UTRGV professor awarded 2024 Hispanic Women Making History Honor

Amanda Alaniz

RIO GRANDE VALLEY, TEXAS – Dr. Sylvia Robles, assistant professor of practice in the UTRGV Robert C. Vackar College of Business and Entrepreneurship (RCVCOBE), has been named a 2024 Hispanic Women Making History awardee by the Hispanic Women Network of Texas – RGV Chapter.

Robles and seven others were recognized at an awards ceremony March 19 at the Regency Hall Galleria in Pharr. Robles was unable to attend the award ceremony, so RCVCOBE staff, and students Stephanie Solis and Destiny Nunez, accepted on her behalf.

The Hispanic Women Making History Awards were established to spotlight women who are community leaders and trailblazers, recognized for having achieved excellence in their careers, inspired change and paved new paths.

Robles was recognized for her unwavering dedication to education, research and entrepreneurship, and for helping students and RGV entrepreneurs through her Adopt a Startup at UTRGV Program and VIP Idea Lab to bridge the gap between academia and industry and develop sustainable businesses.

“I am deeply honored and humbled to be a recipient of the fourth annual Hispanic Women Making History Awards by the Hispanic Women’s Network of Texas Chapter HWNT-RGV,” Robles said. “Joining the ranks of such extraordinary women, who exemplify leadership, perseverance and an unwavering commitment to our community, is truly a highlight of my career.”

Robles has received various awards throughout her career, including the 2024 ICSB Mini Globe; 2023 VentureWell Sustainable Practice Impact; 2023 Sustainability Faculty Advisor; 2022 UTRGV Faculty Excellence Award in Sustainability Education; 2022 RCVCOBE Faculty Excellence Award for Service; 2020 UTRGV Outstanding International Female Faculty, Small Business Administration (SBA); 2020 Women-Owned Small Business Advocate; and the SBA 2018 Women Business Champion of the Year.

Robles said she is grateful for the recognition because it helps show the community how committed she and her colleagues are to growing businesses and entrepreneurial confidence in the Rio Grande Valley.

“At UTRGV, we are committed to using education as a catalyst for change. Our Adopt a Startup and VIP Idea Lab programs, among others, are tangible expressions of this commitment,” she said.

The Hispanic Women’s Network of Texas (HWNT) is a state-wide organization of individuals from various backgrounds committed to promoting the participation of women in public, corporate and civic arenas. HWNT seeks to advance the educational, cultural, social, legal, and economic well-being of all women through a broader awareness of their role in society, business and family. Members strive to celebrate the positive image and values of the Hispanic culture.