Pathways To Purpose

Texas Mutual Insurance Company Supports Certified Medical Assistants at Texas Tech Health El Paso with $55,000 Gift

The gift supports partnership with Workforce Solutions Borderplex and three local programs

Texas Mutual Insurance Company recently awarded $55,000 to Texas Tech Health El Paso to help medical assistant students finish their clinical training through internships at the university, and to support generational learning and workforce development.

The goal is for students to complete their required clinical hours, graduate and enter the workforce with Texas Tech Physicians of El Paso or another provider in our Borderplex, where there is an urgent need for certified medical assistants. Texas Tech Health El Paso partners with Workforce Solutions Borderplex and three local certified medical assistant programs to pay students for their required clinical hours at the university.

The partnering programs are El Paso Community College, Southwest University and Western Technical Institute.

At a young age, Martha Garcia wanted to go into the medical field, but with limited resources, that dream seemed distant. When she arrived in El Paso with her military husband and children, she had the chance to follow her dream. This month, she becomes a certified medical assistant through El Paso Community College with the help of the grant, which paid her a stipend for her clinical training hours at Texas Tech Physicians of El Paso clinics, allowing her and her husband to continue supporting their children.

“I’m truly grateful to Texas Mutual, not only for the funding, but for believing in people like me,” Garcia said. “They didn’t just fund a program, they lifted an enormous weight off my shoulders and opened a door that had long been closed.”

Often, students must quit their jobs to complete the required clinical training to become certified medical assistants. This is because the clinical internships require a full-time commitment of 40 hours a week. Texas Mutual’s gift will provide a living wage for their clinical training, removing the financial burden on them and their families.

“Texas Mutual believes in the power of opportunity and the impact of community investment,” said Jeremiah Bentley, Texas Mutual’s vice president of marketing & community affairs. “By supporting these students, we’re not just funding clinical hours, we’re helping them pursue meaningful careers in healthcare while strengthening a workforce that’s essential to the well-being of the El Paso region.”

Texas Mutual has awarded more than $4.5 million to 66 nonprofits across the state to help fortify businesses and strengthen the state’s economy. The awards support training the current and future skilled workforce in safe work practices, especially in industries or occupations at higher risk for workplace accidents.

The awards also create pathways for in-demand middle-skill jobs and help employees learn new skills through earn-and-learn initiatives.

“Today we’re filling a need with the backbone of our health care system,” said Andrea Tawney, Ph.D., vice president for Institutional Advancement. “Medical assistants play such a critical role, and this Texas Mutual grant was grown out of a necessity and as part of a solution.”

About Texas Mutual Insurance Company

Austin-based Texas Mutual Insurance Company, a policyholder-owned company, is the state’s leading provider of workers’ compensation insurance. Texas Mutual provides coverage to 40% of the market, representing over 80,000 companies, many of which are small businesses. Since 1991, the company has provided a stable, competitively priced source of workers’ comp insurance for Texas employers. Helping employers prevent workplace accidents is an important part of Texas Mutual’s mission.

About Texas Tech Health El Paso

Texas Tech Health El Paso serves 108 rural counties in West Texas and is a federally designated Hispanic-serving institution dedicated to preparing the next generation of health care heroes. Established as an independent university in 2013, Texas Tech Health El Paso is a uniquely innovative destination for medical, nursing, biomedical sciences and dental education.

With a focus on excellence in health care education, research, and clinical service, Texas Tech Health El Paso has graduated over 2,400 professionals over the past decade, and will include dental graduates beginning in 2025. For more information, visit ttuhscepimpact.org.