William Powers Jr., president of the university, spoke to about 200 people at the April 22 grand opening of the university’s Valley Admissions Center in Harlingen, a valuable new resource for students making decisions about education beyond high school.
Powers, who was accompanied by other university officials, delivered welcoming remarks starting the noon celebration in the Valley Admissions Center in the Regional Academic Health Center.
The establishment of an admissions center in the Rio Grande Valley will allow the university to reach out to students, parents, school officials and alumni throughout the Valley in the same manner as do the university’s admissions centers in Houston, Dallas and San Antonio, said Augustine Garza, deputy director of admissions at the university.
Dalinda Martinez is director of the Valley Admissions Center, which includes an admissions counselor, a program coordinator, a financial aid counselor and an administrative support person.
Powers said the center would serve prospective students and parents with resources, financial aid information and one-on-one counseling.
“This center will be a gateway to the University of Texas at Austin and a gateway of higher education,” Powers said during the ceremony. “We want to attract even more students from this part of the state. The Valley is a critical and growing part of Texas.”
There are 1,200 students from the Valley, which includes Cameron, Willacy, Hidalgo and Starr counties, attending the university, Powers said. More than $16 million in financial aid has been awarded to Valley students.
For more on the ceremony visit the Valley Morning Star.
