CAMPUS: Students meet mentors, matriarch in networking event
By Cynthia Torres
Bridge Staff Writer
Published Wednesday, April 1, 2026
Entrepreneurs, first responders and various local Laredo business owners joined Texas A&M International University to help students establish networking connections.
This networking event was open to all majors as they visited with representatives from businesses, such as Slimerella Slime Shop, Laredo Police Department, Texas Community Bank and Tacolare. As students signed in and entered, they began with a 30-minute grace period to connect with mentors before the event began.
Once the event began, students were in line to speak with mentors for 10 minutes. Students connected and asked questions from their mentors pertaining to their field and experience. After each 10-minute session, students switched to the next mentor, so everyone could connect.
Azul “Slimerella” Garibi, left, discusses her small business startup with TAMIU student Liz Juarez at TAMIU’s All-Majors Networking Event in the Student Center Ballroom on Feb. 26, 2026.
A snack table offered fruits, cookies and drinks to attendees, but the real meat-and-potatoes was the networking opportunity.
“Networking events like this are incredibly valuable for students because they give them the opportunity to connect with professionals in a meaningful way,” Career Services Coordinator Michelle Rodriguez said. “It allows students to learn more about different career paths, gain insight into industry expectations and start building confidence in presenting themselves professionally.”
She emphasized the importance of networking events and how they positively impact a student’s future and career.
Local business owner Azul “Slimerella” Garibi was a popular mentor, attracting various students. Garibi is a young entrepreneur who has her own slime business, an inspiration to many young Laredoans who aspire to be like her.
“People ask me all the time if I will be doing this forever, and I say yeah, ‘I’m like Slime-Abuela.’ I work all the time but I love my job, so it’s like I’m not even working at all,” the Slimerella owner and self-proclaimed slime matriarch answered questions from students.
TAMIU student Liz Juarez, who spoke with Garibi, added, “I think experiences like this are cool; this is a very good experience in which I was able to speak to many different professions about their day-to-day lives.”
