Category Archives: Breckenridge

Ott credits TSTC staff for pushing him to finish college

(BROWNWOOD, Texas) – Five years after he graduated from Texas State Technical College, Joseph Ott still thanks the Brownwood campus staff.

“Everybody at the Brownwood campus was on my side,” said the 2015 graduate of the Chemical Dependency Counseling program. “The passion that was there from my instructor Elizabeth Jones, Raquel Mata (associate provost) and Brian Kight (former associate vice president of enrollment) kept me going.”

Ott, who is now a counselor at Corpus Christi’s South Texas Substance Abuse Recovery Services (STSARS), did not consider college or a career in counseling others. An injury on a construction site in Brownwood and being sober for several years led him to TSTC.

“I kind of stumbled on the school and program,” Ott said. “Without my injury, I would not have gone to college.”

Ott was in Brownwood at the time of his injury and knew the counseling program would be a good fit for him.

“I have always enjoyed helping people,” he said. “I knew that being 22 years sober meant that I needed to try and help people.”

While he did have ups and downs at TSTC, Ott said Mata always helped him with writing assignments and Jones offered support when he was down.

“Raquel would always stay after hours to help me with an essay. She looked over it and told me that I was learning to get it right,” he said. “She stayed way beyond her work hours to help. Mrs. Jones could have gone home, but she stayed to make sure the work was done correctly.”

Mata, who was an instructor when Ott was a student, saw his battle to finish school.

“Even though there were times when he said he wanted to quit, I don’t think he meant it. He was just frustrated, but he kept coming back,” she said. “I know my fellow employees, like Brian Kight, Tammy Vassar and Elizabeth Jones, challenged him to continue.”

After he graduated, Ott began a counseling career. Even that took a nudge — from his brother Bruce.

“He asked me after I graduated why I did not send resumes out,” Ott said. “I had a fear of not being hired. My brother told me after about three months that it was not time to waste my education. I sent out my resumes and was hired.”

Ott left his first counseling job and returned to construction. However, he still wanted to help people and was hired by STSARS, where he has been employed for the last three years.

He said one thing he likes to talk to his clients about is being grateful. While many wonder what he is talking about at first, they understand by the end of the session.

“I ask my clients to be grateful. I ask them if they have children. I ask them if they have a house or apartment. I ask them if they have food in the cabinet or refrigerator,” he said. “Each time they say yes, I tell them that is something for them to be grateful about.”

Ott said his goal for the sessions is to be uplifting. He wants his clients to see a path forward.

“I can’t take credit for their recovery. I have to guide them and let them know I am proud of them,” he said. 

Mata remains proud of Ott’s journey and has a reminder on her office wall.

“I consider Joseph a true success story. He graduated during our 50th year, when students were given stoles and encouraged to keep or give them to someone who helped them on their journey,” she said. “He showed up to campus one day and said he wished he could cut this into pieces and give us each a section. It still hangs on my wall today and reminds me of what hard work and determination can accomplish.”

For more information about TSTC, visit tstc.edu.

TSTC honors longtime employees with drive-thru celebration

(ABILENE, Texas) – Texas State Technical College honored 30 employees with service award drive-thru celebrations this month.

With COVID-19 restrictions limiting large gatherings, the celebrations were planned to honor employees with five to 35 years of experience. Celebrations were held at the Abilene, Sweetwater and Breckenridge campuses.

Lance Eastman, interim provost for the West Texas campuses, said the employees honored are appreciated by everyone at TSTC.

“Every position is important and about serving our students and industry,” he said. “These individuals have made sure that our buildings are clean and safe, food is provided, that equipment is in place and that instruction is relevant.”

Eastman was proud to be part of a creative way to honor employees.

“With the health restrictions, which we take seriously, we had to be creative of how we could distribute our service awards,” he said. “We are grateful for these individuals that have dedicated year after year of service.”

Each employee received a plaque, a yard sign noting their years of service, and a gift.

