Martinez foundation supports LCC Zapata program

Trustees from the Guadalupe and Lilia Martinez Foundation announced on Tuesday, June 29, at Zapata High School the donation of $120,000 to support the LCC Zapata Satellite Jump-Start Program. Officials from Laredo Community College, Zapata County Independent School District and the City of Zapata were on hand for the announcement. They are, from left, front row, Zapata County Judge-Elect Joe Rathmell, Zapata County Commissioner Jose Vela, Martinez Foundation advisory trustee David Slaughter Jr., Martinez Foundation vice president Deacon Larry Sandlin, LCC President Juan L. Maldonado; back row, Zapata County Treasurer Romeo Salinas, LCC Education Foundation vice president Andres Cuellar, LCC South Dean Luciano Ramon and LCC Education Foundation Ex-Officio Ramiro V. Martinez.

Perry appoints LISD educator to state panel

Gov. Rick Perry earlier this month appointed Diana Juarez, Laredo Independent School District director of staff development, to the Communities in School State Advisory Committee. The nine-member State Advisory Committee, appointed by the governor, lieutenant governor and speaker of the house, works closely with the Texas Education Agency and the CIS State Office to help provide guidance and support the implementation and growth of the program statewide.

The governor and the lieutenant governor made several appointments and reappointments to the CIS State Advisory Committee this month that will bring a great deal of knowledge and skills to the committee.

"I want to congratulate Mrs. Diana Juarez on her appointment to the Communities in School State Advisory Committee," said Marcus Nelson LISD superintendent. "She is truly deserving of this honor. Her commitment to LISD and public education is unquestionable."

Juarez recently completed serving six years on the OneStar National Service Commission Board. She has been with LISD for 34 years. Juarez was previously director of elementary education, supervisor of language arts, principal at J.C. Martin Elementary, assistant principal at Macdonell Elementary and a teacher at Zachry Elementary School. She received a bachelor's in elementary education and a master's degree in administration.

For more information, contact the Office of Communication at 795-3295.

LCC police academy graduates 16 cadets

Caption: The South Texas Border Regional Police Academy of Laredo Community College celebrated the graduation of 16 cadets in the A-10 Class on Thursday, May 20 in the Kazen College Center. Pictured, from left, front, they are police academy assistant director Israel Santillan, Arturo Pedraza, Juan C. Roque, Arcilia Sanchez, Dennise Luna, Juan Ramirez Jr., Javier Cano, police academy director Donald R. Hale; back, Apolonio Lozano, Adalberto Cardenas, Marco A. Samaniego, Alberto E. Ramos, Jose M. Ramirez, Pedro A. Juarez Jr., Carlos Castillejos, Roberto A. Ayala.

Area law enforcement has armed itself with more certified peace officers thanks to 16 graduating Laredo Community College cadets who have passed the state certification exam.

The cadets, members of the A-10 basic peace officer class, were honored at a graduation ceremony, hosted by the LCC South Texas Border Regional Police Academy, on Thursday, May 20, in the Kazen College Center at the Fort McIntosh Campus.

In addition to completing the 19-week basic peace officer training program at the LCC South Campus, the cadets were recognized for accomplishing a 100 percent pass rate on the Texas Certified Law Enforcement Officer State Examination (TCLEOSE). All 16 cadets who took the exam achieved a passing score and are now Texas-certified peace officers.

The graduation class includes Roberto A. Ayala, Javier Cano, Adalberto Cardenas, Carlos Castillejos, Alberto Estrada, Adan Jasso, Pedro A. Juarez Jr., Apolonio Lozano, Dennise Luna, Arturo Pedraza, Jose M. Ramirez, Juan Ramirez Jr., Alberto E. Ramos, Juan C. Roque, Marco A. Samaniego and Arcilia Sanchez.

"As one of the leading trainers for law enforcement in the state, Laredo Community College is pleased to recognize this group of cadets for completing their law enforcement training and excelling in the state certification exam," academy director Donald Hale said.

In order to be admitted to the LCC Police Academy, participating cadets must be sponsored by a law enforcement agency.

The agencies that sponsored the cadets included the Webb County Sheriff's Office, Webb County Constable Precincts 1, 2 and 4, and the Jim Hogg County Sheriff's Department.

