(HARLINGEN) – Michelle Gibson is a Biology student at Texas State Technical College. The 29-year-old, single mother expects to earn her associate degree in Summer 2018 after serving nearly five years in the United States Navy as a mechanic.

The Los Fresnos native said she has a passion for the medical field and is already a certified medical assistant and hopes to continue growing at TSTC.

Gibson is also the Treasurer for the Veteran Students Alliance Club and participates in community service events with the club.

What are your plans after graduation?

After I graduate I plan on returning to TSTC to apply for the Surgical Technology program and receive my second associate degree.

What’s your dream job?

My dream job is to become a surgical technician and work alongside surgeons in the operating room and maybe someday work in a medical lab doing research on blood samples and diseases.

What has been your greatest accomplishment while at TSTC?

I’ve always been a really shy person, so my greatest accomplishment so far at TSTC is becoming treasurer of the Veteran Students Alliance Club and making a difference in the community and making lifelong friends who encourage me every day.

What greatest lesson have you learned about yourself or life?

Although I have learned a lot in my 29 years, I feel that with life’s unpredictability I am learning new things every day, even as a mother. I just keep an open mind, go with the flow and learn along the way. There are no right answers in life.

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

There are a couple of people who have really made a difference. The first one is TSTC Psychology Instructor Frank Coronado. I suffer from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and depression and as a veteran himself he has helped me understand my condition so I can better control it  and succeed in the classroom. Second, is Jose Villegas. He has been my guide from the beginning. He helps me complete all of my benefits paper work and is always there to lend a hand or a listening ear.

What is your advice for future TSTC students?

My advice for future TSTC students is to always keep going and work to better yourself. No matter how hard the journey gets, keep going and don’t doubt yourself. Believing in yourself is the first step toward success.

(HARLINGEN) – Kairo Castillo will join his family’s legacy of nursing tonight when he earns his certification in Vocational Nursing during Texas State Technical College’s commencement ceremony at the Harlingen Municipal Auditorium.

“I still can’t believe that I’m about to graduate. I’m so excited,” he said. “It won’t become real until I put on my cap and gown.”

The 21-year-old and at least 300 other TSTC students will earn certificates or associate degrees and join an alumni network made up of more than 100,000 graduates statewide.

“Nursing is in my blood,” said the Harlingen native. “It was always the plan for me.”

Castillo’s parents are nurses and he has personally seen the positive impacts nursing has on a family.

“My parents went to college late in life and survived the rigors of a nursing program to better our family,” he said. “If they could do it, so could I.”

Castillo’s family struggled financially before nursing became a part of their lives. The family of four lived in a one-bedroom apartment and at times with his grandparents. They never had a permanent place to call home.

“My sister and I vowed that we would get an education early, and that’s what I’m doing,” he said. “We both saw how education got us out of poverty, and now I’m working toward a career that will benefit me and my future family.”

Although Castillo still needs to pass the National Council Licensure Examination, he said he is excited and prepared to enter the workforce.

“I’m not going to lie. The program has been challenging and there were days I wanted to give up,” said Castillo. “But all of the instructors at TSTC know how to motivate and encourage you to keep going. They really do want to see us succeed in our exam and out in the field.”

He added that the best part of the program was the hands-on experience he received in the classroom and during clinicals.

“I’m not the same kid I was when I entered. This program really prepares you and matures you,” said Castillo. “The bar is set high for nursing students, and TSTC prepares us for the real world.”

Castillo said he wants to thank his instructors for their open-door policies and always offering the support he needed during his journey. It is because of his positive experience in the program that he hopes to return to TSTC to pursue registered nursing.

Castillo added, “Not only were my parents there to push me, but so was the faculty. That’s rare, but I’m glad they were there. I wouldn’t be where I am today.”

In the new year, Castillo hopes to find a full-time nursing position at a local outpatient clinic or acute care hospital.

“I love helping people, and nursing is my way of doing that,” he said. “I want to help others be the best they can be physically, emotionally and mentally. At the end of the day, that’s all I want.”

TSTC’s Commencement Ceremony is Friday, Dec. 15, at 6 p.m. at the Harlingen Municipal Auditorium.

For more information on TSTC and its programs, visit tstc.edu.

