Category Archives: Pecan Campus

Hang Le-Tormala Guest Lecture

Author / Scholar Visit, Current & Upcoming Events, Current Announcements, Library Announcements, Library Events, Pecan Campus

Text overlay of Vietnam and U.S. flags: "South Texas College Library & History Department and Liberal Arts Division present Vietnam 50 Years Later.

Author Hang Le-Tormala

Author Hang Le-Tormala

Join us on March 31st, 2025 at 4PM in Pecan Campus Auditorium D for a talk by Hang Le-Tormala, distinguished graduate of the University of Kansas American Studies Master’s program and accomplished historian.

Le-Tormala will explore the complex transnational efforts toward reconciliation and healing since 1975. A former Fulbright scholar and PhD graduate in History from the University of Kansas, she now shares her expertise as an adjunct instructor at Haskell Indian Nations University.

Talk Title: “Post-Vietnam: An Arduous Quest for Peace”
Speaker: Hang Le-Tormala
Date: Monday, March 31st 2025
Location: Pecan Campus Auditorium D
Time: 4PM CST

CreateSpace Event Featured Image

CreateSpace

Current & Upcoming Exhibits, Library Art Gallery, Pecan Campus, Uncategorized

The STC Library offers a monthly crafting session to inspire creativity across all majors. 
CreateSpace banner
Create Space Workshops: Last Tuesday of each month, 12 – 2 p.m.
Register here: https://forms.office.com/r/Y6EqaTzeF1

The South Texas College Library Art Gallery presents CreateSpace, a monthly art workshop designed to inspire creativity, encourage collaboration, and foster meaningful face-to-face interactions while disconnecting from technology.

The workshops are scheduled for the last Tuesday of each month from 12:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the Pecan Library, Room F102, on the following dates: February 25, March 25, and April 29. The first workshop will be hosted by Art History instructor Melissa Terry, who will focus on creating textile-based art. Each workshop will begin with an introductory session, followed by an opportunity to connect with others or work independently.

CreateSpace posterAll experience levels are welcome. Art supplies for the featured craft will be provided. Attendees are also encouraged to bring their supplies if they have specific preferences. Light snacks will be available, and attendees may bring their lunch.

Please note that space is limited to 24 attendees. We encourage you to reserve your spot by filling out the online form: https://forms.office.com/r/Y6EqaTzeF1. We kindly request that all confirmed guests who register online arrive by noon. After this time, any unclaimed spots will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis. The workshops are free and open to the public.

For more information, contact the library at (956) 872-3488, gotvos@southtexascollege.edu, or visit https://library.southtexascollege.edu/libraryart.

Celebrate Black History Month

Celebrate Black History Month

Current & Upcoming Events, Current Announcements, Library Announcements, Library Events, Pecan Campus

Celebrate Black History MonthSTC Library, the History Department, and the Music Department invite you to join us for a series of events that highlight the contributions of African Americans to film and music. These engaging lectures and performances will take place throughout February, featuring esteemed faculty and talented musicians.

Tuesday, February 4th | 5:30 PM | D Building Auditorium
African Americans on Film – Featuring Dr. Robert Miller
Join us as Dr. Robert Miller explores the portrayal of African Americans in cinema, from early representations to modern storytelling. Discover how film has shaped and reflected cultural narratives over the years.

Tuesday, February 11th | 5:30 PM | D Building Auditorium
From Africa to Protest: Black Music in America – Featuring Dr. Christopher Davis
Dr. Christopher Davis takes us on a journey through the evolution of Black music in America. From African roots to spirituals, jazz, blues, hip-hop, and protest music, learn how these genres have shaped cultural identity and activism.

Thursday, February 27th | 6:00 PM | Cooper Center
An Evening of African American Musical Traditions – Presented by the STC Music Department
Experience an unforgettable night of live performances celebrating African American musical traditions. This showcase, presented by the STC Music Department, will feature a diverse array of styles and influences that have shaped the musical landscape.

These events are open to all—students, faculty, and community members alike. Don’t miss this opportunity to celebrate and learn about the profound impact of African Americans on film and music.

