By Juan Montoya
After parting ways with Rio Hondo and flirting with joining San Bene ISD, Dr. Sylvia Atkinson, also a Brownsville Independent School District board member, has joined Texas Southmost College.
Atkinson began work Tuesday and has been chosen to address the student outreach and community enrichment in the far-flung rural school populations in places like Santa Rosa, Rio Hondo, Port Isabel, and the like.
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Since the disastrous "UTB-TSC "partnership" gave short shrift to the technical and vocational mission of the community college, there has been a steady flight of students from TSC to other workforce training and vocational institutions like TSTC in Harlingen and others up the valley. TSC and its new administration is now focusing on making the college attractive to these students so they can attend here.
For that reason, said a TSC administrator, Atkinson, already a board member of the BISD, TSC largest feeder district, was seen as a good fit for the college.
"She has the energy of four normal human beings," he quipped. "We're hoping she brings that energy to her position and help us build up our enrollment of these students."
(Incidentally, Atkinson was one of the few community members who stepped forward publicly and supported the board majority to expedite TSC independence from the UT System. Judging by her post on social media, she is hitting the ground running.)
TSC has seen a steady increase of its students since the separation from UTB. This past year (2017), it set a new record since it began operational independence in 2013.
"With a 6,739 student head count for the spring 2018 semester that began on Jan. 16, TSC shattered all previous enrollment records set since the college re-opened in fall 2013 to establish a new all-time record" the college website states.
"TSC’s record-breaking enrollment in spring 2018 was a 25 percent overall increase from the spring 2017 semester.
"At a time when enrollment at other colleges has tapered off or fallen flat, Texas Southmost College continues to demonstrate sustainable growth thanks to a supportive board of trustees, dedicated students, and the hard work of faculty and staff,” Dr. Jesus Roberto Rodriguez, TSC President said.
After parting ways with Rio Hondo and flirting with joining San Bene ISD, Dr. Sylvia Atkinson, also a Brownsville Independent School District board member, has joined Texas Southmost College.
Atkinson began work Tuesday and has been chosen to address the student outreach and community enrichment in the far-flung rural school populations in places like Santa Rosa, Rio Hondo, Port Isabel, and the like.
Since the disastrous "UTB-TSC "partnership" gave short shrift to the technical and vocational mission of the community college, there has been a steady flight of students from TSC to other workforce training and vocational institutions like TSTC in Harlingen and others up the valley. TSC and its new administration is now focusing on making the college attractive to these students so they can attend here.For that reason, said a TSC administrator, Atkinson, already a board member of the BISD, TSC largest feeder district, was seen as a good fit for the college.
"She has the energy of four normal human beings," he quipped. "We're hoping she brings that energy to her position and help us build up our enrollment of these students."
(Incidentally, Atkinson was one of the few community members who stepped forward publicly and supported the board majority to expedite TSC independence from the UT System. Judging by her post on social media, she is hitting the ground running.)
TSC has seen a steady increase of its students since the separation from UTB. This past year (2017), it set a new record since it began operational independence in 2013.
"With a 6,739 student head count for the spring 2018 semester that began on Jan. 16, TSC shattered all previous enrollment records set since the college re-opened in fall 2013 to establish a new all-time record" the college website states.
"TSC’s record-breaking enrollment in spring 2018 was a 25 percent overall increase from the spring 2017 semester.
"At a time when enrollment at other colleges has tapered off or fallen flat, Texas Southmost College continues to demonstrate sustainable growth thanks to a supportive board of trustees, dedicated students, and the hard work of faculty and staff,” Dr. Jesus Roberto Rodriguez, TSC President said.
“TSC is providing our community with a high-quality education that is close to home, and that leads to rewarding careers. In the Lower Rio Grande Valley, the community is responding by making TSC their destination of choice to pursue a higher education."
Atkinson will work coordinate her efforts with other administrators, a staffer said. The effectiveness of TSC efforts to funnel these students here will be monitored constantly to achieve maximum effectiveness, she said.
Atkinson will be under the supervision of Dr. Joanna Kile, Vice-President of Instruction.