(HARLINGEN) – After taking a year off from college to help her family pay the bills and save for tuition, Rachel Avila finally earned her associate degree in Architectural Design and Engineering Graphics during Texas State Technical College’s Fall 2017 commencement ceremony Friday night at the Harlingen Municipal Auditorium.

Too add to the celebration, the 25-year-old also started her new career earlier in the week before with SpawGlass, a construction company, as a Logistics Coordinator reviewing floor plans and blue prints.

“Everything that is happening is so surreal,” said Avila. “I never saw myself in a cap and gown and starting a career. I can’t believe so many good things are happening.”

The San Juan native is a first-generation college graduate whose family has struggled to make ends meet for most of her life, yet they managed to pay for college out of pocket.

“I was lost before TSTC,” she said. “I didn’t know what I wanted to do or what my passion was. All I knew is that I wanted to break the cycle of poverty and education was my answer. I had to achieve it no matter what.”

Avila is the second oldest of five siblings and said she hopes that her new-found success serves as a reminder and inspiration to her younger brothers and sisters that a college education is important and that anything is possible.

“My parents have always depended on us to work, but in my mind I knew there was more to life than just dead-end jobs that pay minimum wage,” said Avila. “I wanted to get ahead for myself and for my family and I feel that TSTC has made that possible.”

TSTC alumnus and commencement speaker Dr. Juan Mejia, provost and vice president for Academic and Student Affairs at Tyler Junior College and 2017 recipient of the Nelson Award from the Texas Association of Community Colleges, addressed the close to 300 graduates and shared that it was TSTC that shaped his future.

“Today is a day of celebration for the entire college community and the students graduating are the signature of authenticity of a job well done,” said Mejia. “It is because of TSTC that I was able to fast track towards gainful employment, and it is because of great faculty and staff that I found my calling to pursue a career in education.”

As for Avila, she said she will work and gain experience before returning to TSTC’s University Center to earn a bachelor’s degree from Texas A&M-Kingsville in Architectural Engineering.

She added she will also help support her family and save money again for tuition and a reliable car.

“I’ve commuted from San Juan to Harlingen these past couple of years afraid that my car was going to die,” she said. “It’s time to find one that will get me from home to work with no problem.”

Avila added, “It’s been a journey and TSTC has helped me grow up, find myself and find my dream. I want to thank everyone who welcomed me on campus and helped me and my family get ahead in life.”

Registration for Spring 2018 is underway. The last day to register is January 2.

For more information on TSTC and its programs or to apply and register, visit tstc.edu.

(HARLINGEN) – Daniel Gonzalez’s journey at Texas State Technical College began his junior year of high school when he started taking college classes to complete his Academic Core by his high school graduation in 2016.

The 19-year-old, Mercedes native is now a Business Management Technology student at TSTC and expects to earn his associate degree in December 2018.

What are your plans after graduation?

After I graduate I plan on returning to TSTC’s University Center to get a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration.

What’s your dream job?

At the moment my dad has side welding and yard-cutting businesses and I help him with the customers, so I feel that with my education and this experience I will someday be ready to open my own business.

What has been your greatest accomplishment while at TSTC?

My greatest accomplishment so far has been earning my first perfect 4.0 grade-point average a couple of semesters back. This opened my eyes and made me realize that I can accomplish more than I think I can.

What greatest lesson have you learned about yourself or life?

The greatest lesson I have learned is that life is too short to hold on to grudges and that we should work toward forgiving and forgetting. A wise veteran and friend shared this wisdom with me before he passed  away a couple of years ago and I’ve carried it with me since.

Who at TSTC has influenced your success the most at TSTC?

The person at TSTC who has influenced my success the most is Esmeralda Cisneros, textbook representative and cashier at the bookstore. She is always there to lend a hand and she does it with a smile. She is also a great listener, encourager and motivator. I consider her a friend.

What is your advice for future TSTC students?

My advice for future TSTC students is to never give up, always keep trying. At the end of everything you will benefit from your hard work.

(HARLINGEN) – Texas State Technical College’s Harlingen campus is celebrating 50 years of service to the South Texas region, and some prominent locals are reminiscing on how it all started.

“It was a small campus when I started working there, about four buildings, military barracks that served as dorms and an RV park where the library is today,” TSTC retiree Mike Buck remembered.

Buck worked at TSTC for nearly 32 years from 1976 to 2008. When he retired he was the Vice President of Administrative Services and had seen the campus undergo numerous changes through his tenure.

