(WACO) – Video games go beyond being the hero who uses supernatural powers to save the world — or at least an ant colony.

The guts of video games are the logic, programming and mathematics that make characters, landscapes and animals come to life. Dalton Burts of Athens used all these to pay homage to ants for “Antopia,” his final video game project for graduation from Texas State Technical College in Waco.

“You play an ant and your colony is preparing for a flood,” said Burts, 26. “You have to get food and avoid evil anteaters.”

Burts will receive an associate degree in Graphics Gaming and Simulation Programming Technology at Texas State Technical College’s Spring Commencement on Monday, May 1, in Waco. Since Burts enrolled in 2015 at TSTC, the associate degree has now been made an advanced technical certificate, with majors having the option to earn a companion associate degree in Computer Programming Technology.

“I have done tons of hands-on work,” said Burts. “TSTC pushes you to do the best you can. All my discipline I learned was through band and music.”

Susie Watkins, an associate professor in the Computer Science program at TSTC, admires Burts’ work ethic and skills.

“Dalton is always in here working,” Watkins said. “He figures out a lot of stuff on his own. He works well in a team environment.”

Burts learned about TSTC from his father, who studied aircraft pilot training technology.

“I decided to further my education and come here because my father didn’t have a problem getting a job,” he said.

Burts was born in Galveston and moved to Athens in Henderson County when he was 5. Some of his earliest video-game-playing experience was Super Mario Brothers when he was 12.

“I liked how the games didn’t specifically tell you what to do, but I had to figure it out and use my brain,” he said.

As Burts played video games, his appreciation for music grew.

Since he was 12, he has learned to play clarinet, alto saxophone and tenor saxophone and has dabbled with guitar and piano. While growing up he played in jazz and Dixieland bands, along with marching and symphonic bands.

Burts graduated in 2009 from Athens High School and received an associate degree in Musical Performance in 2013 from Trinity Valley Community College in Athens. He said it was challenging finding a music job in the Athens area that did not involve tutoring or teaching.

“I’ve always had a love for gaming and wanted to compose for gaming,” he said. “I have always embraced imagination and never saw a need to let that go.”

Burts wants to work in the Austin area.

Candidates for graduation from TSTC’s Fort Bend County, North Texas, Waco and Williamson County campuses will gather for Spring Commencement at 6:30 p.m. on Monday, May 1, at the Waco Convention Center at 100 Washington Ave. in Waco.

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

By Lynda Lopez

Denzel Gore is a long way from home. The 24-year-old now lives in Dallas but is originally from St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands, a tiny little island paradise in the Caribbean Sea.

In 2010 he was one of 20 St. Croix students who got scholarships to Texas State Technical College as part of an industry partnership.

“I was pretty excited. It’s not often people get full scholarships to college,” explained Gore. “It was a little overwhelming coming to Waco. I came from a small island. My first impression was that everything was huge here.”

Gore says he was also surprised at how friendly people were on the college campus and in the community.

“Complete strangers said hi. Faculty and staff were so welcoming to us. They made us feel right at home,” said Gore.

Gore earned an associate degree in Instrumentation Controls and Robotics. He credits faculty for his academic success.

“Instructors were always there to help. They were there if you didn’t have transportation or if you were running behind in class,” said Gore. “TSTC faculty make sure you succeed. You get their full support, including one-on-one training and tutoring.”

And Gore says it was the faculty that helped him get a job with Koch Pipeline, which operates pipelines that transport crude oil and petroleum products. He worked in Corpus Christi right after graduation and recently transferred to Dallas.

In a few weeks he’ll be celebrating five years with Koch Pipeline.

“I still have connections with TSTC. Faculty will call and check up on me. They come to Dallas and call so we can do lunch. Maybe it’s a Texas thing. I just love it,” said Gore.

Last month he traveled back to Waco to recruit TSTC students for his company. He says he was honored to represent Koch Pipeline and delighted to see so many old friends.

“I’m glad Koch sent me back,” said Gore. “All these kids would come up to me. I can’t believe that just a few years ago I was in their shoes looking for my first job. Some of them were taking classes I had taken. We could really relate.”

Gore travels back to St. Croix once a year, but he says Texas is now home.  He says he has no regrets about moving to the Lone Star State. He wishes more students knew about TSTC.

“I would encourage students to do their research. Learn more about TSTC. You won’t just get an education and a career,” explained Gore. “You will get a family.”

For more information on TSTC programs and locations, visit us online at tstc.edu.

By Lynda Lopez

He was not your typical student at Texas State Technical College. By the time Elliot Bermudez enrolled at TSTC in Waco a decade ago to get an associate degree, he had already earned two bachelor’s degrees from four-year universities.

The problem was he couldn’t get a job.

“I have a business degree in accounting, economics and business principles. I also have an electrical engineering degree from a university, but no one would hire me because I didn’t have experience,” explained Bermudez. “I was doing maintenance in apartments earning $25,000 a year just to get by.”

Bermudez’s wife knew he had more potential and pushed him to attend TSTC.

“I did a lot of research. I saw the number of students that got hired onto different jobs prior to graduating or right after graduation. I did my research and saw how much people were making,” he said.

Bermudez entered TSTC’s Industrial Engineering program and excelled. He was one of only two graduates in 2008 who could boast of a perfect 4.0 grade-point average. He credits his instructors and hands-on training for his academic success.

