TSTC Gives Student Chance at Success

(HARLINGEN) – Luis Silva, a stellar student at Texas State Technical College, learned the hard way that a four-year university is not for everyone.

The 23-year-old Mechatronics Technology student started his college career at a local university studying Electrical Engineering because everyone in high school told him he had to pursue a bachelor’s degree.

“I was always told I had to go to a four-year school. But that was the right choice for them, not for me,” said Silva. “My grades suffered and so did my confidence.”

The Roma native added that he considers himself a hands-on learner so learning solely from lectures and books was difficult for him.

“I learn by doing,” he said. “And TSTC has been able to provide me with the learning environment I need to excel.”

All TSTC programs are made up of at least 60 percent hands-on learning on industry standard equipment. And, the majority of faculty are seasoned veterans who have worked in the real-world industry.

Today Silva is pursuing an associate degree in Mechatronics Technology, which combines various disciplines within the engineering field, including electrical.

“A large part of my day is working hands-on with machines similar to what is in industry,” he said. “I’m not even close to graduating, but if I were to be offered a job tomorrow I would feel fully prepared and confident.”

Mechatronics Technology Lead Instructor Rolando Leija said he sees Silva going far in his career.

“He has a goal and has his eyes set on companies he wants to work for,” said Leija. “There’s no doubt he’ll be successful.”

The Rio Grande Valley is home to Silva and he hopes to stay in south Texas, but said he keeps an open mind and won’t shut doors of opportunities if they are opened.

Silva’s goal is to work for American Electric, Toyota or Oncor utilities when he graduates in either the electrical, maintenance or machine operations side.

TSTC’s Mechatronics Technology prepares students like Silva for careers in electronics, mechanics, robotics, instrumentation and computer control systems and positions such as electrical engineering technicians, mechanical engineering technicians and electro-mechanical technicians.

“This field is so broad and gives our students a number of career options to pursue,” said Leija. “And because the majority of our training is hands-on our students are highly skilled and ready to be productive in the workforce.”

As for Silva, he said transferring to TSTC was the best decision he could have made for his career and future.

For more information on TSTC Mechatronics Technology, visit tstc.edu.

TSTC Aviation Programs Receive Jet Engine

(WACO) – Rick Fazollo of Waco is 5 feet 8 inches in height but is looking forward to the tall challenges looming over him in the aviation maintenance hangar at Texas State Technical College.

Fazollo, 28, an Aircraft Airframe Technology and Aircraft Powerplant Technology major, said he is eager to start troubleshooting and repairing a recently gifted multimillion dollar CFM56 high-bypass turbofan jet engine used in Southwest Airlines’ Boeing 737 fleet.

“When I was in the Marines, I worked with turbine engines,” said Fazollo, a native of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. “Seeing it being brought here was breathtaking.”

The 5,500 lb. and at least 6-foot-tall engine will be used by students in TSTC’s Aircraft Airframe Technology and Aircraft Powerplant Technology programs. Southwest Airlines will give the aviation maintenance programs the engine’s instruction manuals later this fall so it can be incorporated into classes.

“It’s going to give our aviation mechanics a boost in their learning,” said Carson Pearce, TSTC’s statewide transportation division director in Waco.

Pearce and Kelly Filgo, lead instructor for the airframe and powerplant technology programs at TSTC, both said it would be impossible to purchase an engine like this for class usage. They said in the past students have only been able to see photographs of this kind of engine in theory classes.

“We are getting students in front of it with their eyes,” Filgo said. “The students are very aware of what a great gift this is.”

Christopher Scheel, 26, of Houston is majoring in the airframe and powerplant technology programs and said he has been impressed so far with the engine.

“I’ve been trying to figure out how the cooling systems work,” he said. “It’s a really good opportunity to get your hands on something like this.”

Pearce said TSTC has worked to build relationships with Southwest Airlines and American Airlines, which are both based in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. Pearce said Southwest Airlines has hired some of TSTC’s Aircraft Dispatch Technology students and American Airlines has employed past Aircraft Pilot Training Technology graduates.

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

BEST Robotics to Kick Off Saturday

(SWEETWATER) – Big Country BEST Robotics will mark the start of its 2017 competition with a kickoff event at 9 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 9.

The event, held at The Center at Texas State Technical College, will give students a glimpse into this year’s contest objectives.

