Community Engagement - Annual Report 2012-13

1 2012-2013 CE Annual Report

REACHING OUT to ensure the economic and social prosperity of

the South Texas Community

ANNUAL REPORT 2012 - 2013

A department of the Division of Business Affairs of The University of Texas-Pan American

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT


contentsLETTER FROM THE VICE PRESIDENT FOR BUSINESS AFFAIRS

STRATEGIC COLLABORATION

COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT AND INNOVATION

RURAL ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT

STAFF HIGHLIGHTS

STUDENT HIGHLIGHTS

OFFICES/CONTACT INFORMATION

SPONSORS AND PARTNERS

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BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT AND INNOVATION

As the “outreach” arm of UTPA, the Department of Community Engagement works strategically to enhance student, faculty and staff learning processes through centers and programs that offer important and diverse services in order to promote the economic and social well-being of the South Texas region.

Through each one of our programs, our goal is to help empower the people of South Texas with skills that will enable them to succeed in their education, career and in life in general. By partnering with community leaders, government officials and local citizens, we aspire to foster growth in our community in order to secure the futures of our posterity.

Together, let’s help South Texas thrive!RURAL ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT

THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT HAS THREE MAJOR COMPONENTS.


sincerely,

DEAR READER,

National leaders in economic development concur with leading scholars in higher education that by building sustainable university-community relationships, universities improve their core intellectual and academic work while communities thrive.

The Department of Community Engagement has historically

linked UTPA’s critical resources to the well-being of the community, as a primary element of the university’s mission. Through strong partnerships with the public and private sectors, UTPA continues to advance student success and regional prosperity.

Martin BaylorVice President for Business Affairs

martin baylorvice president

for business affairs


8,476 STRATEGIC COLLABORATIONThe Department of Community Engagement (DCE) works strategically with UTPA students and faculty, government, corporate, and community partners to promote community and economic development,

business development and innovation, and rural enterprise development in South Texas.

$21 million

in Business LoansAwarded

51,347 Community Members

Reached

4,396 Community Members Received Technical

Training


8,476 Hours Provided in

Business Counseling

75Students Employed

138Workshops/Trainings

2,392 Community Members

Trained

110Businesses Started/

Expanded

Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC) Contracts Generated

$11million

$1.4 millionCE Grants Awarded

1,153 Jobs Created/Retained


HISPANIC ENGINEERING, SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY (HESTEC) WEEK

Educator Day AttendanceStudent Leadership Day Attendance

300

695

The Department of Community Engagement (DCE) provided logistical support and resources for several Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) workshops and educational training sessions held on campus for parents, teachers and students including: Agile Mind Teacher Training (95 STEM teachers), Texas Instruments Core Teacher Academy (150 STEM teachers), Physical Science Days (310 students), Parent Empowerment Training (150 parents), and the Parent Certification Program (175 parents).

35,000500 4,000Latina Day Attendance

Middle School Challenge Student Attendance

Community DayAttendance

HESTEC week promotes awareness and Hispanic participation in STEM fields by providing a week of speakers, activities, and attractions. Thousands of students, parents, educators, school administrators, community leaders and members participated in HESTEC 2012 “Ignite the Possibilities.” The annual STEM event included Educator Day, Student Leadership Day, Latina Day, Robotics Day, SeaPerch Competition, Middle School Challenge, Career Expo and symposiums by each college, such as the College of Engineering and Computer Science’s Engineering Wonderland. HESTEC week culminated with Community Day, which attracted 35,000 attendees. Dr. Michio Kaku, theoretical physicist, author, futurist and popularizer of science, was one of the keynote speakers for HESTEC 2012.


6Community and Economic Development

FESTIVAL OF INTERNATIONAL BOOKS AND ARTS (FESTIBA)

The Festival of International Books and Arts (FESTIBA) Program is an initiative of The Department of Community Engagement and the College of Arts and Humanities. The purpose of FESTIBA is to increase the interest in reading, help improve the success in secondary and postsecondary education, and provide an educational opportunity for at-risk youth in rural communities.

