By News and Internal Communications

HARLINGEN, TEXAS – AUG. 28, 2023 – It’s hard to imagine completing your first two years of college before you even graduate high school.

But high school juniors from UTRGV Harlingen Collegiate High (HCH) know all about it, as they move now from being Harlingen Owls (freshmen and sophomores) to UTRGV Vaqueros (juniors and seniors).

Today, on Vaquero Day, 88 UTRGV HCH juniors officially become university Vaqueros as they begin taking their first UTRGV classes.

“Today is the day that the students are officially college students in the eyes of HCISD,” said Dr. Veronica Kortan, interim superintendent of the Harlingen school district.

“We want to celebrate the fact that the students have a huge advantage because of both HCISD and UTRGV. This school provides financial assistance for our students as they can attain college credit while in high school, at no cost,” she said. 

At UTRGV HCH, students in their freshman and sophomore years are recognized as Owls. During this time, they navigate a rigorous high school curriculum to prepare them for college and project-based learning.

In their junior and senior years, students are deemed Vaqueros. As a Vaquero, they begin taking college-level courses that will let them graduate from high school with two years of college credit.

UTRGV professors travel from their home campuses to teach classes for the Vaqueros at UTRGV HCH, letting the students experience face-to-face synchronous and asynchronous classes. Those students enroll in 13-14 hours per semester.

“These students are fully immersed in the college experience,” said Dr. Pamela Flores, principal of UTRGV HCH. “A traditional student will graduate high school and start their collegiate journey. Our students begin their collegiate journey in their junior year.”

UTRGV HCH has prioritized four career pathways – education, engineering, computer science and college academic core curriculum – which provide students the opportunity to find or follow their interests and receive a head start in their chosen field of study. 

It’s an opportunity UTRGV HCH junior Adan Guajardo can fully appreciate.

“Having these two years of college experience under my belt will help me get a foot in the door,” the new Vaquero said. “I’ll be ready for that next level in my life.” 

UTRGV’s ongoing commitment to providing educational opportunities to all Valley students has been marked by strategic partnerships with local school districts and has led to creation, to date, of three specialty high schools: UTRGV HCH, UTRGV Edinburg CISD Collegiate High School (UTRGV ECH), and UTRGV McAllen Collegiate Academy (UTRGV MCA).

Dr. Michael Aldape, UTRGV’s assistant provost for dual credit, said the possibilities are endless for students in collegiate high schools like those in Harlingen, Edinburg and McAllen.

“We believe that if we invest in students now, while they’re in high school, we’re going to have a greater impact in helping them move through post-secondary education,” Aldape said.

UTRGV President Guy Bailey talks to students and family members during the Vaquero Day celebration at UTRGV Harlingen Collegiate High on Friday, Aug. 25. (UTRGV Photo by David Pike)