electronic and Structural Applications, National Science Foundation/Directorate for Mathematical & Physical Sciences, $540,000 8 Dr. Martha Cantu: Collabrating to Sustain Access to College-Year 7 (AVID Grant) COSAC, Michael & Susan Dell Foundation, $509,378 9 Dr. Sandra Hansmann: Intelligence Community Center of Academic Excellence, National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, $500,000 10 Dr. Cynthia Brown: UTPA Health Services Research Initiative, U.S Department of Health & Human Services/ Agency for Healthcare Research & Quality, $490,375

Plant research at UTPA cleaning up environment Imagine using a plant to remove toxins from the environment. That is just what Dr. Michael Persans is doing with his research in phytoremediation the use of plants to extract pollutants from the environment.

“If you have pollutants in the soil like organic chemicals, heavy metals or inorganic chemicals such as too much salt, the plants take them up to the roots and bring them out of the soil and into the body of the plant through the roots and then to the leaves. Then you can just pluck the plants out of the soil and go and process them to clean up the toxic chemicals,” said Persans, associate professor of biology.

“What you are doing is taking the toxic chemicals from the environment and trying to gather them up in the plants, so the plant localizes them, and you can just remove the plant out of the environment,” he added.

His research was recently awarded a three-year grant by USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture program. UTPA was one of 20 institutions across the country awarded the grant to continue to attract students to pursue careers in agricultural and food science-related fields.

The $315,331 USDA Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) grant was renewed for a third time, Persans said. UTPA began receiving the funding in fall 2009 to provide undergraduate internships and graduate student support to students in conjunction with the Texas A&M UniversityKingsville Citrus Center Biotechnology Laboratory, in cooperation with Dr. Eliezer Louzada, associate professor.

Retired faculty and staff wanted for new association Calling all retired faculty and staff! The University of Texas-Pan American Division of University Advancement, in conjunction with the Office of the President, is launching the Retired Faculty and Staff Association this fall. It is an excellent opportunity for UTPA retirees to stay connected to the University. Watch for details on the first organizational meeting in the fall.

To learn more about plans for the Retired Faculty and Staff Association, contact Janice Odom, vice president for university advancement, at (956) 665-3663 or Debby Grant, director of alumni relations, at (956) 665-2500; or e-mail universityadvancement@utpa.edu.

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faculty

Books By UTPA faculty

Business and Professional Communication Principles and Skills for Leadership Dr. Timothy P. Mottet Henry and Margaret Hauser Endowed Chair Department of Communication Chair

Welcome to Oakland Dr. Eric Miles Williamson Professor of Creative Writing Department of English

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The Role of Intercultural Communication in Conflict Resolution: A Look at African Immigrant Fathers and Their U.S.-Born Children Dr. Aje-Ori Agbese Assistant Professor of Journalism Department of Communication

MĂşsica NorteĂąa: Mexican Migrants Creating a Nation Between Nations Dr. Catherine Ragland Assistant Professor of Ethnomusicology Department of Music and Dance

Borderlines: Drawing Border Lives/ Fronteras: Dibujando las vidas fronterizas Dr. Steven Schneider Professor Department of English

Border Ball: The History of High School Football in the Rio Grande Valley Dr. Greg Selber Associate Professor of Journalism-print Department of Communication

Alumni

Homecoming 2011 is shaping up to be a special time at The University of Texas-Pan American for all alumni. So, regardless of the institution’s name on their diploma – Edinburg Junior College, Edinburg Regional College, Pan American College, Pan American University or The University of Texas-Pan American – former students of UT Pan American will find something to celebrate during the activities scheduled for Feb. 18-19, 2011.

Here’s some of what’s on the agenda for alumni this Homecoming 2011: Alumni Awards/Reunion Dinner and Celebration

Spend an elegant evening with fellow alumni and guests.