Sweetwater’s Maria Aguirre, the senior executive director of Communication and Creative Services, was honored for 35 years with the college. Joni Coons, the intramural programs coordinator in Sweetwater, was honored for 30 years of employment. Abilene’s Holle England, a learning and development trainer, received a plaque honoring her 35 years with TSTC.

Abilene employees honored for five years of service were Greg Nicholas, welding instructor; Amanda Suiters, library coordinator; Rikki Spivey, enrollment coach; Matt Briggs, Emergency Medical Services instructor; Susan Leda Cowart, English instructor; Randa R. Weeks, Health Information Technology instructor; Magaly Valdez, Drafting and Design instructor; and Miranda Thomas, technical physics instructor.

Mary Wilhite, a student services specialist, was honored for 10 years at the Abilene campus. Also honored in Abilene were Michael Soto, a Business Management Technology instructor, and Susan Hash, a testing administrator, both for 15 years with TSTC, as well as Pam Marler, a contract administration coordinator, and Julia Humphrey, career services director, for 20 years.

Sweetwater five-year employees honored were Frank Molini and Taylor Elston, welding instructors; Carla Becker, travel and expense specialist; Beth Hall, developmental math instructor; Brock Carter, chief of police; and Ray Carnathan, police officer.

Gloria Santiago, food service operator, and Jeff Olney, Electromechanical Technology instructor, received 10-year awards for their employment in Sweetwater. Fifteen-year awards were presented to Sweetwater’s Gail Lawrence, TSTC’s executive vice chancellor and chief of staff to the chancellor; Mark Hampton, resource development specialist; and Sandra Ortega, enrollment coach.

Brownwood’s Becky Jones, a licensed drug counseling instructor, received a 10-year plaque. Breckenridge’s Debra Bufkin, a developmental math instructor, and Vernon Akins, a building maintenance supervisor, received five-year awards.

For more information about TSTC, visit tstc.edu.

Sisterly advice leads Hitchcock to TSTC Vocational Nursing program

(BRECKENRIDGE, Texas) – Sisterly advice led Sally Hitchcock to Texas State Technical College’s Vocational Nursing program.

Hitchcock’s sister completed TSTC’s Vocational Nursing and Registered Nursing programs and recommended that she look into it as a career path. She is on track to graduate in December.

“I always wanted to be a nurse. The timing and finances were not always there for me,” Hitchcock said. “My sister gave me the push I needed to get started.”

In addition to the push, Hitchcock said her sister offered advice.

“She told me I would not be disappointed with the program or instructors,” she said. “The instructors want to see you succeed and do your best.”

One thing her sister did tell her was not to fear saying something most people do not like to say.

“My sister told me that it would be OK to say no to functions and other events,” Hitchcock said. “I knew that would be hard, but it is something I knew I would have to do.”

With studying taking up more time, Hitchcock has leaned more on her family.

“My husband has taken over the mom-and-dad duties around the house. He has been supportive of me while I am in school,” she said.

Hitchcock said TSTC’s instructors have helped her and her classmates throughout the semester in adjusting to online learning.

“The instructors have made this transition as easy as possible for us,” she said.

Having to adjust to online learning will also be a learning experience Hitchcock will use in the nursing field.

“It is going to help me deal with crisis management,” she said. “Many of the nurses we talk to during clinicals said day-to-day things are changing for them. It is fascinating to see all of the protocols they have to go through.”

Hitchcock noticed one consistency in the nursing field.

“The nurses are a patient’s main support system. There is no family around some of the patients,” she said. “They are not only nurses, but they are the patient’s companion. That is what I want to be to my patients.”

Hitchcock plans to continue her education and has a career goal of becoming a hospice nurse. Like her sister, she has some advice for anyone thinking about entering the nursing profession.

“I would tell people don’t wait until you are 37 to get started,” she said. “Still, this was one of the best decisions of my life.”

For more information about TSTC, visit tstc.edu.

Safety top priority at TSTC this fall

(ABILENE, Texas) – Safety will be the top priority at Texas State Technical College when the fall semester begins Aug. 31.

