Mega Doctor News
By Selene Rodriguez
For the second consecutive summer, South Texas College and the Boys & Girls Club of McAllen have teamed up to empower a new group of high school students with hands-on career training at no cost to them or their families.
Backed by a $1,200 scholarship, more than 20 high school students are jumpstarting their futures through fast-track programs in Structural Welding and Electrocardiogram (EKG) Technology, gaining real-world skills in high-demand fields.
“It’s incredibly exciting to see what we’re building together. Last year marked our first cohort of EKG students and I’m thrilled that this year we added a welding cohort,” Dalinda Gonzalez-Alcantar, chief executive officer of the Boys & Girls Club of McAllen and STC Trustee, told students and their families during their summer program completion ceremony. “This summer, while many chose not to invest in their future, you did. You chose to get up early and go to class because you knew your future mattered. We are all privileged to know you, to serve you and be a part of your journey forward.”
Now in its second successful year, this one-of-a-kind partnership is gaining statewide attention as a potential model for workforce development.
As the only collaboration of its kind in Texas, Gonzalez-Alcantar will present the summer program next month in Austin to the Texas Workforce Commission as a promising example that could soon be replicated across the state.
“We’re creating real, direct pathways to college and showing students that higher education isn’t just about sitting in a classroom, it can be so much more,” added Gonzalez-Alcantar. “I know for certain we’re the only ones in the state doing this kind of work. So, to our students, because you took a chance on yourself, because you chose to invest in your future, you’re not only changing your own life, but you’re also paving the way for thousands of teens across Texas to have this same opportunity.”
Victoria Didenco, an incoming senior at McAllen High School, is now a certified EKG technician, earning a nationally recognized certification before graduating high school.
The experience has only strengthened her long-term goal of entering the medical field, with plans to first become a nurse and eventually a plastic surgeon.
“I’m really thankful because I know a lot of people don’t have access to opportunities like this,” she said. “I’m only 16, and to already be certified in something that can lead to a stable, good-paying job, it’s a huge opportunity.”
Similarly, for Nathan Angon, an incoming senior from IDEA Los Encinos, this experience helped shape his future as he explored the world of welding, earning an entry-level certification, and more importantly, a new set of skills for a promising career in a high-demand technical field.
“I’ve been wanting to learn welding because I think it’s a skill everyone should know, at least I wanted to,” he said. “This program gave me a chance to try it out, to see if I’d really like it or not. And I did. It was a good introduction to something I could actually do in the future.”
STC Dean of Continuing Education and Workforce Development Olivia De La Rosa emphasized that with these nationally recognized credentials, the students are better prepared to take the next step in their academic or career paths.
She explained that EKG technicians can return to STC with real-world experience and earn college credit toward the Patient Care Technician program, the first step in a pathway that can lead to a bachelor’s degree in Nursing.
Likewise, students in the Welding program now have a foundation to build toward certificates and associate degrees in a field that remains in high demand.
“You showed up, you learned and you pushed through,” said De La Rosa. “Whether you started in Welding or EKG, this is just the beginning. At STC, we believe in stacking credentials and building futures. We’ll be here to support you every step of the way.”
For more information on STC Continuing Education and Workforce Development opportunities, visit southtexascollege.edu/cpit/ or call 956-872-3585.