The celebration will include a cocktail reception and dinner, along with the opportunity to reconnect with friends and hear from University leadership. Details, including ticket cost, to be announced.

Time: 6:30-11 p.m.

Reunion Luncheon – Class of 1961 and Earlier

“We want to make sure we get the invitation out to all of our alumni, so if you know someone who has lost touch with us, please share their address or phone number so we can contact them.”

Debby Grant Director of Alumni Relations

Celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Class of 1961 and honor all those who graduated more than 50 years ago. UTPA President Robert S. Nelsen will offer remarks. During the luncheon, eligible alumni will be inducted into the UTPA 50 Year Club. (If you are eligible for membership – or you know someone who is, be sure the Office of Alumni Relations has current contact information so you/they can get a special invitation. Call (956) 665-2500.

Time: 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.

Campus Tours

See how the UT Pan Am landscape has changed since your student days during an hour-long, student-guided tour of campus, hosted by the Office of Admissions. Campus tours are free, but registration is requested. Further details to come.

Time: 1:30-2:30 p.m.

“Homecoming 2011 is really going to be special,” said Debby Grant, director of alumni relations. “We will be inaugurating the 50 Year Club and reconnecting with a lot of former students who haven’t been back to campus in a long time.

“We want to make sure we get the invitation out to all of our alumni, so if you know someone who has lost touch with us, please share their address or phone number so we can contact them. We like to say that the only constant in the life of a university is its alumni, so we want to make sure all of our graduates and former students know how important they are to us.”

The Office of Alumni Relations is also looking for volunteers to organize special reunions – either for classes, fraternities, sororities, honor societies, other organizations or special interest groups.

To volunteer, to get more information about Homecoming 2011 or to share information about a “lost alum,” call (956) 665-2500 or e-mail alumni@utpa.edu.

Young Alumni Reunion – Classes of 2006-2010

Celebrate the 5th anniversary of the class of 2006 and mingle with recent graduates from the past five years.

Place: Monster Carwash Bar & Grill (tentative) Time: 3-5 p.m.

Bronc Madness

Place: UTPA Fieldhouse Time: Doors open at 4:30 p.m. (The women’s basketball team plays at 5:30 p.m. and the Broncs’ game begins at 7:30.)

Join the men’s and women’s basketball teams in the the newly renovated Fieldhouse and Sam Williams Court. The first 500 fans in attendance will receive a free commemorative t-shirt. More details to come.

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alumni

A salute to ROTC

and its new leader

Twenty-five years ago Maricela Garcia Alvarado was taking orders as a cadet in the five-year-old United States Army Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) Program at then Pan American University.

Now, as the Bronc Battalion celebrates its 30th year at The University of TexasPan American, the Lyford, Texas native is giving the orders.

In June 2009, Lt. Col. Alvarado was selected to head UTPA’s Department of Military Science and ROTC program that led to her career as a military officer.

“I am humbled and honored to be here,” said Alvarado, who earned a bachelor’s degree in secondary education with a minor in military science and a regular Army commission in May 1987.

Alvarado said at this point in her career, she feels she has much to offer the young cadets.

“I believe I can understand some of the challenges they face – being Hispanic and from this area. I can sympathize with cadets who are married, cadets who come from a poor family, cadets who don’t have the support of their family when they start out. My experience as a leader, a platoon and company commander and some of the key jobs and locations that I’ve been at – I think I can go ahead and pass that on,” said Alvarado, who is married to an ex-serviceman and a mother of three.

During her career she has primarily served in military intelligence and been stationed in numerous places in the United States and elsewhere in the world, traveling to 26 countries. She served a stint at the Pentagon and, as executive officer for two generals there, was part of the team that investigated the Abu Ghraib prisoner abuse scandal. Alvarado has been deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan, where she was the commander in charge of counterintelligence operations in support of International Security Assistance Force.

Alvarado said, when she joined ROTC in 1985 as a junior, she was unfocused and barely passing her classes.

