Category Archives: West Texas

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.

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.

New program allows students to receive real-world training while earning college credit

(BROWNWOOD, Texas) – Texas State Technical College will provide Brownwood High School students a chance to experience real-world training while earning college credit.

The 3M Manufacturing and Academic Partnerships (MAP) program, which will begin in the fall of 2020, will allow students to study a career in manufacturing. The MAP partnership between TSTC, 3M and Brownwood Independent School District was unveiled in February to the public and local officials.

TSTC Brownwood Associate Provost Raquel Mata said the goal for the 2020 school year is to have students take dual enrollment classes. By 2021, Mata’s goal is to implement an associate of applied science degree curriculum in Industrial Systems at the Brownwood campus.

TSTC received a grant from the 3M Foundation to purchase MecLab Trainers that will be used in the program. The Brownwood 3M plant manufactures reflective sheeting for highway signs, license plates, protective clothing and security laminates.

Through the MAP program, Brownwood High School students will have the chance to learn the basics of creating and using schematic designs, circuit diagrams and technical drawings; building models; creating simulations; and developing and constructing electronic and pneumatic circuits.

“I think this is a fantastic opportunity for our students to get exposed to career pathways they typically would not look at,” said Ray Tipton, executive director of the Brownwood Municipal Development District. “This is a partnership that is innovative and outside of the box.”

Mata hopes other industries in the Brownwood area get involved.

“This program is set up to replenish our workforce,” she said. “This is a good partnership for TSTC, Brownwood ISD and 3M. I look forward to its future.”

Tipton said that after learning of the grant opportunity, his first call was to TSTC.

 “I think this is a program that will change kids’ lives,” Tipton said.

After nearly a year of planning, TSTC and Brownwood High School are ready to start the program, but expansion to other school districts is possible.

“I would like to see other schools in our area, Bangs and Early, take part in the program,” Mata said.

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

California Company Gives Money for TSTC Wind Energy Scholarships

(SWEETWATER, Texas) – Carlsbad, California-based BayWa r.e. Wind has given $157,500 to Texas State Technical College’s Sweetwater campus to provide scholarships to students in three area counties.

Fifteen students graduating this year in Fisher, Kent and Stonewall counties — five from each county — will be eligible for the $10,500 Amadeus Wind Energy Scholarship to study in TSTC’s Wind Energy Technology program in Sweetwater.

“This is a huge opportunity,” said Daniel Martin, TSTC’s student recruitment director for the West Texas campuses. “The scholarship is covering nearly 100 percent of their tuition costs. They should not have a reason to leave TSTC with any debt.”

Martin said TSTC has good relationships with the four high schools in the counties.

“We are not just there to recruit their students,” he said. “We are there to be helpful in the education process.”

Students receiving scholarships can take advantage of a growing career field. The number of wind turbine technicians is projected to grow to 10,300 through 2028, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The jobs have a nationwide median annual wage of more than $54,300, according to the agency.

The scholarship is named for the Amadeus Wind Project, which will encompass land in Fisher, Kent and Stonewall counties. The project is expected to have more than 90 wind turbines, according to information filed with the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts. Construction is expected to be completed at the end of this year.

TSTC offers a wind energy technician certificate and Associate of Applied Science degree in Wind Energy Technology in Sweetwater.

TSTC’s Wind Energy Technology program and BayWa r.e. Wind will host a Program Highlight Day from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 24, at Aspermont High School in Stonewall County. Students from Jayton, Roby and Rotan high schools are also scheduled to attend.

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

TSTC and Hendrick Health System Celebrate TWC Skills Development Grant

(ABILENE, Texas) – Leaders from Texas State Technical College, the Texas Workforce Commission and Hendrick Health System gathered Friday to commemorate a TWC Skills Development Fund grant.

The $198,022 grant will enable 115 current employees and 19 new workers to earn up to three certifications and take 19 classes covering coding, claim accuracy, clinical documentation, medical office compliance and other topics. Training started Jan. 3, said Cindy Brunett, a TSTC Workforce Training project manager. 

Doug Peters, president and chief executive officer of the Abilene Chamber of Commerce, said he is thankful for TWC investing in the city. 

“We need a skilled and accessible workforce and grow the jobs we have,” he said.

The partnership and training fulfills TSTC’s mission of supporting the state’s economic development efforts with specialized training, said Rick Denbow, provost of TSTC’s West Texas campuses.

