Consul general visits HCC Coleman College to spur health training for Mexican students

Mexican consular officials are looking to increase the number of Mexican students pursuing health career studies at Houston Community College following their visit to HCC Coleman College for Health Sciences.

HCC Chancellor Cesar Maldonado and Dr. Phillip Nicotera, president of Coleman College, welcomed Consul General of Mexico Alicia Kerber and members of her delegation Sept. 24 for a briefing and walkthrough of facilities at the Coleman campus. The parties discussed opportunities for Mexican students to attend HCC to study health occupations.

“Houston Community College is committed to forging relationships with our partners in Mexico and welcoming initiatives to help students from Mexico understand their options to study in the United States,” the chancellor said. “We all have the common purpose of removing barriers and creating partnerships.”

Coleman is a health science college offering associate degrees and certificates in 22 health care fields, including medical assisting, radiology, nursing and nuclear medicine, among the disciplines.

“An important distinction is that we are the only college of our kind in the world-renowned Texas Medical Center,” Nicotera told the group. “Our faculty members provide leadership and vision in the areas of nursing, patient care services, therapeutic services and support, continuing education and professional licensing for health care professionals.”

The Mexican delegation visited Coleman’s state-of-the-art labs and mock medical facilities, including surgical suites, recovery rooms and pharmacy labs.

“Coleman welcomes this outreach from the Consulate General of Mexico,” said Dr. Jeff Gricar, dean of Health Sciences at Coleman. “We believe that allowing students from Mexico to study at our college to achieve their academic and professional goals will greatly benefit the students and their nation. We are delighted that HCC can take part.”

Increasing Mexican students enrolled in health sciences could be a boon to improved career opportunities for them while helping Mexico solve problems such as systemic poverty when trained students return to their homeland to live and work.

Kerber said Mexico is committed to broadening its academic cooperation, including health sciences, and thanked HCC officials for the tour.

The effort at Coleman isn’t the only initiative HCC has underway to partner with the Consulate General of Mexico in Houston. Plans also include a student enrollment fair to be hosted at the consulate and a seminar on entrepreneurship for Latina women co-sponsored with HCC, said Miguel San Juan, executive director of External and Institutional Initiatives at HCC.