Community Work-Study Program Student Spotlight
Spring 2024
Karla Freyre
Children's advocacy center
Karla is a junior pursuing a double major in Psychology and Criminal Justice. Fascinated by the complexities of human behavior and the intricacies of the justice system, Karla has chosen to immerse herself in these two fields of study to gain a deeper understanding of the factors that shape individuals' actions and experiences within society.
Karla currently serves as the Program Intern at Children's Advocacy Center, a non-profit organization dedicated to providing comprehensive support and resources for children who have experienced abuse or trauma. Her job duties include planning and assisting with events, filing for board meetings, preparing for proclamations, checking clients in at the front desk, and answering phones. Additionally, Karla contributes to the center's art class by helping with monthly "play dates" for kids to come after school and engage in creative activities.
Through her work at the Children's Advocacy Center, Karla has experienced personal growth and development, realizing her capabilities. She has developed personal confidence through her experiences, further empowering her to make meaningful contributions to her community. Karla has overcome personal challenges, such as her "avoidance personality," and has developed improved communication skills. She has learned to use tools like Canva for designing flyers, as well as Microsoft Word and Excel, enhancing her ability to contribute effectively in various aspects of her role.
Throughout her time at the Children's Advocacy Center, Karla looked up to the counselors which led her to wanting to pursue her master's degree after graduation, recognizing her potential and passion for helping others. She has developed a deep affection for working with children, finding fulfillment in the kid-friendly setting of the center.
When asked if she would recommend the program to other students, Karla responded with a resounding "yes." She believes that one can learn something new every day, especially in a non-profit setting. The experience has helped her build confidence, communication skills, and independence, which are valuable assets for personal and professional development.
Kristina Trevino
Washington's birthday celebration Association
Kristina ’24 is a senior majoring in Business Administration with a concentration in Marketing. Her academic focus reflects her keen interest in understanding consumer behavior, market trends, and strategic branding initiatives.
Kristina currently serves as the Program Intern at Washingtons Birthday Celebration Association (WBCA), a non-profit organization dedicated to preserving and honoring the legacy of George Washington in a manner that fosters unity and goodwill among the people of the Americas. In addition to its patriotic mission, the WBCA plays a significant role in facilitating economic growth, promoting tourism, boosting city promotion efforts, and providing funding for education through the organization of annual community events.
From managing social media projects to assisting with essential clerical tasks like producing marketing reports for key sponsorships, Kristina's responsibilities encompassed a wide range of duties. Notably, she demonstrated her creativity by crafting captivating videos and graphics to promote events like “McMonday,” “Jalapeno Festival,” “Airshow”, and the “IBC Parade,” as well as various other community festivities.
Working with WBCA proved to be an enriching experience for Kristina. She not only felt embraced as part of the organization's family but also gained invaluable insights into non-profit marketing dynamics. Empowered to implement her innovative ideas, such as creating engaging social media riddles to distribute Air Show event tickets, Kristina appreciated the organization's unwavering support in revitalizing its social media presence.
Through her experience at WBCA, Kristina sharpened her communication skills and gained confidence in her marketing abilities. She learned to utilize tools like Google AdSense for marketing reports and played a significant role in enhancing the organization's online presence.
Kristina's time at WBCA solidified her career aspirations, confirming her passion for marketing and community engagement. She credits the experience for boosting her confidence and providing valuable skills that she is eager to apply after graduation. “I am grateful to WBCA for allowing me to enhance my marketing skills and providing me with a welcoming and supportive environment," Kristina stated.
Marisol Vasquez
rio grande international study center
Marisol ’24 is a senior majoring in Biology and is part of the University Undergraduate Research Honors Program. She is deeply involved in both academic and community activities, showcasing her commitment to learning and service.
Marisol is a proud participant in the USDA Science Influencer Program, where she is one of only seven students selected from the A&M system. This program prepares students to become effective, influential communicators of science addressing critical needs in various fields such as food, agriculture, natural resources, and human sciences.
Marisol is currently serving as the Program Intern at Rio Grande International Study Center a non-profit organization dedicated to environmental conservation and education. She engages in various projects and activities that involve research, community outreach, and environmental advocacy. She excels in translating complex scientific information into accessible content for the public, aiming to raise awareness about environmental issues.
