(HARLINGEN) – For nearly 15 years at Texas State Technical College, Edda Urrea has dedicated herself to promoting gender equality and providing the best services and support for faculty, staff and students alike. It is her work and commitment that has earned her the honor of being selected a 2018 Chancellor’s Excellence Award recipient.
“I was on the phone with my boss when the email from the chancellor (Mike Reeser) popped up in my inbox,” said Urrea. “We were prepping for a meeting and I told her ‘Hold on, I have to read this email. It could be a concern.’”
Fortunately, and much to her surprise it was a congratulations email.
“I was in total shock,” Urrea recalled. “I still have no words to describe my feelings about this honor, except that I am grateful and humbled.”
Hannah Love, TSTC associate vice chancellor for Human Resources, recalls the phone call that day.
“I am honored and thrilled to have shared this moment with her,” said Love. “She was immediately tearful and deeply honored. Of course, to Edda’s form, she quickly tried to refocus on the project instead of spending much time on herself.”
Love describes Urrea as a servant leader who is always looking to improve the Human Resources team and TSTC.
“We are extremely proud of Edda. She is loyal, dedicated and engaged in all that she does. Always seeking new knowledge, Edda is always willing to do what needs to be done for the team. She is extremely deserving of this honor and we are pleased to see that someone who gives so much is being recognized.”
Urrea currently serves as a Human Resources executive handling employee recruitment and onboarding, employee engagement and Title IX investigations. She first came to TSTC in 2004 as a gender equity advocate for TSTC Support Services after working several years as a victim advocate for a women’s shelter in Corpus Christi and as an investigator with Child Protective Services in Brownsville.
“I’ve always known that my place in life is to be a voice and support for others,” said Urrea. “So when I saw the TSTC job posting for Support Services, I knew I had to try.”
Throughout the years Urrea, who holds a bachelor’s degree and master’s degree in Sociology from Texas A&M-Kingsville, has grown with the college. She has held various director, associate vice president and chief of staff positions.
“I love my job and the best part of it is the people,” she said. “The employees of TSTC are the reason I wake up excited to come to work every morning. Everyone drives me forward and are my energy, focus and strength.”
Urrea said she also realizes it is these same people, whom she also considers family, who have bestowed such an honorable recognition on her.
“I want to send a heartfelt thank you to whoever nominated me for this award,” she said. “I thank you for believing in me and trusting me. I hope I can continue to give you the best of me and make you proud.”
The mom of two said she shares this award with her team in Harlingen, colleagues statewide and with her parents.
“Without my mom and dad I could not give 100 percent of myself at work,” she said. “They are my backbone and support system. There is no way I’d be able to do this without them.”
The Chancellor’s Excellence Award is given by TSTC’s Chancellor Mike Reeser to select faculty and staff for their distinguished service and dedication to the college, communities and their state.
This year’s 16 recipients from across TSTC’s 10 campuses will be honored in May at the National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development Awards dinner and celebration in Austin.