“This is where we’ll reveal this year’s game challenge,” said Richard Smola of Ludlum Measurements, who is serving as co-hub director of Big Country BEST Robotics. “They’ll see the scenarios and learn how their robot will need to perform.”

Students will also go over contest rules and pick up their robot-building supplies at the event.

“We give them everything that they need,” Smola said. “Plywood, PVC, wire — everything they need to build a robot. Supplies like motors and programming tools are reused each year. These are middle school and high school students, and they all receive their supplies to start building on the same day.”

Texas State Technical College partners with Ludlum Measurements to co-sponsor the Big Country BEST Robotics program, with Ludlum leading the event this year and TSTC supplying the venue and event volunteers.

“We couldn’t do it without the volunteers, and the venue is really important,” Smola said. “With The Center we have a nice, big space, and we have the expertise of those volunteers from TSTC and Ludlum who’ve helped in prior years.”

BEST (Boosting Engineering, Science and Technology) is a nonprofit organization whose goal is to help students develop technological literacy skills and encourage interest in engineering, science and technology.

Students have six weeks from the kickoff event to the final game day event. Game day will take place at 8 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 21, at The Center at TSTC.

For more information on TSTC, visit tstc.edu.

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TSTC to Celebrate Student Center’s 20th Anniversary

(SWEETWATER) – Texas State Technical College in Sweetwater will celebrate the 20th anniversary of “The Center,” the campus’ 36,000-square-foot recreational facility, with a commemorative ribbon cutting event at 11 a.m. Friday, Sept. 8, inside the building’s Seminar Room.

Former TSTC President Homer K. Taylor, who served as manager of development at the time, said in the ’90s TSTC exhibited a need for this building.

“First and foremost, our campus is somewhat isolated,” Taylor said. “We are a few miles from town, so our residential students needed a place to be able to use. Prior to this building, our students had a small building where students had like two pool tables and some table tennis. The building was shared with health services and the Dean of Students office. It was a very small place for the number of students we had. Students needed a place to add winter-type intramural sports and a cardio/fitness center. We were also in the middle of adding more housing for students, so we needed a facility that resident students could use and enjoy.”

Taylor said the facility not only filled a need for TSTC, but for the community as well.

“Dr. Clay Johnson, president of TSTC in Sweetwater at the time, had a dream to build a facility that was first class that both our students and the community could use and enjoy,” Taylor said. “In pursuing the plans for the Student Center, Clay and I visited the Cooper Fitness and Cardio Center in Dallas and modeled parts of the facility after the Cooper Center. The Center (at TSTC) offered the community a public place that would have a cardio/fitness center, a workout facility and a public meeting place.”

Maria Aguirre, TSTC executive director of compliance, agrees.

“The Student Center is a place the community has used since its opening,” she said. “We’ve hosted banquets, proms, meetings, workshops, competitions, conventions, practices for basketball and so much more for many community organizations and companies. The Rotary Club of Sweetwater regularly meets in the Seminar Room and has done so for many years. The Student Center is at the heart of our community.”

Since The Center was considered an auxiliary building, state funds could not be used to build it. A community-wide fundraiser was held to raise money to construct the building.

“This was the first time in Sweetwater to conduct a fundraising campaign to build such a facility,” Taylor said. “In The Center, there is a plaque of early donors that made a pledge and financial commitment for this facility. The goal for this building was to raise about $1 million to $1.5 million for this project.”

Aguirre said that even after 20 years, people ask if The Center is a new facility.

“The staff at the Student Center has cared for that facility very well,” she said. “Most prospects or visitors to the campus give great compliments to our Student Center and are surprised to find out it has been around for 20 years.”

Cake and punch will be served at the ribbon cutting. After the ceremony, attendees can also enjoy a lunch of grilled lemon pepper chicken or hamburgers for the discounted rate of $7.

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Student Success Profile

(HARLINGEN) – Ashley Gonzalez is an Education and Training student at Texas State Technical College. She expects to receive her associate degree Summer 2018.

The 19-year-old, Los Fresnos native also serves as TSTC’s Student Government Association Treasurer and works as the TSTC Game Room lead attendant.

Ashley Gonzalez

What are your plans after graduation?

After graduating I plan on transferring to Texas A&M Kingsville to pursue a bachelor’s degree in teaching, specializing in special education.

What is your dream job?

My dream job is to be able to become the kind of teacher that changes lives and makes a difference. Someday though, I hope I can become a school counselor or an instructor teaching others how to be great teachers.

