TSTC Employees in Williamson County Recognized With Statewide Award

(HUTTO, Texas) – Two employees at Texas State Technical College’s Williamson County campus have been honored for their work and skills.

Nelson Adams, an instructor in the Culinary Arts program, and Chemese Armstrong, a campus enrollment executive, have received the TSTC Chancellor’s Excellence Award.

The Chancellor’s Excellence Award began in 2001 and has been given to more than 300 TSTC employees statewide. Recipients are nominated by their peers for their work toward advancing the college’s mission.

“The teammates who win this award model excellence for us all and are recognized for both their sound character and for advancing TSTC’s mission,” said TSTC Chancellor & CEO Mike Reeser. “Due to their caring and dedicated efforts, TSTC continues to make a difference in the employment success of our students.”

Adams lives in Walburg and began work in 2018 at TSTC.

“I have the great fortune of working with our students on a daily basis in the classroom,” he said. “My day revolves around not only what they are learning and how it is applied in the workplace, but showing our students all of the different facets of making a living in the culinary industry.”

Adams said he enjoys working at TSTC because of its dedication in placing students in high-paying jobs in Texas, and the experiences the faculty and staff share regarding instruction and pedagogy.

“Knowing that my work is recognized by my peers, that I am valued as a contributor and that they hold me in the same esteem that I hold all of them is a humbling experience, to say the least,” he said.

Lissa Adams, associate provost at TSTC’s Williamson County campus, said Adams holds himself and those around him to a high standard of excellence.

“He is a constant beacon of hope, support and encouragement,” she said. “Nelson’s positive, passionate, can-do attitude, integrity and focus on student success are contagious, and we are fortunate to have him as part of the TSTC team.”

Armstrong resides in Hutto and has worked for 11 years at TSTC. She enjoys her job because she can watch how TSTC changes students’ lives. Armstrong said she is honored to receive the recognition.

“Chemese is a pillar of our TSTC community,” said Lissa Adams. “She exemplifies our core values of excellence, integrity, accountability and service in all that she does. Chemese is a fierce advocate for every student and is widely respected for her compassion, dedication and consistent servant-leadership.”

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

Alvarado receives TSTC Chancellor’s Excellence Award

(ABILENE, Texas) – Terra Alvarado has been a team player at Texas State Technical College for the past 14 years.

This year, Alvarado was honored with the Chancellor’s Excellence Award for going out of her way to help students who struggle with math.

“The teammates who win this award model excellence for us all and are recognized for both their sound character and for advancing TSTC’s mission,” said TSTC Chancellor & CEO Mike Reeser. “Due to their caring and dedicated efforts, TSTC continues to make a difference in the employment success of our students.”

“I was honored to be recognized and added to a group of my amazing teammates who have gone above and beyond to support TSTC’s mission of placing more Texans,” Alvarado said of receiving the award.

Alvarado, who is a native of Amarillo, is the Developmental Education division director at TSTC. After graduating from Randall High School, she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in mathematics from West Texas A&M University and a Master of Science degree in mathematics from Texas Tech University.

“Each year TSTC employees have an opportunity to nominate fellow employees who display our core values on an ongoing and consistent basis. Regardless of their daily demands, these nominees have risen to the top through their dedication to TSTC customers, both internal and external,” said Rick Denbow, provost at TSTC in West Texas. “With multiple levels of vetting, only a small percentage of those nominated are awarded the Chancellor’s Excellence Award.”

Over the past 14 years, Alvarado said teamwork has been the key to driving student success.

“The best part of working at TSTC is my teammates. I work with amazing and dedicated people who support each other, and we all work together toward student success,” she said.

Her idea of teamwork shows in her personal goal while working at TSTC.

“As my position is one of supporting the departments in my division, my primary goal is to support my team in achieving their goals,” she said. “TSTC makes a huge difference in helping students get degrees and certificates that not only get them jobs, but great-paying jobs, without a ton of student loan debt.”

The Chancellor’s Excellence Award began in 2001 and has been given to more than 300 TSTC employees statewide. Recipients are nominated by their peers for their work toward advancing the technical college’s mission.

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

EMS students used to online learning

(ABILENE, Texas) – When a medical crisis occurs, one of the first phone calls is to 911.

Emergency medical technicians are among the first responders on the scene to help a patient. Texas State Technical College’s Emergency Medical Services students use online learning to prepare them for a medical situation.

Abilene EMS instructor James Pitts said video is being used to help current students with skills they may need during a medical emergency, including the COVID-19 pandemic. Using video is nothing new to students, he said. It is essential to the program, which is available in Abilene, Brownwood and Harlingen.

“We have been looking for quality videos to supplement the students’ skills,” Pitts said of working online only at this time.

