Navigating the Coronavirus

E2 | Sunday, June 14, 2020 | lmtonline.com | Laredo Morning Times 50th Anniversary By Christian Alejandro Ocampo Laredo Morning Times T AMIU has stood as a pillar of higher education and com- munity service for decades since its completion, and stu- dents, staff and administrators have dedicated years to the Laredo com- munity. Highlighting the position, the Trailblazers Tower was com- pleted in January and is a physical beacon of TAMIU’s goal to provide support in Laredo. However, right in the middle of the school’s year-long celebration of their 50th anniversary, the world was struck by the COVID-19 pan- demic and plunged into months of uncertainty. But according to the school, the tower and the spirit it represents from TAMIU’s members has continued to stand strongly in the face of the unknown. “It’s no surprise then that as we all move forward through the CO- VID-19 pandemic that TAMIU has stepped forward to help its commu- nity,” TAMIU president Dr. Pablo Arenaz said. “We’re ‘TAMIU To- gether, we’re Laredo Together.’” Lockdowns and personal pro- tective equipment (PPE) shortages challenged the Laredo residents, but through the multiple challenges they’ve faced, chosen members of TAMIU rose to help and serve their community once more. Since its beginning, staff, faculty and students have not only worked to continue the education of the thousands of higher ed students but have also worked to help the com- munity using their positions at the university as well as their special- ties of their careers. Giving back during the crisis TAMIU started off its handling of the coronavirus crisis by donat- ing 110 sampling kits to the Laredo Health Department at the beginning of April. According to Dr. Bruce Akey, the Director of Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Lab- oratory, the kits were assembled in College Station and were created to help early testing. TAMIU’s 50th anniversary Navigating the coronavirus Courtesy of TAMIU TAMIU President Dr. Pablo Arenaz is pictured with Laredo Health Department Director Dr. Hector Gonzalez as the school donated 110 COVID-19 sampling kits.