Everything Sen. Morgan LaMantia said at the TAMUK-TSC MOU signing ceremony

BROWNSVILLE, Texas - Texas Southmost College and Texas A&M University Kingsville have signed a memorandum of understanding to solidify their collaboration and enhance educational opportunities for students.The MOU was signed by TAMUK president Dr. Robert H. Vela Jr. and TSC president Jesus Rodriguez at the TSC Performing Arts Center in Brownsville on Monday, February 12.The two presidents said the signing expands the partnership already established between the two organizations. That expansion includes the addition of more articulation agreements, allowing for even more 2+2 academic programs between the institutions to be built. Rodríguez said these programs will provide students with a more seamless avenue through which they can transfer to Texas A&M Kingsville once they have completed their first two years at TSC. “Our students believe in themselves as much as we believe in them, and that belief is a shared value between TSC and Texas A&M Kingsville,” Rodriguez said. “Together, we have forged a new pathway for economic mobility to move our communities forward.”Rodriguez said signing the MOU is a win-win for both institutions. “Providing high quality affordable education remains a focus for both institutions. TSC is the most affordable institution of higher education in the entire Rio Grande Valley. A student can complete their (general education) or associates degree at one third the cost of a local university and then transfer to Kingsville and be confident that their credits have maximum transferability. They are earning time and money,” Rodriguez said.TAMUK’s Vela said TSC students will be eligible for his university’s Javelina Promise Program, which covers tuition gaps remaining after Texas grants and scholarships have been applied. “Students need choices. Wherever they feel comfortable and feel like they can thrive, that’s the institution for them. We just want to be a part of that because we know the tradition that we have in this community is powerful,” Vela said.“Texas Southmost College and Texas A&I University were the [originals] of South Texas. We were here for these communities when no one else believed in South Texas. There is an array of excellence that has come from (both institutions). When you can marry those values and you can bring what we do day in and day out and the commitment to strategize and figure out ways to make things easier for our students, there’s something special in the air with this partnership,” Vela continued.Editor’s Note: Click here to read the full story on the Rio Grande Guardian International News Service website.Editor's Note: Here are the remarks state Sen. Morgan LaMantia made at the MOU signing ceremony.Go to www.riograndeguardian.com to read the latest border news stories and watch the latest news videos.