Category Archives: All TSTC

TSTC Student Motivated by Career Change

(MARSHALL, Texas) – D’Angelo Thomas of Longview made the commitment and stuck with it.

Thomas chose to attend Texas State Technical College’s Marshall campus because he wanted to do something different in his life. He previously worked in the oil and gas field and was a commercial truck driver before enrolling.

He chose the Industrial Systems program because of its diversity of subjects. Students in the four-semester associate degree program learn about basic electrical theory, blueprint sketching, commercial wiring, compressors, pumps and other topics.

“I had some understanding about industrial systems coming from the oil field,” he said. “But in coming to TSTC and being in classes, it opened my eyes to more of how everything goes.”

Thomas is a candidate for graduation this spring with an Associate of Applied Science degree in Industrial Systems – Electrical Specialization.

Thomas said he enjoyed learning about hydraulics and pneumatics and is grateful to TSTC’s staff for fitting in classes around his work schedule.

Edward Chaney, an instructor in TSTC’s Industrial Systems program, said Thomas has been a wonderful student to teach.

“He has shared some of his past with me and he has been down some bad roads,” Chaney said. “He has turned all that around to do his best to be a good father and husband. He is very respectful and a joy to spend time with in or out of the classroom. He is always respectful.”

Thomas has worked for nine months at Advanced Technology Services Inc., which has a contract with TrinityRail in Longview. He uses equipment manuals and searches online to learn in-depth information on how the company’s machines operate.

Thomas said he and his co-workers are the ones who are called on to troubleshoot problems and get equipment back up and running. 

“Every piece of equipment is challenging, I would say,” he said.

Thomas grew up in Longview and he was active in sports at Longview High School. At that time of his life, college was not on his mind.

“As I got older, I started thinking more about things like that,” he said.

Motivation is easy for Thomas to find.

“It is my family, but I have just been the kind of person that always wants to do something,” he said.

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

TSTC, PMI team up to provide COVID-19-specific training sessions

(WACO, Texas) – Texas State Technical College’s Workforce Training department and the Practice Management Institute, which trains and certifies administrative professionals working in medical offices, are featuring a comprehensive bundle of courses focusing on telemedicine and the impact that COVID-19 is having on medical administration.

The courses are being offered through the TSTC/PMI Online Learning Resource Center for Medical Office Staff.

The training bundle includes 10 educational sessions designed to guide health care practitioners to bill properly for telehealth services before, during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. The first nine sessions are available online, and the 10th session will be held live on May 7.

Topics will include Essentials of Telehealth Reimbursement; How to Get Paid for Providing Virtual Services; Staying Calm and Strategic During the COVID-19 Pandemic; Private Payers and Telehealth in the Age of COVID-19; Telehealth Billing Q&A; Telemedicine Cybersecurity Challenges; EZ Provider Enrollment During the COVID-19 Crisis; How COVID-19 Impacts HIPAA; Claims Issues Arising During COVID-19; and Billing and Documentation Tips for Telemedicine Services.

The live session will delineate between telehealth services provided during the public health emergency and beyond to prepare medical practices for transitioning to prior telehealth requirements when COVID-19-related interventions expire.

“We are thrilled with our continued and expanded partnership and remain committed to providing exceptional curriculum during this time of uncertainty and into the future,” said Michael Moore, PMI’s vice president of Partner Development.

Now in its fourth year of working with TSTC to bring quality training to the Abilene and Harlingen service areas, PMI is expanding the partnership to bring continuing education opportunities to medical staff in other TSTC markets, including Fort Bend County, Marshall and Waco.

“There are a lot of topics that are important to what we are facing today,” said John Dosher, TSTC’s executive director of Workforce Training. “This information will be good for people in clinics and hospitals.”

Medical clinic and hospital employees may be eligible to participate in these and other courses at no cost through the Texas Workforce Commission’s Skills for Small Business program. For information, contact Cindy Brunett, TSTC’s Workforce Training and Continuing Education project manager, at cindy.brunett@tstc.edu .

The COVID-19 bundle also includes PMI certification tracks online. For registration information, visit https://www.tstc.edu/workforce/onlinelearningcovid-19.

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

The sky’s the limit for TSTC aviation maintenance graduate

(HARLINGEN, Texas) – Ely Monalisa Cortina is ready to bring girl power to the male-dominated field of aviation. The Brownsville native knew that Texas State Technical College was the right college for her after a tour in high school introduced her to aviation maintenance, and it was in that moment that she fell in love with the complexities of an aircraft.

