(HARLINGEN) – Juan Alferez recently traveled to Austin with his family to receive his 2017 Chancellor’s Excellence Award at the National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development awards and dinner celebration.

The Texas State Technical College Wind Energy Technology instructor joined 13 other TSTC employees at the banquet who also received this honor.

“I’m speechless about this award. I don’t know what to say,” said Alferez. “I’ve only been here for one year so I never expected an award like this so soon.”

Although he was surprised, Alferez said he is very thankful and appreciative to his colleagues who nominated him.

“I want to thank the person or people who nominated me,” he said. “This is a great honor. I’m very pleased. It goes to show that hard work pays off.”

Alferez, who is also a United States Navy veteran having served  from 1998 to 2004, first came to TSTC as student in 2002 earning associate degrees in Electrical Mechanical Engineering and Engineering Technology.

While in the Navy the Edinburg native studied Engineering Common Core, Electrical Core and Auxiliary Equipment Technology. At the time he was stationed in the Mediterranean assisting in the Kosovo War and with operations in South America and patrolling the New York harbors after September 11.

“Coming to TSTC opened so many new doors of opportunity for me and my family,” said Alferez. “It brought me into a new life and new career that I would not have had otherwise.”

Before coming back to TSTC as an instructor in 2016, Alferez completed a bachelor’s degree in 2004 in Applied Technology and spent a decade with Toshiba International as an application engineer associate, production application engineer and sales engineer traveling across the U.S. and Mexico.

“After some thought and being away a lot from my daughter and wife I decided it was time for another career change,” said Alferez. “That’s where TSTC came in.”

Wind Energy Technology Lead Instructor David Gomez said it is Alferez’s dedication that earned him this prestigious award.

“Juan is a dedicated employee that develops good relationships with his students,” said Gomez. “We congratulate him on his achievement.”

Alferez is once again a student pursuing a master’s in business administration saying that for him part of being a good instructor is continuously learning new subjects he can incorporate into his curriculum.

“I love my job and having the power to change lives,” he said.

“My goal as an instructor is to always be helpful and share my knowledge,” Alferez added. “And somewhere in the middle of everything, my students end up teaching me a thing or two also.”

(HARLINGEN) – Cecilia Pena is completing her General Academic Core at Texas State Technical College and is expected to finish Fall 2017.

The Harlingen native boasts a 3.5 grade-point average and when she is not studying she is serving her community by participating in events such as National Make a Difference Day.

What are your plans after graduation?

After I complete my academic core I am considering enrolling in the Education and Training program to get my associate degree before transferring to the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley to pursue a bachelor’s and master’s degree in teaching.

What’s your dream job?

Aside from becoming an algebra teacher for middle school students I hope to one day be a principal. I want to be a role model and spread positivity to children and teachers.

What has been your greatest accomplishment while at TSTC?

My greatest accomplishment while at TSTC has been learning to be more independent. When I came to TSTC I knew no one and I had to rely on myself. Now I have good friends and I’ve learned so much about myself.

What greatest lesson have you learned about yourself or life?

A long time ago, after transitioning from high school to college, I felt alone and this is when I realized the importance of family and how to keep going through ups and downs.

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

The person who has had the most influence is my best friend and TSTC student Debbie Bearden. She has given me countless rides to school and is always there for me. When I felt the most alone, she was there reminding me that I wasn’t. She is my support system.

What is your advice for future TSTC students?

I want to tell future students to always stay motivated. Sometimes a person will fail, but it’s what you do after that that matters. Don’t give up, keep going and reach your goals.

(HARLINGEN) – For one Rio Hondo family, Texas State Technical College became a family affair when their daughter Logan Cleary enrolled after high school.

Cleary, her mother Sylvia Cleary, her brother John Cleary III and Sylvia’s husband Arturo Marroquin have either graduated or are attending TSTC.

First, there’s 24-year-old Logan, she recently received her associate degree in Biology and is now working toward a bachelor’s degree at a local university as a pre-med student.

The mother of two boys credits TSTC with her recent success and acceptance into the Atlantis Project, a  study abroad pre-med fellowship.