During FESTIBA GEAR UP Days, students and parents heard from professional leaders in the arts fields, such as leading authors, musicians, and actors. Parents attended sessions on financial literacy, designed to help them understand the importance of saving for college and how to help their children become financially responsible young adults. On FESTIBA Librarians and Educators Day, librarians, teachers, and administrators listened to a roundtable discussion led by government and education leaders who discussed information and resources on how to promote health literacy in their schools and communities. The Mariachi Director’s Workshop and Mariachi Festival proved to be popular events with mariachi directors and students from across the Rio Grande Valley representing various local middle schools and high schools.

FESTIBA at the Jardín del Arte Community Festival closed the weeklong activities by bringing in members of the community to experience exhibits firsthand and interact with individuals who are involved with the arts. Various local artists, authors, and even celebrities joined in the festivities at Edinburg city courtyard. The South Texas Literacy Coalition distributed books, as patrons watched a children’s play and heard storytellers in the city auditorium and strolled along the City Hall Courtyard during the evening to enjoy all the festivities.

FESTIBA 2013 was an extraordinary, exciting event that inspired the lives of many young children in the Rio Grande Valley who face literacy challenges. By motivating students to explore professional careers in the arts, and by educating not only students, but parents and community members as well, FESTIBA 2013 proved to be a powerful event.

814 84GEAR UP Days

Student AttendanceGEAR UP Days

Parent Attendance

1,000Jardín del Arte

Community Festival Attendance

160Librarians and Educators

Day Attendance

3,256Books Distributed

Through the OneCPD project, community engagement staff were part of a project team that conducted a needs assessment for the city of El Paso on the use of their $350,000 grant funds for three years from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. In another technical assistance assignment, CE staff provided demographic and housing data and facilitated strategic planning for the development of affordable housing in the city of New Braunfels.

OneCPD Technical Assistance (TA) employs a cross-program approach to build sustainable grantee management systems and organizational capacity. OneCPD TA provides simultaneous support for all applicable CPD programs within a community. Instead of concentrating on a single CPD program, OneCPD TA provides a comprehensive approach to technical assistance that optimizes each grantee’s ability to establish and manage efficient and effective projects.

Comprehensive needs assessments determine the nature and scope of TA and/or capacity building needed. Needs assessments involve the use of multiple types of information collection and analysis to develop custom analytics, to quantify the impact of community and economic development engagements, to improve foreclosure response analysis, and to identify local market conditions so that program resources may be better targeted and leveraged.

CE staff provide direct TA and capacity building in one-on-one settings with grantee staff through in-person and remote communications. Direct TA engagements are prioritized based on need, and categorized depending on the extent of the TA.

COLLEGE OF SCIENCE AND MATHEMATICS COLLABORATION

CE worked with Dr. Liang Zeng, associate professor of physics and geology, and a Fellow of a NSF ADVANCE grant, to expand UTPA physical science outreach programs for local school districts.

Zeng helped write grants that will expand the capacities of the university to host a physics teacher training and a physics summer camp for middle school students.

The Regional Science Bowl is a regional competition that was hosted by The Department of Community Engagement at UTPA, through a partnership with the U.S. Department of Energy. UTPA has hosted this event since 2006. In 2013, the Department of Community Engagement was awarded

$209,000 through the U.S. Department of Energy to continue hosting this event for the next five years.

Forty teams were in attendance for 2013; 20 middle school teams and 20 high school teams from across South Texas participated. The students prepared for this competition for months in advance, working with textbooks, online resources and teachers. UTPA faculty and student organizations helped facilitate the competition for the schools.

Another highlight of the Regional Science Bowl was the Electric Car Competition, open to middle school students. Teams spent three weeks before the competition building their vehicles and preparing for the race. The coaches for the middle school students attended a Teacher Training which provided them with an outline of the rules and formatting of both the Academic and Electric Car Competition. At the competition, the top four scoring teams competed in a single race for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd places.