Amado M. Peña Jr.

Current & Upcoming Exhibits, Library Art Gallery, Pecan Campus, Permanent Art Collection

STC acquires new works by prominent Laredo-born artist.

Exhibit opens January 21 | Reception and artist talk March 5

South Texas College Library celebrates a generous donation of nine artworks to its permanent art collection. This donation was made by Dr. Ricardo J. Solis, the President of STC, from his personal art collection. It features works by Amado M. Peña Jr., a prestigious artist from Laredo, TX who now resides in Santa Fe, NM. There will be an exhibition of the artwork on the library’s second floor, along with an artist talk event and a reception to commemorate the occasion.

The exhibition “Desert Impressions: Amado M. Peña Jr.” will open on January 21 and run through May 23, 2025. Amado M. Peña Jr. will visit the college on March 5, 2025, for an artist talk with students and community members from 10:00 to 11:00 a.m. Additionally, there will be an exhibition reception showcasing these artworks and the “Moon as Muse,” a community and student exhibition, on the library’s first floor from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m.

The exhibition will be on display at the Pecan Campus Library Art Gallery, located at 3201 W. Pecan Blvd., Building F, in McAllen. Admission is free and open to the public.

Amado M. Peña Jr. was born in 1943 in Laredo, Texas. He graduated from Texas A&M-Kingsville with both bachelor’s and master’s degrees in art and education. A celebrated artist, he is recognized as an Artisan of the Pascua Yaqui Tribe of Arizona.

His artwork honors the resilience of Native Americans and reflects their harmonious relationship with the enduring landscapes of Texas, Arizona and New Mexico. Inspired by significant locations such as Canyon de Chelly, Spider Rock, and Monument Valley, Peña’s art is characterized by bold colors, dynamic compositions, and powerful storytelling.

Peña has dedicated his career to preserving and promoting the culture, art, and history of the Pascua Yaqui Tribe through his creative work. He has taught in his hometown of Laredo, as well as in Crystal City and Austin, Texas. He has also served as an adjunct professor at the University of Texas. His paintings have been exhibited at the National Collection of Fine Arts at the Smithsonian in Washington, D.C. Additionally, he has been a presenter at numerous national education conferences, where he shares his expertise and passion for art and education.

STC’s Library Art Gallery Program organizes exhibitions and educational programs to engage students’ understanding of art and its role in culture, support the academic curriculum, and inspire continued education through direct engagement with artists, scholars, and original works of art.

For more information, please contact the gallery at (956) 872-3488, gotvos@southtexascollege.edu, or visit https://library.southtexascollege.edu/libraryart.

The Moon as Muse: A Love Letter in Art & Verse

Library Art Gallery, Pecan Campus, Previous Exhibits

The Moon as Muse blog banner with a yellow full moon. Deadline to submit artwork and poetry: February 17, 2025

The South Texas College Library Art Gallery is hosting a call for artists to submit artwork on the theme of the moon! The moon has long inspired artists across different fields. For painter Vincent van Gogh, it was a muse that illuminated his night scenes. Composer Claude Debussy captured its beauty in his piece Clair de Lune, translating moonlight into music. Meanwhile, Shakespeare used the moon as a recurring symbol in his works, representing themes of love, madness, and the passage of time.

The timeless allure of the moon has sparked creativity across generations, inspiring artists, musicians, and writers alike. Our ancestors looked to the moon to mark the passing of days and seasons, connecting daily rhythms to its cycles. They wove its phases into myths and legends, seeing it as a guiding light in the night sky and a symbol of constancy through change.

Today, we still stand under the same moon, inspired by its beauty, mystery, and even the possibilities of space travel. Share your unique perspective, whether inspired by ancient connections, everyday rhythms, or dreams of distant worlds. We invite artists to create and display work by submitting original art and poetry for an exhibition at the STC Pecan Campus Library Art Gallery March 5 – May 16, 2025. There will be an opening reception and awards on March 5, from 5 – 7 p.m. where participants will get a chance to win first, second, and third place. Participation is free and open to the public. All artwork must be ready to hang.

