Valley Valedictorians plan to take future studies near and far

Michael Pietrzak is staying in the Rio Grande Valley to finish his undergraduate studies in engineering.

Orla Callaghan is looking forward to studying business and seeing bands play in Austin.

And Monica Gonzalez-Ruggeberg is headed to Baylor University in Waco to study accounting.

This year's valedictorians across Hidalgo and Starr counties plan to scatter about the country for their post-secondary education.
No matter where they go, Valley leaders hope these students either stay here awhile or come back home and help the community that helped them achieve their dreams.

"We want students to go to college ... whether they're valedictorians or (in) the 50th percentile," said Magdalena Hinojosa, associate vice president and dean of admissions and enrollment services at the University of Texas-Pan American in Edinburg.

"We have about 43 percent of high school graduating seniors (in the Valley) not go on to college or university. We cannot have that in Texas."

The university has 80 to 90 former valedictorians and salutatorians enrolled at any given time, she said.

Pietrzak, who is the valedictorian of Hidalgo Early College High School, will be one more attending the local university.

"I know Pan Am is a great school. Both my parents went to Pan Am and both my brothers got a great education," he said.

Pietrzak has already earned more than 60 college credits toward his bachelor's degree by taking dual enrollment and other advanced courses in high school.

The 18-year-old said he feels comfortable at UTPA, so the transition from high school to college should be relatively easy.

"I know if I went to Texas A&M (University) or (the University of Texas at) Austin, I'd probably go and get lost walking down the streets," he said.

Staying close to home also is more economically sound because UTPA is among the cheapest public universities in the state.

Callaghan, McAllen High School's valedictorian, said she wanted to see more of the outside world before she decides whether to come back home.

She chose UT Austin for its business program and the city's thriving music scene.

"I've always really liked it. I visited earlier this year and got a great feeling from this place," the 18-year-old said.

Callaghan said she's looking forward to living in a new place and plans to see where life takes her, but returning to the Valley is not out of the question.

"I think it's a great place to raise kids, but I have to see where my job takes me," she said.

Gonzalez-Ruggeberg, from the IDEA Academy and College Preparatory high school, always knew she would go to college in the United States. The Monterrey native said the only colleges she really knew before coming to the Valley her freshman year were Harvard University and UT Austin.

Then she visited Baylor earlier this year.

"I liked the campus. I have a great vibe from the school," the18-year-old said.

She has heard many of her fellow students say they're leaving the Valley because they want a better education. But she feels students can receive just as good an education here as they could somewhere else.

Choice of school is not the only factor in getting a good education, she said. The student also plays an important role because she has the choice of what classes to take.

"It's not the school that makes them, it's (they) who make the school," Gonzalez-Ruggeberg said.

Even though she doesn't have a strong attachment to the Valley, Gonzalez-Ruggeberg said she might return and give back to the community that helped her achieve her dream of going to college in the United States.

"There should be a lot more leaders here," she said.

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Jennifer L. Berghom covers education and general assignments for The Monitor. She can be reached at (956) 683-4462.