The program has a three-step approach: online learning, classroom lectures to reinforce what was learned online, and lab work. Pitts said students have several resources they can use on their own, including online access to the course’s publisher, Jones & Bartlett.

“They can navigate to interactive lectures. They can read chapters and engage in feedback online,” he said.

In the classroom, Pitts said instructors and students discuss what was provided online.

“They spend the rest of the day developing skills in the lab,” he said. “There has been a learning gap for our students to adjust to this way of learning. I think this will be better for our program.”

When TSTC began remote classes last month, Pitts said the students were already in a “good spot.”

“We used the tools that were in place, but since we were not on campus, we had to modify things,” he said.

Technology is used for live lectures as instructors and students continue classes.

“We did not want to lose that live engagement with the instructors. That was important to us,” Pitts said.

According to Pitts, it is important for students to continue using online resources at home.

“All this is preparing them for coming back to school and putting their skills to use,” Pitts said.

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

TSTC Counselors Take Their Work Online

(WACO, Texas) – Texas State Technical College’s counselors are embracing telecounseling to help students through the ongoing COVID-19 situation.

TSTC counselors Courtney Moltzer, Colby Walters and Shanta Williams began video conferencing earlier this month to keep in touch with students they would normally see in-person on campus. All the counselors and students need is a secure internet connection and a smartphone, iPad or laptop to communicate.

Walters said the key for students is to find a place where they feel comfortable talking to the counselors during sessions. She said the biggest concern for her students is anxiety.

“Right now, it is grounding them and keeping them in the here and now,” she said.

Williams is using telecounseling for the first time to talk to her students.

“So far, it’s been good,” she said. “I have had a few keep their regular weekly appointments and have emailed to some of them with resources.”

Williams said her students have expressed concerns about their classes. During discussions, she has emphasized self-care and social distancing.

Students in need of counseling must contact TSTC’s counselors before being scheduled for visits, Moltzer said.

“We can never turn a student away,” she said.

The American Psychological Association supports telepsychology, with guidelines covering privacy and HIPAA compliance.

Walters said the current health situation could signal a change in how the counselors do their work in the future, and video could be a part of it.

For more information on Texas State Technical College’s counseling services, go to tstc.edu/student_life/counseling2.

TSTC Alumni Share Brotherhood, Career in Dallas

(HARLINGEN, Texas) – Alvaro and Andy Juarez have more than a family tie; they also share an alma mater and workplace.

The brothers are graduates of Texas State Technical College’s Harlingen campus, and both have an Associate of Applied Science degree in Precision Machining Technology. Alvaro graduated in 2015 and Andy in 2017.

“I feel like Precision Machining Technology is the best program to major in because the process of making a functional block of aluminum, metal, plastic, etc., is very interesting,” Alvaro said. “Almost every product you look at in everyday life was part of a machining process, from something as small as a bottle cap to the components of a vehicle.”

The brothers are machinists at Raytheon Technologies in Dallas. Alvaro lives in Hurst, and Andy calls Irving home.

Alvaro said communicating with co-workers is key to maintaining product continuity during shift changes.

“Raytheon consists mainly of castings, or billets, and very close tolerances,” he said. “The main focus at work is safety and making sure you are running good parts and keeping scrap to a minimum. What I love most about my job is the complexity of the parts that I run, being able to figure out issues when they arise and being a mentor to co-workers when they need help.”

Alvaro’s inspiration comes from his wife and 4-year-old son.

“They motivate me to be the best I can be and keep me going daily,” he said. “Being able to provide for my family also keeps me motivated.”

Andy said he is currently operating a five-axis horizontal milling machine to do his work.

“A typical day at Raytheon includes a 12-hour night shift, interacting with co-workers, and running different parts and setups while learning new stuff every day,” he said.

Andy said he likes the challenges his job brings.

“I enjoy going to work knowing that every day at Raytheon there is something new to learn, especially when issues arise,” he said. “That is where I love my job — in being able to figure out the issue.”

Andy’s drive comes from pushing himself to be a great machinist.

“My motivation in life is to work hard and to have what I didn’t growing up, and to build a future for me and my fiancee,” he said.

The Juarez brothers grew up in Rio Hondo and are graduates of San Benito High School. They said they miss their family, fishing, food and being outdoors in the Rio Grande Valley.

Alvaro said he was inspired to study precision machining because a friend graduated from TSTC and recommended it.

“It caught my attention because I love math, and that is mainly what machining is — numbers,” he said. “TSTC has a good reputation of helping you find a job once you complete your certificate or associate degree, and it being affordable is definitely a plus.”

Andy said his brother influenced his decision to study precision machining.

“I was advised by my brother that Raytheon was a great company to work for,” he said. “My brother and I are very good at math and figuring out problems, no matter how long or difficult the situation may be. He said the PMT instructors at TSTC were very helpful and made themselves available with any questions or concerns.”

