KINGSVILLE (Feb. 24, 2026) — Citing reasons such as clarity, alignment and shared
responsibility to aspiring young engineers in the region, Texas A&M University-Kingsville (TAMUK) agreed to partnerships with Coastal Bend College, Laredo College and Victoria that would establish Javelina Engineering Academies (JEA) at their respective colleges during a Memorandum of Understanding signing Tuesday morning at the Texas A&M University-Kingsville Founder’s Room.
The agreements were signed by TAMUK president Dr. Robert Vela, Coastal Bend College President Dr. Zachary Suarez, Laredo College President Dr. Minita Ramirez and Victoria College President Dr. Jennifer Kent.
Students pursuing engineering degrees and enrolled in the JAE will have expanded educational opportunities will follow enhanced, prescriptive educational pathways in Civil, Industrial, and Mechanical Engineering, with additional engineering pathways developed over time.
“We have been working together with these community college and the whole idea behind the Javelina Engineering Academies is to actually align the engineering pathways,” said Dr. Heidi Taboada, Dean of the Frank H. Dotterweich College of Engineering at Texas A&M University-Kingsville. “This makes sure that those students who start in community college and pursue their first two years there can fully transition to TAMUK in a seamless way. That is the Javelina Engineering Academy’s principal. We have a commitment to really work hard on the curriculum and make sure they align. It’s something we have been working hard with my advising team at TAMUK”
Each path will include general education core curriculum and major-specific coursework to be completed at each respective college, with advanced courses and degree requirements completed at TAMUK to earn the bachelor's degree.
The Academy aims to address the region’s rising demand for engineers through this seamless educational experience between the institutions, ensuring student success through quality education and institution-to-institution faculty and staff collaboration.
“I think this solidifies a pathway for students in our backyard,” Vela said. “Students can not only graduate to become an engineer but also align themselves and position themselves to land some very amazing jobs with our workforce industry partners. We met with a lot of CEOs throughout our region, and they’re begging for local talent. So, this pipeline begins to get students from the community college to the university seamlessly, without any issues to graduate and enter the workforce right here in their backyard. I think it’s going to be a game changer for South Texas.”
Suarez shared the sentiment of wanting to keep talent close to home, benefitting the communities in the region.
“When we talk about rural economic development for the Coastal Bend as a college and as a region, we want to make sure that we keep our talent here locally,” Suarez said. “We want to make sure that we’re able to drive that economic impact for the region, which then benefits everyone throughout our communities.”
Kent feels the JEA helps address a specific need for engineers in Victoria.
“For us at Victoria College, we really look at this opportunity as one that would help us to invest in our local resources, our students,” said Kent. “We really want to make sure that, for us, students coming out of the high schools in the Golden Crescent regions, specifically out of Victoria, Victoria ISD, had the opportunity to have a seamless transfer to become engineers. We have a huge need and a shortage of engineers in our community and we knew this partnership was one that would help us take advantage of that situation and get students through the pipeline from high school, through Victoria College, into an engineering academy and, ultimately, to A&M Kingsville.”
For Ramirez and Laredo, the partnership caters to a culture that values a home feeling and makes pursuing a career through higher education feel less overwhelming.
“Our students in Laredo are typically not going far from home,” Ramirez said. “Being an alumnus from A&M-Kingsville who is so proud of this partnership, we know that staying close to home and going to school in an environment that feels like home, where classes are more manageable, where the size of a class is not overwhelming and there is individualized instruction from the faculty all makes is so much more conducive for learning. It certainly complements the culture of Laredo.”
From left, Laredo College President Dr. Minita Ramirez, Coastal Bend College President Dr. Zachary Suarez, Dean of the Frank H. Dotterweich College of Engineering at Texas A&M University-Kingsville Dr. Heidi Taboada, Victoria College President Dr. Jennifer Kent and TAMUK president Dr. Robert Vela pose for a photo during a Memorandum of Understanding signing Tuesday, Feb. 24, 2026 at the Texas A&M University-Kingsville Founder’s Room.
-TAMUK-