“Studying biology at TSTC first was my best decision,” she said. “The instructors have very high expectations of their students. They know each of us personally, we’re not just a number, and they always assure us we can do better. It gave me confidence.”

Cleary will spend three weeks this summer in Athens, Greece shadowing doctors and exploring the healthcare industry.

“I never thought that a girl from the small town of Rio Hondo could get an opportunity like this,” said Cleary. “But this just goes to show it doesn’t matter where you’re from or where you study, if you want something you should go for it. I’m so excited.”

While Cleary made her pre-med dreams come true, her brother John is also working toward his.

John is considered legally blind and is unable to drive. He said he chose TSTC because of its proximity to home and his sister’s good experience at the college.

“My instructors know about my situation, but I love that they treat me like everyone else,” said John. “I know there’s help I can receive, but I want to prove that I can do it by myself and my instructors encourage me to. That’s why I’ve done so well.”

The 21-year-old is working toward an associate degree in Education and Training and currently boasts a perfect 4.0 grade-point average. John said his true passion is poetry and writing and he hopes to someday become a professor in English and creative writing.

John has already proven his talent by becoming a published author with his poem “Memories,” which won a poetry movement contest.

John’s family said it has been TSTC and its instructors that have showed him he has no limits and that he can achieve his career goals.

With two of her children at TSTC and being witness to their success, Sylvia realized she was ready to return to college as well.

Sylvia has worked in the medical field as a Licensed Vocational Nurse for nearly 19 years and said she is ready to move up.

“I’m patiently waiting for the registered nursing program at TSTC to start,” she said. “I don’t want to go anywhere else.”

Like her son, Sylvia has a perfect 4.0 GPA. The 49-year-old is taking academic core and biology classes, but said at her age she never expected to do so well in college.

“I was scared coming back. A lot of the students are so much younger, so I figured so much smarter,” she said. “But like I tell my children, college is what you put into it and I’ve really challenged myself and succeeded.”

As for Sylvia’s husband, Marroquin, he recently graduated as well from Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning Technology.

He is a decorated army veteran who earned a purple heart for his service and tour of duty in Iraq. Although he was shot and now suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder, Sylvia said she is proud of his determination.

“He’s always there encouraging me and striving for the best,” she said. “It was he who encouraged me to come back to school. He told me this was my time.”

The family agrees that TSTC has provided them a great education and the college experience has helped them all grow. . And as for Cleary she said she truly misses the college.

“I wish TSTC offered bachelor degrees,” she said. “I would come back in a heartbeat.”

For more information on the technologies offered at TSTC or apply visit tstc.edu.

Registration for Fall 2017 is in progress.

(HARLINGEN) – Courtney Vasquez, a dental hygiene student at Texas State Technical College recently received the Most Active Club Member award during the college’s Student Leadership Banquet for her active participation as treasurer in the Student American Dental Hygienist Association on campus.

As treasurer and an active member of the club, the Lyford native does volunteer work throughout her community and leads fundraisers.

The 23-year-old is expected to graduate with an associate degree May 2018.

What are your plans after graduation?

After I graduate I want to find a job as a hygienist at a local dental clinic and start saving money to purchase land, farm animals and my dream house. I eventually want to move to San Antonio and pursue a bachelor’s degree.

What’s your dream job?

My dream job is to work as a hygienist and help patients learn the importance of oral health care and give them a beautiful smile.

What has been your greatest accomplishment while at TSTC?

My greatest accomplishments while at TSTC are making the Vice President’s List for my good grades and knowing that I have made a patient happy at our TSTC Dental Hygiene Clinic that is open to all TSTC personnel, students and the community.  

What greatest lesson have you learned about yourself or life?

The greatest lesson I have learned is that sometimes life is discouraging and knocks you down, but you should never give up. You always wake up the next morning and do what you have to do to make your dreams come true.

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

All of my instructors have had a huge influence on my success. They are my role models and the dental hygienists I aspire to be. They all have unique qualities that I look up to and a knowledge and know-how that help us all succeed.

What is your advice for future TSTC students?

My advice for future students is to continue your education no matter how hard it gets. Education is an important part of life. It leads to good careers and a better understanding of the world around us. Never give up.