“The second semester after I joined ROTC I made the Dean’s List.

It was the dedication and focus of the cadets in ROTC. I was a member of a new group that had a plan, had a goal and wanted to succeed.

So that is what we offer students,” she said. “We are developing tomorrow’s leaders here, not just for the military but for the civilian world. I’d say 80 percent of our cadets who are commissioned will go into civilian professions.”

As Alvarado begins her second year at UTPA, she plans to continue to do more outreach to high school students.

“I don’t think all the high schools really know the opportunity that ROTC has to offer. We work with our cadets – one goal is to ensure that all of our cadets pass all their classes and graduate. We keep them focused and support them in the areas they might need assistance,” she said.

Alvarado’s next detail after her three-year assignment here ends? To follow her husband, Gustavo, who is now working on his master’s degree in electrical engineering at UTPA. “My husband has been my biggest supporter. He has put his career on hold to follow me. I’m sure the Army will find something for me wherever he goes.

I’m not ready to retire yet. I’m having too much fun,” she said.

-Gail Fagan

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Class Notes 1940

Alicia C. Fernandez (AS ’41), who in 1948 became the first Spanish teacher at Edinburg High School, taught for 25 years before retiring.

Orin Anderson (AS ’41) retired from the Donna Independent School District as tax assessor/collector in 1986. While in college, he sang in a quartet and continues with music as pianist for his church.

1950

LuAnn Alexander (BA ’55, MEd, ’73, MEd ’78) taught health for 42 years in the Edinburg CISD. While in college, she played on a conference championship tennis team.

Jon Dee Lawrence (BA ’57), former chair of the UTPA Foundation Board of Trustees, is living in Laredo with wife, Rolinda. He worked for many years as an attorney for Southwestern Bell, now AT&T.

1960

W.L. Collins (BA ’66) is a retired Air Force major who earned a master’s degree from the University of Tulsa. He was nominated for both a Fulbright Scholarship and Woodrow Wilson Fellowship. He now lives in Tulsa.

Emmett Wells (BA ’69) is general manager of Starchannel Communications, Inc. (Televisa) in McAllen.

Rene Guerra (BS ’69), who earned his law degree from The University of Texas School of Law in 1975, has served as criminal district attorney for Hidalgo County since 1982.

1970

David Garza (BA ’70) and his wife, Maria Cristina Perez Garza (BS ‘69), own their own company, Creative Consulting & Solutions, in Houston. They were founding members of the UTPA Houston

Alumni Chapter, which he is currently serving as president.

Jim Board (BA ’70), who has been in the insurance business in the Rio Grande Valley since 1965, stays involved with UTPA as a highly successful volunteer fundraiser for the Alumni Association and Bronc Athletics.

Maria Luisa Trevino Guerra (BA ’72), an assistant superintendent in the Edinburg CISD, is working on her doctorate in educational leadership at UTPA. Carmen Lara (BBA ’75), secretary of the Alumni Association board, is currently employed at Ewing, Lara, Ebner & Co., PC as a CPA. Lynne Beeching (BA ’75, BBA ’78) is development officer for the Museum of South Texas History in Edinburg.

Catching up with...

Rui-Long Monico

Art Director/Graphic Designer BFA in Art, 2008 After my graduation, I came back to my hometown of Geneva, Switzerland. Afterward, I completed my mandatory military duty and was honorably discharged after boot camp in May 2009.

With my army savings, I founded my own company, Candy Factory Sàrl (Sàrl = Corporation/Ltd), a visual communication agency specializing in branding and advertising. After a rough start, business has been booming for the last five months. Currently, we have open projects with banks, athletes, construction companies, etc. The goal for the next two years is to become the leading local agency in the Geneva/Lausanne area.

Rui describes the Candy Factory as a “foundry for dreams and other eye treats.” View his portfolio at http://candy-factory.ch/index_en.html.

