Everything Rina Castillo and Megan Rodriguez said at the LRGVDC Small Cities Coalition meeting

WESLACO, Texas – Just like its sister university, Texas A&M, Prairie View A&M has an extension service.

“We both deliver programs similar in the same areas, but our target audience is different,” explained Megan Rodriguez, community and economic development agent for Prairie View A&M Extension.

Prairie View A&M University’s Cooperative Extension Program was established in 1914. Such programs are a partnership between the U.S. Department of Agriculture and land-grant universities. 

“The program delivers research based knowledge to small farm producers, families, aspiring entrepreneurs and youth. And we are currently in 66 Texas counties,” Rodriguez explained.

“And these numbers are going to continuously grow. We will have more agents and more counties.” 

As for Prairie View A&M Extension’s economic development unit, Rodriguez said: 

“Our goal is to increase entrepreneurship opportunities through small business training and consulting. Our staff works with individuals, communities, and other groups to inform and educate on home ownership and financial literacy. Our staff help develop and implement programs in the areas of rural prosperity, in the areas of economic development, technical innovation, and we improve the quality of life and support the rural workforce.”

Rodriguez spoke about Extension’s work at a meeting of the Lower Rio Grande Valley Development Council’s Small Cities Coalition. She was joined by her colleague, Rina Castillo. Rodriguez is community and economic development agent for Cameron and Willacy counties. Castillo is community and economic development agent for Hidalgo and Starr counties. 

Both Castillo and Rodriguez spoke ink depth about the programs Prairie View A&M offers in the Rio Grande Valley.

“I want to thanks the Small Cities Coalition for the warm welcome we received. It was an honor to share how our services support the Rio Grande Valley in achieving their community and Economic development goals,” Castillo said.

Editor’s Note: Here is a video recording of the presentation the two agents made at the coalition meeting:

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