Finding his calling in teaching

Rogelio Garcia believed there were only two options for him after high school: the military or college to later join the FBI. In the end, he found his calling in teaching.

The El Paso native applied to 15 universities and was determined to attend St. Edward’s University in Austin, known for having one of the best criminal justice programs in the country, which would prepare him to become an FBI agent. Unfortunately, he had received only a $5,000 scholarship, not enough to cover the cost.  

Garcia almost signed on with the military, but his mother dissuaded him. It was July, and he remembered David Wisher, the admissions counselor from Abilene’s McMurry University, who had visited his high school in El Paso, and gave him a call.

“When he picked up, David said, ‘I knew you were going to call me. You’re going to be a McMurry Indian,’” Garcia said. Wisher secured him a strong financial aid package.

Just this past month, nearly three decades after graduating from McMurry with a bachelor’s degree in sociology and psychology, Garcia returned to his alma mater to receive the 2025 Outstanding Alumnus in Education Award.  

“I was caught off guard, but it’s truly an honor,” Garcia said. “McMurray is limited on the number of Hispanic students that they have, so to receive such an honor says that we’re making big strides.”  

With 26 years of teaching experience under his belt, Garcia has taught in five elementary schools across Texas, including Adelfa Botello Callejo Elementary School and Solar Preparatory School for Girls. He is currently in his fourth year at Alex Sanger Elementary School.  

Throughout his career, Garcia has earned significant recognition for his commitment to teaching low-income students. In addition to the Outstanding Alumnus in Education Award, he was honored with the Milken Award in 2010 and has been twice named Teacher of the Year at Sanger Elementary. 

Garcia’s teaching career began when his cousin, who was a teacher, invited him to apply at a school in Garland. It was a timely opportunity because he needed two years of work experience before joining the FBI.

When the time finally came to pursue a role in the FBI, Garcia had fallen in love with teaching.

“Teaching gives you something that a nine-to-five job doesn’t give you,” Garcia said. “It gives you the satisfaction of knowing that you helped a kid who needed help. When nobody else is helping that kid, you were the one.” 

Teaching is about making good connections, Garcia said. And his connections with students persist even after they leave his classroom. Former students, now college graduates, continue to keep in touch with him, often sharing life updates and even inviting him to celebrate their children’s milestones.  

Just like countless students before them, the fifth-grade class at Alex Sanger has benefitted from Garcia’s teaching strategies: daily reading, annotations, and reading strategy cards. 

“Most of the students don’t have that reading background,” he said. “The only way to remedy that is to practice.”

To engage his students, Garcia likes to display the reading on the projector screen and read along with them.

“When you’re choral reading, you’re modeling for them, but they’re also practicing and getting immediate feedback,” Garcia said.

Garcia believes that having strong district leaders who empower teachers—and colleagues who hold each other accountable—have played a role in his growth as an educator.

“You have to definitely have strong leaders who are going to let you teach,” Garcia said. “But most importantly, I learn from my colleagues. I think that’s the best fountain of knowledge.” 

At the end of the day, Garcia says he measures himself by the effort he invests in each student.

“Year after year, I learn from my students. I learn how to become a better teacher,” he said.