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1970

Jesus “Chuy” Guerra (BS ‘76) in 1998 became the first basketball player from the Rio Grande Valley to be inducted into the Texas High School Basketball Hall of Fame. At Pan American, he played for legendary coach, Abe Lemons. After coaching for several years, Chuy returned to his hometown as superintendent of the Roma Independent School District.

Rebecca Bormann (BFA ’76) works at the McAllen Memorial Library and occasionally performs with the Academia de Danza de Karina dance group.

Bob Cornelison (BBA ‘76) is retiring as director of the Port Isabel-Harlingen-San Benito Navigation District after almost 30 years and plans to return to his hometown of St. Louis, Missouri, in February.

John Sigrist (BFA ’78), a member of the Alumni Association board of directors, is owner of Aloe King, an international aloe vera operation with locations in Mercedes, Texas, and Algarve, Portugal.

Norma Rydl (BA ’78) is serving as treasurer of the Alumni Association. She teaches third grade at De Zavala Elementary in Edinburg.

Hector Casas (’78), one of the newest members of the Alumni Association board, is owner of Shea Development LLC and the popular Social Club restaurant and lounge in Edinburg.

Joel S. De La Garza (BS ’79, MEd ‘94) joined the Austin ISD in 2001 after 22 years as a teacher and administrator in Harlingen. He has been principal of J.J. Pickle Elementary School since 2007.

1980

Thomas Yznaga (BA ’81), vice president of the Alumni Association, is a retired educator.

Arnoldo Mata (BA ’81) is owner of Leadership Resource Group, a leadership development and strategic planning firm serving the Rio Grande Valley.

Minerva Pérez (BA ’81) is partner and co-host of the cable show, Latina Voices. She also is owner/president of Minerva Pérez Media, LLC, a public relations/ communications firm in Houston.

Guillermo “Willie” Gonzalez (BA ’85) retired after 30 years with the Texas Department of Health and Human Services, then was lured back to work as a regional director. He and his wife, Estella Gonzalez (BIS ’96), live in Edinburg.

Hector Landez (BBA ’87), president-elect of the Alumni Association, is the interim program director for the UTPA Rio South Texas Regional Procurement Technical Assistance Center.

Salma Ghanem (BA ’87), former chair of the UTPA Department of Communication, has begun her second year as dean of the College of Communication and Fine Arts at Central Michigan University.

Manuel “Manny” Moreno (BCJ ’87) is athletic director and head varsity football coach at Donna High School. He is married to Elisa Moreno (BS ’84), a Donna ISD reading specialist. They have two children, including Orlanda Moreno (BBA ’10).

Jess Lee Jackson (BS ’87) is an assistant varsity football coach at Donna High School.

Ed Cantu (BA ’88) is executive director for strategic planning at Lopez Negrete Communications in Houston.

Diane Willis (BS ’89, MEd ’95), vice president of the Alumni Association, is principal of Hargill Elementary School in the Edinburg Consolidated Independent School District.

Frances Trevino (AAS ’93, BIS ’96, MEd ’00) is serving as vice president of the Alumni Association.

She teaches third grade at De Zavala Elementary in Edinburg.

Pablo Javier Almaguer (BA ’94), private attorney involvement group coordinator for Texas RioGrande Legal Aid, Inc., has been elected chair of the State Bar of Texas Board of Directors.

Jane Cross (MA ’94) owner of Jane Cross Enterprises in Edinburg, teaches public speaking part-time for the UTPA Department of Communication. This year her adventures have taken her to Singapore, Bali, Spain, Morocco, the Mexican Riviera and on a cruise from Panama to Colombia, Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao.

Doreen Willis (BFA ’95) is executive assistant with Tropical Texas Behavioral Health in Edinburg.

Paul Colliver (BBA ’98) is associate director of enterprise services for Pinnacle Technical Resources.

He and his wife Marissa live in North Richland Hills and in August welcomed their second son, Ryan.

