Category Archives: All TSTC

TSTC in North Texas Welcomes New Career Services Coordinator

(RED OAK) – Texas State Technical College in North Texas welcomed a new Career Services Coordinator at the end of May.

Fagen Jones, an Army veteran from Alabama, has an associate degree in instrumentation. After realizing her passion for helping people, she later went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in Social Sciences and Psychology from Troy University in Dothan, Alabama.

Jones worked in Career Services for Goodwill Industries of Arkansas before moving to Desoto, Texas, and continuing her work with Goodwill in Dallas. She was thrilled to come across the Career Services position at TSTC.

“When I read the job description, I was really excited about it because I was familiar with technical colleges,” she said. “I knew how technical school could help others like it helped me. I’m very passionate about things I believe in. Knowing what a technical degree can do for you, it really piqued my interest.”

Jones values TSTC’s degree offerings and teaching style.

“The programs that TSTC has to offer are what I really like,” she said. “You can get a career and grow from that. It’s not just the education, it’s the hands-on experience that you’re getting in the classrooms and can take to your job. Not every organization is set up like that, so it’s something that is very valuable.”

So far, Jones is focusing on connecting with the students.

“The main and most important thing is to make sure students secure employment prior to graduation,” she said. “I’m starting to get engaged with those students, trying to get them into the office to assist them with their resumes. I’m always putting out job leads. I’ve created a job board here for them. They’re coming in, seeing what’s there (on the board) and reaching out to me if they have questions about the job postings. That’s going really well. Next week, I’m starting to do workshops with the students, so I’m really excited about that.”

Jones has been impressed with the atmosphere at TSTC.

“Everybody is really nice,” she said. “I haven’t been in Texas long, but the time I have, I’ve never met so many people where the morale is just happy. That’s really good for me because I’m a happy person.”

She immediately felt welcomed by the Career Services team.

“I was really impressed and blown away by just the Career Services department and how they work as a team,” Jones said. “When I went to the Waco campus, they all walked around with me and introduced me. It wasn’t just one person, it was a team. It spoke volumes when the entire team got together.”

TSTC prides itself on being “a great place to work” and is currently hiring for positions at its 10 campuses statewide. For information on open positions at TSTC, visit tstc.edu/about/employment.

TSTC Students Attend Dallas Society of Visual Communications Conference

(WACO) — Thirteen proved to be a lucky number for students in Texas State Technical College’s Visual Arts Society who recently attended the Dallas Society of Visual Communications conference.

The Visual Arts Society are students pursuing Associate of Applied Science degrees in Visual Communication Technology. Thirteen students had their tickets paid by TSTC’s provost office to attend the conference for the first time in two years.

“This was my first time at DSVC, and it surprised me how much variety (there was) and (with) the talent of the speakers during the breakout sessions,” VAS president Raychel Mynarcik said. “Getting to meet the designer that came up with the current Vitaminwater, Smartwater and Powerade labels was awesome.”

The Dallas Society of Visual Communications was founded in 1957 and has grown to become one of the largest independent organizations of its kind. The conference provided networking and job opportunities for attendees.

“Getting to hear the speakers and their process and their journey getting their jobs was so inspiring. I found it to be super motivating,” club treasurer Samantha Westbrook said.

Students were able to meet with industry leaders, participate in group challenges and submit individual works for critique.

“My highlight was winning a box of macaroons during a 360 branding challenge by Neiman Marcus design representatives. It was really cool having my ideas being recognized and chosen,” Mynarcik said.

As the industry evolves, students were exposed to new ways their degree and creativity could be applied in the workforce.

“The biggest thing I learned was that there is a whole market for app design. That’s something I find to be really cool and maybe want to pursue a career in,” VAS public relations officer Christina Pace said.

Although the TSTC provost’s office paid for the students’ admission cost, members of the Visual Arts Society hosted fundraisers for the remaining trip fees and split the cost of gas.

“The provost’s office sponsors student events as often as possible. I know it will be one of the highlights of their time at TSTC, and I can’t wait to see what their futures hold,” TSTC Provost Adam Hutchison said. “I personally know TSTC graduates from the program who attended the conference, and I saw how they were inspired, encouraged and better prepared to find great jobs through their participation with DSVC.”