To participate, complete this entry form: THE MOON AS MUSE

The deadline to submit artwork or poetry is February 17, 2025 at 5 p.m. 

Artwork submissions can be dropped off to:

South Texas College Library
Gina Otvos, Bldg. F Rm. 235
3201 W Pecan Blvd.
McAllen, TX 78501

Poetry submissions can be emailed to: gotvos@southtexascollege.edu

Admission is free and open to the public.

The South Texas College Library Art Gallery Program organizes exhibitions and programs to engage students’ understanding of art and its role in culture, support the academic curriculum, and inspire continued education through direct engagement with artists, scholars, and original works of art.

For more information, contact 956-872-3488, gotvos@southtexascollege.edu or visit https://library.southtexascollege.edu/libraryartgallery/.

Liana V. Andreasen Author Reading

Author / Scholar Visit, Pecan Campus, Previous Events, Virtual Event

Author Talk Liana V. AndreasonSTC Faculty and author Liana V. Andreasen will read from her newly published book Whirl of Birds, a collection of short stories.

“The literary landscape of Whirl of Birds interlaces the spatial and temporal complexities of the mind, in narrative flickers and bursts. Whether we glimpse at the plight of Neanderthals in the depths of lost ages, or at the collapse of communism in the mirrors of a children’s theater, whether we’re uplifted by the triumph of friendship over poverty or watch the last cowboy in New York State struggle to save his business, we recognize how much we are driven by our passions. Strange, but all too human obsessions shape the characters: from rat hoarding to an infatuation with a sculpture, from lies we tell ourselves and others to encounters with the dead, readers are swept in whirls of time, chains of connectivity that can break like glass, the unseen that whispers in our ear. The twists and turns of these short stories create a restless world where self and other meet in glimpses. Each small moment becomes an earthquake that echoes through time, each life is wrestled out of its own darkness, to arrive at the one question that is worth asking.” — Finishing Line Press

Copies will be available for purchase courtesy of the STC Bookstore.

Join us in person at Pecan F102 or online through Zoom Webinar (registration link below).

Event Title: “Liana V. Andreasen Author Reading”
Speaker: Liana V. Andreasen
Date: Monday, November 18th 2024
Location: Pecan F102 and online through Zoom Webinar
Time: 2PM CST
Register for the online session: Link

Elephant eye

Visionaries: The Blind in Action

Pecan Campus, Previous Exhibits

Banner with painting of elephant
Exhibition Reception: Tues., Oct. 22 from 5 – 7 p.m. (Pecan Campus Library, 1st Floor)

The South Texas College Pecan Campus Library Art Gallery presents “Visionaries: The Blind in Action.” Visionaries is a nonprofit organization committed to bringing together the community through workshops and events that involve people who are blind and the wider community.

Macarena Peña, the exhibit’s organizer, began painting in 1997 and lost her sight two years later. In 2015, she co-founded the Visual Challenges Art Project in partnership with the National Federation of the Blind. This project enabled her to reignite her love for art and rediscover her artistic abilities. Peña will work with art students during a “Paint in the Dark” workshop where they will be blind folded and learn about the techniques she uses to paint.

On October 22, visitors can attend an artist reception from 5 to 7 p.m. to meet the artist, view their artworks, and enjoy light refreshments.

The exhibition will be available for viewing from October 22 to December 6, 2024 at the STC Pecan Campus Library, first floor.

For more information, call 956-872-3488, email gotvos@southtexascollege.edu, or visit https://library.southtexascollege.edu/libraryart.

Guitar Performance at Pecan Library

Pecan Campus, Previous Events

Join us for an acoustic adventureInstructor Jaime Garcia and his talented music students will be performing a lively set on the first floor of Pecan Library on November 7th from 1:00 PM to 2:15 PM. Attendees can look forward to an engaging mix of musical pieces, showcasing the students’ hard work and creativity. Come enjoy an afternoon of music and support our local student musicians in a casual and welcoming atmosphere!