TSTC Instructor’s Enthusiasm Earns Him Faculty of the Year Award

(RED OAK) – Employees at Texas State Technical College celebrated Employee Appreciation Day in June, a day that included fun for employees and awards for employees of the year.
HVAC Instructor Terry Robinson was chosen as faculty member of the year.
Robinson, a native of Clute, Texas, who has been teaching at TSTC for two years, said he was humbled to receive the honor from his peers.

“I was gratified to get this recognition,” he said. “I think they’ve seen my dedication and the amount of work I put into helping build the HVAC department. When I came here, they had just moved all the equipment from another location, so I had to not only start building stuff to teach with, but I had to build the lab. I think everyone was well-pleased with the effort I put into it.”

Robinson was working as a service manager when he discovered a passion for teaching.

“I enjoyed teaching my technicians and installers how to do things, so I knew that teaching was going to be something I would want to do at some point,” he said. “In 1992 I started teaching, and I’ve been teaching ever since. I’ve also taught at Tarrant County College, Fort Worth Independent Schools’ night adult program and at Cedar Valley College.”

In his teaching style, Robinson swears by his motto: “Those that can, teach passionately.”

“That’s the way I try to approach my teaching. I enjoy communicating with my students and being creative,” he said.

He enjoys showing students the significance of TSTC.

“I’ve seen all types of educational systems — private, proprietary, trade school, junior college — and I like TSTC because I think we’re the best educational value a student can have,” Robinson said. “It’s just such an incredible value for students at a relatively low price.”

Robinson and his wife, a former elementary school teacher, share a passion for education.


“My wife was there the day that I got the award, and it just totally surprised her,” Robinson said. “She had just retired after 41 years of teaching elementary in public schools. In the last 15 years or so, she was a talented and gifted teacher. I always told her, ‘Of course you teach talented and gifted — you live with me!’”
TSTC prides itself on being “a great place to work” and is currently hiring for positions at its 10 campuses statewide. For information on open positions at TSTC, visit tstc.edu/about/employment.

TSTC Looks to Expand Team

(HUTTO) – Texas State Technical College is looking to expand its Williamson County team and hiring for several instructor positions.

Precision Machining, Industrial Maintenance, HVAC, Welding and Culinary Arts are some of the areas in which the school is looking to fill vacancies.

Campus Director Darren Block said teaching offers a chance to make an impact in the community. It also lets one do one’s part to fill the “skills gap,” a shortage of middle-skilled workers to fill open positions in the U.S.

“By instructing the next generation of blue-collar workers in this country, we are building the future and providing a path to success,” Block said. “You often hear ‘it’s a dying art’ or the ‘skills gap.’ We are filling that skills gap, or handing down that skill or ‘art’ to the next generation.”

Block said teaching also offers a sense of pride.

“Teaching someone to do what you do is fulfilling and rewarding,” he said. “When I get a call from an employer saying our student is working out great and asking if we have any more to send them, that is what it is all about.”

TSTC Provost Edgar Padilla hopes those interested in strengthening the workforce of Texas will apply.

“TSTC is a dynamic institution, working hard to fulfill a unique mission among colleges and universities in Texas,” Padilla said. “Our employees are the heartbeat of our vision for placing more Texans into great careers. We are seeking employees who are eager to innovate, lead and be part of changing the landscape of higher education in Texas.”

TSTC has 10 campuses statewide in Abilene, Breckenridge, Brownwood, Fort Bend County, Harlingen, Marshall, North Texas, Sweetwater, Waco and Williamson County. Each campus provides a unique atmosphere, with programs chosen to suit each area’s employment needs.

“We are situated in one of the top five fastest-growing cities in Texas,” Padilla said. “The business climate in the Austin metropolitan area, coupled with our unique culture, makes this the perfect place to work and make an impact for our future students and graduates.”

TSTC offers benefits such as retirement, medical, dental, vision and more.

For information on open positions at TSTC, visit tstc.edu/about/employment.