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

TSTC Avionics Graduate Motivated by Perseverance

(WACO, Texas) – Jeffrey Potts’ fascination with aviation began when he was in high school in Michigan.

He later joined the military and attended Texas State Technical College’s Waco campus, where he graduated in December 2019 with an Associate of Applied Science degree in Avionics Technology.

“I loved my time in the avionics program,” said Potts, who now lives in Whitney in Hill County. “I learned so many things that I use every day at both work and home, everything from how electronics work to how complex systems interact with each other.”

Three days after graduating from TSTC, Potts began work as an avionics technician at JAG Aviation in McGregor.

Potts said his motivation comes from the American dream.

“Yes, I know that sounds cliche,” he said. “However, I’ve seen what hard work and perseverance can do for people.”

Texas had more than 2,900 avionics technicians with an annual mean wage of $64,110 in May 2019, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Jobs for avionics technicians are projected to be at 21,000 by 2028, according to the agency.

After graduating from high school, Potts joined the U.S. Marine Corps. He trained in California and North Carolina before being sent to the Louis F. Garland Department of Defense Fire Academy in San Angelo. He later served in Hawaii as an aircraft rescue and firefighting specialist.

“I liked working around aircraft so much that I decided to work on them,” Potts said.

Potts chose TSTC because of its aviation programs and the desire to start a new life in Texas. While attending college, he worked part time at Ellison Avionics Services in Waco as an avionics technician performing component-level repairs on avionics systems and radios.

Potts’ advice to prospective students is to pay attention to instructors.

“It was enjoyable having Jeffrey as a student,” said Martin Segraves, TSTC’s chair of the Avionics Technology program. “He’s smart, quick-witted and a skilled problem solver.”

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

Alumnus returns to TSTC to help train area workers

(ABILENE, Texas) – While attending Snyder High School in 1985, Terry Steelman was impressed with Texas State Technical College.

After serving in the U.S. Marine Corps for 20 years and the private sector for several more, Steelman still remembered his visit to the Sweetwater campus.

“When I got out of the Marine Corps, I knew I wanted to go back to school. TSTC was my first choice,” Steelman said.

After graduating from TSTC in 2019 with an Associate of Applied Science degree in Industrial Systems, Steelman was hired as the workforce trainer at the Abilene campus.

His first few weeks included sessions he needed in order to provide workforce training to area businesses.

“Terry had a lot of military training and earned military certificates, but he did not have training for the civilian side. His first few days on the job included OSHA training,” said TSTC Workforce Training Executive Director John Dosher.

Steelman will provide training for businesses in West Texas, including what Dosher called big projects at plants in Sweetwater and Abilene.

“We set up meetings with different companies. We will do whatever training they want us to do,” Steelman said. “We will look at the curriculum they want us to teach.”

Having Steelman based in West Texas will benefit TSTC, Dosher said.

“Having Terry here in West Texas will open a lot of opportunities,” he said, adding that some previous training was either provided by instructors from Waco or outsourced. “That made our prices higher. With Terry on board, we are going to be more competitive.”

Steelman said his top priority will be to provide what the customers want.

“We are going to listen to the customers. We are going to provide them with quality training opportunities,” he said.

Dosher said Steelman has strengthened TSTC’s training opportunities.

“His bank of knowledge is surpassed by most everyone,” he said. “This is going to be a new experience for him. I know he is up to the challenge.”

One of those challenges will be fast-track courses

“I plan for him to lead some of our certificate courses and turn them into fast-track classes. Instead of 12 months to complete, it could be a six- to eight-week class,” Dosher said. “That is a huge possibility for us. With his knowledge, we will be able to deliver classes not seen before.”

For more information on TSTC Workforce Training, go to https://www.tstc.edu/workforce.

TSTC Programs Teach Students About Respirator Usage

(WACO, Texas) – What people wear on their faces to protect themselves has taken on greater importance in the time of COVID-19.

“We train our students how to determine which type of respirator is proper for various tasks,” said Mark Wilfert, an instructor in Texas State Technical College’s Occupational Safety Compliance Technology program in Waco. “When they get into the industry, it will be a responsibility that some of them will be required to perform.”

Wilfert said students learn how workers need to be protected from airborne hazards in two industrial hygiene classes. In the program’s fourth-semester Safety Program Management course, students learn how to write a respiratory protection plan.

“Our students are required to fit test each other using qualitative methods while wearing respirators,” Wilfert said. “They also are required to disassemble and reassemble the respirator for proper cleaning.”

A respirator is defined by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration as personal protection equipment that blocks people from inhaling dangerous chemicals, dust, gases, smoke and other substances. Respirators can range from masks worn in the health care environment to heavy equipment used by firefighters.

OSHA sets guidelines on how respirators should fit over the face, along with their storage, maintenance and disposal.