The four West Texas campuses, located in Abilene, Breckenridge, Brownwood and Sweetwater, will have a different look this year. Students who need to complete labs will be allowed on campus, but all other instruction will be delivered online.

“Our primary goal is the safety of our students, faculty and staff in this era of COVID-19,” said Lance Eastman, West Texas’ interim provost. “We have put in several safety measures to ensure that safety.”

Everyone must wear a facial covering while on campus, and social distancing guidelines will be enforced, Eastman said.

“I know it is hard sometimes to maintain social distance. But for the safety of everyone, we are going to practice it,” he said. “We not only want the students, faculty and staff to protect themselves, but everyone around them.”

Buildings will be marked with directional signage to show entrances and exits. Hand-sanitizing stations will also be available in each building.

Since March, TSTC has provided online lectures for students, and Eastman said it will continue in the fall. In May, students were allowed to return to campus to complete lab sessions.

Eastman said continuing to provide hands-on lab sessions is important to the college’s mission of placing people in the workforce.

“We will still do a lot of the hands-on lab sessions because it is important the students get that training,” he said.

Daniel Martin, TSTC’s director of student recruiting in West Texas, said students are excited about the new way of learning.

“The students are pleased with how the courses are being constructed. The online lectures, coupled with lab time, are perfect for them,” he said. “This is a better use of a student’s time. It is not a classroom-heavy situation for them.”

Martin said prospective students will also be able to tour campuses, but with limitations. Tours must be reserved and will be limited to three guests per tour.

“We are excited to get people back on our campuses to show students what we offer,” he said. “We had some tours during the summer, and everyone followed all of the protocols we had in place.”

In Sweetwater, safety is also the top priority for housing director Jose Navarrette. Since it is the only West Texas campus with student housing, additional safety measures are in place.

Navarrette said each student will have a private bedroom but share a bathroom. He said students will learn the proper way to sanitize the area to help prevent the spread of contagions.

“We will have room checks to make sure all the rules are being followed,” he said. “We had some students living on campus this summer, and everyone followed all the rules.”

Navarrette said students were assigned days to move in prior to Aug. 31. He said that was done to help limit the amount of people on campus.

“Safety is the key for us. We want students to know that we have things in place for their safety and the safety of everyone on campus,” he said.

Rick Nelson, supervisor of TSTC food services in Sweetwater, said meals will continue to be sold only to go. Students will enter the Student Center’s main entrance and leave through the cafeteria’s glass-door exit.

TSTC will also provide three new programs in West Texas this fall.

In Breckenridge, an Associate of Applied Science degree in Occupational Safety Compliance Technology will be offered. Students will learn the hazards of machines, safe work methods, first aid, and cardiopulmonary resuscitation procedures during the five semesters.

Two Occupational Skills Award programs are scheduled this fall. Basic Welding – Multiple Processes will be available in Abilene, while Basic Automotive will be taught in Sweetwater. Both courses will be 15 weeks and are part of TSTC’s Rapid Industry Skills and Employability (RISE) program that helps students learn skills quickly in order to start a career.

“It is always good to provide new programs at TSTC,” Eastman said. “We want to provide our students with the tools to prepare them for the workforce. The OSA programs will allow us to quickly educate students to get them to work. That will help better our economy.”

To schedule a campus tour, contact Chris Johnson, TSTC’s lead recruiter for West Texas, at christopher.johnson@tstc.edu.

Registration for the fall semester is underway. For more information, go to tstc.edu.

Sparks fill TSTC Welding Technology lab this summer

(BRECKENRIDGE, Texas) – Sparks from welding torches were a daily occurrence this summer at Texas State Technical College’s Breckenridge campus.

Students have been completing labs in preparation for entering the workforce when they receive their certificates. But the work does not stop once the torches are laid down.

For Ethan Hammond and Zane Fitch, a career path has been blazed.

“TSTC has helped me with more than just learning to weld things. They have helped me write a resume and given me advice on how to approach job interviews,” Fitch said. “I know what to expect during a job interview, thanks to the people at TSTC.”

