FEATURED: South Texas College Trustee Rose Benavídez has made history as a Latina leader, most recently being recognized for her vital role in placing South Texas on the national map by earning the Community College Association of Texas Trustees (CCATT) Outstanding Leadership Award. Presenting her with the distinguished honor is Paul Rodríguez, Vice Chair, Board of Trustees, South Texas College.
Photograph By BENJAMIN BRIONES
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Rose Benavídez, longtime member of South Texas College Board of Trustees, makes history by receiving Outstanding Leadership Award from the Community College Association of Texas Trustees
By AMANDA SOTELO
South Texas College Trustee Rose Benavídez has made history as a Latina leader, most recently by being recognized for her vital role in placing South Texas on a national map by earning the Community College Association of Texas Trustees (CCATT) Outstanding Leadership Award.
South Texas College was created in 1993 by the Texas Legislature.
https://www.southtexascollege.edu/about
Since 2007, CCATT has served as an independent, member-supported organization for approximately 400 Texas community college trustees and regents.
It is the sole association of elected officials in higher education advocating for community colleges. CCATT strives to be the collective voice representing the community college trustees and regents in Texas, with the mission to foster student success and ensure excellence in governance.
The award was first introduced and presented in 2022 at CCATT’s annual conference to recognize Texas Trustees, like Benavídez, for their exemplary leadership, dedication and contributions to the advancement of community colleges across the state.
“This truly was an unexpected honor. We work hard to afford our communities life-changing opportunities,” said Benavídez. “I am grateful to CCATT for this prestigious award. It’s a privilege to receive this recognition.”
Benavídez’ work is deeply rooted in her home region of South Texas, serving as an STC Trustee for 15 years, but nonetheless, her mission is to provide a quality and accessible education for all Texans and beyond.
“Rose is an incredible leader. She is a visionary and sets high standards for what we can achieve,” said STC President Ricardo J. Solís, Ph.D. “On behalf of STC leadership and our Board of Trustees, we congratulate her on this remarkable and prestigious recognition. Her tireless advocacy and unwavering commitment to the advancement of STC and community colleges nationwide does not go unnoticed. This is well deserved, and we are so proud of having her on our team.”
In a recent press release, CCATT described Benavídez as being a “Visionary leader with exceptional commitment to fostering educational excellence, advocating for student success and promoting the strategic growth and development of community colleges, locally and nationally.”
In 2022, she made history as the first Latina to serve as chair of the Association of Community College Trustees (ACCT) Board of Directors in the organization’s more than 50-year history.
ACCT is a national nonprofit educational organization representing more than 6,500 elected and appointed trustees who govern more than 1,200 community colleges in the United States.
During her tenure with ACCT, Benavídez was a key voice in advocating for increased federal funding for higher education, aligning skills training with meaningful employment opportunities and promoting student success across the United States, Canada, Europe and the Pacific Islands.
Yet, she has remained profoundly committed to improving the economic standing and quality of life for her region, finding innovative ways to address challenges and leading by example through her volunteerism and service to countless local, regional, state and national nonprofit and civic organizations.
Longtime educator and STC Board of Trustee Chair Dr. Alejo Salinas has high praise for his board colleague.
“I’ve been honored to serve with this amazing servant leader. I’ve watched her grow and excel in this role once held by her father, a founding STC board member Manuel Benavídez,” said Salinas. “She is a champion for higher education, especially for underserved student populations, and most deserving of this recognition.”
Benavídez represents District 1 – which is all of Starr County – on the South Texas College Board of Trustees. She has been on the South Texas Board of Trustees during the following periods of time:
- First Term: Nov. 2009 — May 2012;
- Second Term: May 2012 — May 2018;
- Third Term: May 2018 — May 2024; and
- Fourth Term: May 2024 — May 2030.
She is a Member of the STC Facilities Committee and formerly served as Chair and Vice Chair of the STC Board of Trustees.
Benavídez is President of Starr County Industrial Foundation.
“Serving as President for the Starr County Industrial Foundation has been filled with tremendous challenges, but more importantly with great excitement. In the last few years we have been fortunate to assist in recruiting new businesses and creating jobs, attracting new entertainment venues, improving our infrastructure, increasing upper level education opportunities, and improving our quality of life,” she said.
