Seven students from Texas A&M International University received laptops as part of the observance of the Binational Education Week from the Consulate General of Mexico in Laredo.
The delivery was made in association with Coca-Cola Southwest Beverages, the Cultural Institute of Mexicans and TAMIU.
Juan Carlos Mendoza Sanchez, Consul General of Mexico in Laredo, said that this is the last face-to-face event of the Binational Education Week.
“At the 53 Mexican consulates in the United States, we dedicate this week to education,” he said. “Over the years, as the Mexican community grew in the United States, the consulates went from being the defense of Mexicans in protection and documentation to introducing services for the community.”
He said that this growth was the reason why he, as director of the Institute for Mexicans Abroad, created the Academic Opportunities Window six years ago.
“The Binational Education Week seeks to resonate the importance of education,” he said. “In Laredo, our consulate is very small, and that is why we look for strategic alliances and we find them in institutions like TAMIU with James O’Meara, Dean of Education or with allies like Coca-Cola Southwest Beverages.”
He said that joining efforts mainly helps Mexican students to receive scholarships for their higher education.
“We are very good at the consulate for many things, but we are better when we get together with partners, because then we join forces, we identify the same objective and then we can help and stimulate students who really require these resources,” he said.
He added that this is the second year that Coca-Cola has provided laptops for students as part of these programs.
“It’s about giving meaning to education, which is the way for Latinos to really enter the United States successfully,” he said. “In many places, Hispanics are the largest ethnic minority group, and right now in Texas, there are more Hispanics than Anglos. All of that is not yet reflected in positions of power, because Hispanics have not had access to education.”
Mendoza Sanchez stressed the importance of education among the Latino population.
“It is very important that they have their rightful place according to the contributions they make to this society,” he said. “It is about joining efforts with many entities to support Latinos, and those are the types of community services in which the Mexican consulates are involved with no other interest than educating the population for the good of the United States, for the good of the Mexican community and for the good of Mexico.”
Miguel Conchas, president of the Mexican Cultural Institute in Laredo, said laptops were also distributed this week in the Laredo Independent School District and United Independent School District.
“Now we come to TAMIU to give these laptops to the students. Thanks to our alliance with Coca-Cola Southwest Beverages, we have been able to deliver 40 computers during this year,” he said.
Conchas congratulated the students who received the laptops.
“I want to congratulate the young people who receive these computers,” he said. “It is a privilege and a tremendous opportunity for students who often come from economically disadvantaged communities. We are pleased to know that they are students who are striving to be part of tomorrow’s society.”
Hugo Audiffred — Sales Center Manager of Coca-Cola Southwest Beverages, which is part of Arca Continental — said that thanks to the very close collaboration with the General Consulate of Mexico in Laredo, Coca-Cola has been able to support mainly educational projects.
“As a result of COVID-19, we started this laptop donation campaign,” he said. “At that time, distance education began to be implemented, so one of the limitations among students to work from home or study from home was access to technology.”
He said that at that time, Coca-Cola Southwest Beverages implemented this initiative to donate laptops not only in Laredo but in different cities in the United States, especially in the territory in which this company operates.
“We are giving continuity to this program that has been very successful,” he said. “This week has been a bit busy, but we are very happy to make this donation because we can see the enthusiasm of the students, we can see their aspirations, to see all the dreams they have. And for Coca-Cola Southwest Beverages, it is a privilege to be able to collaborate and spread a little of the magic of Coca-Cola through the donation of laptops.”
James O’Meara — Dean of Education at TAMIU and advisor to the Educational Guidance Desk or Ventanilla de Orientación Educativa (VOE) at TAMIU — said they had worked with the Office of Institutional Advancement to select students with the greatest needs.
“The students come from different schools like the School of Arts, School of Business, School of Education and also School of Science,” he said. “What we do is we partner across the university to make sure that every student has access to this opportunity and we’ve just fortunate enough that the Office of Institutional Advancement already identified the scholarship recipients.”
The students are also members of this Fall’s Institute of Mexicans in the Exterior (IME) Becas Scholarship Program at TAMIU.
The students receiving the computers are Daniela Mussot Angulo, Mario Sanchez Vazquez, Erika Moreno, Katia Moreno, Cristian Cordova, Ingrid Herrera and Dulce Cordova.
Sanchez Vazquez, a first-year Criminal Justice student at TAMIU, said that receiving the laptop has been very helpful for the career that he is just about to start.
“It has been a relief because these days have been difficult for my family, and I have been saving for a laptop. I made it, but when the news came that they were going to give me one for free now, I can use the money for other things like books,” he said.
Mario Sanchez Barrientos, father of Sanchez Vazquez, thanked everyone involved for supporting the students.
“Thank you to the institutions that support students, that encourage them to succeed and because they also support us, as a family,” he said.
O’Meara recommended students of Mexican descent to become aware of what’s happening on scholarship offers and to visit TAMIU’s website and visit VOE (Ventanilla de Orientación Educativa).
“There they will be able to see all the scholarships, all the available programs that will help Mexican students arriving from Mexico or returning to Mexico.”
O’Meara also recommended students be guided by three key words in Spanish, “Juntos” (Together), “Adelante” (Move forward) and “Sí se puede” (Yes, you can).