Several cadets were singled out with special awards, including the first-time presentation of the Golden Eagle Award, which was created to honor the graduating class' top overall student in memory of the late Captain Ricardo Acosta, who was a longtime trainer and academy instructor.

Pedro Juarez received the Golden Eagle Award.

The other special awards presented during the graduation ceremonies included the Academic Achievement Award to Roberto A. Ayala, the Cadet Mentor Award to Juan Carlos Roque, and the Top Gun Award to Jose M. Ramirez.

The 760-hour basic peace officer training program at LCC is comprised of rigorous physical training and study focusing on a variety of topics including the penal code, family violence, code of criminal procedures, firearms training, defensive tactics, emergency driving, patrol procedures, criminal investigating, mechanics of arrest, cultural diversity, history of policing, U.S. and Texas constitution and traffic law.

For more information about the LCC Police Academy, call 794-4908.

For college students interested in a career with a law enforcement agency, LCC also offers an Associate of Applied Science Degree in Criminal Justice.

For more information, contact the LCC Protective Services Department by calling 794-4710.

Second summer session payment due Thursday

Laredo Community College students who have already registered for the second summer session are reminded to pay their tuition and fees by Thursday, July 1, to secure their space in class.

Payments can be made either in person at the LCC Bursar's Office at either the Ft. McIntosh or South campuses by 6 p.m. or online via PASPort's student account system at https://pasport.laredo.edu by 11 p.m.

Students who fail to pay by the deadline will lose their space in class and will need to go through the registration process again.

Advising for summer and fall classes will continue Monday through Thursday, June 28-July 1.
Students who have declared a major can get advised from 1 to 6 p.m. at the instructional department that corresponds to their major.

All other students can get advised from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Student Success Center at the Fort McIntosh Campus or at the Counseling Center at the South Campus.

Students planning to attend LCC this summer and fall are encouraged to register as soon as possible to lock in their classes.

Those who are considered self-advised may register for the second summer session, as well as the fall semester, via PASPort from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. from any computer with Internet access.

To be considered self-advised, students must have a declared major, have completed all required remediation courses, have earned at least 30 college-level hours, and have a cumulative grade point average of 2.0 or higher.

Payment deadline for the second summer session is July 1 and Aug. 19 for the fall semester.

The first day of class for summer session two is July 8 and August 23 for the fall semester.

To view the summer and fall class schedules, log on to www.laredo.edu and click on the PASPort icon.

For more information, contact the LCC Registration Center at the Fort McIntosh Campus at 721-5117 or at the South Campus at 794-4109.

TAMIU students, professors talk economics in D.C.

Texas A&M International University graduate students joined TAMIU faculty members of the A. R. Sanchez Jr. School of Business for a summer learning journey exploring international economic policy in Washington, D.C., May 23-30.

The TAMIU delegation participating in the International Policy and Strategy Briefing included four faculty members and eight Ph.D. and MBA students for the eight-day trip.

The trip was led by Tagi Sagafi-nejad, Radcliffe Killam Distinguished Professor of International Business and sponsored by the university's A. R. Sanchez Jr. School of Business and the Center for the Study of Western Hemispheric Trade. The project was funded in part by a grant from the U.S. Department of Education Title VI.B (BIE Grant).

Sagafi-nejad said it was the first of its kind to offer such an extensive learning opportunity.

"This was an historic undertaking by the university. The group toured and met with leadership of the World Bank, Organization of American States, Council on Foreign Relations, U. S. Department of State, United States Congress, Center for Strategic and International Studies, Inter-American Dialogue, Overseas Private Investment Corporation, the Cato Institute and the Library of Congress. All told, they received some 24 briefings from senior scholars and policy makers at 11 institutions," Sagafi-nejad said.

Ph.D. student Aditya Limaye said the experience was one to be cherished for a lifetime.

"It was a wonderful and unique experience indeed. Firstly, the various organizations and the think-tanks that we visited enhanced my knowledge about the various issues in International policy and strategy. Secondly, the group consisted of faculty members, staff, Ph.D. and MBA students and provided an excellent opportunity for students like me to interact with the faculty. The practical knowledge that I gained by being a part of this unique experience cannot be learnt by reading any textbook. This was an experience that I shall always cherish throughout my career," Limaye said.

Julie Barrera, an MBA student, concurred.

"It was an amazing educational experience. This trip was a blessing and it has helped me to get one step closer to a master's degree in Business Administration in International Trade," Barrera assured.