Cortina graduated from TSTC in December 2019 with associate degrees in Aircraft Airframe Technology and Aircraft Powerplant Technology.

The 21-year-old is not only well-equipped for her new career intellectually, but she also has the determination needed to help her take flight.

“There is nothing that can stop that girl,” said aviation maintenance instructor Leo Guajardo. “There is nothing that will get in her way to achieve what she wants, and I was so glad to have her in my class.”

Cortina discussed her time at TSTC, her new career, and even offered some words of advice for potential students who may walk in her footsteps.

Why did you decide to study aviation maintenance? 

I decided on the aviation maintenance program because I’ve always found myself to be attracted to mechanical work. I’ve always enjoyed taking an object apart, learning how it functions and then putting it back together. Plus, who doesn’t think an aircraft is cool?

What motivated you to choose TSTC?

During my senior year of high school, I was able to take a tour of the campus and the programs offered. The aviation maintenance program caught my attention as soon as I walked into the hangar. I knew at that moment TSTC was the right school for me.

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

The person who influenced me the most would be my instructor Leo Guajardo. As a female entering a male-dominant field, he reassured me that my success is possible and there are no limitations as to how far I will go in this career. He is a well-rounded instructor who doesn’t mind taking the extra time to help a student understand a subject they are having trouble with, both in the book and hands-on work.

Talk a little bit about your new role. 

My new role will be at the Laughlin Air Force Base in Del Rio.  It will include engine work and structural work on the Beechcraft T-6 aircraft they use to train military personnel.

How has TSTC prepared you for this career? 

TSTC has prepared me by challenging my critical-thinking skills. I enjoyed how the college provided us with different types of aircraft and engines to prepare us for the real world as much as possible.

Do you have a favorite memory at TSTC? 

I have many favorite memories. Although one that has always stood out was when I was taught how to start a Cessna 175 aircraft during one of our class lectures. Hearing any aircraft always rekindles my love of aviation.

Do you have any advice for future TSTC students? 

My advice would be to push through all the difficult days you will come by. Never lose sight of the finish line; you will be happy with the person you will become. All the knowledge and experience you will acquire will guarantee your success in whatever company you choose to work for.

To learn more about Aircraft Airframe Technology and Aircraft Powerplant Technology at TSTC, visit tstc.edu.

 

Collins receives TSTC Chancellor’s Excellence Award

(ABILENE, Texas) – After working for Texas State Technical College a few years, Annette Collins knew it was going to be a career-defining opportunity.

Collins’ work with veterans in West Texas earned her a 2020 Chancellor’s Excellence Award.

“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.”

Collins, a native of East Cleveland, Ohio, is the Veterans Program officer in West Texas. Her support of students is evident. She went as far as calling one student daily to make sure he made it to class on time.

“My top goal is a base residency establishment at Dyess Air Force Base that eventually will open doors for other military installations. I have set goals for myself, and one of them is to increase the veteran enrollment by 10 percent every semester,” she said.

Collins said TSTC offers an education beyond books and classrooms.

“We have an opportunity to gain hands-on training, and TSTC gets you prepared for employment on the outside,” she said.

That is one of the reasons Collins received the award.

“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.”

Collins, a retired U.S. Air Force master sergeant, credited her time in the military for the work she does helping veterans.

“I learned that accountability, loyalty and providing excellent customer service were the key elements in making an organization successful. I live by the values of Integrity, doing the right thing at all times, service before self and excellence in all we do,” she said. “The values I have presented to TSTC and to all the veterans, co-workers and others I encounter amplified my ability to provide outstanding customer service and an uplifting, caring attitude each day. A simple greeting and smile can actually make someone’s day.”

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

Alumnus helps recruit students to TSTC

(ABILENE, Texas) – Computer Programming Technology students at Texas State Technical College in West Texas have an advantage.

Lab assistant Tony Torres is a 2016 graduate of the program, and he is available to guide students during lab sessions. Torres and master instructor Julie Rhoades share the same goal. They want their students to get a job after completing the program.

Torres said the program prepares students for the Texas workforce, but the learning does not stop after graduation.

“We let them know that the learning is not over at TSTC,” he said. “They will be learning different programming languages in the field. But if that language is not part of their company’s database, we want to give them enough tools so that they will be able to pick up what it is.”

Rhoades said the program will help students with different computer programs, including mobile applications. While she does not see many TSTC graduates focusing on mobile applications, Rhoades said it is a good skill for them to learn.