TWC Chairman and Commissioner Representing the Public Bryan Daniel said the grant means TSTC can help make Hendrick’s employees the best at what they do. He said patients can feel someone is taking care of them at every stage of their care. 

Daniel said the grant will have a financial return in some employees seeing their salaries rise and more patients being served.

“What a phenomenal job TSTC does for our state,” he said.

Marjohn Piney, operations manager of Hendrick Health System’s provider network, said the goal of the business is to deliver the highest-quality health care to the region. 

Texas Rep. Stan Lambert, R-Abilene, said he knows resources can be limited in West Texas. He said the grant symbolizes how the region will thrive in workforce training and skills development in the next decade.

“We have found ways to stretch dollars more ways than you can imagine,” he said. 

The Skills Development Fund has been used since 1996 to localize workforce training for Texas companies. This enables companies to work directly with local partners to develop training tailored to the needs of employers. The competitive grant has assisted more than 4,200 employers and created or upgraded more than 342,000 jobs statewide, according to the TWC.

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

 

Sweetwater Company Continues Financial Support for TSTC Veteran-Students

(SWEETWATER, Texas) – A Sweetwater company continues to provide scholarship dollars to military veterans studying at Texas State Technical College.

EMA Electromechanics, an international maker of equipment for the clean wind energy sector, has given $150,000 since 2015 for the Sweetwater Veterans’ Funds for College Education.

Company president Eduardo Montich recently presented TSTC with a $75,000 check, putting their total commitment for scholarships at $225,000.  

The scholarship funds have helped veterans complete their technical education at TSTC’s campuses in Abilene, Breckenridge, Brownwood and Sweetwater.

“We are truly humbled by EMA’s generosity and desire to support veterans at TSTC’s West Texas campuses,” said Beth Wooten, chief executive officer of The TSTC Foundation. “Inspiring partnerships like this change lives. We are forever grateful to have the opportunity to work together on such a worthy cause.”

Rick Denbow, provost of TSTC’s West Texas campuses, said the company is an exceptional industry partner that not only sees value in TSTC graduates, but also supports them through their EMA veteran scholarship. He said the fund allows veterans to achieve their educational dreams when otherwise their college education might not be an option.

“We are deeply appreciative of EMA’s continued support of veterans enrolled at TSTC’s West Texas campuses,” he said.

EMA Electromechanics was founded in 1952 in Argentina. The company’s VDH Series Vacuum Circuit Breaker was first sold in the United States in 2003. The company began its American operations in 2010 in Sweetwater.

“EMA believes if it weren’t for our veterans, their company would have been unable to locate, operate and flourish in our fine country,” said Gail Lawrence, TSTC’s executive vice chancellor and chief of staff to the chancellor. “Our partnership with EMA is incredibly important and serves to further our mission and commitment to supply a highly skilled workforce for Texas industries and this region.”

For more information on EMA Electromechanics, go to emaelectromechanics.com.

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

TSTC Student Strives to Set Example for Siblings

(BROWNWOOD, Texas) – Not many people know exactly what they want to do before they graduate from high school, but Texas State Technical College student Ethan Saucedo had a game plan since his junior year. 

 

“TSTC came to our school, and I knew they had a good program. So I visited TSTC and met with Ms. Renee, the instructor, and I just knew this was where I wanted to be,” Saucedo said. 

 

Saucedo is now a first-semester student in the Computer Networking and Systems Administration program at the Brownwood campus. He is also the first in his family to go to college. 

 

“I have a lot of younger cousins and two younger siblings, and I want to set a good example and encourage them to pursue college,” he said.

 

While earning his associate degree, Saucedo is commuting over 70 miles a day from his hometown in Eden to attend classes.

 

“I want to better myself and do good for my family, so you just have to do what it takes to get the work done,” Saucedo said. 

 

Saucedo’s work ethic has not gone unnoticed. His instructor, Renee Blackshear, says she is very impressed with what he has already accomplished and is looking forward to what he will do. 

 

“Ethan is a great kid. He works hard and has such a positive attitude. He is planning on competing for us in SkillsUSA, and I think he will do very well and grow even more,” Blackshear said. 

 

Although he has only been with TSTC for one semester, Saucedo is already excited for what the future holds.

 

“I’m really glad I’m here. I’m excited to compete in SkillsUSA, and graduate and eventually find the right job,” Saucedo said. “I would encourage anyone to look at TSTC because I really enjoy my program.”