Founded in 1993, South Texas College is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools and offers more than 127 degree and certificate options, including associate degrees in a variety of liberal art, social science, business, math, science, technology, advanced manufacturing and allied health fields of study.
Additionally, South Texas College is the only community college in the state of Texas to offer five baccalaureate degrees. South Texas College has a faculty and staff of more than 2,700 to serve 28,000 students, on the college’s six campuses, two higher education centers, and one virtual campus.
STC graduate follows family legacy, aims to break barriers as an LGBTQ+ nurse
At 20 years old, South Texas College graduate Noé GabrielNuñez is certain that his future lies in nursing.
Taking his first step toward a successful career, he recently earned a certificate as a Patient Care Technician (PCT), marking the beginning of his journey toward nursing and following in his mother’s footsteps.
As a proud member of the LGBTQ+ community, Nuñez is not only pursuing his passion for nursing, but also breaking stereotypes and inspiring others to follow their dreams, no matter the challenges they face.
LGBTQ+ or LGBTQIA+ stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer/questioning, intersex, asexual/aromantic. The “+” represents non-cisgender and non-straight identities that aren’t contained in the acronym.
“I decided to go into nursing after witnessing my mother’s growth and her selflessness toward others. I want to help people the way she does,” Nuñez said. “But I also want to make my own mark and break stereotypes. Not many people like me go into nursing because of the stigma, where people can sometimes be rude or afraid. I always strive to challenge those stereotypes and be a different kind of nurse.”
Born and raised in Rio Grande City, Nuñez spent the last semester driving about an hour back and forth to McAllen to pursue his Patient Care Technician certificate. During this time, he also earned credentials as a Certified Nursing Assistant, Phlebotomist and Electrocardiogram (EKG) Technician.
“It’s amazing everything we get to do in just one semester. This is the true foundation of what nursing really is. My next step is earning my Vocational Nursing certificate, then I’ll be ready to move on to the Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) and eventually the Bachelor of Science in Nursing,” he explained. “I’m taking my time with each step because I’m committed to putting in the work. I see myself working in a hospital and helping patients for the rest of my life.”
Nuñez’s mother, Melissa Peña, completed the same pathway just four years ago, graduating from STC’s ADN program in 2020 and like her son, STC’s PCT program.
It was through the PCT program that she said she built a supportive network at the college, including PCT Program Chair Sharon Rice, who helped deliver Peña’s first-born son while working as a nurse.
That son, Nuñez’s older brother, is now set to graduate with his Bachelor’s in Medical and Health Services Management next May, also from STC.
“We are a true Jaguar family, and it all comes from my mom. She has dedicated herself to raising us, and now we both aspire to be like her,” Nuñez added. “I’ve definitely found the same inspiration in nursing. I got home from clinicals really late one day, and my mom was just arriving as well. I realized we were living the same experiences, which will give us a special bonding opportunity.”
Nuñez added that the PCT program also provided him with special opportunities to explore various aspects of the nursing profession, and he now aspires to work in an emergency room or intensive care unit (ICU), ultimately aiming to become a nurse practitioner, an advanced practice registered nurse with specialized clinical training.
“We got a glimpse into the many opportunities in the nursing field, which is a great way to see if you truly want to, and can, become a nurse,” he said. “My goal is to become a nurse practitioner, but to get there, you have to start from the basics such as learning how to properly care for a patient, inserting an IV and mastering all the essential skills that advanced nurses rely on to succeed. My experience in the hospital was incredibly rewarding, and it has inspired me to continue improving myself every step of the way.”
He plans to pursue a job in phlebotomy before taking the next step in his journey with STC’s Vocational Nursing program next year. But for now, he’s cherishing his first major milestone – walking across the graduation stage, just the first of many to come.
“I’m really grateful for all the opportunities and career paths that STC offers. The connections I’ve made in just one semester, not only within my cohort but across other programs, are something you don’t find anywhere else,” he said. “I’m certain I can grow to be an amazing nurse because I’ve witnessed my mom do it. Everywhere I go, people recognize me as her son and constantly tell me how amazing she is, which makes me want to be like her. I’m ready to get there, and I’m confident that STC will help me.”
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