Having Torres working in the lab with students is an advantage, she said. Most of the program is taught online, but some students use the computer labs on the Abilene and Brownwood campuses to complete assignments.

Rhoades said Torres is also a good recruiter for the program in West Texas.

“His work ethic is great. He can tell the students what to expect during the course,” Rhoades said. “He has been through it and offers them first-hand knowledge.”

Torres said he likes to talk to students about why they chose the computer programming field.

“I have talked to some students that barely knew how to turn on a computer,” he said. “Those are the ones that really flourish in the program.”

TSTC offers an Associate of Applied Science degree in Computer Programming Technology. Torres earned that degree and is now working toward a bachelor’s degree.

Rhoades said she was pleased that Torres is working to further his education while helping current students.

“Tony has helped our recruiters with recruiting efforts,” she said.

She hopes that more of the West Texas program will include face-to-face interaction in the future.

“That will give us a chance to work with students both online and in person. It would be the best of both worlds,” she said.

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

TSTC alumnus puts skills to use at SpaceX

(HARLINGEN, Texas) – After serving in the U.S. Army for seven years, Luis Garcia wanted to expand his aviation maintenance knowledge.

Garcia earned an Associate of Applied Science degree in aviation maintenance from Texas State Technical College in 2018. The Brownsville native wanted to remain in the Valley, and Leo Guajardo, an aviation maintenance instructor in Harlingen, saw an opportunity for him.

SpaceX held a job fair in Brownsville, and one of the first calls Guajardo made was to Garcia.

“I told him that he needed to be one of the first people in line,” Guajardo said, adding that he learned of the fair through his contacts at SpaceX.

Garcia said he received the call just one day before the fair.

“He (Guajardo) told me to go for it,” Garcia said of the opportunity.

Calling the interview process overwhelming, Garcia said his time at TSTC prepared him for it.

“If it wasn’t for my instructors and other people at TSTC, I would not have known about the job and what to expect,” Garcia said.

Today, Garcia is a technician for the company that designs, manufactures and launches advanced rockets and spacecraft.

“It is pretty surreal,” Garcia said of working for SpaceX. “I am amazed at what we do throughout the day. It is fun and exciting to go to work.”

In the Army, Garcia worked in helicopter maintenance. He knew fundamentals, but his time at TSTC helped advance his knowledge of aviation maintenance.

“The instructors are great guys and very knowledgeable,” Garcia said.

Although Garcia graduated from TSTC’s Waco campus, Guajardo said he met him through his students.

“I found it interesting to see how the instructors in Waco teach the program compared to me,” Guajardo said.

One thing the instructors have in common is placing graduates in the workforce.

“When our students graduate, they get picked up all around the country and even the world, if they want to do that,” Guajardo said. “To see his excitement, that is just golden to me.”

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

TSTC Alumnus Designs Career in Central Texas

(HARLINGEN, Texas) – Luiz Ramirez of Boerne is motivated by providing for his family and seeing what he has helped create come to life.

Ramirez, a graduate of Texas State Technical College’s Harlingen campus, is a computer-aided design (CAD) technician at Matkin Hoover Engineering in Boerne. He said his job is fast-paced and involves a majority of work being done at his office, with occasional site visits led by the firm’s engineers.

“The company specializes in many aspects of civil engineering,” he said. “We touch on residential and commercial development, federal work, and we work with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, along with municipal, oil and gas, and transportation projects. I work on several projects at a time.”

Ramirez’s advice for pursuing a degree like his is simple: Go for it.

“The field is in need of CAD technicians and designers,” he said. “Not only is this something you can do as a career, but it is a stepping stone if you want to go into engineering.”

Ramirez grew up in Harlingen and is a graduate of Harlingen High School South. 

“I went to work after graduation,” he said. “I didn’t have much of a plan right out of high school. I started working and ended up having a family. A couple of years after raising a child, I realized I had to go back to school.”

Ramirez enrolled in 2015 at TSTC and began as an engineering major before switching to Architectural Design and Engineering Graphics Technology, in which he earned an associate degree.

“I knew it was something I would enjoy and something easy to excel in,” he said.

Ramirez said Mark Rosas, an instructor in the program, was a mentor who guided him in every step of college.

“I am very happy to see how far Luiz has come, given the short time period he has been in the industry,” Rosas said. “It proves how hard he has worked, and his ability to progress and strive for his goals. Luiz had to overcome many roadblocks throughout his time here with us. However, he was still able to overcome and surpass expectations as he made his way through the program.”