 

Registration for the Spring 2020 semester is underway. For more information about TSTC, go online at tstc.edu.

Ethan Saucedo is a Texas State Technical College student in the Computer Networking and Systems Administration program at the Brownwood campus. He is the first in his family to attend college. 

 

Student Veteran Earns Two Degrees at TSTC

(ABILENE, Texas) – Why stop at one college degree when having two is twice as nice? 

 

Texas State Technical College student and Army veteran Devan Moore is earning his second degree at TSTC and is expected to graduate this December. He graduated from the Sweetwater campus in 2018 with an associate degree in Wind Energy Technology and is now pursuing an associate degree in Industrial Systems at the Abilene campus. 

 

“I wanted to make sure I found the career that was perfect for me, so I decided to earn the second degree to make sure I could find the company and type of work that I would love,” Moore said. 

 

Moore enrolled at TSTC right after leaving the Army in 2016. Upon completing his first degree, he immediately reenrolled for the second degree. 

 

“I’m excited to be done with school, but I’m very proud of what I have accomplished,” Moore said. “I’m interviewing for the right job, and as I tell employers everything I am learning and have learned, it seems to impress them because the programs are so comprehensive.”

 

One of Moore’s favorite things about his time at TSTC is the relationship he has built with fellow veterans, classmates and TSTC Veteran Services representative Annette Collins.

 

“Annette is a rock star. She makes sure we have everything we need for our benefits and allows us to focus on learning and getting that degree. And that allows me to build up these friendships with other veterans and then be available to offer advice to the younger guys in class,” Moore said. 

 

For Collins, seeing the veterans succeed is what makes her day.

 

“Those students are my babies. I think of them as my children, so it makes me so proud to see them working hard and doing so well,” Collins said. 

 

Collins is a 20-year Air Force veteran. 

 

She and Moore both agree that TSTC is a great place for veterans to continue their education. 

 

“There is a lot going on when you leave the military, and it’s hard to feel normal again. But this environment, where you get to work with your hands and be around other people who understand what you’re going through, is awesome,” Moore said.  

 

  For more information about TSTC, log on to tstc.edu.

Texas State Technical College student veteran Devan Moore is pursuing his second degree at TSTC. He is expected to graduate with an Associate of Applied Science degree in the Industrial Systems program. 

 

TSTC Combines Art and Technology for Project With Abilene Cultural Affairs Council

(ABILENE, Texas) –  Texas State Technical College has partnered with the Abilene Cultural Affairs Council to help create the newest addition to the Adamson-Spalding Storybook Garden in Abilene. 

 

Three metal panels of sculptural vines standing about 7 feet tall and titled “Cardinal Vines” will be added to the garden in 2020. On the vines will be representations of 21 cardinals, and the leaves can be engraved to honor someone special. 

 

 

TSTC Architectural Design and Engineering Graphics Technology instructor Magaly Valdez designed the vine panels, and student Justin Morrow designed the cardinals and leaves.

 

“This was an awesome opportunity to show what the Architectural Design program can do and a great way for us to give back to the community,” Valdez said. 

 

Morrow is an Abilene native and said he felt honored to be part of the process.

 

“I think it’s really cool to take what I’ve learned in class and apply it to a project for my community,” Morrow said. 

 

The idea for the project was presented to TSTC by Lynn Barnett, Abilene Cultural Affairs Council executive director, and Pam Tippen, co-chairperson of the Storybook Garden. 

 

“The ‘Cardinal Vines’ is an opportunity to allow the community to honor a loved one and be part of bettering the Abilene area,” Barnett said “This was Pam Tippen’s brainchild, and I am very excited for what TSTC has done for us and for what this will mean for the community.”

 

The “Cardinal Vines” project is part of a fundraiser for the Abilene Cultural Affairs Council to install more lighting in the Storybook Garden and be able to provide more opportunities for the community to gather. 

 

“This project and so many others are not possible without the help of so many talented people. The community is so amazing in providing their skill set, and we are so thankful for TSTC’s willingness to be part of this,” Tippen said.   

 

“Cardinal Vines” is expected to be unveiled during the Children’s Art & Literacy Festival next spring. 

 

For more information about TSTC, visit tstc.edu.

Texas State Technical College instructor Magaly Valdez and associate provost Justin Price (standing), along with Pam Tippen and Lynn Barnett (seated), visit the site where the three panels will be installed in 2020.