“Even though I had an electrical engineering degree, I had never had so much hands-on training as I had here. My experience was awesome,” said Bermudez.

That TSTC training paid off big for this Waco native. He completed an internship with Shell, was assigned a mentor, and was taught the oil business “from cradle to grave,” as they say in the business.

At the end of the internship he was interviewed by a panel of Shell administrators and tested for his knowledge. By the end of the session he was offered a job – and hired a week before graduation.

Today Bermudez works for Shell Offshore making a six-figure salary as a Senior Authorized Electrical Person.

“We have contractors from different companies that come and work. We prepare permits for them, work permits. But prior to that, we have to walk the job down, see all the hazards and put mitigations; we go out there with them and make sure that their job is safe,” he explained.

Bermudez speaks from experience when he urges future students to research two-year versus four-year degrees. As he points out, a bachelor’s degree isn’t for everyone.

“You can spend the amount of money you’re going to spend at TSTC for two years, or go to a four-year university and spend that same amount in one or two semesters. Make your choice wisely,” said Bermudez.

By Lynda Lopez

Texas State Technical College alum Katelyn Bateman has a waspy, fresh-faced, sorority girl look – blonde, pretty and petite.

But she’s proven she’s much more than good looks, making her way in a man’s world and doing a good job of it.

The Valley Mills native is a utility designer for Oncor Electric Delivery, an electric power company in Round Rock, and a 2015 graduate of the Electrical Power and Controls program on the Waco TSTC campus.

“My education at TSTC was superb. I still use theory every day that I learned in my first semesters, and sometimes I find myself explaining electrical concepts to my co-workers,” said Bateman.

Today in her job, Bateman works with new construction in the Pflugerville, Hutto and north Austin areas, engineering the design that will bring electricity to new homes and buildings.

“This career is great in many ways,” explained Bateman. “It’s challenging, hands-on, a perfect mixture of field time and office time. Plus, the money is good.”

Bateman says that as a child she liked to take things apart and put them back together. When it was time for college, Bateman considered teaching or nursing but in the end was drawn to a career with a hands-on aspect.

As a student at TSTC, Bateman was one of only a handful of ladies in a male-dominated program. She says it took a while for her male classmates to warm up to her.

“I had to prove myself with the other students because I was female,” said Bateman. “I would hear the guys say things like, ‘Go ask the girl,’ like I didn’t have a name.”

Bateman eventually won the “guys” over with her work ethic, leadership skills and knowledge. In 2014 she was awarded the “Women in Trades” scholarship – one of only two Texans to win the award.

Today Bateman hopes to inspire more women to look beyond traditional careers and take up the challenge of entering male-dominated technology industries.

“My advice to women is don’t let the stereotypes of women or typical jobs influence you. I get compliments daily on my courage and capability to jump into this male-dominated field,” said Bateman. “I’m proud to work in utility design.”

Bateman is now working on her bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering, recently enrolling in Tarleton State University’s online program. She hopes to complete her bachelor’s in two to three years.

“By the time I have a bachelor’s degree, I will also have four to five years of experience under my belt. This will increase my options of advancing within my company.”

TSTC has 10 locations across Texas. For more information on TSTC programs near you, visit us online at tstc.edu.

(WACO) – Jake Sehon knew he needed to work more with his hands when he was a student at Robinson High School.

“I wanted to do something other than go to seven classes a day at Robinson,” said Sehon, 27, of Robinson. “I wanted to get a jump on a career and didn’t want to wait too late after high school.”

So, he looked toward something he enjoyed: cars.

Sehon, 27, took dual credit classes in automotive technology in the Midway Independent School District  through Texas State Technical College and graduated from Robinson High School in 2008.

“It’s a good thing to invest in,” he said about taking dual credit classes. “It’s a chance to do something different.”

Some of his favorite work in his classes involved disassembling a junk car and learning about electrical systems. He said he enjoyed taking the automotive classes with other students from Crawford, Lorena, Midway and Robinson high schools that were taught by Rudy Cervantez, statewide chair of TSTC Auto Repair.

“Jake is more of a performance guy,” Cervantez said. “He was a good student.”

Sehon received a certificate in Machining at TSTC in 2009.

Today, Sehon assembles wiring harnesses and nitrous kits at Nitrous Outlet on South 28th Street in Waco. The business specializes in building nitrous systems for automobiles, boats, lawn mowers and other engine-powered machinery.

And, he gets to see a familiar face who works in fabrication and machining daily at the business: his brother Colt, 24, a 2011 graduate of Robinson High School and 2012 graduate of TSTC with a certificate in Machining.

“Our dad and uncle work with machines, and we figured the field would be good to go into,” said Colt Sehon, a Waco resident.

The Sehons became familiar with cars growing up as their relatives worked with dragsters.

“I like the adrenaline rush,” Jake Sehon said. “It’s a quarter-mile of fun. A lot of times the faster you go, the more money it costs.”

The brothers both played baseball and football in high school, with Colt Sehon also being a member of the powerlifting team. The brothers said they knew early on they would be better off attending a two-year institution.

“There’s no way we could get enough loans to go to a four-year college,” Colt Sehon said.

The brothers are still plotting their career paths. Jake Sehon said he wants to work his way up the pay scale, while his brother said he wants to grow his skills and professional responsibilities.

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