“These kids are so good,” Stacie Buterbaugh, instructor and the club’s sponsor, said. “They worked so hard and had multiple fundraisers like bakes sales and selling pizza and candy and sodas at events hosted on campus.”

VAS plans to attend the conference next spring and is using the previous trip in April as recruitment for new members.

“I like seeing these students be exposed to what’s outside the classroom and get a glimpse at the long-term opportunities. It’s so easy to get stuck and focus on one project and one assignment, but this allows them to see everything as part of a bigger picture and learn from their experiences,” Buterbaugh said.

TSTC in Waco offers the associate degree in Visual Communication Technology.

Registration for fall classes at TSTC is underway. For more information, visit tstc.edu.

TSTC in Sweetwater to Host Registration Events This Summer

(SWEETWATER) – Texas State Technical College will have two Registration Rally events this summer in Sweetwater.

The events will be held from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on June 12 and July 26 in the Sears Building on Homer K. Taylor Drive. The events are part of an effort to make the registration process as easy as possible for incoming students planning to take classes in the fall semester.

“We make it fun,” said Devin Crenshaw, a TSTC college outreach representative. “They can come and do every single thing in one day. It’s easier for people that don’t want to deal with the lengthy process and do a lot of back and forth. They can just come and get it done and not wait until the first class day.”

Visitors can take campus and housing tours and talk to faculty members about the seven technical programs offered at TSTC in Sweetwater, including Automotive Technology, Electromechanical Technology and Wind Energy Technology.

People interested in enrolling should bring a copy of their driver’s license, high school transcript or GED, any college transcripts, proof of bacterial meningitis vaccination, housing application and TSI scores.

TSTC is having registration events at its 10 campuses throughout the state this summer. For information on the closest Registration Rally, log on to tstc.edu/rally.

For more information, contact TSTC in Sweetwater at 325-235-7300 or visit tstc.edu.

TSTC in North Texas Registration Rallies Begin June 19

(RED OAK) – Texas State Technical College in North Texas will host two Registration Rallies this summer – all part of an effort to make the registration process as easy as possible for students starting classes in the fall semester. The first rally will be held on Tuesday, June 19, with the second following on Tuesday, July 17.

Recruiting and Admissions staff will be on standby to walk students through the registration process. They will also offer tours and help with applications.

The Registration Rallies will be held from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the campus at 119 N. Lowrance in Red Oak. Attendees will be able to meet with faculty, learn more about the different technologies offered at the Marshall campus and tour the facilities.

In addition to Recruiting and Admissions; personnel from Financial Aid, Testing, Student Success and Veteran Services will be available to answer questions and lend a helping hand. Prospective students will be able to learn all about resources available to them.

Students who need help finalizing their registration are encouraged to bring the following: copy of driver’s license, high school transcript or GED, any college transcripts, proof of bacterial meningitis vaccination and TSI scores.

For more information on the Registration Rally, go to tstc.edu/rally.

TSTC in Marshall Registration Rallies Begin June 21

(MARSHALL) – Texas State Technical College in Marshall will host two Registration Rallies this summer – all part of an effort to make the registration process as easy as possible for students starting classes in the fall semester. The first rally will be held on Thursday, June 21, with the second following on Thursday, July 19.

Recruiting and Admissions staff will be on standby to walk students through the registration process. They will also offer tours and help with applications.

The Registration Rallies will be held from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the campus at 2650 East End Blvd., South. Attendees will be able to meet with faculty, learn more about the different technologies offered at the Marshall campus and tour the facilities.

Coordinator of recruitment Patty Lopez says the rallies offer students the convenience of getting everything done at once.

“It’s going to be a great event for students to learn about the campus and explore what we have to offer in our neck of the woods,” Lopez said. “Our registration rally will be a one-stop shop for students to register for classes at TSTC.”

For more information on the Registration Rally, go to tstc.edu/rally.

TSTC Student Finds Passion in Welding

(HUTTO) – After working for a tree-trimming company for three years, Texas State Technical College student David Suarez wasn’t quite sure what he wanted as a career, but he knew that wasn’t it.

He came across welding by chance at work.

