Mega Doctor News
South Texas College (STC) students have made history by becoming the first two-year institution to win first place in the highly competitive Association of Applied and Clinical Sociology (AACS) student problem-solving competition. The victory marks a major achievement for the college, highlighting its commitment to high-quality, hands-on learning.
The AACS conference virtually brought together students and faculty from universities and colleges across the country. The problem-solving competition required students to address a real-world issue presented by a nonprofit organization.
This year, the challenge was proposed by Texas Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA), which sought solutions to help connect incarcerated parents with their foster children, a growing issue for many families across the state.
The STC student team consisted of Applied and Clinical Sociology major John Haugland, History major Angel Rodriguez and Philosophy major Daunte Aguilar. Over the course of several weeks leading up to the event, these students engaged in extensive research, surveys and interviews to develop a data-backed solution that could help facilitate communication between incarcerated parents and their children in foster care.
Also in attendance at the conference to represent the college were STC students Samantha Castillo and Angel Rodriguez, who competed and placed 2nd and 3rd in a Sociology Trivia competition and Aimee Pequeño who submitted a research proposal that examined college students impacted by homelessness.
Aguilar explained that the winning strategy was built around three key components: developing creative solutions to help families reconnect virtually, designing a brochure tailored to Texas prisons and establishing a clear understanding of Texas CASA’s mission.
“Our winning proposal included several innovative ideas that were well received by the Texas CASA representatives, like creating virtual ways for parents and children to reconnect, developing a brochure to help educate Texas prisons about CASA’s mission and how they can facilitate these connections,” Aguilar explained. “Ultimately, the goal was to do well and make a positive impact for an important initiative like CASA’s. However, earning this title means we accomplished that and also proved what we are capable.”
Buzzing with excitement over this achievement, Aguilar expressed his pride for playing a role in representing the institution.
“Winning this competition feels very validating. It was an honor to represent STC and prove that a community college team can compete with larger institutions,” Aguilar said. “We focused on practical, creative and real-world solutions that could make a difference, and it’s seriously incredible to see that recognized at a national level.”
Among those representing the college was Mid-Valley student Haugland, who presented two scholarly papers at the AACS conference in addition to his work on the competition team. Haugland was also invited to join the AACS Student Advisory Board, an opportunity that he never imagined could be possible.
“This experience has been a life-changing opportunity,” Haugland said. “Honestly, I never saw myself in a position where I would be pursuing a degree that fuels me and much less presenting on a national platform the work I am currently doing with launching a new student organization called Ethics Bowl. My presentations went over so well that many professionals from different universities wanted me to help guide them on how to start their own Ethics Bowl teams. Overall, this experience exceeded my expectations and I truly surprised myself with what I accomplished and how well we performed as a team. I remind myself when opportunities like these arise, simply showing up is important and in this case, we showed up and got the job done.”
Jenny Chamberlain, team advisor and Sociology instructor, also played a key role in the students’ success, emphasizing that this victory is not just a win for the team, but also a significant recognition for the entire college.
“This achievement is huge, not just for the students, but for the Applied Sociology program and STC as a whole,” Chamberlain said. “It proves that students from all backgrounds and at all levels can make an impact. This recognition puts STC on the map and sends a message that we are more than motivated and equipped to impact the field of Applied Sociology. It’s a testament to the hard work of our students and the quality of education we offer here at the college.