“I remember when it was a campus of 600 students,” said Buck. “And now the college is serving thousands of students in the area and statewide. That’s significant.”

TSTC was first introduced to the region in 1967 as the James Connally Technical Institute. In 1969, it turned into an independent state system and became Texas State Technical Institute.

Finally, in 1991, TSTI was designated a college and renamed TSTC that many know it as today.

Since 1970 to most recently, the college has built and dedicated at least 26 buildings on campus equipped with state-of-the art technology labs and offers nearly 35 programs of study.

Interim Provost Rick Herrera said this milestone recognizes TSTC’s presence in the Rio Grande Valley.

“It’s been 50 years since the first class started at TSTC in Harlingen,” said Herrera. “And it’s important to recognize the significant impacts TSTC has made while serving the Valley and the state.”

To date close to 30,000 students have graduated from TSTC’s Harlingen campus into the state’s workforce, earning certificates and associate degrees in high-demand technical careers. These students join the more than the 100,000 who have graduated from the college’s 10 campuses statewide.

Serving as TSTC’s leader for more than 30 years, Dr. J. Gilbert Leal was on the front lines and recalls some of the college’s history like it happened just yesterday.

“It’s hard to believe 50 years have flown by and TSTC is still here doing great things,” said Leal. “Many people gave us a chance and TSTC has proved time and time again that although it was a challenge to grow, we persevered.”

Leal began at TSTC as an Adult Basic Education instructor while TSTC was still TSTI sitting on only 25 acres and offering a handful of programs.

As the campus and its services grew, he served front and center as the Director of Admissions, then the campus’ General Manager from 1978 to 1983 before he was promoted to President of TSTC in Harlingen.

“TSTC has transformed so many lives through the years,” said Leal. “I’m proud to have played an integral role in that.”

What Leal means is that early on TSTC has been the leader of training and providing students with the technical skills they need to be successful, placing these same students in good-paying jobs throughout the state and attracting industry to the areas where TSTC campuses are located.

Retired TSTC Provost Al Guillen, who worked at the college for 26 years and as the Vice President for Student Learning, said the introduction to industrial advisory committees had a positive impact for the students in the area.

“Each program has an advisory committee that guides faculty and staff in a program’s curricular evolution as industry changes,” said Guillen. “Advisory committee members also serve as direct graduate placement contacts which has led to TSTC’s high job placement rates, many before graduation.”

Guillen added that the Rio Grande Valley is very fortunate that TSTC has been in the region for the last 50 years because much of the population has benefited from hiring local TSTC graduates while many families gained their first college graduate.

“The college has helped break socio-economic cycles that had existed for generations by providing its graduates with employment qualifications that allow them to become professionals and influential citizens of the state,” said Guillen.

Executive Director of Workforce Solutions Cameron and retired TSTC Provost and Vice President of Instruction Pat Hobbs calls TSTC’s presence in the Valley an extremely positive factor in economic development as a training provider for current and incoming industries.

“TSTC is renowned for its industry-trained faculty and high quality graduates with a consistent job placement rate over 95 percent,” said Hobbs. “In the current economy, where up to 80 percent of jobs require technical credentials above the high school diploma, but not a bachelor’s degree, the value of a premier technical college in our workforce area puts our region at a distinct advantage.”

Hobbs added, “Our Valley would not be what it is today without TSTC in Harlingen’s contributions to workforce development.”

Javier Deleon, TSTC’s Executive Vice President of Governmental Affairs, has been with TSTC for 30 years and said it has been an honor working with TSTC Chancellor Mike Reeser, former TSTC President Cesar Maldonado, President Emeritus Leal and other colleagues like Guillen.

“Under Leal’s and Maldonado’s leadership TSTC saw huge transformations in campus size, program offerings and student population,” he said. “And now Chancellor Reeser is catapulting us to the next level.”

Deleon said he is excited to see where the next 50 years takes TSTC, especially with the new direction the college is taking with its outcome-based funding model and money back guarantee initiative recently implemented.

“We are where we are today because of progression,” said Deleon. “And because of the support we have received from past and current state legislators and community leaders. Without them nothing could have been possible.”

Deleon encourages everyone to remember TSTC’s past, but to also look toward the future and how TSTC is leading the way in higher education.

In the words of Guillen, “Long live TSTC and long live TSTC in Harlingen.”