There are several main concerns that sparked the interest in creating the RGVSG. First, students from the Valley frequently find it more difficult to succeed at the University than students from other areas. This is due to a number of factors. The move from a small-town setting into the largest university in the country is a daunting one, especially coming from an area and culture that typically values large, extended families and groups of friends. Coming into a situation in which a student is alone in a dorm room without a support system can be difficult for many. One benefit this type of group will have is the academic advice, support and guidance that experienced U.T. students with an understanding of the Valley can provide.

Secondly, the Valley is one of the fastest growing areas in the nation with rapid economic expansion, improved infrastructure, and booming population. Much of the interest in the Valley is generated by NAFTA and the opportunities to follow over the next decades. The simple fact is that many of the students attending U.T. will be doing business in the Valley in the future, and many of the students from the Valley will eventually return there to participate in its growth. The people we are going to school with are the people we will be dealing with in a professional setting in the future. A student group dedicated to the Valley will provide huge networking opportunities.

It is a longer-range goal of the group to become involved in recruitment and scholarship opportunities for incoming students from the Valley. We hope to create partnerships with branches of the Texas Exes and with various other offices of the University, in order to increase the number of students from the Valley, the number of students from the Valley who succeed, and awareness of issues concerning the Valley.

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