Roma ISD, South Texas College, and Starr County Memorial Hospital Awarded $100,000 Workforce Grant for Paid Health Sciences Internships

Roma ISD, in partnership with South Texas College and Starr County Memorial Hospital, has been awarded a $100,000 grant through Texas Workforce Solutions to provide paid Health Sciences internships for Roma High School students.

The collaborative grant will support 81 students throughout the year, including 23 students who will begin internships during June and July. The remaining students will participate during the academic school year. Students selected for the program will earn $15 per hour while gaining valuable hands-on experience at Starr County Memorial Hospital.

This marks a historic milestone for Roma ISD, as for the first time, Roma High School students interested in healthcare careers will have the opportunity to participate in paid internships within a real hospital setting, strengthening their career readiness and preparing them for postsecondary education and future employment in the healthcare industry.

"This grant represents an incredible investment in the future of our students and our community," said Roma ISD Superintendent Carlos M. Gonzalez, Jr. "Through this outstanding partnership, our students will gain meaningful, real-world healthcare experience while earning a paycheck. We are sincerely grateful to Texas Workforce Solutions for making this opportunity possible and for helping us prepare the next generation of healthcare professionals."

"All the work we are doing with this and other partnerships is about growing, expanding, and improving lives and being better than we have been in the past," said Starr County Memorial Hospital Board President Dr. Adrian Guerra. "If we can impart on the young men and women that have the privilege of participating in this program one piece of advice it would be to always look for ways to improve yourselves and our community. Be better than you were the day before and focus on that bigger vision."

Roma ISD extends its sincere appreciation to Texas Workforce Solutions for investing in workforce development and expanding educational opportunities that will positively impact students and the future healthcare workforce of Starr County.