UTRGV expands accredited health-focused programs to Laredo

By Karen Villarreal

UTRGV celebrated the third anniversary of the University of Texas Education and Research Center at Laredo on Sept. 18 with the announcement of two programs that now will be available through the center in Laredo.

In continued efforts to meet the need for community mental health professionals in South Texas, UTRGV is extending its Master of Education in Counseling (Clinical Mental Health Counseling) degree, currently available in Edinburg and Brownsville, to Laredo.

Additionally, UTRGV’s bachelor’s degree in Medical Laboratory Science now will have a physical location at the University of Texas Education and Research Center at Laredo.

The announcement came at a press conference in Laredo at the center, attended by Laredo high school and university students, faculty, city officials, state representatives and leaders in the healthcare and banking industries.

Special guests included Adriana Nunemaker, executive director of the research center; UT System Chancellor James B. Milliken; Texas Sen. Judith Zaffirini (District 21), dean of the Texas Senate; Texas Rep. Richard Raymond (District 42); Gerald Schwebel, EVP of International Bank of Commerce; and UTRGV President Guy Bailey.

Milliken said the nine existing programs, along with the two new offerings from UTRGV at the UT Education and Research Center at Laredo, are a necessary match for students in the area.

“The most important work that all of us do to care about education in this state is to take the unlimited talent that exists – regardless of zip code or national origin or wealth or any of these other demographic indicators – and match that talent with opportunity,” he said. “There’s so much economic opportunity here, and we need to continue to build on it.”

Raymond, Laredo’s state representative, said the city is important in terms of international trade, with the port of entry recently approved for bridge expansions.

“When that’s complete, we will be the third busiest port in the world,” he said. “That is bringing great opportunity, but our healthcare system has to be able to take care of the people that we want to bring here, and the people who are here already.”

Laredo native Zaffirini said the new UTRGV programs are a needed addition, as Texas lags in access to medical care.

• According to a 2023 Forbes study, Texas ranks last among the states for availability and access to mental health services, with 97 percent of Texas counties underserved.

“At this facility, we hope not only to increase the number of healthcare professionals in different fields, but also to develop culturally competent professionals – bilingual doctors who know the medical vocabulary,” she said.

GROWTH IN LAREDO

Since establishing a connection with the UT Education and Research Center at Laredo in 2022, UTRGV has offered two programs there: Bachelor of Social Work and Master of Science in Social Work.

In 2023, UTRGV signed a joint admission agreement with Laredo College that creates a pathway for students to transfer seamlessly to UTRGV. The same year, UTRGV partnered with Laredo ISD to train graduate students-in-practice in school counseling settings.

With the UTRGV program offerings expanded to Laredo, students there can launch or continue a career in medical laboratory science or counseling.

Additionally, Milliken announced a system-wide job skills pilot program through Google’s Coursera, called “Texas Credentials for the Future.” It offers a path to skills and certifications recognized in industry to all UT System students and alumni.

“They’re short-term programs that can be added to an undergraduate degree, or throughout life as people change jobs and seek promotions,” he said.

UTRGV’s Bailey, widely recognized now for his innovative approaches to making a university education more accessible and affordable for students and their families, said South Texas communities from Brownsville to Laredo all share the same appreciation for higher education as a path to a fulfilling career that will change lives.

“Think about the workforce that will be here,” he said. “Our goal, just like in the Rio Grande Valley, is to make this a better place to live and a better place to work.”

A PATH TO LPC

The 60-hour M.Ed. in the Clinical Mental Health program in the UTRGV College of Education and P-16 Integration will accept 12 to 15 students annually who intend to become a licensed professional counselor (LPC). Though some courses will be taught online, it primarily will be in person.

Laredo native Dr. Sharon Mata, an LPC and professor in the UTRGV Department of Counseling, said Laredo previously lacked a CACREP-accredited pathway to a counseling career. 

“Coming from a program that is regulated and accredited allows students to have more opportunities,” Mata said. “There’s a lot of government agencies that only hire professional counselors that come from CACREP programs, and some Ph.D. programs only accept students who come from nationally certificated programs.”

Mata returned to her hometown to lead the expansion as program coordinator in Laredo, after earning a doctoral degree in Corpus Cristi.

She said she looks forward to sharing her professional experience at the center as they prepare to provide counseling services, like therapy and psychological assessments.

“It is so rewarding, and I’m very excited that I could come back for the community, for the students here,” Mata said.  “We’re currently recruiting our first cohort for the spring.”

Mata said the program is working with local agencies and organizations to find opportunities for students to carry out the 3,000 supervised clinical practice hours required to earn the LPC license.

“In their second year, they start going into the field to do their clinical hours,” Mata said. “They might serve at nonprofits, women’s shelters, behavioral clinics, and government agencies like Child Protective Services or the Children’s Advocacy Center.”

Once licensed, they can open their own private practice or work with schools, agencies or clinics.

MEDICAL LAB SCIENCE CAREER PATH

Similarly, UTRGV is expanding its existing bachelor’s degree in Medical Laboratory Science to Laredo starting fall 2025.

Dr. Daniella Gill, MLS program coordinator, said laboratory work is the foundation for diagnosis.

“About 60-70 percent of medical diagnosis is based on laboratory work, so we want to make sure our lab scientists are certified, prepared and available to fill those positions,” she said

Gill said offering Laredo students a pathway to medical laboratory science couldn’t come at a better time. 

“We see a shortage of lab scientists nationwide,” she said. “In the Laredo community, our laboratory scientists haven’t had any relief come in to fill their spots.”