Southwest Texas Junior College Signs Transfer Student Agreement with Texas A & M International University
By: Ricardo E. Calderon, Eagle Pass Business Journal, Inc., Copyright 2024
Southwest Texas Junior College (SWTJC) signed a Transfer Student Articulation Agreement with Texas A & M International University (TAMIU) at a signing ceremony celebrated on Tuesday, March 19, 2024, at its Eagle Pass, Texas campus amid a large audience of SWTJC students, administration, staff, and local citizens, announced Brenda Hoffman, SWTJC at Eagle Pass Vice-President.
Hoffman welcomed TAMIU President Dr. Pablo Arenaz and his administration representatives accompanying him for the historic event to SWTJC at Eagle Pass, including Dr. Claudia San Miguel, Provost and Vice-President of Academic Affairs, Juan Gilberto Garcia, Vice-President of Enrollment, Miriam Granados, Director of Recruitment and Student Relations, and Christa Elizondo, Regional Advisor.
Hoffman also welcomed SWTJC President Dr. Hector Gonzales, Dr. Martin Underwood, Vice President of Academic Affairs, and Cruz Mata, Vice-President of Student Services to Eagle Pass.
Dr. Gonzales stated that SWTJC was honored to reaffirm its Transfer Student Articulation Agreement with TAMIU signed 10 years ago to benefit students make a “seamless transfer process” to its higher education institution partner, TAMIU. “Our goal is to make it as seamless as possible to transfer to TAMIU and streamline the transfer process,” Dr. Gonzales said.
Dr. Gonzales added that “this new transfer partnership will expand the educational opportunities to all SWTJC students and ensure that all course credits taken at SWTJC will transfer directly to TAMIU with over 100 degree programs, including all 22 school districts offering dual credit courses with SWTJC are included.”
TAMIU President Dr. Pablo Arenaz stated that in 2013-2014 he visited SWTJC at Eagle Pass to sign the initial Transfer Student Articulation Agreement between the two higher education institutions while serving as Provost of TAMIU and he was now honored to renew the Agreement with new measures for SWTJC students to transfer “seamlessly” to TAMIU and have all of their courses taken at SWTJC credited at TAMIU.
Dr. Arenaz highlighted that TAMIU’s goal is to “build legacies” among students in South Texas, particularly with first-time college generation students. Dr. Arenaz stated “First-time college generation students are trailblazers within their families and communities.” Dr. Arenaz added that TAMIU was recommitting to providing opportunities to students “outside its Laredo footprint” among South Texas students.
Dr. Arenaz stated “As a regional university of choice, this accord sets up major principles and expectations of our shared cooperation and collaboration with SWTJC. It enhances the transfer of degree-seeking SWTJC students at TAMIU. We are thrilled to have earned this partnership of SWTJC and look forward to helping transfer students complete their undergraduate degrees at TAMIU.
Hoffman, a graduate of TAMIU, said it best when she emphasized that “all experiences are meant to be shared and both SWTJC and TAMIU have provided me with opportunities to transform my personal and professional career.” Hoffman hailed the new transfer student agreement as a game changer making the transfer process a seamless experience.
Juan Gilberto Garcia, TAMIU Vice-President of Enrollment, stated that the transfer student agreement enables SWTJC students to smoothly and efficiently transfer their credits and complete their degrees at TAMIU. Garcia noted that Eagle Pass is a large feeder of students to TAMIU with over 75 students currently enrolled at the Laredo-based university.
Garcia added that “among the provisions of the SWTJC-TAMIU Agreement are a variety of institutional collaborations and the development of web-published transfer guides for degree programs that share the acceptance of credits applicable to the plan’s degree program. The Agreement also sets in place institutional guidance on admissions and recruiting and the opportunity for the completion of an Associate degree or reverse transfer.”
Following the comments, Drs. Gonzales and Arenaz proceeded to sign the new transfer student articulation agreement between the two institutions and exchanged a handshake to seal the agreement.
The new agreement opens a world of opportunities to students to pursue and complete their college degree programs at SWTJC and TAMIU.
