A new program at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley is helping to keep business in the Valley.

The Accounting Society is a new student organization at UTRGV, and the program's goal is to help students become the first choice in the hiring process of local business.

Ervey Gonzalez is a senior at UTRGV and vice president of the Accounting Society. He says they formed the organization to bridge the gap between aspiring students and the Valley's growing economy.

Gonzalez says some of his friends have had to wait anywhere from six to nine months to land a job after graduation.

He says there are big companies throughout the Valley, and they want to create a strong network between students and business leaders.

"We need to make sure that we're ready with the developed students for these employers, so that when they look for employees, people to work at their companies, they look at us at UTRGV," Gonzalez said.

Gonzales says they reach out to different industry leaders asking to collaborate and show them what job opportunities they have for graduating students.

Some of the companies they partnered with are Harlingen Medical Center, McAllen Medical and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.

Gonzalez says next month, the organization will present to officials for the Port of Brownsville in hopes of partnering with them as well.