Patron of the Arts features live musical concerts, art and sculpture exhibitions, and literary events. Internationally renowned performers and artists as well as talented area performers and artists are featured. Faculty and students also perform. An annual family membership is also available. For more information, contact the Fine Arts Department at 544-8247.

Rancho Del Cielo Biology Station Program

Rancho del Cielo is located about 70 miles south of Ciudad Victoria in Tamaulipas, Mexico. Situated in the Sierra Madre at an elevation of 3,750 feet, this area has for decades attracted scientists from all over the world.

They have often described this area as "unique," a strong and accurate word. Rancho del Cielo is an enclave at the crossroads of many North and South American plant and animal species. The tropical and temperate mixture found there is believed to be a "relic" forest similar to those once covering North America 30-50 million years ago. It is an area of great diversity. Eight out of the 12 ecological zones of Mexico are represented within a radius of 12 kilometers.

Students are invited to participate in the program by joining Gorgas Science Society. The Society is open to any student, regardless of major field of study. Classes and opportunities in continuing education are offered at the station through the Biology Station Program, Honors Program, and Biology Department.

Special Populations

Through various state and federally funded programs, qualified vocational students may receive day care assistance, tutoring, special course work in basic skills, ESL classes and career development workshops. Students who may be eligible include economically or educationally disadvantaged minorities, single parents, displaced homemakers, displaced workers, handicapped students, limited English speakers and students seeking nontraditional career training.

For more information, visit with a vocational counselor at the Counseling Center.

Tech Prep

Tech Prep is an educational process that blends the best of academic and vocational skills training education and produces workers who possess the skills needed for America to remain competitive in a global economy – workers who have both academic and technical "know-how" and are able to apply their learned skills in a the modern workplace of today and tomorrow. Tech Prep curriculum (developed collaboratively between public schools, colleges, business and industry) teaches students to think critically and perform specialized skills, but also fosters a desire for continuous and lifelong learning.

UTB and TSC programs implementing Tech Prep curriculum allows students earned credits toward an Occupational Training Certificate in eight skills areas, Certificates of Proficiency in 12 programs of study and/or an Associate in Applied Science degree in 16 academic programs.

Tech Prep students can earn up to 12 semester credit hours for work successfully completed in high school at no charge to the student. Students enrolled in the Tech Prep program at their high school will have a symbol "A" placed next to the courses appearing on the transcript they took in high school which may be applied toward meeting the requirements for the appropriate certificate or degree upon enrolling at UTB/TSC.

The following is a list of current Occupational Training Certificates (O.T.C.), Certificates of Proficiency (C.P.) and the Associate in Applied Science (A.A.S.) degrees:

Accounting Technology – C.P.*, A.A.S.
Air Conditioning and Refrigeration – O.T.C.*
Auto Body Repair – O.T.C.*
Automotive Mechanics – O.T.C.*
Building Trades (carpentry) – O.T.C.*
Building Trades (electrical worker) – O.T.C.*
Building Trades (plumbing) – O.T.C.*
Child Care and Development – C.P.*, A.A.S.
Computer Information Systems – C.P.*, A.A.S.
Criminal Justice – A.A.S.
Diagnostic Medical Sonography – A.A.S.
Diesel Mechanics – O.T.C.
Drafting – C.P.*, A.A.S.
Electronics Technology – A.A.S.
Emergency Medical Technology – C.P., A.A.S.
Engineering Technology/Electronic – C.P., A.A.S.
Engineering Technology/Manufacturing – C.P., A.A.S.
Engineering Technology/Mechanical – C.P., A.A.S.
International Business – C.P.*, A.A.S.
Legal Assisting Specialist – C.P.
Legal Secretarial – A.A.S.
Machine Shop – O.T.C.
Medical Laboratory Technology– A.A.S.
Nursing: Vocational Nursing (VN) – C.P.
Office Specialist – C.P.*, A.A.S.
Radiologic Technology – A.A.S.
Respiratory Theraphy – A.A.S.
Word Processing Specialist – A.A.S.

* TASP-waived certificate programs (less than 42 semester credit hours)

"The Challenge for Excellence" TSC Endowment Scholarship Program

The TSC Endowment Scholarship is a program designed to establish scholarship funds for the students in the TSC district; this includes regionally accredited public and private schools in Brownsville, Los Fresnos, and Port Isabel. The "Challenge for Excellence" Award program is 48 semester credit hours which is spread out over four consecutive semesters excluding summer sessions.

To qualify for the Endowment Scholarship, the high school student must:

– attend an eligible high school in the qualifying districts for at least three years;

– graduate from an eligible high school in the qualifying districts;

– graduate from the Recommended Curriculum or the Distinguished Achievement Curriculum, as defined by the school district;

– graduate with a cumulative "B" average or better, and

– pass all sections of the TASP (or an alternative TASP test) before enrolling at TSC (including TASP waived programs).

For the student to receive the full 48 semester credit hours, the student must also:

– enroll immediately after high school graduation;

– attend TSC full-time (12 semester credit hours or more);

– maintain a minimum cumulative 3.0 ("B") grade point average each semester, and

– progress through four consecutive semesters enrollment at UTB/TSC (excluding summer sessions.

When students graduate, high school counselors must send a completed Endowment Scholarship Application with the school's official seal and signature to the Office of Student Financial Assistance.

Young Scholars Program

The Young Scholars Program is a three-week enrichment program for academically talented intermediate school students conducted by faculty members each summer as part of the Honors Program.

Applications are available through middle school counselors in Brownsville, Los Fresnos, Port Isabel, and Harlingen. Students are selected on the basis of grade point averages, standardized test scores and letters of recommendation. For information, call 544-8865.

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University of Texas at Brownsville and Texas Southmost College
2001 - 2002 Undergraduate Catalog
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