Category Archives: West Texas

Spicer motivated to complete TSTC’s Diesel Equipment Technology program

(SWEETWATER, Texas) – Richard Spicer did not have to look far to find his motivation.

“I wanted to provide a better life for my daughter,” said Spicer, who just received an Associate of Applied Science degree from Texas State Technical College in Diesel Equipment Technology.

Spicer said his daughter was by his side when he was completing class assignments on his computer, as well as during the recent fall semester virtual graduation ceremony.

“I think she was trying to learn what I was having to learn right next to me,” he said. “She was my whole inspiration for going to school and earning a degree.”

Spicer said his wife also helped him during school.

“She always kept me going anytime I was down,” he said.

Spicer has already begun his career as a mechanic for Crane Service in Sweetwater. Crane Service provides crane and other equipment for the wind industry in West Texas.

It is common for TSTC’s Diesel Equipment Technology graduates to find jobs in West Texas either in the wind sector or oil field, according to instructor Shannon Weir.

“People trust our graduates,” Weir said.

Spicer has been using the knowledge he gained at TSTC in his hometown, something he wanted to do for his family.

“I am glad I found a job in my hometown,” he said. “I wanted to be able to work in Sweetwater so my family could be close.”

Spicer previously had worked for Love’s Travel Stop as a mechanic and wanted to expand his knowledge of engines.

“I always liked working on things,” he said. “Working on mechanical things at Love’s was a good way to start my career.”

Spicer was drawn to TSTC because of its hands-on approach.

“That gives you more a feeling of what you are doing,” he said. “It actually helped me out a lot. Attending TSTC was the best experience I have had in my life. TSTC is definitely a great school and with great instructors. They helped me reach my goal of graduating and providing my daughter with a better life.”

He knows his daughter has seen him doing his best, which has had a positive effect on her.

“She loves going to school,” he said. “The message I wanted to give her is that it is good to go to school and reach your goals.”

For more information on TSTC, visit tstc.edu.

TSTC student wants to travel country as welder

(ABILENE, Texas) – Texas State Technical College student Quincy Butler has set a goal for himself.

Butler, who completed his first semester in Welding Technology this fall, wants to be a traveling welder. He is studying for an Associate of Applied Science degree in order to achieve his goal.

“I have seen most of Texas and decided I wanted to see the rest of the country,” he said. “I wanted to do that by doing something I liked, which is welding.”

Instructor Anthony Lewis is encouraged by his story, saying Butler has shown promising welding skills.

“I was very intrigued by his story and know he will do a good job,” Lewis said.

“I was always interested in welding,” Butler said, adding that he did not pick up a torch much before beginning classes in August. “Once I picked it up, I think I took to it like a duck to water.”

He wanted to pursue an associate degree for one reason.

“Having an associate degree in hand will give me job security,” he said. “It will lead me down a career path as far as employers. I know that will help me when applying for a job.”

Butler said a friend talked to him about taking welding classes at TSTC.

“He graduated from the welding program last year and has given me a lot of advice,” he said. “He is working in the field right now, and I know I can always call him.”

Butler said he is using some of the techniques he learned during his first semester on outside projects.

“I knew the TSTC instructors would be able to help. The program is laid out great for people to learn,” he said.

When it comes to traveling the country to work, Butler said he did not have a preference on what type of work he wants to do.

“Whether it is an oil pipeline, wind turbines or the big buildings in larger cities, I want to be able to see the rest of the country and make this my career,” he said.

His path is just beginning at TSTC, and he knows it was a good choice.

“I know with an education from TSTC I will be set for the rest of my life,” he said. “This will be something that one day I will be able to teach my children and then to their children.”

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, welding jobs will increase by nearly 4 percent in the United States by 2028.

For more information on TSTC, visit tstc.edu.

TSTC student reaches goal of completing Nursing program

(SWEETWATER, Texas) – Gabrianna Pena had her goal in sight, only it took longer than she expected to reach it.

The 2014 graduate of Winter High School is a candidate for graduation from Texas State Technical College’s Nursing program. She expects to receive a certificate in vocational nursing this month.

“After I graduated high school, I did not go straight to college,” she said. “I had to work in order to pay for my classes.”

After starting a nursing program, Pena hit another roadblock.

