TAMIU Alumni Inaugural ‘Rising Star’ Award Recipients Announced

Recipients of the inaugural Texas A&M International University (TAMIU) Alumni Rising Star Awards were announced at a press conference Monday, March 9  at TAMIU’s Senator Judith Zaffirini Student Success Center. 

The Rising Star Awards will be presented at the Association’s TAMIU Alumni Golden Celebration Saturday, March 28 from 7 – 11 p.m. at TAMIU’s new Academic Innovation Center. 

This event has been postponed.

The competitive awards are made possible by the University’s Alumni Association and  recognize dynamic graduates who represent the University’s five Colleges or Schools admirably.

The inaugural Rising Star Award recipients are: 

Leslie D. Martínez, BA, University College, Multidisciplinary Studies, '15, registrar services specialist, TAMIU Office of the Registrar.

Joseph P. Byrd, MA, College of Education, Educational Administration, '17, assistant principal, Honore Ligarde Elementary School.

Guillermo Heard, MSN, Dr. F. M. Canseco School of Nursing and Health Sciences, ’10, nurse practitioner; firefighter  and deputy department chief of EMS, Laredo Fire Department.

Eduardo Castillo, Jr., BA, College of Arts and Sciences, English, '14, U.S. Department of State Foreign Services Officer, Washington, D.C.

 Dr. Alejandro G. Barrera, College of Arts and Sciences, Biology, '13, general dentist, Avenue 360 Health & Wellness, Houston.

Alejandra Avila, BBA, A. R. Sanchez, Jr. School of Business, Business Administration, '11, judicial law clerk, U.S. Courts for the Ninth Circuit, Arizona.

 Mary Treviño (’72)  and Susan E. Nichols (’88) co-chaired the Distinguished Alumni and College Awards, Alumni Golden Celebration Committee.  Treviño said the selection was competitive.

“Applications were received from program faculty and individuals familiar with the nominee.  The Committee reviewed nominees based on:  humanitarian contributions to society, involvement in University-sponsored events or programs, portrayal of a positive image for TAMIU in their community, accomplishments in her/his chosen field and volunteer or civic involvement,” she explained. 

“We were elated with the success of our graduates and their commitment to ‘Go Beyond’ in their chosen careers. All are exemplary members of their community, impressively building on their experiences in academics, leadership and service at Texas A&M International University,” Treviño concluded.

The Golden Celebration, billed as an alumni reunion “50 Years in the Making,”  is part of the University’s milestone year-long 50^th Anniversary celebration. Early bird tickets are available through March 13  at $30 per person or $50 per couple at go.tamiu.edu/golden.

Mario Peña (’78), 50th Anniversary Event chairman, said the event committee is excited to present the Alumni Golden Celebration. Attendees span alumni from all classes and generations of the University’s 50-year history as Texas A&I University at Laredo, Laredo State University and TAMIU respectively. 

“This is truly a landmark celebration that for some of us represents a once in a lifetime opportunity to reconnect with former classmates, faculty and staff who walked alongside us during our educational journey,” Peña said, “We look forward to seeing alumni from the past five decades as they enjoy this grand celebration.”

The evening will include the presentation of the 2020 Distinguished Alumni Award recipients: U.S. Congressman Henry Cuéllar (’82) and Dr. Norma Elia Cantú (’73), longtime faculty member and author and now Trinity University’s  Norene R. and T. Frank Murchison Endowed Professor in Humanities.

Other Golden Celebration highlights include live music by The Reen and Little Sister, food and drinks, giveaways, and  various activities for attendees.

50th Anniversary event Visionary Sponsors include Falcon Bank, The City of Laredo, Texas Community Bank, IBC Bank, Webb County and La Posada Hotel. Champion Sponsors include  Taco Palenque and Leader Sponsors are  BBVA Compass Bank and Southern Distributing.

For more information on the Alumni Golden Celebration, please contact Richelle García, project coordinator, Office of the Vice President for Institutional Advancement, at 956.326.2176, email richelle.garcia@tamiu.edu or visit the event’s site at https://go.tamiu.edu/golden

TAMIU is celebrating its 50th Anniversary and its 25th Anniversary at its north Laredo campus throughout 2020. A dedicated website shares the University’s remarkable transformation from a hybrid upper-level University to a full doctoral degree-granting University with over 29,000 graduates worldwide that enrolls over 8,400 students. Visit the calendar of Anniversary events, explore the University’s timeline, review alumni profiles and more at tamiu.edu/50. 

For more on the University’s story, contact the TAMIU Office of Public Relations, Marketing and Information Services at 956.326.2180, email prmis@tamiu.edu, click on tamiu.edu or visit offices in the Sue and Radcliffe Killam Library, room 268.