The Regional Science Bowl competition impacted both students and their coaches in a positive manner, with many opportunities for both professional and academic growth.

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY REGIONAL SCIENCE BOWL

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Middle School Teams in Participation:

High School Teams in Participation:

100Middle School

Student Attendance

100 High School

Student Attendance

HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT ONECPD (HUD)


8 2012-2013 CE Annual ReportCommunity and Economic Development 8

COLLEGE OF ARTS AND HUMANITIES (ARHU) COLLABORATION

SOUTHWEST BORDER NONPROFIT RESOURCE CENTER (SBNRC)

The SBNRC builds capacity for sustainable, long-term development of nonprofit organizations in the Rio Grande Valley through technical skills training, funding-sources research, and philanthropic organizations’ networks. The SBNRC partnered with the Office of Congressman Rubén Hinojosa to offer grant writing workshops to the community. Grant Writing Workshop I introduced participants to basic grant writing concepts and strategies. Grant Writing Workshop II covered in-depth grant writing strategies. Workshop participants represented members of the community involved in education, nonprofits, law enforcement, and other entities.

UTPA’s Mariachi Aztlán was invited to be a part of the 57th Presidential Inauguration festivities, including performances at the “Black Tie and Boots Ball,” which featured 20 performers from Texas; the Latino Inaugural 2013 at the Kennedy Center; and as guests at President Barack Obama’s Second Inaugural Address. CE saff facilitated the logistics for the performances of the orchestra group, which included 14 talented students.

105SBNRC Visitor Attendance

12Clients Assisted


Representing the UTPA Department of Community Engagement, Joe Garcia and Dr. Doris Mendiola are members of the Deep South Texas Financial Literacy Alliance. This organization was created through the Region One Education Service Center’s Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs (GEAR UP) in conjunction with Congressman Rubén Hinojosa (TX-15).

The Alliance has over 25 active members who represent colleges and universities, community partners and banking institutions such as Lone Star Bank represented by Sonia Falcon, Senior Vice President for Commercial Lending, and Nora Vasquez, Community Relations Coordinator. Wells Fargo Bank was represented by Yolanda Gonzalez, District Manager for Laredo and the Upper Rio Grande Valley. In an effort to increase financial literacy awareness of families, committee members provide insight on bringing information to students and their families regarding financial literacy, banking, and saving for college.

The Alliance hosted a Financial Literacy Summit where more than 350 students and parents from the region were served and more than 70 community members, business and higher education partners attended.

The Data and Information Service Center provides research, data, geographic information systems, economic impact analysis, and mapping services to businesses, local governments, economic development organizations, and the community.

In conjunction with Congressman Rubén Hinojosa and the Census Bureau’s Denver Regional Office, DISC held several computer lab workshops to help individuals, organizations, and businesses learn how to use census data for grant writing, community assessments, and business planning and market analysis.

DISC also conducted a community needs assessment for the Hidalgo County Head Start program. DISC used UTPA students in the research project which involved gathering demographic and socioeconomic data, hosting community group meetings, and surveying over 2,000 parents of children in the Head Start program.

Clients Assisted

Ring Analysis and Economic Impact Analysis

Census Workshops Co-hosted

Market Research StudiesMaps

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DEEP SOUTH TEXAS FINANCIAL LITERACY ALLIANCE

DATA AND INFORMATION SYSTEM CENTER (DISC)

76Demographics

Provided

282Census Workshop

Attendance

10Business Development and Innovation

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT AND INNOVATION (BDI)

The BBVA Foundation awarded BDI and the UTPA Foundation $40,000 in grants to support the Business Financial Literacy Initiative to provide financial literacy-focused training to small businesses to increase awareness and skills building and foster skills use for increased business success.

CE’s Business Development and Innovation Group created the CIVIC (Community Involvement via Institutional Collaboration) Roundtable. The CIVIC Roundtables are discussions aimed at increasing internal collaboration, student engagement and learning, and community outreach.

