By Jasmin Nicole Espinosa 

Like many people who grew up in the Rio Grande Valley, we probably past the Port of Brownsville countless times. We knew it was an important part of our community, but I never truly understood what happened beyond its gates until I came on board as an intern at the port. 

The paid summer internship lasted two months and gave students valuable, hands-on, real-world experience in their specific departments at the port including Esteban Cavazos in Finance (Texas A&M), Rolando Vasquez in Engineering Services (Texas A&M), Luz Frias (UTRGV) and Miguel Ortiz (Texas A&M) in Business Development and Marketing, Enrique Santoscoy (UTRGV) in Facilities Maintenance, Samuel Hinojosa in Wharf Operations (Texas A&M), Marco Yerena (UTRGV) in Cargo Service & FTZ and Ian Juarez (UTRGV) and myself, Jasmin Espinosa, (UTRGV) in Communications. 

As Rio Grande Valley residents, we chose to intern at the Port of Brownsville not only because we wanted to stay close to home and our families, but because we were curious to learn about what makes one of the nation’s busiest seaports operate. Many people associate the port with vessels, cargo and working outdoors. However, we discovered that beyond every vessel that arrives and every shipment that moves through the port there is a team working together towards a common goal which is to create jobs and opportunity. 

Port of Brownsville summer 2026 interns stand at the base of the Brownsville Ship Channel’s turning basin. From left: Rolando Vasquez, Enrique Santoscoy, Marco Yerena, Ian Juarez, Jasmin Espinosa, Luz Frías, Esteban Cavazos, Miguel Ortiz and Samuel Hinojosa.

Rolando, a first-time engineering intern, said staying close to home made the experience meaningful. “I want the best for Brownsville. My whole family is here, and my first engineering internship couldn’t have been any better here at home,” he said.  

Rolando gained hands-on experience by visiting construction sites, documenting areas with drones and seeing how large-scale projects are planned and developed. “If you don’t know something, ask questions. They (port staff) are here to help you learn,” he said. 

Esteban’s experience in finance gave him a new perspective on the work required to support the port’s operations. While assisting the department, he helped review reports and verify information. It also gave him the opportunity to take initiative and find ways to make an impact beyond his assigned tasks. “Take the first week or two to understand how the port operates and take it upon yourself to find an area of opportunity to where you can make an impact and make a personal project of your own,” he said.  

Rolando and Esteban, who met through mutual friends and played soccer at Texas A&M, experienced a full-circle moment when they both landed an internship at the port unaware the other had also applied. “We did not know we were both interning at the port, but when I walked in and saw him (Rolando), I was surprised but happy to see a familiar face,” Esteban said. 

All Interns learned the importance of teamwork and organization through the different departments of the port.  

Luz, who interned for the business development and marketing department, helped manage project information and learned new programs while gaining a better understanding of the work it takes to support the port’s initiatives. “Everyone here is here to help you,” Luz said. 

For Samuel, this summer marks his third-year interning at the port. As someone who wanted to stay close to home, coming back to the port was an easy decision. “The people you work with are very helpful and it’s always fun to come back and learn from them,” he said. 

This summer, he researched ways to improve the transfer and storing of iron ore by studying how other ports move cargo from the docks to storage areas and researching how to transport the cargo by rail. He also helped with vessel reports and organizing data. 

Ian’s experience in the communications department was not what he expected going into the internship. He didn’t realize how many moving parts would go into a single project. Every event, multimedia, or campaign involves many departments coming together to collaborate to achieve success. “It showed me how connected the port truly is and gave me a new appreciation for the teamwork and coordination that happens behind the scenes,” he said. 

Ian said one of the biggest takeaways was that every workplace is different. The assignments he worked on challenged him to think in new ways and step outside of his comfort zone. 

Similar to Rolando and Esteban, Ian and I also shared a unique connection. After attending UTRGV and working alongside each other in Student Media, we found ourselves interning together with the communications team. 

This internship was my first experience outside of the university. As a recent UTRGV graduate, I came in feeling nervous, but I was ready to challenge myself. Working in the communications department showed me how much detail goes into every project, from events to preparing materials to outreach. I learned the importance of asking questions and paying attention to details.  

What made this experience memorable was having the opportunity to assist in planning for events, visit different areas of the port and talking to my fellow interns as they shared their experiences in their respective departments. 

What was most impactful for me was the people I worked with. Christina Garza, Maria Rentrop, and Jorge Montero welcomed me from day one and always took the time to guide me throughout my internship.  

I went from being an office newbie person to someone who feels prepared to take these skills beyond the port. Thank you for allowing me to intern with the ‘cool comms department’. If there is ever an opportunity in the future, I hope I can come back. 

Before this internship, the port was a just place people pass by on their way to South Padre Island. Now we have a greater understanding of the opportunities that our port provides to move the Rio Grande Valley forward.