Laredo (March 28, 2007) – Thanks to a $10,000 grant from The Alphonse Siros Charitable Trust, four students studying to be respiratory therapists at The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio’s Laredo Campus Extension will each receive $2,500 scholarships. Most of these students will remain in Laredo or go on to practice in other underserved South Texas communities.
The late Alphonse Siros was a World War I veteran. Later, as a bighearted, successful businessman, he generously donated his time and knowledge to numerous civic organizations in South Texas. Along with his sister, Lou Vena Siros, an instructor at the Laredo Junior College, he created The Alphonse Siros Charitable Trust in 1986 to provide scholarships for deserving students in Laredo. Mr. and Mrs. William Dickinson of Laredo serve as the current trustees.
The scholarship recipients are Veronica Chavez of the respiratory care degree program class of 2007, and Roberto Gonzalez, Maria Morales and Aaron Munoz of the class of 2009.
The respiratory care program at the Health Science Center was established in 1994. Since then, the program has graduated numerous highly qualified professionals who are working in the field. In 2001 the program expanded to Laredo to meet a critical need for respiratory therapists in South Texas.
Since 2003, nine students have graduated from the Laredo program. A 10th student is a candidate to graduate this August. Of the 10 graduates, seven have been hired and will remain living and working in Laredo and the surrounding area. In addition, three students entered the program in the fall of 2006, and all of them plan to stay in Laredo and work.
Here are brief profiles of the graduates already working in Laredo and contributing to the city’s health and economy:
• Anna Elizondo, 2003 graduate, is the program coordinator and instructor for the respiratory care program at the Laredo Campus Extension. Elizondo works part time as staff therapist at Laredo Medical Center and is a member of the respiratory intubation team.
• Carolina Mendez, 2003 graduate, is a staff therapist at Laredo Specialty Hospital. Mendez works part time as staff therapist at Laredo Medical Center and is a member of the respiratory intubation team.
• Claudia Cantu, 2005 graduate, is a staff therapist at Laredo Medical Center and a member of the respiratory intubation team.
• Chris Garcia, 2005 graduate, is a staff therapist at Laredo Medical Center.
• Mayra Gonzalez, 2005 graduate, is a staff therapist at Doctors Hospital of Laredo.
• Erika Mendoza is a staff therapist at Laredo Medical Center and member of the respiratory intubation team.
• Myrna Tamez is a staff therapist at Laredo Medical Center and member of the respiratory intubation team.
The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio is the leading research institution in South Texas and one of the major health sciences universities in the world. With an operating budget of $536 million, the Health Science Center is the chief catalyst for the $14.3 billion biosciences and health care industry, the leading sector in San Antonio’s economy. The Health Science Center has had an estimated $35 billion impact on the region since inception and has expanded to six campuses in San Antonio, Laredo, Harlingen and Edinburg. More than 22,000 graduates (physicians, dentists, nurses, scientists and allied health professionals) serve in their fields, including many in Texas. Health Science Center faculty are international leaders in cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, aging, stroke prevention, kidney disease, orthopaedics, research imaging, transplant surgery, psychiatry and clinical neurosciences, pain management, genetics, nursing, allied health, dentistry and many other fields. For more information, click onwww.uthscsa.edu.