What has been your greatest accomplishment while at TSTC?

My greatest accomplishment while at TSTC has been becoming treasurer of the Student Government Association. It was a task out of my comfort zone, but getting involved has really opened my eyes to the opportunities that are available beyond the classroom and has allowed me to grow as a person.

What greatest lesson have you learned about yourself or life?

The greatest lesson I have learned is to not give up, no matter the situations life throws at you. Like almost everyone, I’ve had to overcome obstacles and that’s why I have a semi-colon tattoo that reminds me to keep going every day.

Who at TSTC has had the greatest influence on your success?

My brother and TSTC Biomedical graduate Roel Gonzalez has been my greatest influence. I saw how much school was a struggle for him, but he kept going and finally graduated with a job offer. In everything he does he perseveres and that is why my brother is my hero.

What is your advice for future TSTC students?

My advice for future TSTC students is to get involved on campus through clubs and volunteering. It really helps you grow as a person and allows you to meet new people and make new friends. Also, study, study, study and do what you’re passionate about.

TSTC to Offer First Continuing Education Diesel Program

(HARLINGEN) – The Office of Workforce Education and Continuing Education at Texas State Technical College will offer a Heavy Duty Diesel Engine Specialist program that will launch in September.

This program is a first for TSTC’s continuing education office and the only continuing education course of its type in the Rio Grande Valley.

“We’re excited for this program,” said Adan Trevino, TSTC Continuing Education Transportation Center coordinator. “It has been in the works for some time now and it’s needed.”

The new diesel program was created through a partnership with TSTC Automotive Technology program in Harlingen and the Diesel Equipment Technology program in Waco, which have assisted with curriculum and have donated diesel engines, semi-tractor trailers and lab space for hands-on training.

“We built this course around industry need,” said Trevino. “These types of positions are in demand statewide and nationally.”

The six-week course will offer day and night classes and will mirror Waco’s diesel program. Every class is 90 percent hands-on training to prepare students for a career that could pay up to $50,000 to $70,000 a year.

“We took courses TSTC offers in our diesel certificate programs and combined them into eight classes,” said Trevino. “With this program you can earn a certificate in six weeks instead of one year.”

Students who complete this program also have the opportunity to take the Cummings Engine Certification program online.

Trevino said earning this additional certification makes students more marketable and competitive when looking for jobs at dealerships and trucking companies.

“We have contacted some of the most respected companies to work with and asked them to give us industry advice,” Trevino added.

Instructors, with more than 25-years experience in the field, and Trevino are working closely with companies such as Rush Truck Center, First Truck Choice, Swift, Longhorn Bus Sales and PetroChem Transport Inc. to customize training.

Garrett Wright, son of PetroChem Transport Owner Chris Wright, will be one of the program’s first students.

The 18-year-old is familiar with TSTC since attending as a dual enrollment student in high school. Wright said he and his dad knew immediately that enrolling was the right decision.

“Our company works closely with TSTC already and we know the success that people see when they leave the college. So as soon as I heard about this program I enrolled,” Wright said. “I know I’ll run my dad’s company one day so this will help me become well-rounded in the industry.”

Students enrolled in the course can expect to learn diesel shop safety and procedures, diesel engine testing and repair, powertrain and diesel tune-up and troubleshooting and tractor trailer service and repair.

And because each six-week class is made up of only six to eight students, classes are small, allowing for more one-on-one with the instructors and an opportunity for students to learn from each other as well.

Those who successfully complete the course can find career opportunities in areas such as fleet maintenance, heavy equipment maintenance and dealership service.

“Our goal is to accommodate everyone who is looking to come back to school to fulfill their dream of an education the best way we can,” said Trevino. “And we are so excited to get started and meet our first group of students next month.”

TSTC Mechatronics Technology Helps Student Gain Confidence

(HARLINGEN) – The first week of the Fall 2017 semester is in full swing at Texas State Technical College, and students like Mechatronics Technology major Rogelio Salas Vento are happy to be back.

Vento said he is excited about this semester because he has finally found a career path that is right for him and also a therapeutic escape.

The 30-year-old La Feria native is an Army veteran. During his five-year service as an infantryman he was deployed for 13 months to Afghanistan, where he sustained a traumatic brain injury after an explosion.

In addition to the brain injury, Vento suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder and experiences occasional panic attacks, which led him to choose Mechatronics Technology.

“This is a very hands-on program, which helps me relax and stay calm,” said Vento. “The class sizes are also small and bearable for me. Too many people put me in a panic.”

