Meet Agapito Cruz, a UTRGV Unsung Hero

Text by Amanda A. Taylor-Uchoa

Agapito Cruz, a Systems Analyst III in the College of Engineering and Computer Science on the UTRGV Edinburg Campus, helps ensure that faculty, staff, and sometimes students have the IT resources they need to succeed. From setting up specialized lab equipment to coordinating with the university’s IT infrastructure, Cruz makes certain technology runs smoothly behind the scenes.

Being able to learn something new every day and solve complex technical problems, Cruz said, is one of his favorite parts of the job. “It’s interesting learning new things and getting the labs working,” he said. “I enjoy working with the staff, professors, and students and hope to meet and work with more of them in the years to come.”

WHAT IS YOUR ROLE AT UTRGV?
My title is Systems Analyst III. I work with a COECS team to help staff and faculty (and sometimes students) access and best utilize the IT resources provided by the university. We assist with the setup of specialized labs and equipment, and we work with the IT department to integrate them into the UTRGV IT infrastructure.

HOW LONG HAVE YOU WORKED HERE?
I have been working at the university since 2017.

DESCRIBE YOUR AVERAGE DAY:
I usually log in and check for any TDX tickets, then allocate requests to the rest of the team here in Edinburg and Brownsville. After that, we head out and try to help everyone with their technical needs. Sometimes, it’s as simple as setting up an office computer; other times, it’s more involved, like getting pieces of lab equipment to communicate with each other.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE PART OF YOUR JOB?
It’s interesting to learn new things and get the labs working.

DO YOU HAVE A FAVORITE MEMORY OR STORY ABOUT YOUR TIME HERE?
Once, Eddie Guzman (the other Systems Analyst in the college) and I had to wire multiple computers through a switch connected to a laptop providing DHCP support, so we could re-image all the computers using the same hard drive image. Otherwise, we wouldn’t have had the lab ready in time.

TELL US SOMETHING MOST PEOPLE DON’T KNOW ABOUT YOU:
I read a lot… or at least I used to, and I’m looking to get back into it again.

WHAT IS YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH THE UTRGV COMMUNITY?
I enjoy working with the staff, professors, and students, and I hope to meet and work with more of them in the years to come.