Garcia on Obama’s team

President-elect Barack Obama has tapped University of Texas at Brownsville and Texas Southmost College President Juliet V. Garcia to his transition team.

"I consider public service to be our highest calling; so I am greatly honored to have been invited to take part in the historic transition of our young democracy," Garcia said in a written statement to The Brownsville Herald.

The future of the Rio Grande Valley under Obama and Vice-President-elect Joe Biden Jr. bodes well, political pundits said.

Brownsville native Federico F. Peña, former U.S. secretary of transportation and energy and former Denver mayor, was national co-chair of Obama's campaign.

And now Garcia, the first Mexican-American woman to head a four-year U.S. university, will be one of the president-elect's advisors as the presidency transitions from President George W. Bush to Obama.

"That shows you that they are seeing South Texas," Cameron County Democratic Party Chairman Gilberto Hinojosa said.

"They see Texas as a real, real important factor," said Hinojosa who anticipates that his would translate to appointments and more funding.

UTB-TSC's Jose Bocanegra, who lectures on American political institutions and economic and public policy, said that Garcia, "will be an advocate for the area."

Obama and Garcia have met. He visited the campus in February during his campaign, meeting with faith-based groups and then students. Also that day, Obama took a detour, surprising revelers at the annual Sombrero Festival.

Garcia's husband Oscar Garcia was simply a proud man Wednesday.

"I think it is wonderful, just wonderful. I feel very proud of her, very, very proud," Oscar Garcia said.

He said that the development had been completely unexpected.

"Someone called from Washington and she said she would have to ask her boss and they said it would be a wonderful opportunity," Oscar Garcia said of the UT system board of regents.

She will be traveling to Washington D.C. soon.