ABC News veteran to kick off DSS
At 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, ABC News veteran John Quiñones will be the first guest of the UTRGV Distinguished Speaker Series at the Texas Southmost College Performing Arts Center in Brownsville.
The Distinguished Speaker Series is a program hosted by the Student Activities Office. It is on its 18th season, having started at the legacy institution of University of Texas-Pan American, said Cindy Mata-Vasquez, director of Student Activities.
Quiñones is the creator and host of “What Would You Do?”
A native of Texas, he has an upbringing similar to many UTRGV students, Mata-Vasquez said. He was a migrant student like many others.
Quiñones was born in San Antonio. He attended St. Mary’s University in San Antonio and received his bachelor’s in speech communication, according to his biography on ABC.go.com.
History junior Rosie Garza said she is considering attending the lecture, saying she wants to have “a look into why did he make this show, because it seems like he’s testing people’s morals.”
International business freshman Citlali Palomo said she is also considering attending Qui-ñones’ lecture to listen to “what he has gone through.”
On “What Would You Do?” Quiñones measures how people react to a person’s behavior in a controversial situation.
“He really makes us think about our choices in those critical moments and how we can do better, just to speak up for those who maybe don’t have a voice or maybe don’t know how to use their voice,” Mata-Vasquez said. “And so, we are very excited that he is going to be our opening speaker this semester in Brownsville.”
The Distinguished Speaker Series gives students the opportunity to listen to world-class speakers on various topics and to get inspired by their message, Mata-Vasquez said.
“The committee chose John Quiñones as the first speaker for this year’s series because we felt that his message and story resonated with students,” Mata-Vazquez said. “The speaker was chosen this summer 2021.”
A streaming site is planned to be held at the Student Union Theater on the Edinburg cam-pus, Mata-Vasquez said. When registering through V Link, there are the options of virtual or in person. Once everything is set up for virtual, the link will be sent so that students, faculty and staff can watch it from the comfort of their home.
Quiñones is the first speaker since March 2020 that UTRGV will have in person, she said.
A UTRGV shuttle will be available to transport Edinburg students to Brownsville. It is highly recommended for students who are planning to attend in person to check the schedule. The doors will open at 7 p.m. The event will start at 7:30 p.m. and should last till about 8:30 p.m., Mata-Vasquez said.
The venue holds up to 800 people and attendees are encouraged to use a facial covering, Mata-Vasquez said.
Priority seating is given to UTRGV students, faculty and staff. If there is space, the community will be able to go in, Mata-Vasquez said.
Doors will open at 7 p.m. for students, faculty and staff first and IDs will be checked. The doors will open at 7:15 p.m. for the community.
Actress Lana Condor, best known from the movie trilogy on Netflix, “To All the Boys I Loved Before,” will be the next speaker for the program in a virtual setting in November, she said.