“I got discouraged when I failed. I knew that at some point I would go back to school,” she said. “I didn’t want to be able to tell myself that I did not succeed.”

In 2019, a friend offered Pena some advice and an application packet for TSTC’s nursing program. That was two days prior to the registration deadline. Pena scrambled to complete the paperwork and was accepted into the program.

“I was iffy if I really wanted to go back to school. Having to choose between going to school and working to pay the bills was a hard decision,” she said. “I got the acceptance letter and started classes.”

Pena said attending TSTC allowed her to continue to work at a nursing home. That helped pay the bills, and her family helped by watching her daughter while she was in school.

“Going to TSTC really worked well with my schedule,” she said.

Pena’s goal was to work in a field where she could help others.

“My mom worked as a CNA (certified nursing assistant) for a long time,” she said. “I always was interested in what she was doing. I wanted to help others.”

In 2012, Pena’s grandfather needed medical attention, and Pena and her mother helped watch him and take him to doctor’s appointments.

“Having to take my grandfather to the doctor each week, I was able to see the nurses working with him,” she said. “That gave me the motivation to help people. My grandfather was my inspiration for going into the health care field.”

Pena has also seen the effects of COVID-19 while working in the nursing home.

“All the residents see on a daily basis is you. There is no visitation,” she said. “I like working there because you may not feel that what you are doing is important, but you are making a big difference to the residents.”

Pena said she is proud of her journey in becoming a licensed vocational nurse, but it may not end there.

“I do have plans to someday go back and study to become a registered nurse,” she said. “It takes a lot for people to go through bad situations, but you eventually bounce back. I want to show people they do not need to give up on their dreams.”

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Texas leads the country in the number of LVNs employed, with more than 70,000. Of that total, more than 1,600 are employed in the West Texas region.

For more information on TSTC, visit tstc.edu.

Dual enrollment opportunity leads Heatley to continue education at TSTC

(BRECKENRIDGE, Texas) – Breckenridge High School senior M.T. Heatley does not want to stop studying Welding Technology when he graduates in May.

Heatley plans to continue his education at Texas State Technical College, where he is a dual enrollment student, to pursue an associate degree. He said that will set him up for a brighter future.

“I am working on my certificate and decided that if I was that far, I should continue for the associate,” he said. “I know it will help me in looking for a job.”

TSTC Welding Technology instructor Stephen Hope said he knew Heatley would excel in the program.

“He came in here during his junior year and really took hold of things,” Hope said. “His skills in this trade have grown so much. I knew early on he had a future as a welder.”

Heatley has taken on the role of mentor and wants to see every student do well.

“It feels good to help the younger guys. They are working hard in the lab,” he said. “I want to see them succeed.”

About two dozen Breckenridge High School students are taking dual enrollment welding classes at TSTC. The agreement is seen as a positive for everyone involved, said Breckenridge High School principal William Paul.

“The program is very popular with our students. Just as important is our partnership with the Breckenridge Economic Development Corporation, led by Virgil Moore, who has committed funds to ensure our TSTC student costs are covered,” Paul said. “The BEDC is committed to ensuring we are promoting a skilled workforce within Breckenridge, and we value that.”

The dual enrollment opportunity, according to Paul, is a way for the high school to fulfill its mission of preparing students for life after school.

“Our partnership with TSTC is an extremely important part of achieving that goal as it gives students the opportunity to learn a valuable skill, such as welding,” he said. “Students who enroll in our dual enrollment TSTC welding classes can get a jump-start on a career by earning TSTC dual credit hours prior to graduation and have some of the welding curriculum completed when they graduate.”

Heatley said Hope makes the class experience easy.

“He is very helpful and will make arrangements for any of us,” he said. “Everyone in the class has learned a lot from him.”

Heatley may be one of Hope’s best recruiters at the high school.

“I talked to my cousin, who is a sophomore, and he plans to start the program next year,” he said. “I hope more students begin it. This is something that will change your life.”

For more information on TSTC, visit tstc.edu.

TSTC student perseveres despite medical condition

(BROWNWOOD, Texas) – Crystal Neudigate-Sharp did not want a medical condition to stop her from earning an Emergency Medical Technician certificate at Texas State Technical College.

“I wanted to teach my children that once you start something, you need to complete it, no matter the obstacles,” said Neudigate-Sharp, a candidate for graduation this semester.

