(HARLINGEN) – Diana Alejos went from exhibit to exhibit, speaking with faculty and learning about the more than 30 technical programs offered at Texas State Technical College in Harlingen, during the college’s annual Counselor Update hosted at the TSTC Wellness and Sports Center.

“I enjoyed this event very much. Many of my colleagues agree that this was the best one yet,” said Alejos, migrant counselor at J. Economedes High School in Edinburg.

Alejos was one of nearly 50 counselors from across the Rio Grande Valley who attended this year’s update.

“The event was an absolute success,” said Erica Gonzalez, TSTC coordinator of Student Recruitment. “This event is one of the largest we host to ensure that counselors have the latest information they need about TSTC to pass along to their students.”

Gonzalez said changes were made this year to give counselors access to more information and update them on recruitment and enrollment processes, dual enrollment and student learning.

In the past, the update has consisted of a campus tour and an in-depth look into at least three or four technical programs. But this year, TSTC created a program showcase, giving counselors access to every program on campus and the opportunity to speak with faculty from every program.

Gonzalez said the changes to this year’s event were met with positive feedback.

“It was refreshing to see the new setup,” said Alejos. “To have every program in one place was an upgrade. It really gave my colleagues and me an in-depth look into the programs TSTC offers, compared to only visiting a few.”

“It is my goal to get all of the information I can to better serve our migrant population. I definitely gained a lot by attending this update and have a lot of information to pass along to our students,” she added.

Counselors were treated to a breakfast and lunch catered by TSTC’s Culinary Arts students; a message from the keynote speaker, local attorney and TSTC alumna Krista Guiter, who discussed her experience at TSTC and spoke about empowering young girls to get a higher education; and presentations from three TSTC students: Bianca Moreno, Juanita Salinas and Carlos Obregon.

Obregon received an associate degree in Computer Maintenance Technology in 2016. He is pursuing a second associate degree in Health Information Technology and works as a community assistant for TSTC Housing.

He said he enjoyed sharing his TSTC experience with counselors and hopes that his words made an impact and can help other students.

“I hope counselors will be inspired to tell their students about my experience, especially as a migrant student. Education is not always first on our priority list,” said Obregon.

“I also had a great migrant counselor in high school who pushed me and motivated me to continue my education. Without her, I wouldn’t be here. And because she was at the event, I got a chance to thank her personally,” he added.

That counselor is Alejos.

“Seeing Carlos, hearing his story and learning about everything he has accomplished at TSTC was a highlight for me and very unexpected,” said Alejos. “And it was especially touching when he thanked me for my time as his counselor.”

Gonzalez said she hopes to maintain the new event format for future Counselor Updates, which are hosted statewide among TSTC’s 10 campuses.

“Our core values at TSTC are excellence, integrity, accountability and service, and the Counselor Update is a great place to model who we are,” said Gonzalez. “We want them to know that at TSTC we go above and beyond for our students, and their success is our top priority.”

To learn more about TSTC and the technical programs offered, visit tstc.edu.

(HARLINGEN) – Amanda Perez is a Vocational Nursing student at Texas State Technical College. The Los Fresnos native holds a 3.1 grade-point average and expects to graduate with her certificate in Summer 2019.

The 21-year-old is an active member of the Vocational Nursing Club, where she serves as parliamentarian. She also works as a nursing assistant at a Brownsville nursing home.

What are your plans after graduation?

After I graduate I plan on working for one year to gain experience and then return to TSTC to pursue an associate degree in registered nursing.

What’s your dream job?

My dream job is to become a pediatric nurse. The children are our future, and I want to help keep them healthy or nurse them back to health when they’re sick. I feel like I can make a positive impact in this area.

What has been your greatest accomplishment while at TSTC?

My greatest accomplishment at TSTC was graduating with my certificate from the nursing assistant program and gaining employment immediately. TSTC, in a nutshell, has given me the opportunity of continual growth.

What greatest lesson have you learned about yourself or life?

The greatest lesson I have learned about myself is that I can achieve anything I set my mind to. I’ve learned to have more faith in myself and my skills. The nursing assistant and the vocational nursing programs have really helped me discover and unlock my potential.