TSTC Employees, Students Raise Funds to Support Family in Need

(WACO) — Some 200 Texas State Technical College students, faculty and staff gathered recently at a cookout to raise money for Billy Anthony III, son of TSTC employees Cheryl and Tony Lloyd.

Anthony has battled multiple sclerosis for seven years, and the fundraiser raised more than $900 to help alleviate some of the financial burden associated with his illness.

“His diagnosis caught us so off guard. He was a healthy, happy, blonde-haired, blue-eyed young man,” Cheryl Lloyd said. “And even now when you see him, he is still so positive, and if he thinks something is wrong with you, he will ask if he can pray for you.”

Lloyd is a lab assistant for the TSTC Electrical Lineworker program. When students learned that her son was given a terminal diagnosis, they wanted to help. They reached out to Letha Novosad, lead instructor in TSTC’s Building Construction Technology program, to find a way to help Lloyd and her husband, Tony, an instructor in TSTC’s Electrical Power and Controls, with the burden of their son’s final expenses.

“Cheryl is such a kind and giving person, and she gives her all to the Electrical Lineworker program so that the department really sees her as the mom over there,” Novosad said. “And I would do anything for her and her family because she just inspires good.”

Novosad reached out to the TSTC Faculty Senate and The TSTC Foundation, whose members acquired food and drinks to be sold. The Electrical Lineworker Technology students furnished baked goods to sell, and students from various TSTC programs volunteered to go to classrooms with goods to promote the fundraiser.

“It’s for one of our own. It’s a good cause, and they needed help,” said Eric Roen, a second-semester Electrical Lineworker Technology major student.

For more information about Anthony, his family and an opportunity to donate, visit the GoFundMe page at: https://www.gofundme.com/billy-anthony-memorial-fund.

For more information about Texas State Technical College, visit tstc.edu.

 

TSTC Visionary Murray Watson Jr. Remembered for Service

(WACO) – Texas State Technical College mourned Wednesday the loss of former Texas legislator Murray Watson Jr., who filed legislation in 1969 to separate what was an arm of the Texas A&M University system into a stand-alone institution for technical education that would become TSTC.

“If there was ever a Mr. TSTC, it would be Murray Watson,” said Elton Stuckly Jr., TSTC’s executive vice chancellor and chief strategic relations officer.

Watson died Tuesday at age 86.

Watson was a state senator when he filed legislation to make the James Connally Technical Institute independent and rename it Texas State Technical Institute (now TSTC). Gov. Preston Smith signed the bill’s final version in May 1969 in Austin.

At TSTC’s 50th Anniversary Celebration in April 2015 in Austin, Watson was honored with a Founder’s Award.

Watson’s name is on TSTC’s student recreation center on Campus Drive. That factored into his wife, Greta, having been honored with the nearby Culinary Arts building being named for her.

“Murray and I walked out of the old (TSTC) system’s building, and we were about a million dollars short to build the new Culinary Arts Center,” Stuckly said. “I said, ‘Mr. Watson, I want you to think about something. Your name is on that (the recreation center) building. Wouldn’t it be nice for it (the new building) to be called the Greta W. Watson Culinary Arts Center? If you give us a million dollars, you could look at each other forever.’ It wasn’t a couple of weeks later that he called and said he was going to do it.”

Stuckly said Watson was a mentor who would give him advice.

“He always stayed in contact with me by email,” Stuckly said. “He was always looking for ways and ideas of how to make TSTC a better college.”

Stuckly said he and Watson always found much to talk about.

“He grew up in Mart, and I was raised in Penelope,” Stuckly said. “He always wanted to ask about TSTC first, then talk about farm cattle and his feed store and what I used to do on the farm. He said, ‘Elton, there aren’t many people that I can talk to who relate to those times.’”

Verna Lastrapes, a TSTC college outreach specialist, grew up knowing the Watson family in Mart. She said Watson’s family owned the local feed store, which she would visit as a four-year-old with her father at least twice a week to catch up with residents.