“We have a skid-steer at work. The bucket on it broke, and it needed to be welded,” Suarez said. “The boss is the one who usually welds things up, but he wasn’t there that day. His son was there, and he was welding it. He looked at me and asked, ‘You want to give it a shot?’ I said sure. And ever since that moment, I was hooked on it.”

The Hutto native and now Taylor resident looked up welding colleges and found that TSTC was right in his backyard.

“I have a couple of friends, probably five or so, that went there, and they loved it,” he said. “They’re out welding for a living, so I figured I’d sign up and see what it was all about.”

So far, he is enjoying his classes.

“All the people in there are super friendly and always willing to help,” Suarez said. “They do whatever it takes to make sure we are all in this together and no one is falling behind. As far as the teachers, they’re always in a good mood and willing to help you.’”

Suarez has even taken up some welding projects outside of class.

“If I’m not welding at school, I’m at home coming up with something,” he said. “I have a buddy who has a 4Runner, and we go off-roading. When you’re off-roading, you’re bumping into trees and rocks and all sorts of stuff, so he has a bumper that he wants to fit. It has to be welded to the frame of the 4Runner, so I’m going to start that project soon.”

In his free time, Suarez is a firefighter with the Taylor Volunteer Fire Department.

“It started about a year ago,” he said. “One of my co-workers has been doing it for six or seven years, and he’d been trying to get me to join. You get to experience so much — going through the academy and getting certified through the TEEX of Texas A&M. It’s always rewarding to feel like you can give back to the community and feel like you’re putting your part in.”

When he isn’t busy with school, work or volunteering, Suarez likes to spend his time outdoors.

“I’m into fishing and hunting,” he said. “Whether I’m searching for whitetails, doves, turkey — you just sit back and enjoy nature. You never know what’s going to come out, so it’s always a neat experience just having that appreciation for nature and what it has to offer.”

Now in his second semester, Suarez isn’t yet sure what he wants to do when he graduates.

“Welding can take you all sorts of different ways,” he said. “I have a couple of friends doing structural welding; I have a couple of friends doing pipeline welding. There’s TIG stainless steel welding. I have a lot more to learn before I feel like I can make a decision on what exactly I want to do with my welding education.”

Suarez enjoys TSTC’s teaching style and recommends it to those looking for something different.

“In high school I had good grades, but sitting in a classroom wasn’t for me,” he said. “Being here at TSTC, the majority of the time you’re hands-on learning.”

TSTC is registering for the fall semester through Monday, Aug. 20. For more information on TSTC and the Welding program, visit tstc.edu.

Student Success Profile

(HARLINGEN) – Texas State Technical College student Alex Castillo, 19, is completing his Academic Core and expects to finish Spring 2020.

The San Benito native is also an active member of the TSTC Intramural Sports Club and works part-time with his father doing air conditioning and plumbing contract work.

Although he enjoys working with his father, Castillo said his passion is in teaching and coaching.

What are your plans after graduation?

After I complete my Academic Core I will return to TSTC to pursue an associate degree in Education and Training and eventually will pursue a bachelor’s degree in teaching specializing in special education.

What’s your dream job?

My dream job is to become a special education teacher and a coach for football and track. As long as I’m helping people, that’s all that matters to me and as a teacher I’ll be able to do that.

What has been your greatest accomplishment while at TSTC?

My greatest accomplishment while at TSTC has been getting involved on campus and interacting with people. I’ve always been shy, but doing this has helped me engage with other people on campus and around the community.

What greatest lesson have you learned about yourself or life?

The greatest lesson I have learned is that life is always going to be filled with choices, but it’s up to us on which road we choose and how we decide to handle situations. No one else can make that decision for us.

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

The person who has had the most influence on my success is TSTC Intramural Program Coordinator Joe Garza, a.k.a coach. He is the person who has encouraged my involvement on campus and in the Intramural Sports Club. He has also pushed me out of my comfort zone in helping coach intramural sports. He is a great motivator.

What is your advice for future TSTC students?

My advice for future TSTC students is to enjoy every moment of your college experience. TSTC gives students so many opportunities in and out of the classroom. Your college experience is what you make of it.

TSTC Alum sets example for others

(HARLINGEN) – It was only three years ago when Jessica Pecina graduated with her associate degree in Health Information Technology from Texas State Technical College; a degree she never expected to get until she had to set a positive example.