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

My nursing assistant and vocational nursing instructor, Emily Gonzalez, has had the most influence on my success. She has always encouraged me to keep going when life gets too hard and has motivated me to get involved with our program clubs and get out of my comfort zone.

What is your advice for future TSTC students?

Study, study and study. Learn as much as you can; TSTC gives you that opportunity. Also, don’t be afraid to ask questions; that’s the only way to learn new things.

(HARLINGEN) – Cesar Meza is a Business Management Technology student at Texas State Technical College. The 19-year-old hopes to receive his associate degree by Summer 2019.

Until then, the Harlingen native has a goal of creating a Business Management Technology club so that like-minded students can come together and share their passion for business while doing community service and making the community a better place.

What are your plans after graduation?

After I graduate from TSTC, I plan on transferring to the University of Texas to pursue a bachelor’s degree in business administration.

What’s your dream job?

I have a passion for business. In fact, my brothers and I are starting up a clothing brand called ESC, which stands for escape. We want our clothing to be considered unique and out of the box and allow people to get creative with fashion. So my dream is to grow this business with them and become a successful clothing business owner.

What has been your greatest accomplishment while at TSTC?

My greatest accomplishment has been my grades. I’m proud of myself for maintaining A’s and B’s in all of my classes. Being a college student is not always easy. It takes a lot of hard work and it’s paid off. I’m proud of myself for that.

What greatest lesson have you learned about yourself or life?

The greatest lesson I have learned is to not take time for granted. Time is a precious thing, and one thing TSTC has taught me is time management. Now I am a lot more productive with the time I am given.

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

The person at TSTC who has inspired me the most is Social and Behavioral Science instructor Frank Coronado. He has taught me how to pay attention to detail and how to be an active listener for others and their messages. He is a great instructor and person overall who cares about his students.

What is your advice for future TSTC students?

This may sound cliche, but my advice to future TSTC students is to never give up. No matter what cards you are dealt, you must rise and keep going. We can all achieve success; you just have to work hard and push forward.

(HARLINGEN) – Agriculture was a way of life for Daniel Agado, but he lost sight of it growing up. Years later, he has returned to his roots and is celebrating one month as the Agricultural Technology lab assistant at Texas State Technical College in Harlingen.

“This month has been great. I can honestly say I have found a career move that is permanent,” said Agado. “I love TSTC, agriculture, and helping students pursue their dreams in this field. To me, this is the next best thing to being a farmer.”

The San Benito native said he always wanted to be a farmer as a young boy. Some of his earliest memories include driving a tractor when he was 8 years old; helping his grandparents and uncle plant and harvest crops such as sorghum, corn and cotton; repairing fences; and helping with animals.

But after high school, feeling pressure to attend a four-year university, he enrolled at the University of Texas-Pan American (UTPA), now the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, and pursued a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering.

“I wasn’t in the right mindset. I was young, and the transition from high school to college was a difficult one for me,” he said. “I ended up dropping out.”

For a few years after UTPA, Agado worked odd jobs, none of which he considered lifelong careers. So he enrolled at a local community college to study biology.

He ended up earning his associate degree from South Texas College in 2009, and later he transferred back to UTPA to pursue a bachelor’s degree in biology.

“Once again, life got in the way. I had a family to support, and college was no longer a priority,” said Agado, who is married and has three children. “I had to work full time and make a living.”

With his bachelor’s degree nearly completed, Agado left UTPA and worked for nearly six years at the U.S. Department of Agriculture Service Center just north of Edinburg. He had worked part time at this location as a student.

At the USDA, Agado served as a biology researcher studying beneficial insects and managing research farms in Weslaco.

“I truly enjoyed this job, but I felt stuck. I had plateaued and had nowhere to grow,” he said. “But it was these years of experience that led me to TSTC and my current position, so I appreciate it now.”

Agado enrolled in the Wind Energy Technology program at TSTC in 2016. Little did he know that not only was a degree waiting for him, but also a job-offer-turned-career.