2000

Martha G. Cano (BS ‘00) opened her family practice in Weslaco in May after completing her residency with the Christus Spohn Health System in Corpus Christi, where she was chief resident. She earned her MD degree in 2005 from The University of Texas Medical Branch-Galveston.

Bret Mann (MBA ’89), a member of the Alumni Association board of directors, is currently working with the City of Weslaco.

Gabriel Alcantar (BBA ’00) is internet sales manager at KGBT-TV in Harlingen.

Ramiro “Ramm” Leal (BS ’89) is assistant athletic director for Donna ISD. He and wife, Marisela Leal (BA ’09), have two children. Marisela is assistant director of alumni relations at UTPA.

Jamie McInturff Odom (BA ’00), a former Lady Broncs golfer, is co-owner with husband, Jim, of J2O Designs, a full-service strategic marketing agency in Fair Oaks Ranch, Texas. The Odoms are proud parents of a daughter, Lola, 2.

1990

Leonardo Olivares (MPA ‘02) graduated from The University of Texas School of Law in 2009 and is now city manager in Weslaco.

Sonia Chapa (BS ’90, MA ’00), professional dancer, choreographer and teacher, recently celebrated the 20th anniversary of Sonia Chapa Dance Studio (originally named Pointe & Plié) in McAllen.

Catching up with...

Linda Morales (BSCJ ’02) is executive director for CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) of Hidalgo County. She earned an MPA from Texas A&M International University, has one son and is engaged to Jorge G. Gonzales (BA ’05), company

Daniel Aguilar

Destination Wedding Photojournalist BS in Computer Science, 2005 I grew up in Puebla, Mexico, and moved to Texas when I was 18 to get my degree in computer science. Even though I graduated from a scienceengineering field, it was back then in college where I found my passion for photography. After shooting a couple of friends’ weddings, I found a passion for wedding photography that trapped me and made me realize that shooting weddings was what I wanted to do for a living. I’m traveling all over Mexico doing destination weddings and changing the way people see wedding photography in my country. I’m educating photographers, Mexicans

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and foreigners. I’m doing workshops in Mexico and next year in Spain and hopefully in Brazil and Argentina, as well. This year I’ll be speaking at the Foundation Workshop in Kansas City, one of the most important conferences in the wedding photography industry where some of the best wedding photographers in the world gather.

Daniel was recently named to Southern Wedding Magazine’s “It List” of wedding photographers. Check out his work at www.danielaguilar.net.

commander of Foxtrot Company, 536th BSB, currently deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Maritza Rangel Pruitt (BS ’03) is an assistant principal in the Goose Creek CISD in Baytown, Texas.

Venessa Agado (BS ’03) is a respiratory therapist at Santa Rosa Children’s Hospital in San Antonio.

Cindy Mata (BA ’04) is assistant director of the UTPA Student Union. She returned to her alma mater in 2007 after graduating with an MA in marketing from UT Austin.

Sagario Zuviri-Cruz (BIS ’04), after teaching in Houston for several years and earning her master’s at Texas Southern University, returned to the Rio Grande Valley in 2008, got married and joined IDEA Public Schools, where she’s teaching kindergarten.

Christopher Lee Ortiz (BA ’04), who has been in the telecommunications industry since 1998, is now a sales engineer, Public Safety & K-12 Education Division, for AT&T in Austin. He has two sons, 9 and 13.

Amy Davila Lynch (BA ’04) is assistant director of news and information at UT Brownsville/Texas Southmost College. She is married to Matt Lynch (BA ’10), public relations coordinator at Knapp Medical Center in Weslaco.

Christopher Sanchez (BBA ’04, MEd ’10) entered the Thomas M. Cooley Law School in Ann Arbor, Michigan, this fall.

Arianna Vazquez Hernandez (BA ’04) is public information officer at Pharr-San Juan-Alamo ISD. She and her husband, Aldo Hernandez, and 8-month-old daughter, Arianna, live in Hidalgo.