This was the second time around at TSTC for the 39-year-old who is now a surveillance specialist with the Department of State Health Services in Harlingen and travels from Laredo to Corpus Christi monitoring birth defects and epidemiology, which is the study and analysis of the distribution and causes of disease.

She first graduated from TSTC with a certificate in nursing assistant and phlebotomy in 2000.

“I was a teen mom so when I graduated from high school, TSTC was the best choice for me,” she said. “It was affordable, close to home and a way for me to get a college education that would later help me support my family.”

The Harlingen native ended up working for Valley Baptist Medical Center for a little more than a decade before moving to a local home health care agency where she began handling and managing medical records as supervisor.

“I’m the type of person who wants to do things right if I’m going to do them,” she said. “So having no medical record experience wasn’t sitting right with me. So I said, ‘Why not, let me go back to school.’”

Pecina said the timing could not have been better, because it was also during this period that Pecina’s daughter, now 24, graduated high school and immediately found out she was pregnant.

“This was also my chance to show my daughter, that no matter the circumstances, even as a teen mom, going to college was a possibility,” she said. “Being mom should never stop you from following your dreams.”

So while working full-time, the mother of two and grandmother enrolled in Health Information Technology as a full-time student.

“TSTC opened my eyes to the bigger picture of my profession,” said Pecina. “And since I was already working in the profession, the program helped me better understand the rules, laws and regulations I needed to be following.”

Pecina added that the support from faculty and staff and training she received at TSTC was invaluable for her success, especially as a parent.

“Everyone I ever encountered was so helpful and understanding. It was the faculty and staff that helped us all make it through the program” she said. “Lessons and training were thorough and gave us the foundation we needed to begin a ‘successful’ career in the field. Everything I do in the field is what I learned in the classroom.”

She recognizes Health Information Technology instructor Ana Gonzalez as one of her best mentors.

“Ana is so welcoming and helpful toward everyone. She understand that life happens and we face challenges as students so she is always there to support us, offer advice and help us in any way she can, even after we graduate,” said Pecina.

Pecina is now pursuing an online bachelor’s degree from the University of Cincinnati in Health Information Management and sits on the TSTC Health Information Management advisory committee.

She also hopes to pursue a master’s degree in health informatics.

“I recommend anyone who is looking for a college or to change careers to check out TSTC,” said Pecina. “TSTC has helped me find a career that supports my family and has helped me grow. It has changed my life for the better.”

Health Information Technology is offered at TSTC’s Harlingen and Abilene campuses and is also offered 100 percent online.

For more information on the program, visit tstc.edu.

TSTC Dental Hygiene celebrates perfect pass rate

(HARLINGEN) – The Texas State Technical College Dental Hygiene class of Spring 2018 recently received official Western Regional Examining Board (WREB) exam scores and have achieved a 100 percent pass rate for the third consecutive year.

“We are so excited and so proud of our students,” said TSTC Dental Hygiene Program Director Raquel Rico. “Everyone has worked really hard to make this achievement possible.”

TSTC Dental Hygiene Class of 2018

WREB is one of three exams that graduates from the dental hygiene program are required to pass to receive a license in the profession and be able to practice as a dental hygienist.

In addition to the clinical board exam (WREB), graduates must also pass the National Dental Hygiene Examination Board and the Texas State Governance Jurisprudence Exam.

Judith Cano, one of the 25 students from the Spring 2018 dental hygiene graduating class, is already working as a hygienist for The Smile Shop in Pharr and Mission and said she was excited to learn she and her classmates had passed their clinical board exam, receiving their golden slips.

“This just goes to show that all of our hard work has finally paid off,” said Cano. “I’m so happy and excited for all of us.”

Cano, mother of a six-year-old son and former president of her class’ dental hygiene club, also said that she owes her success to her parents who migrated from Mexico City.

“My mom and dad have been so supportive of everything I do. They believe in me 100 percent and without them I wouldn’t be where I am at,” said Cano. “They migrated to the U.S. to give us a better life and they definitely did that.”

Cano added that it is the hands-on training they received in class and at the TSTC Dental Hygiene Clinic, which provides low-cost dental services to the community, TSTC’s interview practicum and the mock board exams that made all of the difference.