“Quantitative fit testing requires the use of a machine, which is typically done by other trained professionals,” Wilfert said. “It is, however, usually the responsibility of safety personnel to make sure certain people are trained on respirator use. Discussing facial hair and company policy will be included in the training.”

The N95 respirator is the one most commonly used in the health care field.

“We teach personal protection equipment and handwashing as the first things in the lab in their Applied Nursing Skills class,” said Marchelle Taylor, TSTC’s Vocational Nursing program director in Breckenridge. “This is done before they go to clinicals to protect the patients, families and themselves before they ever go out into the real world.”

The Better Business Bureau has issued a scam alert regarding fake masks being sold online. The agency said people buying them are typically doing so from online retailers they have not shopped with before. The agency said the temporary websites are ways for scammers to get names and credit card information. If masks are ordered, they may not make it into the hands of consumers, according to the agency.

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

TSTC Cybersecurity Program: Use Different Passwords for Online Shopping

(HUTTO, Texas) – As Central Texans adapt to an uncertain future of self-isolation and businesses temporarily closing, online shopping is becoming the way for consumers to acquire what they want.

“That is where everybody is headed, especially with the coronavirus,” said Joshua Schier, a Cybersecurity instructor at Texas State Technical College’s Williamson County campus. “It is the way for us to have less contact. It is a simple convenience. Anyone who uses Amazon realizes how nice it is.”

People who are new to online shopping could be prime targets for scammers.

“These scammers capitalize on every opportunity like this anytime there is panic and fear and people are vulnerable,” Schier said.

He said consumers should diversify the passwords they use for online accounts.

“To do that, people are using a password manager to hold and store them,” he said.

Schier cautioned against shopping through mobile and social media apps because of security risks.

The Federal Trade Commission and Food and Drug Administration recently sent warning letters to seven companies selling essential oils, teas and other products claiming to prevent or treat COVID-19, according to a blog recently written by Colleen Tressler, an FTC agency consumer education specialist.

“Both agencies will continue to monitor social media, online marketplaces and incoming complaints to help ensure that the companies do not continue to market fraudulent products under a different name or on another website,” Tressler wrote.

In 2018, the Better Business Bureau received more than 28,000 complaints and at least 10,000 scam reports nationwide related to online shopping.

Emily Gaines, a public relations coordinator for the Better Business Bureau in Austin, said scammers are using health as a way to get to consumers.

“Medical face masks can be counterfeited and sold at a lesser quality than advertised, making them less safe than the consumer would hope,” Gaines said. “Scammers may advertise fake cures or preventions for sale, and there are currently no FDA-approved vaccines, drugs or preventions available to purchase online.”

The bureau recommends consumers do online research before making purchases. The agency advises to research sellers, use a credit card for secure online payments, take time to think about purchases and keep documentation of all orders.  And, consumers should not do online shopping using Wi-Fi hotspots because of security concerns.

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

TSTC Visual Communication Technology Student Honored With Scholarship

(WACO, Texas) — Shannon Hudson of Riesel grew up with an interest in drawing and fashion, and she had a vision of starting a T-shirt business.

She realized she did not have the technical skills to make her a plan a reality.

“So, I decided to learn about something that I was really passionate about,” Hudson said. “Texas State Technical College was a great choice for me because I’m a very hands-on learner. I wanted to learn something very specific.”

Now her dedication to the visual design field has been recognized.

Hudson has received the Baxter + Korge Education Scholarship from the Advertising Education Foundation of Houston. She will be honored at the organization’s scholarship luncheon in October. 

“Ms. Hudson carries out her assignments going above and beyond,” said Stacie Buterbaugh, an instructor in TSTC’s Visual Communication Technology program. “She is eager to learn new techniques using graphic design software to help bring her conceptual ideas to fruition. In the classroom, she is often seen participating in lectures and collaborating with her fellow classmates as she serves as our department’s peer tutor.”

Hudson’s inspiration to pursue her degree comes from her two young daughters.

“As a single mom, I am motivated every single day to be the best role model and provider I can possibly be,” she said. “I’m far from perfect. But in their eyes, I want them to see their mom as someone who went against all odds and decided to pursue her dream and make it happen.”

Hudson said TSTC continues to provide her with a good education at a reasonable cost and a nurturing learning environment.

“TSTC has been a wonderful learning experience,” she said. “The small classrooms allow for such a personal experience and relationships with your mentors, which is a rarity in this day and age.”

Hudson is scheduled to graduate from TSTC in spring 2021 with an Associate of Applied Science degree in Visual Communication Technology. After graduation, she wants to work in branding and campaign management.

“I absolutely love coming up with stories for companies to use to make their products fun and exciting,” she said. “I really enjoy thinking outside the box and bringing things to life. It is my ultimate goal to work somewhere that allows me to do that.”

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