Bonnie Annette Bustos (BA ‘06) graduated in May 2010 from Texas A&M University with a master’s in higher education administration. She is an academic advisor there for General Academic Programs.

Patricia Rosenlund (MS ‘06) is executive director of Easter Seals Rio Grande Valley.

Stephanie Shimotsu (BA ’06, MA ’08) plans to graduate with her doctorate in communication studies from West Virginia University in May 2011 and hopes to return to UTPA “to give back to the institution that has helped make me who I am today.”

Catching up with...

I am currently working at the Association of Farmworker Opportunity Programs as the project director for the Children in the Fields Campaign in Washington, D.C. I advocate on behalf of migrant and seasonal farmworker children through a national campaign that organizes community coalitions and youth councils in farmworker communities. I work with national media outlets and have spoken at conferences and events to educate the public about the strife of child farmworkers, and have testified at a Congressional Hearing regarding child labor in the U.S. I am also involved in advocacy for Latinos, immigration reform and sustainable agriculture, known as the Good Food Movement. I am a Navy wife, happily married to Jaime Rene Lopez for over three years.

Norma will be featured on “60 Minutes” this fall. The program will focus on Norma’s life and work with child farmworkers.

Norma Flores Lopez

Migrant Farmworker Children Advocate BA in Communication, 2006

Stefanie Maynard Gray (BSMF ’06), a four-year Lady Bronc golfer, has begun her second year as assistant women’s golf coach at Stephen F. Austin State University. She is married to Michael Gray (02’), a police officer at SFA.

Heather Casey Vela (BBA ’07), a staff accountant with Carrales & Co. LLP in McAllen, is preparing for the CPA exam. She just celebrated her 20th wedding anniversary and is the proud grandmother of Dominique, 2, and Erian, 5 months.

Mary E. “Beth” Walters (BA ’06) manages the popular McAllen restaurant/bar, Roosevelt’s at 7 on North Main, and has her own graphic design business. She earned a master’s degree from The University of Texas at Austin in 2008. Check her out at www.express-creativity.com.

Mari De Leon (BBA ’07, MPA ’10) has recently moved to Austin as chief of staff for State Representative Aaron Peña and is preparing for the 82nd Texas Legislature. She also has just opened De Leon Consulting.

Zoraya Monita (BA ’06) has been at Bromley Communications in San Antonio for almost four years as finance coordinator for a range of clients including Procter & Gamble, Continental Airlines, Burger King and the San Antonio Convention and Visitors Bureau.

Franco Caballero (BA ‘06) is senior copywriter at BRAVO, the Hispanic Extension of Young and Rubicon in New York. Since graduating, he has worked for Bromley Communication in San Antonio and Latin Works in Austin. While at Bromley, he was one of two selected to represent the U.S. Hispanic market at the Cannes Lions International Advertising Festival’s prestigious “Young Lions” competition.

Yvette Cantu (MA ’07) is a licensed specialist in school psychology with the Katy Independent School District near Houston. She diagnoses children on the Autism Spectrum.

Jesus Flores (BFA ’08) is operations manager for a restaurant franchise in Monterrey, Mexico.

Luke Y. Koong (BS ’08) has begun his third year of doctoral work in cell biology at The University of Texas Medical Branch-Galveston and has received a predoctoral fellowship through the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences.

Hashim Yousef (BA ’08) is working with Walmart at its corporate headquarters in Bentonville, Arkansas.

Sandra Gonzalez (BA ’09) is assistant editor at Entertainment Weekly’s EW.com in New York.

Chris Ramirez (BFA ’09) is working on a master’s degree in advertising at UT Austin.

2010

Claudia C. Cantu (BBA ’10) worked as a marketing coordinator for Little Caesars Pizza in Reynosa, Mexico, before returning to school to become a chef.

She hopes to open her own business soon.

Share your News!