“Murray Jr. was a senior at Mart High School then,” she said. “I knew him well because he and my sister, Barbara, were friends.”

Pete Rowe, TSTC’s vice president for institutional development, hauled hay for Watson when he was a teenager in Mart. Rowe also graduated from Mart High School.

“It’s a personal loss for me because I loved him so much,” Rowe said. “He was a great mentor to me. He and Mrs. Watson have always been very kind to me and have done a lot for me in my life and career.”

Lastrapes said residents in Mart thought Watson would be president one day.

“He did not become president, but he did become our state representative and our state senator,” she said. “As a teenager, I remember helping campaign for him. Just about everyone in Mart campaigned for him.”

The feed store factored into Watson’s law career.

“When he lost the campaign for U.S. representative and went into private law practice, he had his office in Waco and one in Mart above the feed store,” Lastrapes said. “For years that is where he conducted all legal transactions with my daddy and other rural area farmers and businessmen.”

Rowe said Watson raised cattle andis sure he must have encountered on his ranch some of what TSTC teaches today.

“Murray was a highly intelligent person,” he said. “He was way ahead of the curve in the education field. He really studied education. He knew what to do.”

Lastrapes worked several years at the Brazos Higher Education Service Corp. Inc., which financed student loans. Watson was one of the organization’s founders.

“He had his own time schedule,” she said. “We began to say, ‘The starting time is when Murray Watson gets there.’ That was for everything!”

John K. Hatchel, chair of the TSTC Board of Regents, worked with Watson as a member of the Brazos Higher Education Service’s board of directors.

“He was very quiet, but he was consistent,” Hatchel said. “If there was a person who needed something or help, he was the first in line to do his part. He did it not expecting any accolades or thank-you’s. He just did it as a person.”

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

 

TSTC Welding Provides Opportunities for Area Jobs

(BRECKENRIDGE) – One of Stephens County’s largest industries is oil and gas, and with that comes the need for qualified welders.

“There is always a lot of demand in the oil industry for welders and they pay well also,” said Virgil Moore, executive director of the Breckenridge Economic Development Corp. “There is always a shortage it seems like. Texas State Technical College fills that gap.”

And, there are plenty of jobs for TSTC’s Welding Technology graduates to consider.

The Abilene-Breckenridge area has more than 300 welding jobs open now, said Steve Collins, business and resource consultant at Workforce Solutions of West Central Texas in Abilene.

“There are so many welding jobs available right now that they can’t fill a lot of their positions,” he said.

Some jobs in welding in the Big Country do not involve oil and gas.

Southern Bleacher Co. in Graham has 35 welders among its 150 employees. The company produces bleachers, support structures, decking systems and coatings for school districts, universities, fairgrounds and event venues throughout the nation.

“We go through phases when a lot of people join the Southern Bleacher family, they do not leave,” said Sarah Lundgren, the company’s communications director. “Our turnover is pretty small.”

But, Lundgren said the company occasionally has hiring campaigns for welders. The company and TSTC have partnered together in the past.

“Our welders are not hired for specific jobs,” she said. “They work on all jobs. There are different welding areas of the shop and have different responsibilities.”

Stephen Hope, a TSTC Welding Technology instructor in Breckenridge, said students typically have jobs when they graduate. He said students have recently found work at ProFrac in Cisco and Tiger Manufacturing Co. in Abilene.

Jobs for welders, cutters, solderers and brazers nationwide are expected to grow to more than 427,000 through 2026, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. A majority of these jobs are expected to be in manufacturing.

TSTC in Breckenridge offers a three-semester structural welding certificate which includes classes teaching blueprint reading, fabrication, layout and technical calculations.

Registration for fall classes is ongoing right now. For more information on Texas State Technical College, go to tstc.edu.

 

TSTC Plumbing Students Tour Local Water Park

(WACO) –Texas State Technical College’s Plumbing and Pipefitting Technology students saw Tuesday what it takes to keep visitors wet under the summer sunshine at Hawaiian Falls Water Park.

