TSTC Nursing students achieve milestone

(HARLINGEN, Texas) – This week, Texas State Technical College celebrated a cohort of nursing students who passed the National Council Licensure Examination with a success rate of 96 percent at its traditional nursing pinning ceremony. The milestone is particularly special because the passing percentage with the Board of Nursing is 80 percent, which puts TSTC well above average of most other colleges and universities

This particular group of students was at the forefront of adjustments made by TSTC because of the coronavirus, something that Associate Provost Jean Lashbrook said adds even more meaning to their accomplishment.

“They have definitely stepped up to the plate, and quickly,” she said. “This group started in the fall of 2019 and completed their program at the end of summer 2020. They started the program with face-to-face classes and then had to quickly move to online learning with minimal face-to-face conversations with instructors, and the inability to be at the clinical sites due to the coronavirus.”

Program director Shirley Byrd acknowledged that both faculty and students being able to adjust so rapidly to the new methods of learning is something to be proud of.

“These students need to be recognized for the hardships they endured,” she said. “They came into the program with an excellent attitude and a gung-ho spirit to accomplish their goal of becoming registered nurses. They were already familiar with being able to interact with faculty on a daily basis, and all of a sudden, because of the pandemic, that was gone.”

The pinning ceremony, which became a tradition in the U.S. around 1916, was started by Florence Nightingale on her quest to honor nurses for their dedicated and selfless service.

“The pin identifies them as nurses,” Byrd said. “It bears testimony to their education.”

Lashbrook added that the ceremony is a well-deserved send-off into the field of nursing.

“Pinning is a rite of passage, so to speak,” she said. “It is presented to the new graduate as a symbol that welcomes them to the profession of nursing.”

Byrd said that the instructors of the program are incredibly proud of this cohort, and she even had a few parting words.

“Continue the dedication you showed in the program to your patients,” she said. “Show everybody what excellent nurses you have become. The world is yours.”

To learn more about TSTC’s Nursing program, visit https://www.tstc.edu/programs/Nursing.

TSTC Dental Hygiene instructor brings experience from Alaska to Texas

(HARLINGEN, Texas) – Students in Texas State Technical College’s Dental Hygiene program are fortunate that their instructors bring a wealth of experience to the classroom each day. One of these instructors, Victoria Martin, lived in such diverse locales as Alaska and Puerto Rico before calling Texas home.

How long have you been with TSTC?

I began teaching with TSTC in the summer of 2016, but my love for wanting to teach at the Harlingen campus started much earlier, around 2007. I was living and teaching in Anchorage, Alaska, back then. My husband and I would come down to the Rio Grande Valley to vacation — and warm up a little. Going to and from the airport, we would pass by the TSTC campus. The main quad area of the camps is just beautiful, and I would say to myself, I pray I get to teach there someday.

What inspired you to get into teaching?

One of my former instructors, a mentor and friend, approached me to take over one of her classes when she retired. I was deeply honored. Once I started, my love for teaching grew with every class.

What did you do before your time with TSTC?

That is a topic that could make its own book. As I mentioned, I was teaching dental hygiene in Anchorage. During that time, I was also highly active in the American Dental Hygiene Association, along with practicing clinical dental hygiene in a public health setting. Besides providing oral health care in a hospital setting in Anchorage, we would fly to parts of rural Alaska to set up portable dental units and provide oral care to Alaska Natives. It was a fun and exciting time. My husband was a commissioned officer and dentist with the United States Public Health Service. Later, he was transferred to Puerto Rico. While there, I completed my master’s degree in dental hygiene. When my husband retired, we moved to the Rio Grande Valley.

What do you enjoy most about working with students?

Wow, there are so many things that I love about teaching. My favorite is watching the students grow, not only with their dental hygiene and critical-thinking skills, but also as confident professionals. By the time they graduate, they believe in themselves and are willing to take any challenge head-on.

Do you have a favorite TSTC memory?

A year after I had been teaching, my dad, who is a dentist, came down from Chicago to visit. I brought him to the TSTC dental hygiene clinic to meet my co-workers and students. This simple thing turned into a lifelong memory for both me and my dad. Both the faculty and students not only welcomed my dad, but they treated him like a rock star. My dad felt incredibly special and still talks about it to this day. That moment will forever be in my heart.