That knowledge was one of the reasons Hammond chose to attend TSTC. The Cisco native said having someone help in the job interview process was important.

“Because of TSTC, I have my resume built right now,” he said.

Fitch said he first found interest in welding while helping his brother-in-law on a job site. He said TSTC was the route he wanted to take because of the hands-on training.

“I decided that I wanted to go to school and get a certificate. I knew that would open up more job opportunities for me,” he said. “The hands-on approach offered here is great for us. We are able to learn things and put our knowledge to use.”

Hammond has already put some of his skills to use by welding barbecue pits. He knows that this career path will benefit his family in the long run.

“This is a career in which you can actually work for yourself,” he said. “I have done that with some projects after class.”

Instructor Stephen Hope said his goal is to see the students succeed.

It has been exciting to see all the students come in and know little to nothing about welding. To be able to help them understand the fundamentals and see the students succeed is such an amazing goal,” he said.

Hammond said the Breckenridge campus has the perfect learning environment for future welders.

“We have 30 (welding) bays here, and it runs efficiently,” he said. “Our class is small, but the work we do pays off. I think people interested in a welding career should consider coming here.”

Hammond was drawn to the Breckenridge campus because it offered the program in a small town like his hometown of Cisco.

“This is a nice campus for the community. I wanted to go to a smaller campus, and this was the one that caught my attention,” Hammond said.

Hope said he appreciates the work the students put in and knows the ultimate goal is at the end of the program.

“Working for TSTC has been such a wonderful experience. The greatest part is being able to watch the students graduate and pursue their new careers,” he said.

Registration for the fall semester is underway. For more information, go to tstc.edu.

Partnership opens TSTC Nursing program to Breckenridge High School students

(BRECKENRIDGE, Texas) – Seven Breckenridge High School seniors will get a head start toward a nursing career this fall.

A partnership between Texas State Technical College, Breckenridge ISD and the Breckenridge Economic Development Corp. was formed to provide Nursing program classes at TSTC’s Breckenridge campus. The students’ tuition for the four classes will be paid by the Breckenridge EDC.

“We are excited to rekindle our partnership with TSTC. First we had a partnership with the welding program, and now we are partnering with the LVN program,” said Breckenridge High School principal William Paul. “The goal of any high school is to prepare kids for their next step in life. This partnership fills that need for students to be career ready.”

The students will take two classes in the fall, Essentials of Medical Terminology and Essentials of Medication Administration. In the spring, the classes will be Foundations of Nursing and Pharmacology.

Instructor Marchelle Taylor said the four classes will show students what to expect in the nursing field.

“This will give the students the chance to do the basic learning here,” she said. “They will be able to get credit when they pass the course and will be one step closer to applying for a nursing program.”

Virgil Moore, CEO and executive director of the Breckenridge EDC, said paying the tuition is an investment into the community.

“This is an investment on our part to put skilled people in the workforce at our hospitals and clinics in Stephens County,” he said. “What TSTC provides to our community is a tremendous asset. Therefore, funding scholarships for these students to take classes was an easy decision. It was an investment in our future.”

Paul said having the Breckenridge EDC as a partner was a perfect fit.

“Virgil and the EDC have been great partners throughout this process. They helped make this possible for our students,” he said.

Vocational nurses are in high demand in the Breckenridge area and throughout Texas. Paul said having the partnership will help fill those positions.

“This partnership not only helps us locally, but it helps our regional workforce. Hopefully we can keep them in the region after they graduate,” he said.

Paul said the Texas Education Agency push for career pathways helped lead to the partnership. TSTC was a natural fit because of the nursing program and being in the same community, he said.

“In talking with TSTC, the health care field — especially nurses — met the needs of our region in West-Central Texas,” he said. “We gauged the students’ interest, and I am hoping we can continue this program.”

Taylor said TSTC’s administration wanted to grow the nursing program in Breckenridge. This pilot program could lead to opportunities with other school districts, she said.