When he first enrolled at TSTC after being medically discharged from the Army, Vento signed up to pursue an associate degree in biology. But the class size was too much for him to handle.

“I couldn’t sit in class without panicking,” he recalls. “I couldn’t focus, and it was discouraging because I really wanted an education. I want to make something of myself for my wife and children.”

It was TSTC advisors and instructors like Mechatronics Lead Instructor Rolando Leija that helped Vento explore other career options.

The TSTC Veteran Center also has services available for veteran students and their dependents who are dealing with PTSD or other conditions through internal resources such as TSTC Support Services and external resources like the VA Clinic, Tropical Texas Behavioral Health and veteran-led peer-to-peer support groups.

“At the Veteran Center our goal is to have students succeed,” said Veteran Center Director Steve Guevara. “We’re here to work at getting students the resources they need. We’re here to help.”

The Veteran Center serves as a centralized department that assists with advisement and GI Bill, Hazlewood Act and scholarship applications. It also provides computer lab access and tutoring.

“Everyone was so helpful and empathetic to my issue, and for that I am thankful,” said Vento. “I’m now in a program I love, I’m looking forward to my future career and my confidence level in myself has increased.”

Vento is now looking toward a future with job opportunities at places such as Toyota, American Electric Power, Oncor utilities and manufacturer Toyotetsu North America as a field service technician, maintenance technician, electronic technician or engineering technician.

Leija said Vento is a great student and that a degree in mechatronics will open doors of opportunity for him and his classmates.

Students in the program will learn a broad range of skills including electronics, mechanics, robotics, instrumentation and computer control systems.

The program has a 90-percent job placement rate.

“I call the students in our program ‘Jacks of all trades,’” he said. “The demand for a trained workforce is high in this field, and this degree can take them anywhere.”

For more information on Mechatronics Technology or on the Veteran Center, visit tstc.edu.

Dual Credit Classes Put a Spark Into TSTC Student’s Education

(WACO) – Noli Park of Bosqueville first became interested in welding when she was a sophomore at Bosqueville High School.

While she balanced high school academics and extracurricular activities, she took the same welding classes that Texas State Technical College students experienced. The difference was that Park took them at the high school with her TSTC-accredited instructor for dual credit.

“Dual credit gets you a foot in,” said Park, 19. “By the time I graduated, I took 12 semester credit hours, and not just in welding. It made coming to college easier.”

Bosqueville High School has about 200 students, with at least 35 sophomores, juniors and seniors taking part in dual credit academic classes. Kim Granger, a BHS counselor, said some of the classes students take are English, history and government.

Park said TSTC was the best decision she could have made about where to go to college.

“I do a lot more hands-on work,” she said. “It gets you ready for the job life. Here, they want us ready for jobs and to be on time and work hard.”

Park grew up around equipment as her father worked on heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems. She said tungsten inert gas, or TIG, welding is her favorite.

“I just really like welding,” she said. “I did it to have steadier hands. I originally wanted to be a surgeon.”

Park credits her welding work with being able to get scholarships from the Heart O’ Texas Fair and Rodeo and the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo.

Park graduated in 2016 from Bosqueville High School and is scheduled to graduate in December from TSTC with an Associate of Applied Science degree in Welding Technology.

After graduation, Park wants to work in the field and then teach welding to high school students. She wants to stay in Central Texas to be close to her family.

TSTC’s Waco, Williamson County and North Texas campuses offer more than 20 technical pathways, including Auto Collision Refinishing, Avionics and Electrical Lineworker, that students can take to earn dual credit hours. The classes can be taken either at TSTC or at the students’ home campuses.

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

TSTC in Fort Bend County Holds Inaugural Commencement Ceremony

(FORT BEND) – Texas State Technical College’s commencement ceremony held Tuesday at the Rosenberg Civic Center was a celebration of many firsts for the college and for Precision Machining Technology student Eleazar Alanis Dorantes.

“You are the first graduating class of this newly created Fort Bend campus,” said Randall Wooten, TSTC vice chancellor and chief execution officer. “Tonight as you walk across this stage, many of you will become the first to graduate in your families.”

Which happens to be the case for Dorantes.

The 20-year-old Mexican native moved to the United States four years ago with his family and siblings and is a first-generation college graduate.

He received his certificate Tuesday night in Precision Machining Technology and was named one of only four Board of Regent honor graduates for his perfect 4.0 GPA (grade-point average).

