Higher Education Center At McAllen Graduates First Students

Degrees from the Texas A&M University School of Public Health were awarded in December to the first two graduates of the Texas A&M University Higher Education Center at McAllen.

Michelle Vargas and Valeria Quintanilla both received Bachelor of Science in Public Health degrees. Texas A&M University opened the Higher Education Center at McAllen to allow students in the Rio Grande Valley to earn their Aggie education close to home. The new facility is part of Texas A&M’s commitment to support the educational needs of Texas with top-tier educational programs that will fulfill individual student career goals, enhance continued economic development of the Rio Grande Valley region and help train a skilled workforce.

A gift from Daniel and Bridget Hernandez funded the Aggie Rings for the first cohort from the Higher Education Center at McAllen. Quintanilla earned her ring criteria prior to the gift being made, and received hers earlier in the fall semester. Vargas was awarded her ring by the Hernandezes when she received her diploma.

Quintanilla is from San Juan, Texas, and will be working with the Texas A&M University Advise TX College Advising Corps, serving Porter High School in Brownsville, Texas, to help high school students in her community apply and matriculate to college.

Vargas is a McAllen native and plans to attend graduate school. She hopes to start a non-profit organization that focuses on helping teen mothers and reducing teen pregnancy in the Rio Grande Valley.

“We hope local students quickly learn that the Texas A&M University Higher Education Center at McAllen is a great addition to the Rio Grande Valley and that they have the neat opportunity to be Texas A&M University Aggies while being closer to home,” the graduates said.