PTAC provides procurement counseling, planning assistance, and training to business owners in a nine-county South Texas region to assist them in obtaining federal, state, local, and private contracts. Rio South Texas Regional Procurement Technical Assistance Center hosted a “Meet-the-Buyer New Year 2013 Expo” in conjunction with the Office of Congressman Rubén Hinojosa. Held at the UTPA McAllen Teaching Site, the free expo featured buyers from local, state, and federal agencies who provided information on their procurement processes and news on upcoming contracts.

RIO SOUTH TEXAS REGIONAL PROCUREMENT TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE CENTER (PTAC)

Outreach Events Led/SupportedContracts Awarded to PTAC Clients

Value of Contracts Awarded to PTAC Clients

3317

$11 million

554 207Outreach Event

AttendanceInitial Counseling

Sessions

220Jobs Created/Retained

516Follow-up Counseling

Sessions


The Small Business Administration awarded the VBOC $20,000 to support a newly-released “Boots to Business” program, an intensive online and on-base business training program for veterans interested in business ownership or who already have businesses. VBOC also received $70,000 from the Texas Veterans Commission to provide intensive, on-site business development trainings for veterans in South Texas.

VETERANS BUSINESS OUTREACH CENTER (VBOC)

VBOC assists in the creation, retention, and development of veteran-owned businesses across Texas and four surrounding states through on-line and on-site counseling and training seminars.

$2 million $345,000Sales: Capital Raised:

6,056Training and Outreach

Events Attendance

43Training and Outreach

Events

411 24Counseling Hours

ProvidedJobs Created

207 5Clients Counseled Business Starts

12Business Development and Innovation

The SBDC hosted a “Trade & Business Opportunities with China for Texas Businesses” conference. Conference topics included current marketing opportunities, payment methods, foreign exchange risks, freight forwarding, exporting and importing, and the financial aspects of the supply chain when doing business with China.

The SBDC developed a “Guide to Starting and Growing Your Business” which has articles on business management topics and contains information on licenses, permits, taxes, financing sources, market planning, counseling, and business planning for entrepreneurs.

The SBDC collaborated with the UTPA College of Business Administration on their 2013 Finance, Insurance & Real Estate Symposium, an annual CoBA event, which focused on the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and the insurance industry. Over 175 participants attended and listened to various industry experts on the ACA.

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1,776909

Secured LoansCapital Raised

Persons TrainedJobs Created or Retained

SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CENTER (SBDC)

The SBDC provides managerial and technical assistance to small business owners and entrepreneurs through free, confidential, one-on-one business counseling, training, research, and business planning assistance. The SBDC was awarded full accreditation from America’s Small Business Development Centers (ASBDC) network, the national accrediting body for Small Business Development Centers.

The SBDC partnered with the Office of Technology Transfer (OTT) and the Texas Manufacturing Assistance Center to host the 2013 “Technology Ventures Conference: Resources to Launch Your Idea!” With a focus on “How to Take Your Business Idea to the Next Level,” the conference provided over 100 attendees with the resources and information specific to innovation and technology-based enterprises.

SBDC partnered with San Juan Economic Development Corporation and the Edinburg Chamber of Commerce to implement separate workshops, providing financial literacy-focused trainings for small businesses – to increase awareness and skills building and foster skills use for increased business success.

105Businesses Started or

Expanded

6,558Counseling Hours

Provided


RURAL ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT (RED)

June 30 marked the completion of a $15.7 million federal grant to build the RGV Med-Ed Fiber Optic Network, a 10 Gigabit fiber-optic network that connects the UT campuses in Edinburg, Brownsville, McAllen, and Rio Grande City, and the UT Regional Academic Health Center, providing critical telecommunications capacity for the new university and its medical school. CE’s Rural Enterprise Development and Valley Telephone Cooperative wrote and were awarded the grant.

RED led a multidisciplinary task force to develop recommendations for the establishment of a community garden on the UTPA campus. The 21-member task force was led by George Bennack, Executive Director for Business and Rural Development, and included eight faculty members from four colleges as well as staff from across campus.

