{"id":5729,"date":"2016-10-04T19:00:51","date_gmt":"2016-10-04T19:00:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/losfresnosnews.net\/?p=5729"},"modified":"2016-10-04T19:00:51","modified_gmt":"2016-10-04T19:00:51","slug":"t-rex-named-sue-joins-utrgv-in-celebrating-15th-anniversary-of-hestec","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/losfresnosnews.net\/?p=5729","title":{"rendered":"T Rex Named Sue Joins UTRGV in Celebrating 15th Anniversary of HESTEC"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"UTRGV<\/a>

UTRGV student tour guides Valeria Salinas and Gabrielle Silva in front of Sue the Tyrannosaurus rex exhibit, following the press conference launch for the 15th anniversary of HESTEC 2016, on Thursday, Sep. 29, at the Visitors Center on the Edinburg Campus. (UTRGV Photo by Paul Chouy)<\/p><\/div>\n

by Gail Fagan<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

EDINBURG, TEXAS \u2013 <\/strong>The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley is celebrating the quincea\u00f1era<\/em> (15th<\/sup> birthday) of HESTEC (Hispanic Engineering, Science and Technology)<\/a> Week, Oct. 2-8, by expanding its activities to Harlingen and Brownsville and welcoming back a very old visitor \u2013 Sue, the dinosaur<\/p>\n

At a press conference today, Sept. 29, 2016, on the Edinburg Campus, university administrators touted the achievements of the annual weeklong initiative designed to promote higher education in South Texas and the opportunities and careers available in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics).<\/p>\n

\u201cThis event has had a transformational impact on our community and our students,\u201d said Dr. Havid\u00e1n Rodr\u00edguez, UTRGV provost and executive vice president for Academic Affairs. \u201cIt is a nationally recognized model for inspiring students to seek careers in science, technology, engineering and math. This is not just a model of success for the Rio Grande Valley. This is not just a model of success for Texas. This is a model of success for the country.\u201d<\/p>\n

HESTEC last year was recognized as a \u201cBright Spot in Hispanic Education<\/a>\u201d by the White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for Hispanics<\/a>, for its support of Latino educational attainment and excellence. Since its inception, HESTEC has been estimated to have impacted more than 1 million students, educators and community members who have participated in its events.<\/p>\n

Rodr\u00edguez praised the support of the community, corporate sponsors, the Region One Education Service Center, GEAR UP and U.S. Congressman Rub\u00e9n Hinojosa (TX-15), who initiated HESTEC in partnership with then UT Pan American and its then president, Dr. Miguel Nev\u00e1rez.<\/p>\n

In honor of Hinojosa\u2019s contributions, UTRGV soon will be establishing a scholarship for students pursuing a degree in STEM.<\/p>\n

In a taped message from Washington, D.C., Hinojosa said he is proud of the event, which has motivated and inspired students and widened the pipeline for Latinos and Latinas to enter STEM fields<\/p>\n

\u201cHESTEC has been one of the greatest creations and initiatives of my entire Congressional career,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

A T-REX NAMED SUE<\/strong><\/p>\n

A highlight of this year\u2019s HESTEC is the exhibition of Sue<\/a> \u2013 a complete replica of one of the largest, most complete Tyrannosaurus rex<\/em> dinosaurs ever unearthed. The exhibit is being made available by The Field Museum, Chicago, with the support of McDonald\u2019s Corporation, the RGV McDonald\u2019s Group, and IBC Bank.<\/p>\n

At 42 feet long and 12 feet tall at the hips, this Sue is a full-sized skeleton cast. She will be on display through Jan. 8, 2017, in the Visitor\u2019s Center on the Edinburg Campus. The exhibition is free and open to the public and includes a variety of multimedia and interactive elements that make Sue\u2019s life come alive for young and old.<\/p>\n

\u201cEveryone from 6 to 86 loves dinosaurs,\u201d said Jeffrey Schmatz, spokesperson for the five Valley owner\/operators and the 5,000 Valley employees of McDonald\u2019s supporting the exhibit. \u201cThis is part of our continuing pledge to education, not only on a national basis with the Field Museum, but locally.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Veronica<\/a>

Veronica Gonzales, UTRGV vice president of Governmental & Community Relations, kicked off HESTEC 2016 during a special press conference Thursday, Sept. 29, 2016, on the Edinburg Campus. HESTEC \u2013 Hispanic Engineering, Science and Technology Week \u2013 this year runs Oct. 2 through Oct. 8, and for the first time has expanded to activities in Harlingen and Brownsville. (UTRGV Photo by Paul Chouy)<\/p><\/div>\n

COMING UP DURING HESTEC 2016<\/strong><\/p>\n

HESTEC activities continue next week with themed daily events tailored for Valley educators and thousands of high school and middle school students. They include<\/p>\n