San Jac wins 2025 Texas Higher Education STAR Award
PASADENA, TEXAS — San Jacinto College’s Biomanufacturing Training Program has been selected as a 2025 Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) Star Award recipient, recognizing the College’s innovative and workforce-aligned approach to education and training. The prestigious award honors higher education institutions whose programs strengthen pathways from classroom to career in Texas.
San Jacinto College’s program was among six institutions across the state chosen for its work helping students transition into high-demand careers. THECB highlighted the College’s biomanufacturing training as a model for workforce education that aligns skills with employer needs.
San Jacinto College created the state’s first associate of applied science degree in biomanufacturing for the life sciences workforce pipeline. Developed in collaboration with industry leaders and in partnership with the National Institute for Bioprocessing Research and Training, the initiative offers stackable credentials, dual-credit pathways, and customizable corporate training at the College’s new Center for Biotechnology.
“Winning a STAR Award reflects our commitment to industry-driven training pathways that move students successfully from classroom to career,” said Dr. Christopher Wild, provost at the Generation Park Campus. “This program ensures Texas employers have the skilled workforce they need right now.”
Industry partners including CTMC, Cellipont, Cytiva, Emerson, FUJIFILM Biotechnologies, Immatics, Lonza, Matica, Neurogene, Packgene, Thermo Fisher Scientific, Sartorius, and Solugen have helped shape curriculum, donated more than $3.5 million in supplies and equipment, and supported internship-to-hire pipelines. Since its 2024 launch, the program has helped students secure jobs before graduation, delivered more than 1,000 hours of incumbent-worker training, and attracted major federal and state investments, positioning Texas as a national leader in biomanufacturing.
“Receiving the Star Award highlights the partnership, innovation, and impact of our faculty, industry collaborators, and community working together for a future-ready Texas,” said Dr. Brenda Hellyer, Chancellor of San Jacinto College. “We are grateful to the Coordinating Board for recognizing San Jacinto College and the work we do to prepare students for high-paying careers that drive economic growth for the region and state.”
San Jacinto College’s Center for Biotechnology at the Generation Park Campus continues to expand industry and student engagement, connecting learners with hands-on experience and employer opportunities. In a forward-looking collaboration with aerospace leader Intuitive Machines, the College is also developing training for biopharmaceutical recovery and handling in microgravity — a next-generation specialty that positions Houston as uniquely prepared to train the workforce of tomorrow.
About San Jacinto College
Surrounded by monuments of history, evolving industries, maritime enterprises of today,
and the space age of tomorrow, San Jacinto College has served the people of East Harris
County, Texas, since 1961. The College is ranked second in the nation among more than
1,100 community colleges, as designated by the Aspen Institute and was named an Achieving
the Dream Leader College of Distinction in 2020. As a Hispanic-Serving Institution
that spans five campuses, plus an online college, San Jacinto College serves approximately
45,000 credit and non-credit students annually. It offers more than 200 degrees and
certificates across eight major areas of study that put students on a path to transfer
to four-year institutions or enter the workforce. The College is fiscally sound, holding
bond ratings of AA+ by Standard & Poor’s and Aa2 by Moody’s. San Jacinto College is
accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.