Marisol's commitment to environmental stewardship is deeply aligned with her passions and interests. She deeply cares about the environment and is driven by the desire to ensure a sustainable future for generations to come.
Her dedication to taking action and raising awareness reflects her belief that every individual has a responsibility to protect our planet. In her role, Marisol has developed important skills such as better communication with coworkers, emphasizing the importance of keeping everyone informed in the workplace.
She values collaboration with multiple people on different projects, ensuring productivity and efficiency. When asked if she would recommend the program to other students, Marisol responded "absolutely!" She highlights the program's fast-paced learning environment and the opportunity to work alongside highly experienced professionals.
Marisol values the positive experience gained from networking with professionals in various fields, including politics and climate science, which has provided valuable tips and insights for her career aspirations. Reflecting on her experience, Marisol finds the opportunity enriching and gratifying.
She values the chance to gain valuable experience while simultaneously giving back to the community. Describing it as "getting your foot in the door" and "taking a peek inside," Marisol recognizes the program's role in providing insight into potential career paths and professional development opportunities.
Fall 2022
Ashley Martinez
Keep Laredo Beautiful
Ashley Martinez ’22 is currently a senior majoring in English with a minor in Pre-Law. Throughout her experience working in the Community Work-Study (CWS) program, Ashley has completed 9 months working with Keep Laredo Beautiful. Her current duties consist of coordinating, outreach, networking, marketing, and writing grants for the organization. One of her most recent accomplishments was helping Keep Laredo Beautiful receive a grant from Keep Texas Beautiful for the purchase of a new EnviroScape model for outreach purposes. Ashley believes this employment opportunity played a significant role in helping her grow as a professional as she faced new challenges and gained new experiences. “This program gave me an opportunity to work with an agency that is very involved in my local community. It is so nice to see all the different beautification projects around Laredo that I played a role in.” Ashley stated.
Victoria Ortiz
mILEONE
Victoria Ortiz ’22 is currently a senior double majoring in Sociology and Communication. Throughout her experience in the Community Work-Study (CWS) program, Victoria has completed 6 months working with MileOne. Her current duties consist of providing customer service to members and community at large, assisting with major projects such as the Women Entrepreneurs Rock Series, MileOne Business Networking mixes, and the International Foreign Direct Investment initiative, Programa Acelera. One of her recent accomplishments was overseeing the MileOne Member biannual survey project which generated a 45% response rate. Victoria believes this opportunity played a significant role in helping develop her professional skills. “Don’t be afraid to take on a new challenge and to get out of your comfort zone. An opportunity like this program will help you grow.” Victoria stated.
Michelle Canales
Literacy Volunteers of Laredo
Michelle Canales ’22 is currently a senior majoring in Spanish. Throughout her experience in the Community Work-Study (CWS) program, Michelle has completed 1 year working with Literacy Volunteers of Laredo. Her current duties consist of assisting in the training of tutor volunteers, coordination of new classes, facilitation of meetings between tutors and students, graphic design, writing of proposals, and coordination for outreach events. Michelle has grown a great admiration for the nonprofit world and plans on applying to work full-time at another non-profit after graduation to continue serving her community. "TAMIU students should take advantage of applying to the program and do it with an open mind. There is a chance to network with different people in the city that can lead to future employment opportunities” Michelle stated.
Fall 2021
Lucia Macias
Keep Laredo Beautiful
Lucia Macias ’21 graduated with a double degree in English/Sociology. Throughout her experience with the Community Work-Study Program, Lucia completed 1 year and 2 months working with Keep Laredo Beautiful. Her job duties consisted of research, creation of promotional content, and event coordination for the Safe and Solo Campaign where she assisted local organizations with beautification projects. Lucia believes this opportunity played a significant role in helping develop her research, writing, and networking skills. “I absolutely recommend the Community Work-Study Program if you are interested in giving back to the community because a lot of doors will open for you and you might find yourself working in a field that might become your career,” Lucia stated.
