About Us

HESTEC Overview

Since its inception, the Hispanic Engineering, Science, and Technology (HESTEC) Week has become a nationally recognized model for promoting science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) careers among young people of all backgrounds and ethnicities. The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley will build on the program’s legacy of promoting STEM education to further prepare the next generation of students who will be changing the world through STEM.

South Texas, Texas, and the country’s scientific and economic stability will face continuous challenges without an increase in the number of students entering science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields. From worker shortages to the loss of high-paying jobs to the loss of critical research and manufacturing resources, the lack of STEM graduates will have a significant impact on the country. To address this issue, UTRGV remains committed to growing and expanding the reach of HESTEC to attract a larger number of students, teachers, parents, corporate and Congressional leaders to develop new programs and approaches to address the need for more STEM workers and professionals at a regional, national and global level.



Location

HESTEC will take place on UTRGV’s Edinburg campus, with events that highlight the resources and talents of its multiple campuses: Brownsville, Edinburg, and Harlingen.

Project Objectives

  • To raise an awareness of the opportunities available within STEM fields
  • To encourage students to consider careers in STEM
  • To promote higher education in the Rio Grande Valley


Participating Groups

  • Secondary level students
  • University students
  • Parents and family members
  • Teachers, counselors and school administrators
  • Federal partners in Corporate America, federal government and private foundations
  • Elected officials


Format

HESTEC will take place on the Edinburg campus and vicinity, featuring different events geared towards different audiences. Each HESTEC event focuses on informing, inspiring and involving educators (Educator Day); reaching out to secondary level students (Student Leadership Day, Latina Day, Robotics Day and Middle School Challenge); university students (Fall Career Expo); and involving the community as a whole (Community Day). By communicating with these constituents, HESTEC has changed perceptions of and garnered support for STEM education at all levels.



HESTEC Success

Since its inception, HESTEC has reached:

  • Over 8,000 Educators.
  • Over 58,000 Middle & High School Students.
  • Over 22,000 College Students through HESTEC’s Career Expo.
  • 45 Corporate Partners Nationwide.
  • Nationally-Recognized Guest Speakers.
  • Award-Winning Talent.
  • Over 1 Million Impacted.
  • Recognized as a “Bright Spot in Hispanic Education” by the White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for Hispanics


UTRGV Campus location map in Edinburg, Brownsville, Harlingen, McAllen, South Padre Island, and Rio Grande City