Dwayne Ogan, 57, a TSTC alumnus and lead pool technician at the water park on Lake Shore Drive in Waco, showed students the venue’s pump and filtration system. This was the first time TSTC’s Plumbing and Pipefitting Technology students have toured the venue.

“This gave them an idea of what the plumbing industry can be like,” Ogan said.

Ogan, who has worked in pool maintenance for three decades, told students that water park staff constantly check the water’s pH, chlorine and bromine levels. Each section of the park is on its own system.

Students also saw the sand filtration system and where motors function in cooler areas. Some students ventured underground behind the North Shore Breaker Bay wave pool to see its pumps.

Ogan, who studied facilities engineering, industrial maintenance and media communications at TSTC, encouraged students to understand drafting and design as they work on projects.

Jimmy Bibb, a TSTC Plumbing and Pipefitting Technology instructor, said the time at the water park was valuable for students to see a different side of the plumbing and pipefitting field. The students were able to learn more about backflow prevention and plumbing codes, which are taught in the program.

“When they see the installations working, it drives home the value of it to actually see it,” Bibb said.

Students were interested in what water park visitors typically do not get to see.

David McCormick, 31, a Plumbing and Pipefitting Technology major from Temple, said he enjoyed learning about the measurement and volume of water and moving it around the venue.

“I was really impressed,” he said. “I did not know how much effort went into maintenance and upkeep.”

Evan McBroom, 19, a Plumbing and Pipefitting Technology major from Bryan, said he liked learning about the water-testing process.

“What impressed me was the size of the equipment and pipes,” he said.

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

 

TSTC Recruiters Bring Enthusiasm to New Roles

(HUTTO) – Texas State Technical College recently welcomed two new student recruiters at its Williamson County campus.

MaKenna Honea, of Georgetown, and Brittany Hoke, of Pflugerville, joined the TSTC team at the beginning of June.

Before joining TSTC, Honea worked in the food and bar industry for four years.

“I wanted to find somewhere to grow professionally and start a career,” she said. “I wanted to work somewhere I’d be held to higher standards and have more responsibilities.”

She relishes her new role as a recruiter.

“It’s challenging, but it’s rewarding,” Honea said. “Every day is something different, which is fun.”

While Honea enjoys the team she works with, she is happy to be helping local students map out their futures.

“It’s cool that I get to be somebody I wish I would’ve met in high school, reaching out to kids,” she said. “If I would have had a recruiter, things probably could have been really different for me.”

Hoke enjoys that aspect of the job as well.

“I like getting to help students figure things out that I didn’t figure out when I was younger,” she said. “Getting to help introduce kids to TSTC is pretty awesome because it is such an affordable education.”

Before coming to TSTC, Hoke worked with the Texas secretary of state’s office as an employee of Registered Agent Solutions Inc. and was also a child support officer. She was excited to take on her role at TSTC.

“It was a completely different opportunity than anything else I had seen,” she said. “The pride of the staff is really eye-opening.”

Both women stand behind the school’s mission — to place more Texans in great-paying jobs.

“We are all about students,” Honea said. “We’re not just about numbers; we’re about the actual people.”

Hoke shared those sentiments.

“TSTC is something I can stand behind,” Hoke said. “It’s a good message, a good education and a good value.”

Coordinator of Recruitment Melissa Morman said she is happy to have finally completed her team of recruiters.

“Having Brittany and MaKenna join the student recruitment team has really been the fuel this department has needed to have more of a presence in the surrounding areas,” she said. “With Pflugerville and Georgetown natives on board, it gives us the insight to share our mission of placing more Texans along with spreading the TSTC message.”

TSTC prides itself on being “a great place to work” and is currently hiring for positions at its 10 campuses statewide. For information on open positions at TSTC, visit tstc.edu/about/employment.