Cynthia San Miguel
Instituto Cultural de Mexico
Cynthia San Miguel ’21 graduated with her degree in Biology. Throughout her experience with the Community Work-Study Program, Cynthia completed 1 year and 2 months working with Instituto Cultural De Mexico. Her job duties consisted of clerical work, social media engagement, event coordination, and creation of grant applications. Cynthia believes this opportunity played a significant role in helping develop her leadership, problem-solving, and communication skills. “I would definitely recommend this program to other students. This is a great program that gets your foot in the door. You learn a lot while helping your community in many ways.” Cynthia stated.
Jessica Ramirez
United Way of Laredo
Jessica Ramirez ’21 graduated with a degree in Criminal Justice and minor in Psychology. Jessica worked with United Way of Laredo for 1 year and 4 months. Her job duties consisted of assisting with the 2-1-1 Texas Call center program. Jessica believes through this opportunity, she improved her communication, problem-solving, and organizational skills. “I would definitely recommend the Work-Study Program to other students because it really gives one an opportunity to gain work experience while also getting an education,” Jessica stated.
Fall 2019
Ashly Aguilar
Laredo Crime Stoppers
Ashly Aguilar ’21 graduated with her degree in Nursing. Throughout her experience with the Community Work-Study Program, Ashly has completed 4 months of working with Laredo Crime Stoppers. Her job duties consisted of clerical work and helping coordinate projects such as the Menudo Bowl. In addition, Ashly believes through this employment opportunity, she improved her communication and networking skills. “ I would recommend for others to apply to the Community Work-Study Program because it gets you out of your comfort zone and challenges you both as a student and worker,” Ashly stated.
Patsy Rodriguez
Laredo area community foundation
Patsy Rodriguez ’20 graduated with her degree in Music. Patsy worked with the Laredo Area Community Foundation for 6 months. Her job duties consisted of clerical work and customer service. Throughout her experience with the Community Work-Study Program, Patsy believes this opportunity played a significant role in helping develop her leadership, organizational, customer service, and software skills. "Students should apply to the Community Work-Study Program because you will placed with a non-profit whose primary goal is to serve and give back to the Laredo community," Patsy stated.
Angelica Ramirez
voz de ninos
Angelica Ramirez graduated with a double major in Communication and Sociology. Throughout her experience with the Community Work-Study Program, Angelica has completed 7 months of working with Voz De Ninos. Her job duties consisted of general office work, graphic design, & community/recruitment events. Angelica believes this opportunity, improved her communication skills. “I recommend the Community Work-Study Program because you get to meet new people and become more aware and knowledgeable of the other agencies and the resources they offer to the Laredo community,” Angelica stated.
Summer 2019
Consuelo Guzman
dusty's Food Pantry
Consuelo "Connie" Guzman '19 graduated with a double major in Political Science and Criminal Justice. She served with Dusty's Food Pantry as the official student coordinator for 1 year. She was responsible for making sure the pantry is stocked and organized at all times, monitored expiration dates of goods, created promotional flyers, and helped the TAMIU community coordinate donation drives on campus to benefit the food pantry. Connie believes her work environment played a significant role in helping develop her marketing and networking skills. "Students should apply to the Community Work Study Program because it's an opportunity to give back and serve the community by helping non-profits," Connie stated.
Emilio Hernandez
Chamber of Commerce
Emilio Hernandez '21graduated with a degree in Pre-Engineering. Throughout his experience with the Community Work-Study Program, Emilio has completed 8 months of working with Chamber of Commerce. His job duties consisted of data entry and membership management. In addition, Emilio believes through this opportunity, he was been able to grow professionally. "I recommend the Community Work-Study Program because you will learn a lot of things at your assigned agency. It also serves as a balanced job because they will work with your school schedule." Emilio stated.
Regina Flores
Instituto Cultural de Mexico & NeighborWorks Laredo
Regina graduated with her degree in Accounting. From June 2018 to August 2019, she worked with the Instituto Cultural de Mexico within the Mexican Consulate, where she assisted her supervisor in organizing events, keeping track of income/expenses, looking for sponsorships, and giving presentations to the community about upcoming local events. Regina then was assigned to work with NeighborWorks Laredo where her job duties consisted of filling invoices, keeping track of customer payments, and providing customer service to individuals and families. "The Community Work-Study Program prepares you for the real world. It helps you become more responsible and changes your perspective. It's a perfect opportunity to take advantage of if you want to grow as a person," Regina stated.