To learn more 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.

TSTC Alumnus Provides Environmental Safety Needs

(WACO, Texas) – Chadwick Cole of Lorena took his mother’s advice to heart when he was a teenager growing up in Bryan.

“My mother told me to never stop learning,” he said.

After graduating from high school, Cole pursued psychology at a two-year college but did not find the classes enjoyable. He needed a change, and found it at Texas State Technical College’s Waco campus. He graduated in 2001 with an Associate of Applied Science degree in Environmental Health and Safety.

“I’m proud to say I graduated from TSTC,” he said. “I felt like I got my money’s worth.”

Cole said TSTC gave him the confidence he needed to enter the workforce. 

“Chad was success-oriented from day one, and we all knew he was destined for greatness,” said Martin Knudsen, an instructor in TSTC’s Occupational Safety Compliance Technology program.

Cole went to work as a project manager at ESESIS Environmental Partners less than a week after graduating from TSTC. The company was founded in 1988 in Waco by Charles Thorn, who decided in 2010 to sell the company to his employees. Cole and two co-workers bought the company and several years later relocated it to Elm Mott.

Cole does not sit in an office all day. He travels throughout Texas doing Phase 1 environmental site assessments, along with asbestos, lead and mold inspections, on commercial buildings and homes. The company recently added COVID-19 surface testing because of demand.

“I own the company because I know to be a success, it is in my hands,” Cole said. “I know I will not be laid off. I want to be in control of my destiny.”

Cole said there is a need for people to work in lead inspecting, as well as asbestos and mold consulting. He said the jobs are great ways to work with regulations and use problem-solving skills.

“If you want to help people with environmental challenges and issues, this is the career to go into,” he said.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Texas had more than 3,000 environmental science and protection technicians earning an annual mean wage of $48,400 in 2019. 

Jobs for these technicians are projected to rise to more than 37,000 through 2029 in the United States, according to the federal agency.

“In today’s industrial world, there is and always will be a need for individuals that possess the knowledge and skills we offer in the environmental program,” said Lester Bowers, TSTC’s statewide chair of the Environmental Technology department. “The skills and education our students receive here offer them numerous opportunities in industry such as program management, consulting, training and regulatory positions.”

Cole graduated in 1996 from Bryan High School.

“We heard about TSTC, and my grandmother and mother brought us (he and his fraternal twin brother, Christopher) to campus, and we toured several programs,” Cole said.

Cole said the Safety Training Presentation Techniques class is one he will always remember. The morning of his presentation to the class, Cole hurt his hand as he was going down icy steps at his on-campus apartment. 

“That class set me up for success because I wasn’t used to talking to a lot of people (at one time),” Cole said.

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

TSTC Alumna Leads Effort to Improve Axtell

(WACO, Texas) – Amanda Ruble has quickly put her fundraising and marketing skills to good use for the betterment of Axtell, an unincorporated area of McLennan County.

“It does not have a big-city feel,” she said. “We have a good school district out here.”

Ruble, who grew up in Gatesville, is a 2017 graduate of Texas State Technical College. She took online classes to earn an Associate of Applied Science degree in Business Management Technology.

“I am extremely proud of the young woman Amanda has grown into,” said her mother Sherri Ruble, an instructor in TSTC’s Computer Networking and Systems Administration program in Waco. “She has always been goal-oriented. I know that once she sets her mind to do something, she will.”

Amanda Ruble was a marketing director when she was laid off in March. She now has businesses at her home selling candles and shirts.

The idea for Axtell’s farmers market came from an item on an Axtell-focused Facebook page. People thought it would be a great idea for those who grew vegetables to gather and sell them.

Amanda Ruble thought about the idea and decided to take the lead for residents. She started a Facebook page for the Axtell Farmers Market and Trade Days and asked Leroy-Axtell Fire and Rescue’s fire chief to allow the market to set up on land next door to their building.

Amanda Ruble learned the 20-member volunteer force needed a new Jaws of Life to enable them to answer emergency calls. She decided all proceeds from the farmers market would go toward this purchase.

“We have two deadly intersections out here, and people wreck all the time,” she said.

