STC, Harvard University collaboration

South Texas College has been chosen as one of only four community colleges in the United States, and the only one in Texas, to collaborate with Harvard University for a research and design project – The Project on Workforce, an initiative that highlights the valuable role community colleges play in their regional workforce and economic ecosystems.

The Project on Workforce is a collaborative effort between the Harvard Kennedy School’s Malcolm Wiener Center for Social Policy, the Harvard Business School of Managing the Future of Work Project and the Harvard Graduate School of Education.

Leading the efforts at STC is recent Harvard master’s graduate and STC alumnus Ramiro Hernandez.

Hernandez holds an associate degree in Interdisciplinary Studies from STC, which he earned as a dual credit student before even graduating from high school.

“STC is doing great work for the region, and for someone like me from the Valley, I know that its education is transformative,” said Hernandez. “So, when I got hired and I learned I had been assigned to Texas, I knew immediately we needed to bring this research, this project, to STC. I’m a life-long advocate and I’m excited that we’ve been able to make this collaboration a reality.”

The goal of The Project on Workforce is to improve the ways community colleges leverage real-time labor market information and emerging technologies to advance mobility for their students.

From now through December, research priorities include producing new data and tools for public impact that will build on STC’s pathways toward economic mobility and smoothing transitions between education and work.

STC already leads the way in workforce and economic development with nationally recognized apprenticeships such as STC’s registered nursing apprenticeship, the first in the nation, and industry partnerships.

“This collaboration and the research that we obtain from it, is going to help take our workforce initiatives to another level,” said STC President Ricardo J. Solis, Ph.D. “It’s an honor working with Harvard, with Ram (Hernandez) and being able to shed light on not only what we’re doing right, but what we need to improve on or need to implement to better serve our students and community. This will be a pivotal project for STC and it’s a privilege being a part of it and knowing that top universities like Harvard University are recognizing the value that community colleges provide.”

The Project on Workforce approach is building a better understanding of best practices when it comes to improving pathways to economic mobility, connecting research and practice alongside workforce partners, forging connections across disciplines as well as Harvard schools and uncovering hidden talent.

In 2025, upon research completion, Hernandez will create a report that includes research findings and recommendations, in which STC will be awarded a $33,000 stipend to implement proposed initiatives.

All research reports will be shared nationally, to give other colleges and universities a look into initiatives that can be implemented at other campuses.

“I’m looking forward to learning more about STC and its initiatives, and through my research, contributing and adding value to what the school already offers,” he said. “I hope that we can give STC an even bigger voice to have tangible conversations with colleges nationwide to continue improving the community college systems.”