UTPA would love to hear from you and learn what you have been up to since graduating from the University.

Send your updated alumni information to www.utpa.edu/alumni and click on “Share Your News,” e-mail alumni@utpa.edu, or call (956) 665-2326. To send in your information by mail, forward to Office of Alumni Relations, 1201 West Universtiy Drive, UC 108, Edinburg, Texas 78539.

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President’s Circle

Development

Founding Members Gold Circle Victor H. and Sandra C. Gonzalez Robert and Jody Nelsen Joe and Sylvia Ramirez John and Shirley Schrock Alicia Torres and Frank Lagacki

Silver Circle Tobin Hickman and Blanca Chow-Hickman Janice and Jim Odom Edward H. and Susan E. Muñoz

After a successful inaugural year, with 66 Founding Members, the UT Pan American President’s Circle is now searching for Charter Members, the designation to be given to all who enter the Circle during its second year – from September 1, 2010 through August 31, 2011.

The President’s Circle is composed of generous donors who give unrestricted annual gifts of $1,000 or more to assist President Robert S. Nelsen in his quest to address what he is calling the signature themes of his administration. These include: • Building the stature of the University • Generating resources to build needed facilities and programs • Creating a culture of student success • Serving the Rio Grande region

Bronze Circle Yvonne Anderson Theresa Barrera Al Beltran (Security First Federal Credit Union) Wanda L. Boush Patricia and Kevin W. Cruthirds Bill and Patricia Ellis Juan C. Gonzalez Yno and Yolanda Gonzalez A. R. “Felo” and Maxine Guerra William C. and Jodi E. Hamer Noe and Marcia Hinojosa Albert L. and Mary Lea Jeffers Rajdeep and Laura Kakar

By making unrestricted gifts, President’s Circle members are providing funds that allow Dr. Nelsen to take advantage of special opportunities as they arise.

“In this day of budget cuts and growing enrollments, the generosity of special friends like those who have joined the President’s Circle this year truly does make a difference for UT Pan American,” said President Nelsen. “We have so many wonderful opportunities to continue moving the University forward, and it is the support of our growing number of dedicated alumni, friends and corporate partners that will make that happen.”

To learn more about joining the President’s Circle, contact Yvette Padilla, director of stewardship and annual giving, at development@utpa.edu or by calling (956) 665-5301.

President’s Circle Charter Membership Levels

Gold Circle Silver Circle Bronze Circle

$5,000 $2,500 $1,000

Jim Langabeer and Susan Griffith David C. and J. Rachael Loman Roy and Aida Martinez Linda Matthews and John Sargent Doug and Dolores Matney Robert and Margaret McAllen Marian F. Monta Timothy Mottet and Rick Gonzalez Melynda Nuss and José Skinner Jaime and Carmen E. Ramon Cyndy Ramos (Security First Federal Credit Union) Carol Rausch Ed Rivera Enrique J. and Sara Saldaña Paul Sale Frank A. and Joyce G. Smith Charles and Linda Sorber Morgan and Jane Talbot Martha Tevis Tom and Nina Torkelson

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Gustavo and Rosa Zapata utpa.edu/losarcos

Alumni

Story by Melissa Vasquez

s Julio Rodriguez addressed the UT Pan American lot in common; they both came from migrant families; their parents graduating class of 2010 on Aug. 21, he could not help grew up together as children; and they loved attending the University. but reminisce about the day in 1978 when he received his “This was sort of destiny I guess,” Julio said. accounting degree from Pan American University.

