On February 18, nearly 900 students at the Frenship Ninth Grade Center explored a variety of career and trade booths during the inaugural "Building Bridges to Careers" event. Designed to foster connections, the event allowed students to engage with professionals from diverse fields. Through conversations with industry experts, students received valuable firsthand knowledge and advice about their potential futures. 

The "Building Bridges to Careers" event expanded across at least 19 different career fields with at least 40 guest presenters, offering students a wide range of industries to explore. Professionals from sectors such as healthcare, technology, law enforcement, criminal justice, petroleum engineering, military, finance, child development, cosmetology, art, construction, marketing, and education provided students with firsthand insights into their respective fields. 

Students learned not only of what career choices they had in the United States, but also of what opportunities they had in the global workforce through learning a foreign language and studying abroad. 

This event was made possible through the collaboration and dedication of Frenship educators Dr. Chris Vasquez-Wright, Yvette Mesa, Mayra Hook, and Zenia Hicks, whose goal was to help students gain a deeper understanding of the skills, education, and commitment required to succeed in various professions. 

“Many of our students may not be familiar with the wide array of career opportunities available to them,” said Wright-Vasquez. “We wanted to offer them a chance to make informed decisions about their futures.” 

The event was set up as a career fair, where students visited various tables, each featuring guest presenters who brought hands-on activities, tools of the trade, and brochures with valuable information. Students learned about the skills, certifications, and education required for each career path. They also learned what a typical day on the job was like as they had the chance to ask the experts questions, who provided valuable insights and share firsthand experience.  

“This event is designed to bridge the gap between education and the workforce,” said Dr. Wright-Vasquez. “Inspiring students to think critically about their aspirations and the pathways they can pursue to achieve them. It allowed students to be curious and explore various industries and make meaningful connections to better understand the real-world applications of their current studies.” 

Before the event, students completed a career aptitude survey to identify their fields of interest. This preparation allowed them to enter the event with a clear idea of which professionals to engage with, helping them connect what they learned from the survey to real-world career opportunities. They walked away with an idea of a career path they may want to pursue, which aligns with their skills, interests, and long-term goals. 

Dr. Wright-Vasquez expressed confidence that the event would have a lasting impact on students' future educational and career choices. 

“The feedback we received from students was overwhelmingly positive,” said Dr. Wright-Vasquez. “Students expressed excitement about the careers they had not previously considered. They were left with a clearer sense of what they might want to pursue in the future.” 

Events like "Building Bridges to Careers" help to foster the growth of the students by not only enriching their educational experience, but also encouraging them to think about the exciting opportunities that await them beyond high school. Exposure to a variety of professions at the early stage in their education help students make more informed decisions about their high school courses, extracurricular activities, and ultimately their post-graduation paths. 

“It was an amazing day of learning, inspiration, and connection, and we cannot wait to continue supporting our students on their path to success,” said Dr. Wright-Vasquez. 

The “Building Bridges to Careers” event at the Ninth Grade Center provided students with an invaluable opportunity to explore career pathways, connect with professionals, and gain insights into the skills and education required for success in the workforce. By engaging in meaningful conversations, students left the event with a clearer vision of their future and the steps needed to achieve their goals. Frenship continues to prioritize career readiness and looks forward to more events like this in the future. 

Thank you to all of the presenters that made this event a success.  

Local Businesses 

• Xylem Water Solutions & Water Technology – Lubbock-- Controller-Christopher Hook 
• Prosperity Bank USA – Lubbock – SVP & Trust Officer- Brian Albiar, BrenShavia Jordan – Marketing Specialist, Tabitha Vela – Banking Center Manager, TTU Branch, Kiarra Sims – Banking Center Manager, 86th Branch 
• Industrial Molding Company – Lubbock- Beth McWilliams (HR manager) and Jim Fair (General manager) 
• CNJ’s Barbershop – Lubbock - Michelle Rodriguez 
• Flogistix Energy Solutions - Ian Wilson (Technical sales) and Cesar Retana (Field service Manager) 
• Epic Permian – Midland (Petroleum Engineering) – Shilo Bradshaw 

Colleges & Universities 

• Texas Tech University 
  • The Department of Classical & Modern Languages & Literatures – Carla Burrus & Stephanie Santos (program advisors), Dr. Andrew Reynolds (Professor of Spanish Literature), Sylvia Flores (Lecturer of Spanish), Saki A. Ali L. and Jorge Hernandez (Instructors of Spanish) 
  • Texas Tech University System - Executive director of Public Art – Emily Wilkinson 
• South Plains College (Abby Whatley, Admissions Counselor) 
  • Child Development (Cherri Stallings) 
  • EMS (Becki Johnson & Shonee Bullin) 
  • Nursing (Dr. Tara Strawn) 
  • Cosmetology (Sara Thompson) 
  • Law Enforcement & Criminal Justice (Kenton Burns) 
  • Respiratory Care (Krystal Jones) 

Public Services 

• Lubbock Police Department – Sergeant Steven Bergen and Officer Scott 
• Wolfforth Fire Department – Justin Harris (Captain), Matt Reynolds (Captain), Tyler Moss (Lieutenant), Arnulfo Hernandez (engineer), James Malinowski (firefighter), Rene Mendez (firefighter), Sean McAllister (firefighter), Adam Dowgar (firefighter). 

Military 

• US Marines (Sergeant Sean Cook, Private First Class Dylan Mesa, Private First Class Nicholas Pannell) 
• US Army (Sergeant Mathew Hernandez, Sergeant Cody Ford)