After being injured in an accident, she suffered an allergic reaction to the medication and was without oxygen for 24 minutes.

“The doctor told me that I did not wake up during that time,” Neudigate-Sharp said. “I spent the weekend in the Brownwood hospital but was later transferred to a Dallas hospital.”

She spent three months last summer recovering, which included physical and occupational therapy. Neudigate-Sharp remains in speech therapy, but that did not stop her from returning to school this fall.

“I was so grateful for the online EMT program. I can say I have successfully completed the program despite my physical limitations,” she said.

It took the help of the Brownwood campus staff to get her back on track.

“Everyone at TSTC was very supportive. They were more than helpful,” she said. “They wanted to see me succeed.”

Teresa Phillips, an enrollment coach at the Brownwood campus, was one of those who made an impact on Neudigate-Sharp.

“Crystal sets goals for herself, and then she is very persistent to follow through and work hard to accomplish the goals she has set for herself,” Phillips said.

Neudigate-Sharp’s interest in the field grew while watching her husband, who is also an EMT.

“I had stayed at home for 13 years and knew one day I would go back to school,” she said. “That one day came when my husband said, ‘It’s time to go to school.’”

Neudigate-Sharp enjoys the camaraderie that EMTs have during the workday.

“There is a closeness in that community,” she said. “It felt like the right job for me.”

During TSTC’s virtual graduation celebration on Dec. 10, Neudigate-Sharp will be waiting with her family to see her name appear on the video.

“My kids are so excited for me. They are ecstatic that I have gone through the finish line,” she said. “They have been encouraging me throughout this whole process.”

Neudigate-Sharp looks forward to the day when she can use her certificate to help someone else.

“God is seeing me through this entire ordeal,” she said. “I still pray that I will be able to serve my fellow citizens. I cannot wait to do what I was trained to do.”

To learn more about the Emergency Medical Services program at TSTC, visit https://www.tstc.edu/programs/EmergencyMedicalServices.

Supervisor encourages TSTC student to complete RN program

(SWEETWATER, Texas) – It took encouragement by her supervisor for Melissa Rice to go back to college.

Rice, a longtime licensed vocational nurse at Lake Granbury Medical Center, is a candidate to graduate from Texas State Technical College this fall with an associate of applied science degree in nursing.

“I have always had a deep drive to help people,” she said of her decision to enter the nursing profession.

After becoming an LVN, Rice began her career in Tyler and later moved to Granbury. She took the time between becoming an LVN in 1982 and completing the registered nursing program at TSTC to start a family.

Her supervisor at Lake Granbury Medical Center suggested that she return to school to become an RN.

“She told me that I was doing what an RN does and I needed to get paid for it,” Rice said. “A friend of mine recommended TSTC, and I applied.”

Rice was not accepted the first time she applied, but that did not deter her. She was accepted on her second application, knowing the hard work was about to begin.

Rice said balancing her career and school was made easier by her supervisor and the TSTC instructors.

“My supervisor was more than happy to accommodate my hours so I could go to school,” she said. “The instructors kept us motivated. They were right there in the trenches with us.”

Instructor Charlene Rice, no relation to Melissa Rice, said Rice had the right attitude for nursing.

“Melissa is a bright and intelligent student. She is always ready to learn and help her fellow students,” she said. “She shows great integrity with her patients, fellow students and instructors. Melissa has one of the kindest hearts that is full of compassion.”

At Lake Granbury Medical Center, Rice works in the delivery room. She said that is the best place for a nurse to work.

“I love newborn babies,” she said. “Being there during the birth of a child is a miracle. It never gets old.”

Rice cares for the babies immediately after their birth.

“I am the person that takes care of the baby right after they are born,” she said. “We lay the baby on the mother’s chest, and then I am there to take care of him or her. That has been the highlight of my career.”

Once Rice passes her state board exam, she will be eligible to assist mothers during labor.

“This will be a wonderful transition for my career,” she said.

Rice had to commute from Granbury to Sweetwater for clinicals, saying it was the support of her family that helped her complete the program.

“My husband and family have been very supportive,” she said. “He told me so many times that I could do this. The biggest thing he did was help me when I lost papers on the computer. He was always there to comfort me.”

Her classmates were also a source of inspiration.