“Graduating feels great. I can’t believe I’m finally here,” said Dorantes. “It’s exciting and it shows that all of my hard work paid off.”

Despite a slight language barrier and a daily 45-minute drive to and from school, Dorantes persevered.

“I’m proud of what I have accomplished,” said Dorantes. “I hope I’m setting a good example for my brothers and sisters and that this encourages them to continue their education. If I can do it, so can they.”

Dorantes’ mother Guadalupe Dorantes said she is very proud of her son. From a small machine shop in Mexico as a helper and a runner to a college graduate, she said he has come a long way.

“Since kindergarten he would tell me he was going to graduate from college. And here he is,” she said. “I am so proud of him. He is a great kid and it makes me happy seeing him work so hard and achieve everything he sets his mind to.”

Tuesday night’s commencement ceremony marked yet another milestone for the TSTC legacy and TSTC Chancellor and Chief Executive Officer Mike Reeser had three important pieces of advice for the college’s graduates.

“Keep up with changes and reinvent yourself, stay true to principles and be someone your employers will treasure,” he said. “You want to be the person with world-class skills and be the someone they want.”

Other speakers included Master of Ceremonies and TSTC Field Development Officer John Kennedy and TSTC Board of Regent Joe Gurecky, a product of technical education.

“A technical education can change hundreds, even thousands of lives, the way it did for my wife and me,” he told graduates.

He spoke of his past from having to choose to pay rent or feed their children and about their found success.

“We took a risk starting our business, the way many of your took a risk coming back to school, but with hard work you find success,” he said. “Speaking of hard work, I have a Czech proverb I use often: Bez Prace-Nej su Kolache — Without work there are no kolaches.”

The night ended with faculty lining the aisle and giving every graduate a high-five, handshake and a hug.

And as for Dorantes, he will return to TSTC in the fall to begin his journey to obtain an associate degree.

TSTC Graduates and Families Celebrate Together

(HARLINGEN) – Last night nearly 400 students earned their certificates or associate degrees during Texas State Technical College’s commencement ceremonies at the Harlingen Municipal Auditorium.

Interim Provost Rick Herrera reminded those in their caps and gowns that the night was possible because of great ambition, sacrifice and commitment.

“In the words of American hero Cesar Chavez, ‘Si se puede,’” said Herrera. “I urge you to take this time on this day to remember that you stand on the shoulders of many who have paved the way for you. Do not take this day for granted.”

Business Management Technology graduate Elisa Ashraf earned her associate degree and said she credits and gives thanks every day for her husband and his endless support in helping her pave her educational path.

“He has supported me in every way possible just so I could stay focused and achieve this goal,” said Ashraf. “It took a lot of late nights and a lot of coffee, but he never left my side.”

The 30-year-old Raymondville native will return to TSTC’s University Center to pursue a bachelor’s degree from Wayland University in either Human Resources or Business Management.

For Welding Technology student Gumaro Castellano, this was a night to remember because the weekends spent working for gas money and tools and the 45-minute drive every day from McAllen finally paid off.

“This is another accomplishment in my book of life,” he said. “I hope I’ve made and keep making my family proud.”

The 20-year-old McAllen native earned his certificate in Welding Technology and said commencement speaker Patt Hobbs’ address really resonated with him.

“He told us that attitude is everything, and I firmly believe that,” he said. “It’s a good attitude that has given me so many opportunities, and I always keep that in mind.”

Hobbs serves as the executive director of Workforce Solutions Cameron and has devoted almost four decades to higher education, including 20 years at TSTC as the former provost and vice president of Academic Affairs.

“We desperately need more TSTC graduates for our workforce,” he told the graduates and their families and friends. “You will be in high demand and have a definite advantage in seeking employment over other applicants because of your TSTC certificate or degree.”

He added that these students made the right choice in choosing TSTC and gave them some work ethic hints before they moved their tassels to the left.

From aptitude, attitude and responsibility to communication, critical thinking and problem-solving, Hobbs advised each graduate always to take these skills seriously.

“I hope you take the tips I have given you to the world of work,” said Hobbs. “We really do want you to succeed and if nothing else remember this: take care of your job and your job will take care of you. And please be kind to all you meet.”

TSTC’s commencement ceremonies mark the moment a student goes from candidate to graduate to TSTC alumnus, joining the network of more than 100,000 TSTC graduates.

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