Our six-year graduation rate is the highest among the A&M System regional universities and over 82% of our degrees are awarded to economically disadvantaged individuals. We have been recognized nationally for having one of the lowest student debt levels….and 77% of our graduates are gainfully employed within a year of graduating, well above the Statewide average of 72%. We also continue to be recognized as among the best western regional universities by U.S. News and World Report and are ranked among the top in Texas. Since moving to our northeast Laredo campus in 1995, we have graduated nearly 30,000 students. What has been the impact of all these degrees on Laredo? In 1990, 11% of Laredoans over 25 had a bachelor’s degree; in 2000, that number was 14%, and in 2021, 23%. By doubling the percentage of university graduates, Laredo has become a more educated community. We have been ranked among the Top Ten Universities nationally for both our return on investment and the upward mobility of our graduates. In 2000, 83% of our graduates identified themselves as the first in their families to graduate from college. Today, that number has dropped to 55%. Yes, we have had an impact on increasing the post-secondary educational level of Laredoans and their families and the quality of their lives. This is the shared impact that your legacy, whether as a student, faculty or staff member, or a generous donor of scholarships, has had on Laredo and the region. This is the transformational impact that TAMIU has on this community and beyond: lives changed, opportunities realized, and futures measurably brightened… metamorphosis at every level. By continuing to be affordable, accessible, and exceptional, TAMIU will extend this legacy for generations to come. Your continued investment in TAMIU will ensure that we continue to -- Go Beyond. Dr. Pablo Arenaz TAMIU President ‘BRAIN BAG’ INITIATIVE FOCUSES ON LEGACY OF READING Becoming a new parent can be overwhelming, but a new collaboration led by Laredo Learns and TAMIU’s College of Education believes it’s all in the “Brain Bag.” Laredo Learns, the College and its community partners created the Brain Bag as a resource filled with learning materials. Included are guidance, parenting tips, online child development insights and prompts, and more. It’s a tool to help new parents ensure their children meet critical growth and learning benchmarks. Guillermo “Memo” Treviño, a local businessman and philanthropist who has helped spearhead the effort with community-based partners, said the Laredo Learns goal is simple. “We want Laredo to be a Learning City. Just as we celebrate Laredo being the Number One Inland Port, we celebrate a commitment to learning that brightens our children’s futures. With the Brain Bag, we’re providing new parents with tools and resources to help them be the best parents possible, and meet benchmarks to succeed in school,” Treviño said. Key to the partnership was Jorge Leal, Laredo Medical Center’s (LMC) Chief Executive Officer, who helped ensure creation of 250 Brain Bags a month, beginning in August and ending in December for moms who gave birth at LMC. “We support Laredo Learns and are proud to take the lead with the implementation of the Brain Bag initiative because we know that reading begins with parents,” Leal observed. Celebrating the launch of the Laredo Learns “Brain Bag” Initiative were, left to right: Jimena Morales, Melissa Cigarroa, Dr. James O’Meara, Jorge González, Rosamaría Treviño and Mayor Victor Treviño, Jorge Leal, Erika Martínez, Guillermo “Memo” Treviño, and Priscilla Salinas. 4
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