Rural programs received an award of $45,000 from the Southern Risk Management Education Center to help small-scale Hispanic farmers and ranchers manage their financial risks. The 12-month “Risk Management Education for Hispanic and Other Small Producers in South Texas” project aims to provide educational workshops to help producers better understand the financial aspects of their operations and provide them with strategies to enhance their profitability.

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RED hosted the event “Understanding Rural Economic and Community-Development Partnerships” in collaboration with USDA Rural Development. Directors and staff from CE’s rural programs and USDA-Rural Development met with these partners to discuss current challenges, new district alignments, how to develop effective partnerships, and how to pave the way for the formation of a South Texas Rural-Development Council.

CE’s Rural Enterprise Development Program submitted four competitive grant proposals and was awarded $1.4 million. This grant funding included: $678,016 to provide assistance to beginning farmers and ranchers; $300,000 to provide minority farmers and ranchers with U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) program information; $281,154 to provide minority farmers and ranchers with information on USDA conservation programs; and $174,977 to provide assistance to rural cooperatives.

$14,962Grant Awarded

Rural Enterprise Development received a two-year Southern Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SSARE) On-Farm Research Grant for $14,962 to investigate production techniques for huitlacoche, a potentially highly-profitable specialty crop known as corn smut or blister smut of maize.

Directors created the CIVIC Student Training and Employment Program (STEP), a structured internship program that offers learning opportunities tailored to qualified students. Through the program, students can apply academic knowledge to a sponsored project with the department, developing practical skills within the scopes of the job.


NRCS TEXAS OUTREACH INITIATIVE FOR THE SOCIALLY DISADVANTAGED (NRCS TOISD)

Natural Resources Conservation Services (NRCS) TOISD assists socially disadvantaged, limited resource and women agricultural producers in 47 counties in Texas to promote awareness of NRCS technical and financial assistance, program availability and awareness of other U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) programs.

TEXAS RURAL COOPERATIVE CENTER (TRCC)

TRCC provides training and technical assistance to rural cooperatives, cooperative members, and member businesses in Texas with an emphasis on rural cooperative development in the South Texas region.

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Videos Produced Promoting Cooperatives, Rural Development and the Cooperative

Business Model

Training Provided to Groups Interested inForming Cooperatives in Spanish

Start-up Plans for Cooperatives or Rural Businesses

New Markets Production Assistance Provided

Feasibility, Business, Marketing, and Capitalization Assistance Provided

Cooperatives Assisted to Reduce Operational Costs

Percent of Goal Completed – Participants

Number of Women Participants

23.6%

95

356Socially Disadvantaged

Participants

413Participants

61.9%Percent of Goal

Completed - Events

39Events

82Events

115%

SOCIALLY DISADVANTAGED PRODUCERS SMALL-ACREAGE INITIATIVE (SAI)

1,549

1,675Participants

Socially Disadvantaged Participants

Percent of Goal Completed - Events

SAI is an innovative outreach network that helps increase participation in USDA programs. SAI strengthens relations with USDA offices and producers and helps producers learn about small-acreage strategies, including the development of niche markets, specialty crops, direct marketing, and marketing cooperatives.

109%

475

Percent of Goal Completed – Participants

Number of Women Participants

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DIRECT MARKETING INITIATIVE FOR BEGINNING FARMERS AND RANCHERS

IN SOUTH TEXAS (DMI)

RURAL VIDEO AND BROADCAST PRODUCTION INITIATIVE (RVBPI)

The RVBPI provides video and broadcast production services to Valley Telephone Cooperative through a service agreement. This initiative also provides UTPA’s rural outreach programs with a strong venue for broadcasting its video segments that promote UTPA’s efforts to advance rural South Texas.

PROJECT FARM OWNERSHIP AND RURAL GROWERS EMPOWERMENT (FORGE)

Project FORGE provides outreach, training, and technical assistance to Hispanic producers of traditional crops in a 56-county border region area in Texas and New Mexico.