Leonel Prieto, TAMIU assistant professor of management, noted the opportunity to witness change in action.

"It provided a first-hand and unique experience through the briefings and discussions held at a set of key think tanks, and institutions such as the Organization for American States (OAS), the State Department, and the World Bank. We had the opportunity to witness some change attempts which may be crucial, if realized. At the same time, it was disappointing to remind ourselves again and again that substantive change is difficult to bring about," Prieto explained.

Students participating included: doctoral students Peerayuth Charoensukmongkol, Jose L. Daniel, Ahmed Elkassabgi, Aditya R. Limaye and Shaun C. Sexton. MBA students attending were Julie E. Barrera, Lesly E. Cedillo and Rossy Cerda.

Faculty and staff members attending were Jorge Brusa (associate professor of Finance); Pablo Camacho (assistant professor of Economics); Kamal Parhizgar (professor of Management); Leonel Prieto and Antonio Rodriguez (professor of Finance).

Organizers say they hope to offer similar opportunities in the future. The group is completing a report of their experiences which will be posted on the university's website.

For additional information, call the Center for the Study of Western Hemispheric Trade at 326-2548 or e-mail cswht@tamiu.edu

Summer university office hours are 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 8 a.m.-noon Friday.

TAMIU receives CASE award

Texas A&M International University has been named the recipient of a 2010 Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) WealthEngine Award for Educational Fundraising, the only university in Texas to receive the award.

CASE President John Lippincott, notifying the university of the award, praised TAMIU, noting by "demonstrating the highest levels of professionalism and best practice in its fundraising efforts, it has contributed to the betterment of educational advancement worldwide."

The award honors superior fundraising programs across the country. Of 1,005 higher education institutions eligible for consideration, only 253 institutions were selected based on blind and data-driven review. The award is a component of CASE's Circle of Excellence program.

TAMIU was also named to the Circle of Excellence with its selection as an Overall Improvement Award recipient in light of its fundraising success over the past three years.

The university's fundraising efforts are directed by its Office for Institutional Advancement, led by Candy Hein, vice president.

TAMIU president Ray Keck lauded the efforts of Hein and her staff in securing gifts of lasting impact for the university.

"Whether much-needed scholarship monies for our students, research and program development assistance for our faculty, or opportunities to enhance our ever-growing campus, Hein's office works tirelessly to secure that extra measure - and make a crucial difference in all our lives. In these times of financial challenges, their ability to help the university engage new and continued support for TAMIU is inspiring," Keck said.

For more information on the university's fundraising needs and ways to assist, contact Hein at 3216-GIVE (4483), visit tamiu.edu or e-mail candy.hein@tamiu.edu Summer university office hours are 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 8 a.m.-noon Friday.

For more information on CASE, visit www.case.org

LISD students attend the Bert Corona Leadership Institute

Two Laredo ISD students spent their first week of summer traveling to the nation's capitol. Ruben Barron of Nixon High School and Clarissa Cuellar of the Early College High School participated in the Bert Corona Leadership Institute in Washington, D.C., in early June.

Barron is the son of Joanne and Isidro Cornejo and Cuellar is the daughter of Guadalupe Ramos and Jesus Garcia. On their field trips, the students visited historical sites such as the U.S. Capitol, the Holocaust Museum, the White House and Arlington Cemetery. They were also honored with the opportunity to meet Congressman Henry Cuellar at the Capitol. They learned about the legislative process, policy making, writing letters to congress, and leadership skills.

The leadership institute provides participants the opportunity to attend a one-week Civic Leadership Training Program. Participants were able to experience "hands on" civic and public policy and leadership training and were able to gain a full understanding of the internal workings of the United States government at both the local and national levels. Students were also able to participate in experiential learning and meetings with key government officials and Washington insiders.

Bert Corona was a union organizer born in 1918 who worked to provide Mexican Americans with better wages and living conditions. He dedicated his life to fighting economic and social injustices among Hispanics.

Barron and Cuellar were nominated by the LISD Federal Programs Department. The final selections were made by the Region One Education Service Center. Participants must be incoming high school seniors and current migrant students. Nominations were based on the student's grades and performance.

"My favorite part of the trip was meeting new friends, networking, and making important contacts. The experiences we had will stay with me for the rest of my life," Barron said.