The first farmers’ market in July yielded more than $600 in donations. Eventually the younger Ruble was able to raise $15,000 with farmers markets held twice a month starting in August.

In late September, she had a meeting via video conferencing with representatives of Daniel Stark Injury Lawyers in Waco to discuss the Jaws of Life project. Ruble said she was surprised when the law firm offered to contribute $15,000 to enable the volunteer fire department to make the purchase.

Billy Brown, the Leroy-Axtell Fire and Rescue’s assistant fire chief, said the effort brought residents together. He said the volunteers found out through a group text about all of the Jaws of Life funding being raised.

“It’s great to know there are still kind-hearted people out there,” Brown said.

Ruble’s next goal is to raise money for a park for residents. The park is planned for the land the farmers market takes place on.

“We need something here,” she said.

The Axtell Farmers Market and Trade Days are held from 9 a.m. to noon on the first and third Saturdays of each month next to the Leroy-Axtell Fire and Rescue’s building. The last event of the year will be held Dec. 19. The event will restart in the spring. The market adheres to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and McLennan County health and safety guidelines for COVID-19.

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

TSTC Environmental Technology instructor brings experience to the classroom

(ROSENBERG, Texas) – Texas State Technical College Environmental Technology instructor Maria Vaughan brings knowledge and a passion for environmental safety into her classroom every day. Her time at TSTC has brought her not only many wonderful memories, but also a stronger sense of purpose as she continues to educate the future employees of the industry that she loves.

What inspired you to get into teaching?

Actually, I fell into teaching. One of the reasons was because most of the people I encountered within my industry did not understand the “how to”: How to take a water sample; how to take an air sample; how to write a sampling plan, an emergency response plan or other environmental and safety plans. It was amazing to me to see companies not know what environmental and safety regulations they were subject to or how to apply them. Teaching gave me the opportunity to give back the “how to” to students before they went into industry.

What did you do before teaching at TSTC?

Before TSTC, I worked with Parks and Wildlife, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, and as a consultant. Each position had its merits and molded me into the environmentalist I am today. I am grateful for each experience and thankful that I am able to share my experiences with others.

What do you enjoy most about working with students?

A student once told me, “Ms. Vaughan, you are actually teaching us and training us for the real world.” I definitely enjoy when students realize that the education they are receiving at TSTC exceeds their expectations. There is a change in their demeanor and attitude toward the courses and with each other. Their want for education and the drive to get all they can from their instructors grows exponentially.

Do you have a favorite TSTC memory?

I think my most favorite memory was during an Environmental Toxicology class. The lesson included learning about chronic and acute illness, and the differences or similarities between the two. One of my students, out of the blue, said, “Ms. Vaughan is acute.” That brought the entire class to laughter.

To learn more about TSTC, visit tstc.edu.

TSTC Culinary Arts student worker gains career experience before graduation

(HARLINGEN, Texas) – Dreams of opening her own restaurant led Leilani Lopez on a path to studying Culinary Arts at Texas State Technical College. While her journey at TSTC has not been a cakewalk, she is grateful for the support and guidance that she has received from her dedicated instructors.

The Philippines native is a student worker in the Culinary Arts department and is expected to graduate at the end of this year.

“I have always enjoyed cooking and baking,” she said. “I wanted to make it a career. My journey at TSTC was difficult at first because I did not know there was more to culinary arts than cooking and baking. However, the instructors have been extremely helpful. They encouraged me to keep learning, and every day has brought me something new.”

Culinary Arts instructor Emma Creps said that Lopez has excelled during her three semesters as a student worker.

“Right now she is in her final class before she graduates,” she said. “She has been a terrific student worker. Very dedicated.”

Lopez said she is not a student who likes to observe from the sidelines.

“I enjoy prepping, baking, and conducting inventory,” she said. “I like being helpful. I am not the type of person who likes to stand and watch. I am always willing to learn more.”

Her dedication to go above and beyond extends well into her education.

“My original plan was to just get my certificate,” she said. “It was my husband who encouraged me to go for my associate degree instead. I was nervous at first. I did not think I was going to make it.”

Through her time at TSTC, Lopez has relished competing with her peers.

“My favorite memories are the competitions the department has,” she said. “They helped me realize that I was able to work well under pressure. They helped me become a competitive person and define my strengths and weaknesses.