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4,193

Workshops/Field Days/Conferences

Community Members Provided with Technical Assistance

TV Episodes “Back Road Reporter” Produced

TV Episodes “Communities Newsletter” Produced

Other Educational Videos Produced

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DMI provides training and hands-on technical assistance to beginning farmers and ranchers in South Texas, with a focus on the small-scale production of fruit and vegetable specialty crops that can be marketed directly to consumers through farmers markets and other direct-marketing venues.

28,898

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772

203

Database Contacts

Training Events

Community Members Provided with

One-on-One Assistance

Community Members Provided with

Technical Assistance

268Community Members

Provided with Loan Assistance

45PSA’s Distributed


CE STAFF WORKS BEYOND THE JOB DESCRIPTIONSTAFF HIGHLIGHTS

Several Community Engagement staff members completed a five-day federal proposal development workshop delivered by the Grantsmanship Training Center. The “Competing for Federal Grants” training program covers researching funding sources and developing, writing, and reviewing proposals.

George Bennack, CE’s Executive Director for Business and Rural Development, passed the 50-grant threshold for awarded grants that he individually developed. Currently, he has developed 51 awarded grants for $7.7 million in grant funding.

Business Advisor Reynaldo Soto with UTPA’s Rio South Texas Regional Procurement Technical Assistance Center obtained certification as a Contracting Assistance Specialist from the Association of Procurement Technical Assistance Centers.

Cristina Trejo-Vasquez was selected as the Community Engagement Liaison for the Divisions of Business and Academic Affairs. In this role, she is charged with collaborating across divisions and departments to strengthen UTPA’s community engagement.

Cruz Salinas and Veronica Guzman with CE’s rural programs participated as science fair judges at A.N. Rico Elementary School in Weslaco. Both judged science projects by 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade students.

Cristina Cantu and Marcela Arredondo, both Business Advisors at the SBDC, earned their Certified Business Advisor (CBA) Levels III and IV, respectively. The CBA designation attests to an advisor’s technical ability to provide quality counseling and training to start-up and existing business owners.

Janie Caballero, a Senior Business Advisor at the SBDC, was announced as the 2013 “State Star” for the South-West Texas SBDC Border Network due to her outstanding work performance.

Joe Garcia and Dr. Doris Mendiola with the UTPA Department of Community Engagement currently serve on the Deep South Texas Financial Literacy Alliance, an organization created through the Region One Education Service Center in conjunction with Congressman Rubén Hinojosa. The Alliance aims to provide financial literacy to students and families in the area.

The Small Business Development Center was awarded full accreditation from America’s Small Business Development Centers network, the national accrediting body for Small Business Development Centers. The accreditation review process is based on a strict set of standards guided by the Malcolm Baldrige Quality Awards to ensure that SBDC programs are operating efficiently and effectively.

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CE EMPLOYS UTPA GRADUATE AND UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS STUDENT HIGHLIGHTS

75Students Employed

Karen Dorado, after five years of service, was promoted to Event Manager at CE. Karen earned a Master of Public Administration in December 2012.

Student assistant Juan Maciel was selected to participate in a three-month-long internship with the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute (CHCI) that began in February 2014. Maciel works in the DCE, where his primary focus is data collection and analysis. Maciel, who is currently working on his Bachelor of Business Administration with an emphasis in Accounting at UTPA, practices basic program evaluation methodology related to survey implementation to contribute to the HESTEC Impact Report.

Jan Obieray, a Graduate Student Assistant with CE’s Rural Programs, enhanced his academic learning through his involvement in rural economic development. He worked on a federally-funded grant by creating and updating databases; researching and documenting federal, state, and private programs; assisting with outreach and training events; and with the preparation of quarterly progress reports.

