Working as a migrant farm worker in Texas, Colorado and California, Dr. Ruben

Gallegos found more than just a way to help provide for his family: He discovered the importance of an education.

Born into a large family in El Cala-voz, Dr. Gallegos picked cantaloupe and took engineering classes at Texas Southmost College between 1955 and 1957. Despite modest be-ginnings, he went on to receive a master’s degree and doctorate from East Texas State University.

“We always worked in the fields during the summer.” Dr. Gallegos said. “It was hard work. My parents always told us ‘You are doing this so you can go to school.’ I had a grand-mother that was very close to us and she also emphasized that, too.”

His values for education, among his other accom-plishments, led Dr. Gal-legos to become one of the 2008 Distinguished Alum-nus Award recipients.

“It makes it very hard for me to be in that category… but I definitely welcome the honor,” he said. “I have a lot I owe to Texas Southmost College.”

His three decades of service in Texas schools began in Brownsville, where he first taught fifth grade at the age of 20.Throughout his ca-reer in the Brownsville Independent School District, Dr. Gallegos continued to break ground in education.

In 1965, Dr. Gallegos became the first principal for Brownsville‘s migrant school, now Castaneda Elementary School. Later, he would coordinate all the education programs for migrant children in the district.

He was also the first administrator for federal programs for the Brownsville school district.

He earned the title “bilingual archi-tect” following his success in having the first bilingual education pro-gram approved for federal funds.

He eventually became the Browns-ville district’s first Hispanic assis-tant superintendent in 1971.

In 1972, Dr. Gallegos became the first Hispanic assistant superin-tendent of the Dallas Independent School District and in 1976, the first Hispanic superintendent in Edinburg.

Dr. Gallegos also taught at what is now The University of Texas at Brownsville and Texas Southmost College, where his education stu-dents routinely excelled at state li-censing tests.

Dr. Gallegos retired in 1993 but has remained active in education, including as namesake for Dr. Ru-

ben Gallegos Elementary School in Brownsville, where he visits often with children and teachers.

Dr. Gallegos and his wife, Norma, celebrated 40 years of marriage in May. Togeth-er, they raised two children, Ruben Jr and Linda.

Both of the Gallegos chil-dren earned their degrees

in education from UTB/TSC and their father is proud of both of them.

Ruben Jr. works side by side with his father in International Edu-cational Services, the business Dr. Gallegos established after he re-tired from public school education. His daughter Linda is the prin-cipal of Dr. Ruben Gallegos Elementary School.

The Gallegos have two grandsons, Ruben III and Raul Alfonso.

Commencement SpeakerRuben Gallegos, Ph.D.Chief Executive Officer, International Education Services Inc.Texas Southmost College Alumnus ’57

“We always worked in the fields during the summer. It was hard

work. My parents always told us, ‘You are doing this so you can go to school.’ I had a grandmother

that was very close to us and she also emphasized that, too.”