Texas Border Business
By Sara Reyna
South Texas College alumna Cristian Mandujano recently opened up about what inspired her to work with incarcerated youth, sparking a journey that transformed her life and community.
After a decade-long break from school, Mandujano enrolled in courses at STC in 2021. She recalled the pivotal moment of discovering the newly introduced Applied and Clinical Sociology track in the college’s Sociology program as a transformative turning point in her life.
“It took some courage, but I finally decided to dive into school, and I knew STC was the right place for me to get started,” Mandujano shared. “I wanted to pursue a degree that would allow me to make an impact on my community. My doubt to attend school slowly melted away when I learned about the Applied and Clinical Sociology program. I was motivated by a class called Academic Cooperative, which gives students the chance to consult, produce research and problem solve at the college level.”
Fueled by this passion, she turned her dream of positively impacting the community into reality through an internship at the Judge Mario E. Ramirez, Jr. Juvenile Justice Center.
“I set my mind to helping the incarcerated youth of Hidalgo County because I knew first-hand how crucial it is for young people to have mentors, so I created a comprehensive and detailed mentorship program involving the creation of two databases to recruit volunteers and mentors, designed new flyers for the program, revised materials for the First Time Juvenile Offender Program and evaluated the center’s website and social media efforts,” she explained.
Mandujano said that it was her own experiences as a young child that lit a desire to serve vulnerable youth in the Rio Grande Valley.
Raised by a single father, Mandujano’s family moved from Tamaulipas, Mexico to the United States when she turned 15-years-old, leaving her in charge of taking care of her younger brother from a young age.
“My dad did the best he could raising my brother and I in Mexico on his own,” said the now 33-year-old. “Of course, my grandma helped, but she passed away when I was young, so I helped my father raise my younger brother, especially after moving to a new country where we didn’t speak the language.”
In 2010, shortly after graduating from Mercedes High School, Mandujano became a first-time mother, which motivated her to work through some initial fears of attending an American institution.
“I was so fearful of getting a college degree for a few different reasons. I became a mom in my early 20’s and my child became my priority, especially after I became a single mother,” she shared. “For 11 years, I struggled internally about going to school because English is not my first language, but I wanted to provide my daughter with a better life, so I needed to push past those fears.”
Breaking through language barriers, Mandujano emphasized that it was her personal experiences, internship, active approach to learning and working with the faculty at STC’s Mid-Valley campus that reshaped her vision for the future.
“My journey at STC has been nothing short of transformative. Sociology faculty Jenny Chamberlain and Dean of Social and Behavioral Science Eric Reittinger helped mentor and empower me to believe in my ability to create impact,” she shared. “I gained hands-on experience and had the honor of presenting my research at a national conference in applied clinical sociology, a moment that marked my first presentation of scholarly work in English.”
Mandujano expressed that she’s ready and empowered to continue carving out her path towards impacting her community’s future, as she appreciatively reflected on her time at STC.
“I am forever changed by the incredible opportunities at STC and the selfless faculty who have vision. All these factors have truly contributed to my growth,” Mandujano said. “One day, I hope to further my education, aiming for a Ph.D. I have dreams of opening my own practice as a social worker or counselor and I hope to establish a nonprofit organization that supports single mothers and blended families. Undoubtedly, I represent STC proudly and confidently because of how they’ve changed my life.”