Now married 30 years, Julio and Rosie said what they are most “I still remember my graduation ceremony as if it happened just proud of is their daughter, who Rosie stayed home to raise, foregoing a a few months ago. Today, graduates, is a day you will never forget. career in finance in which she had climbed to managerial levels the first Many years from now, you will look back and be thankful for having few years. Rosie currently volunteers her time with the family’s church made the decision to seek a college education and for having attended in Kingwood, Texas. this fine university,” Rodriguez said to more than 800 summer graduElizabeth, who graduated from UTPA with a degree in chemistryates as his wife Rosie, a 1980 Pan American finance graduate, and premed, is now in her third year at The University of Texas Medical daughter Elizabeth, a 2008 UTPA Branch at Galveston School of Medialumna, looked on proudly. cine and plans to specialize in pediatAnd thankful the Rodriguez rics. family is for the opportunities that Julio said Elizabeth had the opportua UTPA education has afforded nity to go to any university she wanted each one – Julio, Rosie and Elizain the country, but she chose UTPA for beth. its golf program (she was the captain of For the Rodriguezs, attending the team her junior and senior years) UTPA has become a family tradiand because of its medical school action and the institution they credit ceptance rate of 63.6 percent, well over for their success. the state average of 33 percent.

“From a professional stand“Before she made a decision, she repoint it really was the basis for my searched UTPA and found the accepsuccess and Rosie’s and now Elizatance rate to med school was extremely beth’s success. The education that high and that is what sealed the deal we received from Pan American for her. She decided that she could play can compete with any university golf, which she really likes to do, and in the country,” said Julio, an exget a great education that could set her ploration controller for ExxonMoup for getting into med school, and it bil Corporation in Houston, the worked out exactly like that for her,” he world’s leading energy company. said.

As the worldwide controller of Julio and Rosie said they were ExxonMobil Exploration, Julio’s thrilled that Elizabeth had chosen their responsibilities include overseeing alma mater as her school of choice.

ExxonMobil venture companies “I told her it was a good school, and involved in exploration activities she didn’t need a lot of convincing bearound the globe. His career has cause she saw the success her mother allowed him to travel the world to and I had,” Julio said. “She feels very 5 continents and over 25 counmuch indebted to the University beThe Rodriguez family has made getting an education from UTPA tries. a family affair. Pictured left to right are Julio, Elizabeth and Rosie Rodriguez. cause it really did prepare her for med Not bad for a small town boy school and she is competing extremely from Harlingen, who at the age of 10 was one of the best shoe-shiners well with everyone in med school right now.” in the city working to save money for a $25 bicycle that his father The Rodriguezs said they count their blessings every day, and are could not afford. thankful for the lives they have been able to lead – all because of UTPA. Both Julio and Rosie were born in Roma and raised in Harlingen; “Pan American is really the foundation for all the professional suchowever, they didn’t know each other until they met at Pan American cess of my family. If I had not attended UTPA, I’m not sure that I University in the late 1970s. Upon meeting, both realized they had a would have had all this success,” Julio said.

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Why a career in the theatre?

Doctors and lawyers practice, musicians do works and actors do plays.

Do you want to practice, work or play ?

– Dr. Marian Monta

Emerita Professor

The halls, classrooms and stages of the UT Pan American Communication Arts Building still echo with pithy “Montaisms” left behind by the talented and beloved theatre professor, Dr. Marian Monta, when she retired in 2007.

But that is only part of her legacy. She also has set the stage for aspiring actors, directors and theatre technicians through her generous philanthropy — The Dr. Marian F. Monta Endowed Theatre Scholarship — that will provide scholarships for the UTPA Theatre Program in perpetuity. Through regular gifts to a scholarship created in her honor by her many friends and former students, Dr. Monta is helping to build a sizable endowment.

Further benefiting her endowed scholarship in the future will be a charitable gift annuity that for now is providing important income to this professor emerita in her retirement.

For Dr. Marian Monta, it’s all about a good play – and a good plan!

Gi v i ng to m ake a differ enc e.

To learn more about the many ways your estate plan can benefit UT Pan American, contact development@utpa.edu or (956) 665-5301 or visit us at www.utpa.edu/giving.

T h e U n i v e r s i t y o f T e x a s - Pa n A m e r i c a n 36

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