STC receives million-dollar grant for program

South Texas College is expanding health care offerings, with the help of a $1,000,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Labor.

The grant will span over the next three years, through June 30, 2027, to help STC develop and offer an Associate of Applied Science in Dental Hygiene program and microcredential courses targeting high-demand health care skills.

Additionally, this grant also addresses the acute shortage of health care professionals in the Rio Grande Valley by establishing a Workforce Development and Continuing Education Center for Health Care Professionals (WDCECHP), which will be housed at the college’s newly acquired building, provisionally named, the STC Regional Workforce Development Health Care Center.

“We are thrilled about this award, which further enables us to provide essential education and training to a diverse learner base as we aim to nurture a health care workforce that is equipped to address the evolving health care needs of our community, particularly in response to recent health care crises,” said Jayson Valerio, DNP. “We are grateful to the U.S. Department of Labor for this opportunity and to our key partners for making this initiative possible.”

This initiative is a collaboration with STC’s distinguished partners including South Texas Health System Inc., the Lower Rio Grande Valley Workforce Development Board (Workforce Solutions- Regional Healthcare Task Force), McAllen Economic Development Corporation, Hidalgo County – Prosperity (Health) Taskforce and the Valley Initiative for Development and Advancement (VIDA).

The Department of Labor grant specifically aims to serve non-traditional learners and incumbent workers in McAllen and the broader Rio Grande Valley by engaging marginalized or underrepresented groups in educational programs and fostering inclusive programs and collaborative partnerships with community organizations.

This grant will also allow STC to offer training that addresses post-pandemic health care challenges, including mental health support and technological advancements, foster inclusive programs and partnerships with community organizations, work with other educational institutions, health care facilities and community stakeholders and establish training and recruitment channels that focus on quality, diversity and adaptability.

STC President Ricardo J. Solis, Ph.D., said this initiative is building a future-ready health care workforce for the RGV.

“With this initiative, together with our partners, we commit to empower non-traditional learners and reskill health care workers in our communities,” said Solis. “This is an investment in education and sets the groundwork for a healthier, more resilient future for the residents of McAllen and the Rio Grande Valley.”