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

TSTC Student Builds on Work Ethic in Welding

(MARSHALL, Texas) – Dakota Smith of Gladewater learned early on the importance of a good work ethic, especially in a welding booth.

“Once I have something to do, that’s all I focus on until it is completed, and I do it to the best of my abilities,” she said.

Smith is scheduled to receive an Associate of Applied Science degree in Welding Technology this spring from Texas State Technical College’s Waco campus. She already has a structural welding certificate from TSTC’s Marshall campus.

“I was the only girl in my Certificate 1 class for welding,” she said. “I went above and beyond in a class of guys.”

Smith said TSTC Welding Technology instructors Rusty Hutcherson, Philip Miller and Patrick Reed, all of whom teach at the Marshall campus, are the best at what they do.

“She was probably the best student I have had, as far as the bookwork  goes, and one of the best welders too,” Miller said. “She once got every online objective — quizzes and tests — done for every class during the first week of classes.”

At first, Smith’s father did not like the idea of her becoming a welder. 

“I loved working outside with my dad growing up, and that (welding) was the one thing he never wanted me to do,” she said. “I am great at it, and he is very proud of me.”

Smith is a graduate of Gladewater High School. After graduation, she started as a nursing major at another college before changing her career path and making the switch to TSTC. 

“I picked TSTC because it is the best of the best in technical schools,” Smith said.

After finishing her associate degree, Smith wants to do welding or underwater welding as a member of the U.S. Navy.

“After being in at least four years, my plan is to go back to TSTC’s Marshall campus and get my structural and pipe welding certificate and work for Eastman Chemical Co. in Longview,” she said.

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

TSTC Program Loans Ventilators to Waco Hospital

(WACO, Texas) – Texas State Technical College’s Biomedical Equipment Technology program has loaned ventilators to Baylor Scott & White Medical Center – Hillcrest in Waco to use, if needed, during the ongoing COVID-19 crisis.

Terry Whitworth, a program instructor, said the Puritan Bennett 840 ventilators that students use in classes are the same kind used by hospital staff. Whitworth facilitated the loan, having worked at the hospital for several years before coming to TSTC.

The ventilators are being adapted for patient use with preventive maintenance kits, Whitworth said. He said ventilators typically require this after every 10,000 hours of use.

Mark Plough, TSTC’s statewide chair of the Biomedical Equipment Technology department, said this is the first time he remembers the program loaning equipment for medical use.

“It was just natural for us to say, ‘Sure, we are willing to help out,’” he said. “That is what biomedical equipment technicians do. When confronted with a problem, they jump in to solve it.”

Plough said the equipment loan signifies the willingness of TSTC and the hospital to work together for the greater good. He said other TSTC faculty have formerly worked at the Waco hospital, and some of the program’s alumni are employed at the health care provider’s facilities in central Texas.

Students taking Physiological Instruments II during the program’s fourth semester use ventilators, along with other respiratory and anesthesia equipment, as part of their training.  

“It shows the students the type of equipment they will see in a hospital environment,” Whitworth said.

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

Salinas receives TSTC Chancellor’s Excellence Award

(SWEETWATER, Texas) – Omar Salinas enjoys his job at Texas State Technical College.

Salinas, the production chef at the Sweetwater campus, received the 2020 Chancellor’s Excellence Award for his outstanding job performance and willingness to lead by example.

“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.”

Salinas said he was surprised to receive the award.

“All I am really doing is enjoying my job and in a way helping my co-workers or any other TSTC teammate as much as I can,” he said.

“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 of TSTC’s West Texas campuses. “With multiple levels of vetting, only a small percentage of those nominated are awarded the Chancellor’s Excellence Award.”

Rick Nelson, supervisor of Food Services in Sweetwater, said Salinas is a “blessing for TSTC.”

“He has the skills to go to work wherever he wants, but he loves TSTC,” Nelson said. “He takes ownership of everything that goes on in the kitchen. He is willing to put in long hours to ensure the work is done correctly.”

After graduating from Menard ISD, Salinas graduated from TSTC’s Culinary Arts program. He has spent the past 12 years working for TSTC and does not see that coming to an end.

“Working for TSTC is a great opportunity. There is much to learn and do. We have many opportunities to grow within TSTC,” he said. “I want to learn more about the business side of running the kitchen.”

Salinas knows the importance of TSTC throughout the state and is happy he has a career helping others.

“TSTC offers hands-on training in many essential jobs that make this great state function,” he said.

Nelson said students appreciate Salinas’ efforts.

“Omar strives to be a good example to students through his words and actions,” Nelson said.

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