Dental hygiene grad Judith Cano

Dental Hygiene Instructor Vicki Martin said they spend the last two semesters of the two-year program conducting mock clinical board exams following the same process students would experience during the actual exam.

As they do for the actual clinical board exam, the students select a person who is willing to volunteer as a patient, instructors approve the students’ patient selection and then perform and note every dental procedure completed by the student.

“As faculty, we are dedicated to making sure that we prepare our students the best way we can for their exams,” said Martin. “We don’t want there to be any surprises for them. We find this relieves a lot of their testing anxiety and that in turn allows them to do better.”

Rico said that mock board exams are a rare thing for dental hygiene programs to offer and that being the only program in the Rio Grande Valley, they felt this was an important service to offer its students.

“Our goal is to produce highly-skilled hygienists who are compassionate, provide the best patient care and always have the best interest of their patients in mind,” said Rico.

It is this that Rico said has put TSTC’s Dental Hygiene program on the map as the sixth best dental hygiene program in Texas , according to a list compiled by universities.com.

“This is great recognition for our program. It gives us visibility and helps us encourage future hygienists to check out our program,” said Rico. “We hope to continue growing and welcoming students from across the state.”

With the demand for dental hygienists growing and the job outlook increasing by nearly 20 percent, faster than the average of other occupations according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Rico said TSTC’s Dental Hygiene program is ready to help meet the demand.

For more information on TSTC’s Dental Hygiene program or TSTC’s Dental Hygiene Clinic call 956-364-4696 or visit tstc.edu.

TSTC Alumnae at Eastland Memorial Hospital Work to Improve Local Health Care

(BRECKENRIDGE) — Northeast of the hustle and bustle of metropolitan Abilene is a hospital with a big heart. Eastland Memorial Hospital, the only hospital to serve the residents of Eastland County, is home to local heroes who answered the call to become health care providers.

Some of these professionals are graduates of Texas State Technical College’s nursing program.

“This is a rural community, and TSTC assists in providing a quality education and necessary service that is so important for this community,” said TSTC alumna Brandi Riley, a registered nurse who is manager of Outpatient/Surgery Services and Education at EMH.

Currently there are five TSTC graduates employed with EMH. Some students started their nursing careers at TSTC, while others studied online to further their education.

“I graduated from TSTC with my LVN in 2010 from the Breckenridge campus, and I went back in 2016 to the associate degree in nursing LVN to RN bridge program at the Sweetwater campus,” said Megan Drake, EMH’s supervisor of Infection Control, Risk Management and Employee Health. “I chose TSTC because it is so much more affordable compared to larger universities where you get the same degree.”

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, there is a rising demand for LVNs and RNs, and the employment growth rate in Texas is higher than the national average.

“We hire new RNs and LVNs and encourage students to do their clinicals with us to get their foot through the door,” Riley said. “We are working on a partnership with the Breckenridge campus to get LVNs and RNs doing clinicals here and recruit some new faces.”

For those at Eastland, the hospital is a community and an opportunity to hone new skills.

“Eastland is smaller, but I feel that I get a broader range of skills rather than working in a larger hospital, where I’d have to focus on one specific department,” Drake said.

Many of the staff employed by Eastland have earned their RN degrees through TSTC’s online program while working full time as an LVN.

“I was working for Eastland already as an LVN, and they helped to pay for me to go to TSTC to become an RN. And that’s when I earned the position I’m in now,” Riley said.

For others, like registered nurse Belinda Williams, TSTC is a family affair. Williams earned her associate degree in nursing, her daughter graduated from the Chemical Dependency Counseling program in Breckenridge, and her husband earned his commercial driver’s license after completing TSTC’s professional driver training in Sweetwater.

“I love that you go and learn what it is that you are pursuing career-wise, and it’s cheaper than regular college. It’s a great place to get an education, and it’s a fun school that cares about its students,” said Williams, RN case manager/utilization review and quality manager at EMH.

As the need for qualified nurses rises, Riley reminds potential students to think of why they chose to pursue a career in nursing.

“You have to have a love for nursing. It’s not about the income, but caring for patients and giving the best patient care possible,” Riley said.