Angel Garcia

Studying abroad changed Angel Garcia. Upon his return from Nicaragua, he was ready to save the world. Garcia's native Fort Worth is the benefactor of his energies today because before charging off to the four corners of the Earth, he took his mother's advice.

"Before you go save the world, be sure you give back to where you came from," Garcia said his mother told him. That counsel prompted him to contact Habitat for Humanity, a nonprofit, ecumenical Christian housing organization that was building a house in his grandmother's Southside neighborhood.

Garcia has built about 35 homes throughout Tarrant County with Trinity Habitat for Humanity. As coordinator of community outreach and service learning for TCC's new Trinity River Campus, Garcia, who also has built homes in Nicaragua and Costa Rica with Habitat Global Village, hopes to set up a service opportunity for Trinity River students to get involved with the organization.

Even before Trinity River's official opening this fall, it has been recognized for its focus on service. Work with its Adopt-A-School Charles E. Nash Elementary School has earned it the sixth annual Golden Achievement Award for Partnership Excellence in the Fort Worth Independent School District for 2008-09.

Trinity River also has adopted I.M. Terrell Elementary School, works with the public housing project where some Terrell students live and works with the homeless. Additionally, each student organization will be required to have a service component.

 "We want to develop academic service projects that showcase the heritage and diversity of our community to bring more value and awareness," said Garcia.

 - By Rita L.B. Parson