“I could not have done this without my classmates,” Rice said. “We were always communicating with each other, even though we did not see each other as often as we would have liked.”

For more information about TSTC, visit tstc.edu.

Hall begins new adventure in TSTC’s Welding Technology program

(ABILENE, Texas) – Jeremiah Hall, of Coleman, knew his life would be an adventure.

The U.S. Army veteran, who was stationed in Hawaii, moved to West Texas after he completed his military service. This fall, his adventurous life led him to Texas State Technical College’s Welding Technology program.

“I guess you could say I was tired of being lazy,” said Hall, who also works as a grocery store manager. “I always say life is an adventure, and this is just another one I can take.”

A friend led him to TSTC’s welding program, and he is working toward his certification. He hopes that the certification, coupled with his customer service experience, will benefit him when he joins the welding workforce.

“I feel you have to have good customer service skills after talking to a few welding companies,” he said. “I think I will be able to work well because I have structured myself to do better.”

Instructor Anthony Lewis said students will be able to find a job in the region after completing the program. That is something Hall said attracted him to TSTC.

“There is always a need for welders in every region of Texas. Between 80 and 90 percent of those are for entry-level positions,” Lewis said.

Hall said he enjoys attending lab sessions and talking to his classmates. His Army service comes into play when he is in the lab.

“When I was in the military, regardless of who you were, we would always treat people like they were grown,” he said. “We know that we have to get our weld done, but we treat others with respect and as adults.”

He said the instructors are there to make sure students succeed, something that everyone appreciates.

“If we have any questions, they do not mind helping us. They want us to be successful,” Hall said.

Since he started working in his lab bay, Hall said he enjoys trying the different techniques demonstrated during class.

“There is always plenty of stuff for us to weld. I just like trying all of the different techniques,” he said. “It makes me feel like I am getting better when I know that I can do a new technique.”

Hall said anyone can start the program, even if they do not have experience.

“I had just a little bit of experience. I did some welding for the city of Coleman, but nothing like this before,” he said. “This goes to show you that if you work hard, you can succeed.”

For more information about TSTC, visit tstc.edu.

TSTC Automotive Technology Program Receives $30,000 from San Antonio Organization

(WACO, Texas) – Texas State Technical College’s statewide Automotive Technology program will be revving up stronger than ever, thanks to a generous contribution from a Texas-based automotive organization. 

The Community of Automotive Professionals recently gave $30,000 for TSTC’s Automotive Technology programs in Harlingen, Sweetwater and Waco. The money will give a financial boost to TSTC’s ability to provide scholarships and improve equipment for use in labs and classes.

“(TSTC supports) all our core values, and we are partners moving forward,” said Mark Colaw, board chairman of the Community of Automotive Professionals, the 501(c)(3) organization that produces CarFest each spring in San Antonio. “They have a reach across Texas. That is what is important and impresses me.”

Michael Smith, senior field development officer for The TSTC Foundation, said the organization has consistently supported TSTC in recent years. It has given $160,000 in gifts to TSTC since 2015.

“We just have a phenomenal advocate in Mark (Colaw),” Smith said. “He sees the needs in the automotive industry and recognizes the quality of students that come out of TSTC.”

Miguel Zoleta, lead instructor in TSTC’s Automotive Technology program in Harlingen, said some of the organization’s financial gifts have gone toward student uniforms and lockers.

“We have also awarded students scholarships so they could purchase tools they need for our program,” he said.

Zoleta said the program has been fortunate to receive engines and a transmission from Jasper Engines and Transmissions through CarFest that students use in some of their courses.

Rudy Cervantez, TSTC’s statewide chair of the Automotive Technology department, said Automotive Technology students in Waco who bought a shirt at the campus store were given a second shirt free because of the financial gift. Students were also able to use new lockers to store tools.

“We wanted to help the students out,” he said.

Cervantez said Automotive Technology students statewide who have good referrals from program instructors and meet a grade-point average requirement are eligible for a $500 scholarship.

Cervantez said some money was used to help members of the first cohort of Tesla’s START training program at TSTC earlier this year. That program is taught at the Kultgen Automotive Center on the Waco campus.