Now that the Texas Board of Nursing has approved the program, Taylor said she is ready for the online classes to begin.

“I am excited to see how this goes. I hope we can open it up to other schools in our area,” she said.

Moore said he is pleased to see local students attending the TSTC campus and working toward a career.

“This is a great opportunity for our high school students. This allows them to get a head start on pursuing a nursing career,” he said.

Registration for the fall semester is underway. For more information, go to tstc.edu.

Eastman works to help TSTC students achieve success

(ABILENE, Texas) – Lance Eastman, Texas State Technical College’s West Texas interim provost and senior vice president of Student Learning, works to make sure that students meet the college’s goal.

“I really like our mantra, ‘Place Texans in great-paying jobs.’ It’s simple. We have really worked hard to live up to our mantra,” he said.

Eastman, who was named interim provost in May, is working with the college’s leadership, faculty and staff on a competency-based learning schedule for students. He is no stranger to the learning approach because it was used at his previous place of employment, Davis Technical College in Kaysville, Utah.

“At TSTC, we are working to have flexibility and to allow students to schedule classes around their life. Studies have shown that it works,” Eastman said. “With this type of program, retention is much better.”

Prior to arriving at TSTC more than two years ago, Eastman served as director of the manufacturing and transportation programs at Davis Technical College. He also taught an industrial maintenance class.

His love for electronics came while watching “Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back.”

“Seeing Luke Skywalker’s hand got me into electronics,” he said of the movie scene in which Skywalker’s missing hand is replaced with a robotic one.

Eastman once worked in the private sector in industrial maintenance. But when a teaching position opened, he turned to educating young minds.

“Teaching is nothing more than transferring knowledge,” he said. “I am the kind of person who would want to put a button on something to try and make it work. I want to pass that knowledge on to others.”

He learned about TSTC through a job posting showing an opening for the vice president position. He had confidence that he would be picked, telling his wife, Beckie, that he was going to apply for the job and his family “will move to Texas.”

Eastman said during the entire interview process, he remained confident that he would be selected for the position.

“I kept telling my wife they are going to hire me,” he said.

Since his hiring, Eastman said he has been welcomed by not only the TSTC family, but also the Abilene community. His oldest daughter, Sydney, recently completed a church mission in Idaho, and his youngest daughter, Brooklyn, is a senior at Wylie High School in Abilene.

“I love the people of Texas,” Eastman said, admitting that his only stop in Texas prior to an in-person interview at TSTC was a flight layover in Dallas. “This is a fantastic place to live.”

In his spare time, which he said he does not have much of, Eastman enjoys fishing, gardening and church activities.

“My wife and I have also spent a lot of hanging with the kids and their friends. They like to play cards with us because they think they can beat us,” he said with a laugh.

Registration for the fall semester is underway. For more information, go to tstc.edu.

TSTC recruiters remain busy during summer

(ABILENE, Texas) – Texas State Technical College recruiters have been busy working the phones and online resources this summer.

With the different TSTC campuses closed for student tours, the college’s recruiters in West Texas have been getting creative in informing prospective students of the programs available.

“It has presented us with some new challenges,” said Chris Johnson, lead recruiter, in discussing how the team is working to recruit students. “We have spent some time figuring things out.”

One of the most-asked questions from prospective students is the security of a job, especially with the economy in recession.

“People want to know if they get a job, would they be laid off six months later,” Johnson said. “We have great programs available, and they are considered to be recession-proof. People are still going to need to have their cars worked on during this time. Companies are still going to need workers.”

With campus tours currently not possible, recruiters have spent their time working on virtual visits. Johnson said many school counselors are interested in the online visits.

Johnson said the virtual visits allow instructors to showcase the equipment available on campus. But they do have one downside.

“One thing we pride ourselves on is showing the equipment during a tour. We are still able to show off the equipment, but it is virtual,” he said. “I do miss seeing the reaction in person of students watching how it is used.”