Albert Garza Barrera, UTPA electrical engineering student, helped construct the obstacle courses used during HESTEC Robotics Day and made daily updates to the HESTEC website while employed with Community Engagement. “It feels good to contribute to the community,” said Garza. “HESTEC is one of the biggest events that the University hosts, and I love being a part of it.” Garza graduated with his Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering in May 2012 and is currently pursuing a Master of Science in Electrical Engineering with an expected graduation date of Spring 2014.

As a Graduate Research Assistant with the UTPA SBDC, Geoffrey Schwarz believes that small businesses are the cornerstone of the Rio Grande Valley economy. At the SBDC, he supports business development efforts by lending in-depth research assistance to clients of the center. Schwarz, who has an undergraduate degree and a Master of Science in Sociology from UTPA, is currently pursuing his second master’s degree in anthropology with the goal of eventually entering a doctoral program in sociology.

Shawn Kiefer, a senior marketing major, did full-time work during the summer helping develop specialty-crop research projects. He reported directly to DCE’s lead specialty-crop researcher, Veronica Guzman. Kiefer helped with the development of wine-grape, huitlacoche, and tomato research projects. He graduated in December with a Bachelor of Business Administration and plans to pursue a Master of Business Administration at UTPA.

“The time I spent working in this center has been a major step in my career. Not only did I have the opportunity to improve my technical skills as an IT engineer, but also, I had the opportunity to develop other important areas.”

- Andres Arguelles Graduate Student Assistant with CE’s Rural Programs

Sanath Kodali worked with CE’s Data and Information System Center while attending graduate school. As a graduate student in the field of Information Technology, he applied his classroom knowledge in the real world through several economic development projects. He used DISC’s computer and specialized software to provide demographic data, write statistical programs, and develop customized GIS applications. Kodali graduated in Spring 2013 with a Master of Science in Information Technology and was hired by IBM.

Staff and Student Highlights


CE PROGRAMS SPAN TWO LOCATIONS

PROGRAM OFFICES

Community Engagement and Student Success (CESS) Building1407 E. Freddy Gonzalez Drive

Edinburg, TX 78539 (956) 665-7570

George BennackExecutive Director of

Rural and Business [email protected]

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT AND INNOVATION GROUP

RURAL ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT

Project Farm Ownership and Rural Growers Empowerment

(FORGE)www.utpa.edu/RED

Texas Rural Cooperative Center (TRCC)

(956) 665-7545

Rural Video and Broadcast Production Initiative (RVBPI)

(956) 642-1179

Socially Disadvantaged Producers Small-Acreage Initiative (SAI)

(956) 665-3118www.utpa.edu/RED

Direct Marketing Initiative for Beginning Farmers & Ranchers

in South Texas (DMI)www.utpa.edu/RED

NRCS Texas Outreach Initiative for the Socially Disadvantaged

(TOISD)(956) 665-3118

Small Business Development Center (SBDC)

Harlingen Satellite Office (956) 665-7535

www.utpa.edu/sbdc

Rio South Texas Regional Procurement Technical

Assistance Center (PTAC)Phone: (956) 665-8931

www.utpa.edu/ptac

Small Business Development Center (SBDC)Brownsville Satellite Office

(956) 544-4667

Veterans Business Outreach Center (VBOC)Phone: (956) 665-8931

www.utpa.edu/vboc

International Trade and Technology (ITT) Building1201 W. University Drive

Edinburg, TX 78539 (956) 665-3361


Southwest Border Nonprofit Resource Center (SBNRC)

(956) 665-7566

Hispanic Engineering, Science and Technology (HESTEC) Week

(956) 665-7305www.utpa.edu/hestec

Data and Information System Center (DISC)

(956) 665-2301

Housing and Urban Development OneCPD (HUD)

(956) 665-7185Festival of International Books

and Arts (FESTIBA)(956) 665-7305

www.utpa.edu/festibaJessica Idy Salinas, MBA

Executive Director of External [email protected]


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Program Offices and Sponsors

ANNUAL REPORT 2012-2013

THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS-PAN AMERICANDIVISION OF BUSINESS AFFAIRS DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

Community Engagement - Annual Report 2012-13

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