Maintenance mechanic celebrates three decades at TSTC

(HARLINGEN) – Joe Ramos is celebrating 30 years at Texas State Technical College and a career that was life-changing in many ways.

The 52-year-old is now the maintenance mechanic at TSTC in Harlingen, but he started as a part-timer in the custodial department in 1988 when the college was Texas State Technical Institute.

“I didn’t think I’d make it to 30 years. Time flies,” said Ramos. “I had given myself six months max when I first started, but it (TSTC) turned out to be the place where I was meant to be.”

The San Benito native grew up a migrant worker, traveling to Northwest Texas every summer with his family to work in the cotton fields and gins of Memphis, Texas.

“It wasn’t my favorite thing to do during summer vacations, but it’s what put food on our table and a roof over our heads,” said Ramos.

For Ramos, working in the fields was temporary; it was not something he wanted to do forever.

However, at 17 he got married, dropped out of high school and fouJoe Ramosnd himself at the gins working maintenance, even during off-seasons.

“At this point the cotton farm was more seasonal than now,” he said. “I was a husband and had responsibilities. It was my turn to support my wife and our future family. I had no choice but to work.”

It was then that Ramos realized he would not get far without a proper education, so he and his wife moved back to the Rio Grande Valley. Through a federally funded job training program, Ramos was able to earn his GED diploma and start working at TSTC.

“I loved TSTC, so when a full-time position in the custodial department became available, I jumped at it,” he said. “And like they say, the rest is history.”

Through the years, Ramos has grown with the college, even completing his certificate in Welding Technology and becoming a certified welding inspector.

To this day he continues to learn and is currently enrolled in TSTC’s Continuing Education National Center for Construction Education and Research (NCCER) Electrical Level 1 course.

“TSTC prides itself on being a great place to work, and for me it truly has been,” said Ramos.

“From the opportunities I’ve been given, the benefits I receive, to the people I have met and get to work with, I can’t imagine myself anywhere else.”

Ramos’ son, Danny, is enrolled at TSTC in the Agricultural Technology program and is currently interning with the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

“TSTC really has given my entire family opportunities and has changed our lives,” said Joe Ramos.

TSTC Building Maintenance Supervisor and Interim Physical Plant Director Roberto Chapa has worked with Ramos for 10 years and said he is a great asset to the TSTC family and is proud to have him on his team.

“I want to congratulate him on his 30 years, and I want him to know we appreciate everything he does,” said Chapa. “He is dependable, a problem solver and everyone’s helping hand.”

Chapa added with a laugh, “I hope he doesn’t retire anytime soon, at least not before me. He saves me a lot of headaches.”

Ramos said he hopes to be at TSTC for another 30 years — as long as he is still able to work and TSTC will have him.

“I was a youngster when I started, and I can’t believe I’ve made it this far,” he said. “Thank you, TSTC. It’s been a pleasure.”

Student Success Profile

(HARLINGEN) – Ailina Rojas Student Success ProfileAilina Rojas, 26, of San Benito expects to graduate in August 2019 with an associate degree in Surgical Technology. She currently holds a 3.6 grade-point average and aspires to attend medical school and eventually become a surgeon following her graduation from Texas State Technical College.

What are your plans after graduation?

I plan on finding a job in the Houston area, the “medical mecca” of Texas. Houston is a growing area in both medicine and technology, which would benefit me as a prospective employee. There are plenty of opportunities there that I am excited to pursue.

What’s your dream job?

My dream job is to become a surgeon. Graduating with my associate degree in Surgical Technology is the first step in that process. I have always known that I wanted to venture into the medical field, and while I was exploring the different programs at TSTC, Surgical Technology caught my eye. After observing a surgery, I immediately knew it was the right fit for me.

What has been your greatest accomplishment while at TSTC?

Going back to school has been a challenge for my family since I have four kids. We have had to make many sacrifices, especially since my recent separation. I have had to assume the role of mom and dad and still pass my classes. Amidst this, I still made the dean’s list, so that’s something I definitely consider an accomplishment.

