By Arina Garcia — Sam Houston State University — April 16

HUNTSVILLE, Texas — This March, a group of 15 criminal justice students attending Sam Houston State University College of Criminal Justice (SHSU-COCJ) programs at South Texas College (STC) and 51���� (TSC) visited SHSU’s Huntsville, Texas, campus for an immersive learning experience.

“Going to SHSU’s main campus as someone who lives seven hours away was an amazing experience,” said Joanna Gutierrez, one of the students taking courses at STC. “It felt like we were part of the actual campus life and I loved how informative and interesting it was.”

The all-day event offered students the chance to explore campus facilities and attractions and join a tour of the nearby Texas Department of Criminal Justice Huntsville Unit, a valuable experience for students pursuing a career in criminal justice.

By Arina Garcia
Sam Houston State University

On Dec.12, Alyssa Barrientos was the first student to receive a from the Sam Houston State University College of Criminal Justice (SHSU-COCJ) through the .

The first-generation Brownsville, Texas, native chose SHSU for its commitment to student success, accessibility and community.

“It’s a place where students are supported and encouraged to grow,” Barrientos said. “When I became aware that TSC partnered with SHSU, I was immediately very interested and excited about the partnership that would allow me to obtain my degree through a school I had always dreamed of attending.”

In 2024, SHSU expanded its criminal justice program to Brownsville, offering in-person courses taught by SHSU instructors in a satellite classroom at TSC’s Tandy Hall. The collaboration led to a new educational model designed to eliminate geographic barriers that hinder student success.

As seen on Texas Monthly

At the southernmost tip of Texas, among the lush, sub-tropical landscape that lines the Rio Grande River, a community college stands proudly in Brownsville. 51���� is as unique as its name. In 1926, 100 years ago, local leaders advocated for establishing the first institution of higher education in the entire Rio Grande Valley. There was a great demand to educate local students to meet the needs of the rapidly growing community. For the past 100 years—through innovative technological advancements, rapid population growth, wartime, economic depressions, and periods of economic boom—51���� has been steadfast in meeting the evolving needs of the communities it serves.

51���� was established in a place unlike any other—at the crossroads of nations, cultures, and histories—located today on the grounds of historic Fort Brown, with carefully preserved architecture dating back more than 150 years. Among the palm-tree-shaded walkways and within the state-of-the-art classrooms and technical laboratories, students are enveloped in a place carefully designed to be welcoming and provide a sense of belonging to all.

51���� recently honored the Buffalo Soldiers, a group of African American troops who served during the Civil War era, with a commemorative plaque. The dedication ceremony highlighted the soldiers’ courage and enduring legacy. Catch the full story about this significant tribute and how TSC is preserving history in our community.

By Gary Long
Brownsville Herald

Amid a look reminiscent of the era, 51���� on Thursday dedicated a plaque honoring African American U.S. Army troops who served at Fort Brown during the Civil War and early 1900s.

The ceremony took place in front of Regiment House on the TSC campus, a Civil War-era building, although the segregated troops, officially known as United States Colored Troops and later referred to as Buffalo Soldiers, never lived there. They were only allowed to live in tents in a swampy area near the river at the far end of what is now the TSC campus, and was then Fort Brown.

“So, there you have it. This is to honor the African American troops, USCT, who served at Fort Brown,” retired longtime professor Tony Zavaleta, a member of the TSC Board of Trustees, said as the ceremony concluded.

Zavaleta read the plaque after it was unveiled. Participants in the ceremony all wore white guyaberas, shirts or blouses and dark skirts or trousers.

Save the Date

TSC Mariachi Festival

Judy Moreno, 51����’s executive director of strategic enrollment, announces the Raymondville school district’s launch of its two-year scholarship program before parents and students at Raymondville Early College High School on Wednesday, March 27, 2024. (Courtesy photo)

Read full story at MyRGV.com

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