Statement of Purpose 

TSTC’s legislated purpose or mission is described in Vernon’s Texas Education Code Section 135.01:

• The Texas State Technical College System is a co-educational two-year institution of higher education offering courses of study in technical-vocational education for which there is a demand within the state of Texas.
• The Texas State Technical College System shall contribute to the educational and economic development of the State of Texas by offering occupationally-oriented programs with supporting academic coursework, emphasizing highly specialized advanced and emerging technical and vocational areas for certificates or associate degrees. The Texas State Technical College System is authorized to serve the State of Texas through excellence in instruction, public service, faculty and manpower research and economic development. The system’s economic development efforts to improve the competitiveness of Texas business and industry include exemplary centers of excellence in technical program clusters on the system’s campuses and support of educational research commercialization initiatives. Through close collaboration with business, industry, governmental agencies and communities, including public and private secondary and postsecondary educational institutions, the system shall facilitate and deliver an articulated and responsive technical education system.
• In developing and offering highly specialized technical programs with related supportive coursework, primary consideration shall be placed on industrial and technological manpower needs of the state. The emphasis of each Texas State Technical College System campus shall be on advanced or emerging technical programs not commonly offered by public junior colleges.

:: Expanded Statement of Purpose

Texas State Technical College Harlingen is an independently accredited institution offering affordable educational opportunities in a residential setting. The College promotes access to higher education through open admissions to the institution, as well as basic skills studies that equip students to succeed in college courses. Located in a culturally diverse area of the Rio Grande Valley of Texas, the College is certified as a Hispanic-Serving Institution.

Programs are designed to prepare students to meet the demands of an increasingly competitive and intellectually challenging future through educational and personal growth, practical skills development, general academic courses, and career preparation. Input from advisory committees composed of industry and workplace representatives assures relevance of curricula that prepare Associate of Applied Science degree and Certificate graduates for placement in their career fields. Successful preparation for independent and life-long learning is achieved through intensive teaching formats that stress hands-on laboratory experiences, productive work ethics, information technologies integrated with instructional delivery, advanced methods of electronic teaching and learning, cooperative education, and other student success initiatives. In addition, the College provides student services, such as career and guidance counseling, student activities, assistance with financial aid and job placement, workshops for job readiness, and events for cultural enrichment.

Accordingly, TSTC Harlingen’s faculty are dedicated to quality teaching and dynamic classroom learning experiences that integrate theory with application. The staff complements these efforts with excellent support services to fulfill the college’s mission. In all aspects, Texas State Technical College Harlingen is committed to providing the educational tools that enable students to improve their quality of life and achieve their potential.

:: Vision and Values

Texas State Technical Colleges will be a leader in strengthening the competitiveness of Texas business and industry by building the state’s capacity to develop the highest quality workforce.

Excellence -Achieving the highest quality in all we do;

Leadership -Developing visions and strategies for a desired future, and aligning and energizing people to achieve those visions;

Innovation -Creating and implementing new ideas and methods;

Collaboration -Working cooperatively with other organizations and within our own system;

Responsiveness -Providing appropriate programs and services in a proactive, flexible, and timely manner;

Accountability -Measuring our performance and using the results for improvement;

Stewardship -Ensuring our programs and services add value to our students and communities throughout the state, and operating in accordance with the public trust for which we are responsible.