What greatest lesson have you learned about yourself or life?

I have learned recently about perseverance. Life can be tough at times, but never give up when it gets hard. That is when I learned the most about my own strength. Getting through school while supporting my kids on my own is a challenge, but it will pay off in the end. That is how I motivate myself.

Name a TSTC person who most influenced your success.

I have had great teachers across the board; no one in particular is better than the other. They are all helpful, and their various teaching styles are effective. Their hands-on approach is what I enjoy most.

What is your advice for future TSTC students?

My advice is to be ready when you enroll. School is a huge commitment, and if you’re not willing to put your all in it, then what’s the point? But, if you are mentally ready for this commitment, then go for it. And remember, it is never too late to pursue your education. I am 26 years old and came back after having kids. If I can do it, so can you!

TSTC alum and local pharmacist to serve as TSTC commencement speaker

(HARLINGEN) – It was in 1996 when Michael Muniz first stepped foot in Texas State Technical College as a computer maintenance major, but after some soul-searching, Muniz grew up to be a pharmacist. He will share his wisdom and experiences with TSTC graduates next Friday as the Summer 2018 commencement speaker.

“I was surprised when I received the invitation to be speaker,” he said. “I never even thought this was something I would be considered for, and now that the initial shock is over, I’m excited and honored.”

Muniz was selected as commencement speaker because of his alumni status and the success he has found since he graduated from the college — even though his life took him in a different direction from his initial plan.

At age 13, Muniz started building computers, but when he enrolled in computer maintenance classes at TSTC, the subject was no longer exciting to him. So he changed majors and chose chemical technology, but it still did not give him joy.

“I could not find my passion, so I concentrated on working instead,” said Muniz. “I needed some time, but it took longer than expected to return to school.”Pharmacist Dr. Michael Muniz

After six years, a job at FedEx and working as a medical billing clerk for a local surgeon, Muniz decided to pursue surgical technology at TSTC, earning a certificate in 2004.

“After observing the doctor I worked for and sitting in on surgeries, I knew surgical technology was for me,” said Muniz. “It was exciting, but I wasn’t done — I wanted to be the surgeon.”

Of course, for Muniz, life happened. And with a wife and three children, he knew medical school was not an option.

So after tutoring students from the pre-pharmacy program at the University of Texas at Brownsville (now University of Texas Rio Grande Valley), where he also graduated with a bachelor’s degree in biology and chemistry, he decided to pursue pharmacy school.

He earned a Doctor of Pharmacy degree from Texas A&M University-Kingsville in 2012 and completed a metabolic and nutritional medicine fellowship through George Washington University.

“I am no different than most of the students out there right now,” he said. “I was undecided, and it took me time to find what I wanted to do. But TSTC helped me find my passion and set my foundation.”

Muniz added, “It’s been a good ride. I’ve had wonderful experiences, great mentors, and the Lord has guided me. For me it’s all about helping people, and my profession allows me to do that in different ways.”

Muniz, who also has been a guest speaker for surgical technology pinning ceremonies, said he hopes to pass a message of hope and encouragement that will invigorate TSTC graduates and current students to keep pursuing their goals and dreams.

“It doesn’t matter where you go to school; it’s what you make of your situation,” Muniz said. “TSTC provides a quality education that leads to great careers. Plus, for many, it’s affordable and close to home, and I hope many of the college’s graduates realize how lucky they are to be part of such a wonderful institution.”

While Muniz still practices as a pharmacist at his uncle’s pharmacy, Muniz Rio Grande Pharmacy in Harlingen, he is also opening his own shop: Krave Market, a one-stop health-food market for people living on ketogenic, paleo, gluten-free or Whole30 diets.

“This is an exciting time for me. I get to serve the community I grew up in by helping them stay healthy and fuel their body through nutrition — all thanks to the education and experiences I had at TSTC and thereafter.”

Muniz said he hopes to continue serving TSTC students through guest lectures and speaking engagements.