With fall semester classes scheduled to begin Aug. 31, Johnson said recruiters will continue to work with local high schools to provide information.

“We want to be available to the students. We want them to be excited about what they can see, even though they cannot get out and see it in person,” he said.

Registration for the fall semester is underway. For more information, go to tstc.edu.

TSTC Business Management Technology instructor brings experience into the classroom

(BROWNWOOD, Texas) – You might say that Texas State Technical College Business Management Technology instructor Duston Brooks brings some practical experience of a bovine nature into the classroom.

Prior to becoming an instructor at TSTC, Brooks worked on the financial side of his family’s dairy farm. He now brings that knowledge to his students as they work toward an Associate of Applied Science degree or certificate in Business Management Technology.

“I learned the financial side of things and how to use the software,” said Brooks, who has taught at TSTC since 2000.

When Brooks first started teaching, TSTC offered a degree in Computer Information Technology. It is now the five-semester Business Management Technology degree program.

Students learn three areas of business management. Brooks said the first part of the program focuses on accounting, followed by management and then software.

“Anybody who works at a computer desk at any business will benefit from this program,” he said.

Students learn a variety of skills, including word processing, presentation graphics, accounting, and business ethics, principles of accounting and management, small business operations, and payroll accounting.

“You will benefit from a well-rounded education,” Brooks said, adding that some graduates continue their education by earning a bachelor’s degree in business administration.

In addition to on-campus classes, TSTC’s Business Management Technology program is available online, which helps some students, Brooks said.

“We know that people are working and have kids. This gives them the feasibility to complete the program online and at their own pace,” he said.

Brooks said one student completed the course while being employed as a full-time truck driver.

“He could not attend a class on campus, so he took his laptop with him,” he said. “Whenever he had time off the road, he would work on his online classes.”

During his tenure at TSTC, Brooks has seen students of all ages complete the program.

“We have had students just out of high school to adults in their 50s and 60s. Some people want to come back and relearn skills or even learn brand-new skills in order to update their resume,” he said.

Completing the program, according to Brooks, allows graduates to interview for office management positions. He said through hard work, some graduates have worked their way up to higher positions.

Brooks has also had students who wanted to start their own business.

“There are people from our program working in small towns and bigger cities,” he said. “Students who want to move up from a physically challenging job can take our program to get them in a better office or management position.”

Business Management Technology is available at the Abilene, Breckenridge, Brownwood, Harlingen, and Marshall campuses.

For more information on Texas State Technical College, go to tstc.edu.

TSTC instructor says Chemical Dependency Counseling offers students more than a degree

(ABILENE, Texas) – Graduates of Texas State Technical College’s Chemical Dependency Counseling program learn more about themselves, according to Patty Bundick, the program’s department chair.

Bundick said the need for licensed counselors is always high and students range in age from high school graduates to older students.

“Some of our students are hungry to know more about themselves,” Bundick said. “The one thing I always think about, even if the student does not go to work in the field, is that the program has made a difference in their life.”

Bundick’s philosophy is only natural.

“I am a counselor at heart. I see students come in and know that what I teach them will help not only them, but it will help someone else,” she said.

The five-semester Associate of Applied Science degree program covers several topics, including working with families and family intervention.

“You will learn all aspects of treatment,” Bundick said.

Students also discuss current issues during class. Bundick said topics have ranged from Child Protective Services to HIV and other diseases.

The program also allows Bundick to teach students how the body processes a drug and the behaviors it might cause.

Today, she said more high school graduates are showing an interest in the program.

She said some students recovered from their addiction and want to help others do the same.

Graduates have found employment at different facilities in West Texas, including the Abilene Regional Council on Alcohol and Drug Abuse, Homeward Bound, Serenity House, the Taylor County Substance Abuse Treatment Facility and the Texas Juvenile Justice Department.

Bundick said she hopes the program continues to grow when it is available online only starting in the fall of 2021. TSTC offers the program in Abilene, Breckenridge and Brownwood. 

For more information on Texas State Technical College, go to tstc.edu.