Author Talk

“We Want Better Education!”: The 1960s Chicano Student Movement, School Walkouts and the Quest for Educational Reform in South Texas

Library Events, Virtual Event

Join us for a special event with author and STC faculty member James B. Barrera. His book We Want Better Education! explores the Chicano Movement in Texas, student activism, and the rise of La Raza Unida Party. Professor Barrera will share a reading and answer questions in a Q&A session.

This talk will be held at Pecan Campus Library in F102 at 6PM on October 7th. Can’t make it in person? Register for the simultaneously online session below!

Event Title: “’We Want Better Education!’: The 1960s Chicano Student Movement, School Walkouts and the Quest for Educational Reform in South Texas”
Speaker: James B. Barrera
Date: Tuesday, October 7th 2025
Time: 6 PM CST
Register here: Link

Colors We Dream / Colores Que Soñamos

Previous Exhibits

STC Library Art Gallery to Host Two New Exhibitions Beginning Oct. 1Colors We Dream Banner

Reception: October 1, 2025, from 5 – 7 p.m. at the Pecan Campus Library, Bldg. F

Artist Talk: October 1, 2025, from 10 – 11 a.m. Pecan Student Union, Bldg. U, Room 2.100

The South Texas College Library Art Gallery invites the community to the opening reception of two new exhibitions on Oct. 1 from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Pecan Campus Library Art Gallery, Bldg. F, 3201. Pecan Blvd. in McAllen.The exhibitions—”Familiar Horizons” and the thematic community showcase “Colors We Dream / Colores que Soñamos”—will feature work by artist Elena Rodriguez and contributions from STC students, alumni, faculty, staff and local community members.

“Colors We Dream / Colores que Soñamos” centers on the theme of “alebrijes,” fantastical creatures first imagined by Mexican artist Pedro Linares in the 1950s. These vibrant, dreamlike beings combine features of real and mythical animals and are meant to reflect the spirit and imagination of their creators.

The exhibition includes artwork and poetry inspired by this magical realist tradition and will feature a short awards ceremony during the Oct. 1 reception. Prizes will be awarded for first, second and third place. The event is free and open to the public.

Rodriguez’s “Familiar Horizons” explores the beauty in everyday and often overlooked aspects of life.

“My art is an exploration of the beautiful mundane—asphalt, weeds and suburban banality,” Rodriguez said. “I create the sensation of déjà vu for a place one has or never has been.”
A native of Chalk Mountain, Texas, Rodriguez earned her Master of Fine Arts in Painting from the New York Academy of Art. She now teaches in the Department of Art and Drama at Del Mar College and was recently recognized in the “Corpus Christi 40 Under 40” list.

In addition to the evening reception, Rodriguez will give an artist talk earlier the same day, from 10 to 11 a.m. at the Pecan Campus Student Union, Building U, Room 2.100. She will discuss her work, artistic process and creative influences.

For more information, visit https://library.southtexascollege.edu/lag or email gotvos@southtexascollege.edu.

Ruth K Featured Image

Bright Room/Silver Moon: Ruth A. Keitz

Library Art Gallery, Mid-Valley Campus, Previous Exhibits

New Exhibit at STC Transforms Everyday Materials into Art.Bright Room/ Silver Moon Banner

Exhibition opens Oct. 2 at STC Mid-Valley Library Art Gallery | Reception and Artist Talk: Nov. 11, 10 – 11 a.m. 

The South Texas College Mid-Valley Campus Library Art Gallery presents “Bright Room / Silver Moon,” a mixed media exhibit by Ruth A. Keitz, Ph.D., from Oct. 2 through Dec. 1 2025.

An artist talk and reception will be held from 10 to 11 a.m. on Nov. 11 at the Mid-Valley Campus Library Art Gallery, located at 400 N. Border in Weslaco. Admission is free and open to the public.

Keitz’s work explores the transformation of everyday, often discarded materials into imaginative compositions through mixed media collage and construction.

“I enjoy the uncommon and unexpected beauty found in materials that are used for packaging–and usually thrown away after a single use. These materials may be in their pristine manufactured state or aged by the elements of nature or transformed by my hand,” says Keitz.

Ruth Keitz FlyerIn her latest series, Keitz uses materials like envelopes with cellophane windows and security tints to create implied spaces that focus on celestial imagery, particularly the moon. These architectural compositions evoke intimate, imagined environments through innovative layering of textures and mediums.

About the artist
Ruth A. Keitz is a mixed-media artist who reimagines found and discarded materials. She holds a Ph.D. and M.F.A. from the University of Texas at Austin and has taught art across the country, from the Rio Grande to Alaska.

The STC Library Art Gallery curates exhibitions and educational programming to enhance student learning, support academic curriculum and encourage engagement with original works of art and artists.

For more information, visit https://library.southtexascollege.edu/lag.

Refusing to Forget

Refusing to Forget: Seeking Dignity for the Victims of La Matanza

Library Events, Previous Events

Refusing to ForgetThis webinar explores the history and lasting injustice of la matanza (1915), in which hundreds were murdered in South Texas. Join us as we focus on the importance of recognition, record keeping, and public memory.

Join virtually on Zoom Webinar.

Event Title: “Refusing to Forget: Seeking Dignity for the Victims of La Matanza”
Speaker: Trinidad Gonzales
Date: Tuesday, September 16th 2025
Time: 1:30 PM CST
Register here: Link

Elena Rodz: Familiar Horizons

Library Art Gallery, Pecan Campus, Previous Exhibits

Artist Talk: Oct. 1, 10 – 11 a.m. | Reception: Oct. 1, 5 – 7 p.m.

 

The South Texas College Pecan Campus Library Art Gallery is excited to showcase “Familiar Horizons,” an exhibition featuring oil paintings by artist Elena “Rodz” Rodriguez from Corpus Christi.

 

Elena Rodriguez grew up in Chalk Mountain, Texas, a small town with a population of 25. She earned her Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in Painting from the New York Academy of Art and completed her Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) at Washington University in St. Louis, where she also minored in Film and Media Studies. After spending some time away, she returned to her home state and now works with the Department of Art and Drama at Del Mar College. Recently, she was honored with the “Corpus Christi 40 Under 40” award.

 

Rodriguez’s work examines the beauty found in the everyday and often overlooked aspects of life. As she puts it, “My art is an exploration of the beautiful mundane—asphalt, weeds, and suburban banality. I create the sensation of déjà vu for a place one has or never has been.”

 

Flyer of eventElena Rodz will give an artist talk about her exhibition, experiences, and inspirations on October 1 from 10 to 11 a.m. in the Pecan Student Union, Building U, Room 2.100. Later that evening, a reception for “Familiar Horizons” will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. in the Pecan Campus Library, Building F. The reception will coincide with the community exhibition “Colors We Dream: A Call for ‘Alebrije’-themed Artwork.”

 

“Familiar Horizons” will be on display from August 25 through December 1 at the STC Pecan Campus Library Art Gallery, located in Building F at 3201 Pecan Blvd., McAllen, TX. The exhibition and the artist talk are free and open to the public.

 

The South Texas College Library Art Gallery Program organizes exhibitions and educational events to deepen students’ understanding of art and its cultural significance, support the academic curriculum, and inspire lifelong learning through direct engagement with artists, scholars, and original works of art.

 

For more information visit https://library.southtexascollege.edu or email gotvos@southtexascollege.edu.