TSC to host Male Student Leadership Summit on April 22

Minority males have been struggling to access and succeed in college nationwide for the past decade, and it hasn't been any different for Hispanic males in the Rio Grande Valley.

In an effort to bridge the gender and academic achievement gaps for the region's Hispanics, Texas Southmost College (TSC) has partnered with The University of Texas-Austin and become a member of the Texas Education Consortium for Students of Color, and will host the South Texas Male Student Leadership Summit on Saturday, April 22 from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the TSC SET-B Lecture Hall, located at 80 Fort Brown in Brownsville.

Registration is free and the summit is open to high school and current college students, teachers, counselors and coaches. Lunch will be provided.

The South Texas Male Student Leadership Summit's keynote speakers are Dr. Victor Saenz and Dr. Emmet Campos from UT-Austin, and Dr. Vincent Solis, vice president of instruction and student services at Laredo Community College. The summit will include a leadership panel and interactive breakout sessions on topics such as career planning and goals, academic excellence, interviewing skills, finances, and ethics.

"The purpose of the summit is to address the staggering fact that the number of men enrolling in college and completing a college degree is increasingly declining," TSC Student Life Director Armando Ponce said. "The summit is an opportunity for young Hispanic men to visit our campus. They will have the chance to learn valuable life skills from educated Hispanic male professionals, who will share their knowledge and experience in overcoming the same barriers that they currently may be facing."

In 2009, only 37.5 percent of associate degrees earned by Hispanics were earned by males compared to 62.5 percent by female Hispanics, according to a report by the Institute of Higher Education Policy. The data is similar for bachelor's degrees with 38 percent of Hispanic males earning bachelor's degrees compared to 62 percent of Hispanic females.

TSC's current enrollment is 57 percent female and 43 percent male.

The TSC South Texas Male Student Leadership Summit is sponsored by Dynamic Campus, Marcis & Associates and Fox Mechanical.

For more information about the TSC South Texas Male Student Leadership Summit or how to register, visit www.tsc.edu/stxmsls, call (956) 295-3409 or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

About Texas Southmost College
Originally established in 1926, Texas Southmost College currently offers the first two years toward a bachelor's degree, along with career and technical education leading to certificates and associate degrees, college preparatory studies to prepare students for college-level work, workforce training, and continuing education. Recently selected as a Bright Spot by the White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for Hispanics, TSC offers over 50 programs of study leading to an associate degree or certificate.