KINGSVILLE (Sept. 16, 2026) — Texas A&M University-Kingsville (TAMUK) is expanding its commitment to educational opportunity and workforce preparation across South Texas through renewed federal TRIO programs. Supported by two Department of Labor (DOL) - Office of Postsecondary Education (OPE) awards totaling $4.8 million, the programs will expand the university’s reach to students and adult learners throughout the region.
The DOL-OPE awarded $2.5 million for the TAMUK Talent Search Pathway Opportunities: Workforce Education and Regional Careers (POWERC) project and $2.3 million for the TAMUK Educational Opportunity Center (EOC) POWERC Rural project.
Together, these programs reflect TAMUK’s role as a regional partner in creating pathways to education, credentials, and careers. TAMUK currently supports 11 TRIO programs serving more than 4,700 students annually, extending the university’s reach well beyond the Kingsville campus and into communities throughout South Texas.
“South Texas has never had a shortage of talent,” TAMUK acting Vice President for Student Success Dr. Robert Ayala said. “What has too often been missing is a clear pathway for our students and community to access higher education and access opportunities. That is what TRIO provides.”
The Talent Search POWERC Rural project, will be funded $500,000 annually and expand its services across rural communities, doubling the number of students it can serve from 500 to 1,000.
Counties being served include Kleberg, Duval, Jim Wells, Nueces and Brooks, while the nine target schools being served are:
- H.M. King Early College High School
- Robstown ECHS
- San Diego
- West Oso
- Falfurrias
- Freer
- Premont
- Agua Dulce
- Benavides
The program is designed to give students more options for their futures by helping them prepare for college, certifications, and careers. Students will receive academic support, financial aid assistance, and career exploration while gaining connections to workforce training, certifications, and pre-apprenticeship opportunities.
A key component of the expanded program is its partnership with TAMUK Workforce Development, which will connect students with career pathways, certifications, pre-apprenticeships and workforce opportunities that prepare them for high-demand careers.
“This grant will provide 1,000 rural South Texas high school students with the support and opportunities they need to pursue college, certifications, or careers and build a brighter future in South Texas,” TRIO Programs/Talent Search Project Director Nelda Pierce said.
While the TAMUK Talent Search is expanding in area counties, the TAMUK EOC program is extending educational and workforce resources to 1,500 participants who are first-generation and/or low-income individuals across three target counties in the Rio Grande Valley.
The project will provide participants with academic and career counseling, financial aid and scholarship assistance, college admissions and enrollment support, information about GED and required assessments, and assistance completing secondary school and pursuing postsecondary education.
The program also places a strong emphasis on workforce preparation. Through its partnership with TAMUK Workforce Development, EOC POWER C Rural will connect participants with required pre-apprenticeship opportunities, career guidance and other certifications aligned with their goals and high-demand careers.
“An especially important component of this initiative is the required pre-apprenticeship service, which will connect participants with meaningful career preparation and hands-on pathways to employment,” said Carla Dominguez, EOC POWERC project director. “Through collaboration with Texas A&M University–Kingsville Workforce Development Department, participants will have access to pre-apprenticeships, industry-recognized certifications, career guidance, and other opportunities aligned with high-demand careers. Together, these efforts will empower individuals throughout the RGV to pursue education, develop valuable skills, and build stronger, more prosperous futures for themselves and their communities.”
Through Talent Search POWERC and EOC POWERC Rural, TAMUK also will continue building partnerships that help students and adult learners navigate education, training and career opportunities while strengthening the region’s future workforce.
“Through Talent Search and the Educational Opportunity Center, we are able to reach into our schools and communities, help individuals see possibilities they may not have seen for themselves, and walk alongside them as they turn those possibilities into a college education,” Ayala said. “These awards allow us to continue opening doors for first-generation students, working families, adult learners, and communities throughout our region. When one person gains access to higher education, the impact can change the trajectory of a family and, over time, an entire community. We are excited to serve the student and community of Javelina Nation with these grants and look forward to what is in store in the future for TAMUK.”
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