CarFest is planned for April 9-11, 2021, at Freeman Coliseum in San Antonio. However, the organization is working on contingency plans for the event due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We are working on a Plan A and a Plan B,” Colaw said. “We improve our event every year. We are working on the new improvements as part of the plans. We are staying conscious that we need to pivot.”

For more information on the Community of Automotive Professionals, go to capjoin.org.

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

TSTC student wants to continue family tradition in aviation

(ABILENE, Texas) – Coltton Johnson hopes his journey will continue a family tradition.

The first-year Aircraft Powerplant Technology student at Texas State Technical College is following in his father’s footsteps. The Idaho native arrived in Abilene after his father retired from the U.S. Air Force and began working for Eagle Aviation Services.

“I have been around planes my whole life,” he said. “I wanted to make working in aviation a family tradition.”

While Johnson has not yet started working on the aircraft at the TSTC hangar, he knows that will be the best part of the program.

“I like the hands-on aspect of this program. I appreciate what we are learning right now because it keeps us on track,” he said. “All of the material is laid out really well.”

Johnson said he is working to obtain his associate degree and knows his father is always willing to help. His Air Force and Eagle experience is helping Johnson during lectures.

“He has worked with me a little. But he wants me to learn what I need to know,” Johnson said. “I sometimes ask him general questions, but always have to make sure I know the answers.”

One piece of advice that Johnson’s father gave him when he started still resonates with him.

“My dad told me that if there is anything that is considered Federal Aviation Administration material in the course, I need to study it and know it,” he said. “I make sure that I know it.”

Being around aircraft before he started classes paid off early for him.

“I felt well prepared for the start of school,” Johnson said. “I am going to study everything to make sure I succeed.”

Johnson said being able to walk into the hangar and see students working on planes is helping him work harder.

“My choice to attend TSTC is better than I could have ever expected,” he said. “I am glad I chose to follow my dad in the aviation field.”

For more information about TSTC, visit tstc.edu.

TSTC alumna works to lead people down right road

(BROWNWOOD, Texas) – Leigh Anne Folger is using her life experience as a road map to help others.

Folger, a 2017 graduate of Texas State Technical College’s Chemical Dependency Counseling program, is a counselor at Addiction Behavioral Services. Prior to joining the staff, she worked as a counselor at the Texas Department of Criminal Justice’s Thomas R. Havins Unit in Brownwood.

“I know I am not responsible for my clients’ decisions. I can’t take credit for their success or get down if they fail,” she said. “All I do is provide them with the information that can help them. I hold up the road map to a successful life. They have to want to drive the car.”

Folger said she got her life on track after being released from prison. She knew a career in the medical field would not be possible, but another option was available.

“I made a lot of bad decisions in my life, and they finally caught up to me,” she said. “I knew that I would never have a career in the field I once dreamed of, which was the medical field. So I thought, ‘Why don’t I become a counselor?’ I knew I could help people by using my life experiences.”

Folger reconnected with a friend and classmate at Addiction Behavioral Services, Laura Weaver. Folger credits Weaver for steering her to TSTC’s counseling program.

“I had these unrealistic fears of failing. I was kind of hesitant to enroll,” she said. “Laura said she would meet me at the school.”

Once Folger walked onto the Brownwood campus, she felt at ease.

“Everyone had a smile on their face. No one was bothered by all of the questions I had,” she said. “Everyone at TSTC made me excited about going back to school.”

After graduation, Folger began working for the Havins Unit. It served as a reminder for her to move forward.

“I love what I do. Working at the unit felt like a reminder that I did not want to go back,” she said.

She also knew which inmates needed the most help.

“About 60 percent of the guys had already made up their mind that they did not want to return to prison,” Folger said. “It was those individuals on the fence that I targeted. I wanted to persuade them that the grass was greener on the outside.”

When the chance came to work for Addiction Behavioral Services, she did not hesitate.

“Looking back, I enjoyed my time at the unit. I just wanted to make a change,” Folger said. “Being able to work with Laura was also amazing. Everything has come full circle for me.”

Folger continues to praise TSTC and the staff for helping her find her way.

“Had it not been for TSTC, there is no telling where I would be right now,” she said. “TSTC was amazing. (Instructor) Elizabeth Jones is amazing. She has more insight than anyone in this field. I even recommend TSTC to people looking to restart their life. It worked for me.”

For more information about TSTC, visit tstc.edu.