A South Texas border leader returns

LAREDO, Texas – A South Texas border leader is returning to the region in order to give back to the community that did so much for him.

A native of Laredo, Dr. Federico Zaragoza is a former president of the College of Southern Nevada. 

The college is one of the largest multi-campus higher education institutions in the country, serving approximately 50,000 students.

“I’m from Laredo. I retired about a year ago, and part of my mantra was that I was going to give back to the community as best I could,” Zaragoza told the Rio Grande Guardian International News Service.

“This community did so much for me, and obviously I’ve always stayed in touch. I did a lot of work with the Future of the Region (South Texas Conference) to help border areas. I think there’s a lot of opportunities in border areas, but there’s a lot of challenges.”

Editor’s Note: Here is the Rio Grande Guardian’s interview with Dr. Zaragoza:

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Under Dr. Zaragoza’s leadership, the College of Southern Nevada was designated as a national Leader College of Distinction by Achieving the Dream in 2019. His contributions have earned him numerous prestigious awards, including the Ohtli Award, the highest honor bestowed by the Government of Mexico to individuals and organizations that have empowered the Mexican diaspora and paved the way for new generations of Mexican American and Latino leaders.

Dr. Zaragoza’s accolades also include the Education Brillante Award from the National Society of Hispanic MBAs (NSHMBA) and the Texas Association of Community Colleges Carl Nelson Leadership Award.

He has served on numerous boards, including the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) as co-chair of the Commission on Economic & Workforce Development, the Las Vegas Urban Chamber, and the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU) Board of Governors.

Dr. Zaragoza’s academic credentials are extensive. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology, a master’s degree in Adult and Vocational Education, an Educational Specialist (ED.S) degree in Industrial and Technical Education from the University of Wisconsin–Stout, and a Ph.D. in Urban Education from the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee.

The Guardian interviewed Zaragoza at the conclusion of a speech he gave to the Laredo Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. The subject of the speech was artificial intelligence.

“I came to talk of artificial intelligence, which I think is both a challenge and an opportunity. But I don’t think we’re well-positioned at this point. And so, the idea here is to get business in the community to know that it’s coming, and to get in front of this so that you can create a community that’s more A&I ready, that’s more ready to create prosperity,” Zaragoza told the Guardian. 

Zaragoza said the decision to concentrate on A&I in his speech was both his and the chamber’s.

“I specialized in looking kind of at emerging areas for economic development, having done a lot of work in San Antonio and Las Vegas with the auto industry. What’s amazing is that in Las Vegas, the fastest growth occupations are now in the manufacturing sector. And so, we basically began to diversify that economy,” Zaragoza said.

“San Antonio, 20 years ago, was military and tourism. Now it’s very diversified. I see the same opportunities in the border areas. And so, I want to tell part of the story. And obviously whatever happens artificial intelligence is going to be a part of that journey. So, let’s start talking about it now.”

Asked if there is a danger in small businesses being left behind when it comes to AI, Zaragoza said:

“They’re already being left behind. I think the data is very clear here. Less than ten percent of small businesses are even engaged. I think it’s 15 percent in this space. So, they don’t know what they don’t know. And I think it’s important, it’s a red flag, especially when 90 percent of your businesses in areas like Laredo, McAllen, El Paso, have less than four employees. 

“You got to work with these employees to show them what’s possible and to collaborate, so that you can kind of create opportunities for them to grow and to expand and to be ready for what’s coming.”

Asked what the key point of his speech was, Zaragoza said:

“I think my primary point was to demystify artificial intelligence. It’s not there is this robot that’s coming. It’s really a tool that’s already here, and it’s a tool that’s evolving very, very quickly, and can change the way we do everything, the way we think, the way we work, and kind of the way we live as a society. So, it’s important to understand that we’re in this time in history where getting ready for that is going to be important. So, you have to learn about it and then talk about what it means to your business.”

Zaragoza said there is a lot of free help available for small businesses when it comes to AI.

“I mentioned a lot of resources that are already in the communities. People don’t realize they can go to the universities or the small business assistance centers. Many of them have IT components, and they need to go and reach out and get some of that free technical assistance. If you’re a small businessperson, it’s free. They’ve got workshops, seminars,” Zaragoza said.

“There’s a disconnect between the small businesses and kind of the ecosystems that are out there to help small businesses. And the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and advocacy organizations, community-based organizations, have a role to play. They’ve got to connect and build accountability so that we are ready for what’s coming.”

Universities and colleges can also do more, Zaragoza said.

“That’s the great opportunity. I think it’s not an issue of pointing fingers. It’s an issue of building momentum and creating that common vision. And the universities play another role: they’re the drivers for economic diversification. In the border areas, the data speaks for itself. When three of the poorest (metropolitan statistical) areas in the country (Laredo, McAllen, and Brownsville) are in the Texas border area, that means we can do a lot more to diversify that economy and the jobs that we’re creating,” Zaragoza said.

“I talk about the border economies being pass through economies, meaning the money (from international commerce) passes through. It doesn’t stay. It doesn’t become kind of that value-added component. Universities have a role in creating strategic plans and visioning for what communities can become, not what they are, and they’ve got to do that in collaboration. They’ve got all this knowledge and power and resources. They need to focus on how we can improve life in the border areas.”

Editor’s Note: This is the first in a two-part series on the Rio Grande Guardian’s interview with Dr. Federico Zaragoza. Part Two will be published early next week.

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