“When I first arrived at TSTC, I was offered the position I have now, but I turned it down because I wanted to finish my program,” he said. “But I guess sometimes things are just meant to be, because here I am.”

Agado earned his associate degree in Wind Energy Technology in Spring 2018 as a TSTC Board of Regents honors graduate with a perfect 4.0 GPA.

“I chose wind energy to begin with because it’s a booming career. I knew there would be financial stability,” he said. “I got some great job offers, but I couldn’t relocate my family.”

Agado now assists TSTC Agricultural Technology department chairman and instructor Sammy Gavito and instructor Sheren Farag with their classes and labs.

“Daniel has extensive experience and broad knowledge about the agriculture industry,” said Gavito. “He brings a lot of expertise to different areas of our curriculum and has already shown us that teaching comes naturally to him and is his calling.”

“We are so excited to have Daniel on our team. And I see him growing with TSTC and within our industry. The sky’s the limit for Daniel,” Gavito added.

Come Spring 2019, not only will Agado continue his work as a lab assistant, but he will also be enrolled as a student in the TSTC Agricultural Technology program.

He plans on pursuing an associate degree and later transferring to Texas A&M-Kingsville for a bachelor’s degree and teacher certification in Agriculture Science.

Agado’s goal: “I hope to someday become a full-time instructor with TSTC’s Agricultural Technology program.”

For more information on Agricultural Technology, visit tstc.edu/programs/AgriculturalTechnology.

(HARLINGEN) – The Workforce Development and Continuing Education department at Texas State Technical College, in partnership with Valley Baptist Medical Center in Harlingen, recently received a Skills Development Fund grant for customized job training.

The check, in the amount of $301,238, was presented by the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) during a ceremony hosted at TSTC’s Cultural Arts Center this week.

The training provided by this grant is already in session and will last one year.

TSTC Workforce Development Executive Director Isidro Ramos said it is an honor to partner with TWC and industry to provide technical skills training.

“TSTC plays a vital role in ensuring that our local communities have a skilled workforce so that we may all grow and prosper,” said Ramos. “This grant makes it possible for employees to stay current in their specialty, increase career mobility and salary, and service our area with the best health care possible.”

The grant provides customized job training for 155 Valley Baptist Medical Center employees such as certified nursing assistants, registered nurses and nurse managers.

The training will focus on health care and social assistance topics, including personal leadership, quality management, trauma care, pediatric care and nurse’s aide skills.

Valley Baptist Chief Nursing Officer Steven Hill calls this grant a blessing to his staff and the community they serve.

“We are excited to have received the funds that will help us train our frontline staff,” said Hill. “TSTC’s training is invaluable and, although classes have only begun, we can already see how it’s benefiting our staff and our department. We will reap the benefits of this grant for years to come.”

Additionally, Valley Baptist employees who successfully complete the trauma and pediatric care after resuscitation, trauma nursing core course and emergency pediatric training will receive professional board certifications.

“These additional certifications not only give our health care professionals an enhanced skill set, but also give our community a higher level of care,” said Hill.

Valley Baptist Medical Center is the only level-two trauma facility south of San Antonio. It already partners with TSTC’s Allied Health division, serving as a practicum site for the college’s vocational nursing and registered nursing students.

“The longtime partnership we have with Valley Baptist is tremendous,” said TSTC Provost Cledia Hernandez. “It is a privilege to be able to work closely with them in this and other endeavors. The support we have for each other benefits our campus, our students and our community.”

TWC Commissioner Representing Labor Julian Alvarez said the economic impact these types of grants have on the state is large.

“This particular grant has a $307,000 economic impact,” he said. “And because of training like this, our unemployment rate is decreasing and partnerships are growing because we all understand what it takes to improve our workforce.”

“I want to let everyone know that the stars are aligning for the South Texas region because of the support and representation you have in Austin. And TSTC, we thank you for always providing innovative training and understanding industry needs,” Alvarez added.

For more information on training provided by TSTC’s Workforce Development and Continuing Education, call 956-364-4590 or visit tstc.edu/continuingeducation.