(HARLINGEN) – Samantha Gutierrez is studying Education and Training at Texas State Technical College and expects to earn her associate degree in Fall 2018.

The 18-year-old started as a dual enrollment student at TSTC, allowing her to get ahead of many of her classmates, while maintaining a 3.0 grade-point average.

When the Brownsville native is not busy studying she serves as secretary and an active member of TSTC’s Association for Future Educators and participates in fundraisers and community service activities.

What are your plans after graduation?

After I graduate from TSTC I plan on continuing my education at Texas A&M University – Kingsville through TSTC’s University Center and get a bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education. I also plan on pursuing a master’s and doctorate degree in Education and Psychology.

What’s your dream job?

My dream job is to work as a kindergarten teacher in a big city such as Houston or San Antonio and eventually become a counselor or family psychologist for a school district.

What has been your greatest accomplishment while at TSTC?

My greatest accomplishment so far at TSTC has been becoming secretary of TSTC’s Association for Future Educators. It has helped me gain professional experience that will look good on my resume and has given me the opportunity to organize fundraising and community service events.

What greatest lesson have you learned about yourself or life?

The greatest lesson I have learned is that I have no limits. I can do all things as long as I believe in myself.

Who at TSTC has influenced your success the most?

The people who have influenced my success the most are my Education and Training Instructors Mary Hollmann and Myriam Aguila. They are my biggest motivators on campus and always push me to be and do my best.

What is your advice for future TSTC students?

My advice for future TSTC students is to don’t be scared of stepping out of your comfort zone and going for your dreams. You only have one life to live, so live it the best you can.

(HARLINGEN) – Culinary Arts student Jonathon Perez has been busy in the kitchen preparing his recipes and menu for the Fourth Annual Texas State Technical College Food Festival on Thursday, February 8.

Perez and his peers from Culinary’s International Cuisine class will host the annual event that represents 10 countries, creating at least 30 different dishes from across the globe. They are expected to serve close to 200 people.

The Tennessee native, who is currently in his last semester in the program, has been assigned Russian food and will create four different dishes for the festival. He said this has been something he has been looking forward to for a long time.

“I’m pumped and ready for the experience,” he said. “This is the first time I will do something like this on such a large scale. It’s going to be a lot of fun.”

Culinary Arts Lead Instructor Emma Creps said the goal of the food festival is to expose students to what they should expect when they graduate from the program.

“The food festival helps our students build confidence as a leader, work on their communication skills and practice for the future,” said Creps. “Whether they’re going to work for a restaurant, open a business or work in the catering industry, the skills they learn are needed.”

Creps added that her first-year students studying food preparation also have the chance to participate in the fun and help prepare dishes alongside students in their last semester.

“A lot of learning and training goes on between the first and last semester, and it’s important to get the first-year students involved so they know what to expect and can be better prepared,” said Creps.

The food festival also includes some competition between the students, one of whom gets to take home the People’s Choice Award medal.

As for Perez, who took third place in last year’s Iron Chef competition, he said he has a few surprises up his sleeve and looks forward to working with his first-year partner in making their table and food the most enjoyed and delicious for the win.

“I want to win so badly,” said Perez. “There are some people that doubt me, and I want to prove that I can do this. No matter what, though, overall it’s going to be a great learning experience and I can’t wait.”

The food festival is open to TSTC and the surrounding communities. Admission is $10 and includes tasting and one People’s Choice Award ticket, which counts as one vote for a favorite table and a chance to win door prizes, which are baked and prepared by TSTC’s baking class.

“We encourage everyone to come out and support our students, who are striving to be professional, successful chefs,” said Creps. “Come and enjoy food from across the world and have fun.”

For more information on the TSTC Food Festival, call 956-364-4754. To learn more about TSTC Culinary Arts, visit tstc.edu.

(HARLINGEN) – PASS. This is what Summer 2017 Vocational Nursing graduate and class salutatorian Miranda Rodriguez saw on her computer screen nearly 48 hours after taking her National Council Licensure Examination, the state licensing exam for nurses. .

It was the same result for her 15 other peers contributing to a 100 percent pass rate for Texas State Technical College’s vocational nursing program once again.

“The results are finally in and we’re proud of our students for the work it took to make this pass rate a reality,” said TSTC Vocational Nursing Program Director Heather Sauceda. “It validates that the work we are doing and the lessons we are teaching every day is preparing our students for this test and for the workforce.”

Rodriguez is now an LVN at All About Kids Home Health and said the time she spent waiting to find out if she passed or failed was agonizing.

“It is the best feeling in the world when you finally see the word PASS,” said Rodriguez. “Naturally I had some doubts and when I left the testing center I was second guessing everything, but the outcome goes to show that TSTC taught me everything I needed to know.”

The San Benito native added that because of TSTC and the guidance from her instructors like Sauceda, she was able to make her dream come true and do the work she loves.

She will be applying to TSTC’s registered nursing program this spring with hope of returning to TSTC as a student in the fall.

“I can’t think of a better place than TSTC to do my LVN to RN transition,” said Rodriguez. “TSTC’s nursing programs and its students are held to a high standard and I’m proud to be a part of that.”