Lopez said TSTC has helped her prepare for her career beyond her education.

“I have learned how to be more organized and use time management wisely,” she said. “It has made me more confident and comfortable with myself. I was very shy when I started this program, but now I am headstrong, and I look forward to succeeding in the future.”

To learn more about TSTC, visit tstc.edu.

MVEC establishes Electrical Lineworker scholarship at TSTC

(HARLINGEN, Texas) – Magic Valley Electric Cooperative (MVEC) recently gave $20,000 to The TSTC Foundation for scholarships in Texas State Technical College’s Electrical Lineworker Technology program. The funds will benefit deserving students who one day hope to become part of the booming lineworker industry.

TSTC senior field development officer Richard Mesquias said that The TSTC Foundation is grateful for this gift.

“The funding will enable us to help TSTC in its work to prepare students for the workforce now and in the future,” he said. “This scholarship fund will be used to provide financial assistance for tuition, books and tools to eligible students.”

Partnerships with businesses like MVEC allow TSTC’s mission of training students for well-paying careers to continue. Mesquias reiterated that the number of jobs in this market is expected to climb, making these funds even more vital.

“Market demand for lineworker positions in Texas is expected to grow,” he said. “This means that TSTC graduates are quite attractive to Texas employers.”

MVEC general manager John Herrera said that one of the company’s most important goals is to empower the communities it serves.

“When TSTC reached out to us about investing in their Electrical Lineworker Technology program in the form of a scholarship fund, we did not hesitate,” he said. “We are honored to be part of the preparation and training of TSTC students toward a very rewarding career in the electric industry.”

TSTC Provost Cledia Hernandez said that the scholarship fund helps to accomplish two of TSTC’s biggest goals: student success and employer success.

“We focus on getting our students trained to go straight into the workforce and be prepared with the skills employers look for,” she said. “We also work very closely with industry partners to ensure that we get their input on the skills needed to make certain that our programs are aligned with their needs.”

Hernandez said that scholarships such as this allow TSTC students to fulfill their dreams.

“Our industry partners see the caliber of graduates TSTC produces, and they want to invest in our region’s future workforce,” she said. “They also see the financial need that many of our students face, and these scholarships will help them reach their career goals.”

Herrera spoke about how the occupation itself is unique.

“The program at TSTC can be life-changing for students,” he said. “Although it is hard work, the career of an electrical lineworker can be very rewarding, both professionally and financially. It is an opportunity to play a vital role in your local community and allows you to become part of the family of lineworkers across the nation.”

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Texas is at the top of the list of states with the highest level of employment for electrical lineworkers, and the demand is expected to continue to grow.

To learn more about Electrical Lineworker Technology at TSTC, visit https://www.tstc.edu/programs/ElectricalLineworkerTechnology.

Culinary Arts at TSTC ready to fill jobs

(HARLINGEN, Texas) – Texas State Technical College provides a hands-on approach to the rapidly growing field of culinary arts.

TSTC offers an Associate of Applied Science degree in Culinary Arts, as well as three certificates, all of which can help equip students for success in the future.

Culinary Arts instructor Emma Creps discussed the approach that TSTC takes to the program.

“Our program has well-trained instructors with a lot of experience,” she said. “Our students receive excellent training, whether it is in baking or cooking techniques, food and meat preparation, dining room and customer service, or international and American cuisine.”

She said that Culinary Arts is always looking for additional ways that the program can bring even more to the table for students.

“We are always seeking ways to enhance those experiences for students,” she said. “Throughout the program, our students are given projects that will help them learn the importance of organizing events, kitchen management, menu creation and community relations.”

TSTC Career Services director Viviana Espinosa said that the guidance given from her department extends beyond a job search. While the coronavirus has shifted their services to being done virtually, students can still expect the same level of support that TSTC is known for.

“Our department offers professional development workshops, employer spotlights, job fairs to connect our students with industry professionals, and access to our online job portal,” she said.

The support does not stop there.

“We also offer one-on-one consultations, where we assist the student individually with their resume and conduct mock interviews.”

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, culinary arts is expected to grow at a faster-than-average pace until 2029.

To learn more about TSTC, visit tstc.edu.