TSTC’s Vocational Nursing is a 16-month program that teaches students the foundation of nursing, patient care through hands-on training in state-of-the-art simulation labs and how to be compassionate, confident and skilled nurses.

“We strive for excellence from our students with every single class,” said Sauceda. “We have confidence that our students can excel from beginning to end and become great nurses.”

To ensure and encourage student success, the program will implement a new tutoring schedule for all current and future vocational nursing classes.

In addition, new technology such as workstations on wheels, similar to what is seen at doctor’s offices and hospitals, will be implemented to allow students hands-on practice administering medications and other medical practices.

“This is a challenging program and we want our students to know we are here for them,” said Sauceda. “We want to offer what we can, when we can to help them succeed and begin their careers.”

The next TSTC Vocational Nursing information session is February 5 at the TSTC Nursing Education Center, Room 113 and 115 at 4 p.m.

For more information, visit tstc.edu or call 956-364-4762.

(HARLINGEN) – Christian J. Gaytan is studying Computer Systems Management Technology and applying for the police academy at Texas State Technical College.

The 20-year-old Harlingen native expects to graduate in Spring 2019 and stays busy with TSTC’s Service Squad.

What are your plans after graduation?

After I graduate, I plan on joining a police force here in the Rio Grande Valley and continuing my education to get a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice.

What’s your dream job?

My dream job is to become a state trooper and climb the ranks.

What has been your greatest accomplishment while at TSTC?

My greatest accomplishment so far has been overcoming some difficult obstacles in my life, while continuing school and working toward my dreams.

What greatest lesson have you learned about yourself or life?

I have learned a lot about responsibility and owning my choices while being here at TSTC. These lessons have helped me mature as a person and as a student.

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

My girlfriend, Samantha Giselle Flores, has been my greatest influence. She is a vocational nursing student, hoping to become a registered nurse, yet she has helped me get through all of my struggles and find a career I am passionate about.

What is your advice for future TSTC students?

My advice for future TSTC students is never let anything stop you from going to college and following your dreams. Strive for what you want, don’t give up when times get hard, and keep moving forward.

(HARLINGEN) – Olga Garcia is director of data systems at the Harlingen Consolidated Independent School District — a career she never dreamed of while growing up because of her family’s circumstances.

The Harlingen native was raised in a migrant family, traveling annually to Washington state and Oregon to pick strawberries, pears and apples and not returning until September or October.

“I usually had to play catch-up in school,” said Garcia. “But it was important to my parents that I get an education. They wanted my siblings and me to have more than a life as a migrant.”

And although taking the big step of enrolling in college was exciting and scary for Garcia, she knew that as a first-generation college student this was her chance to help her family and break a cycle.

“College was the goal for me from the beginning,” she said. “Migrant work is hard work, and I knew an education would change the lives of many.”

Garcia’s decision to enroll in college came in the 1980s when computers were just starting to come into play. Her sister purchased one for her house and Garcia helped her set it up, sparking an interest in Garcia that has led to a successful career.

“I wanted to go to a college where I could graduate within a couple of years and immediately start working,” said Garcia. “TSTI, now TSTC, had a reputation for this so I decided to give it a try.”

In 1985 Garcia graduated with her associate degree in Data Processing from TSTC and immediately found a job with Weslaco Independent School District as a programmer. She was there for 14 years.

“The training and coursework at TSTC helped me be competitive and find a job quickly,” she said. “TSTC helped me fulfill my goal.”

Garcia credits her instructors and peers for her success.

“I had the opportunity at TSTC to work with the most experienced instructors, and the hands-on training was invaluable,” said Garcia. “And to this day I am still friends with people I met while in college.”

After her time at TSTC, Garcia went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in Computer Information Systems from the University of Texas-Pan American in 1998 and a master’s degree in Education Technology from the University of Texas at Brownsville in 2011. Both colleges have since merged to become the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley.

After Garcia’s 14 years in Weslaco, she worked for nearly a year at TSTC’s Information Technology Help Desk before joining the Harlingen school district, where she has been for nearly 15 years and has served as assistant computer programmer, coordinator of student applications and, most recently, director.

“Never did I expect I would ever have such a successful career,” she said. “From the beginning to now, I am so blessed and grateful to be where I am today. It’s more than I could ever imagine.”

Garcia said she does not know what the future holds for her, but she is very happy and looking forward to more years with HCISD and spending time with her husband of 31 years, who she met as a student at TSTC, as well as with her children and three-year-old grandson.

“I’ve come a long way, and I hope my story can be an inspiration for others,” she said.

Garcia shared some advice. “Never give up. There are a lot of opportunities, so seek them, ask questions and ask for help,” she said. “And remember that when one door closes, another door always opens.”

For more information on programs offered at TSTC, visit tstc.edu.

(HARLINGEN) – More than 1,700 pounds of potatoes were planted on a chilly and wet Wednesday afternoon by nearly 30 Texas State Technical College Agricultural Technology and Culinary Arts students.

The farm-to-table partnership between the departments brings both programs together so that students can get different perspectives of the food business.

“This project is an effort to continue working closely with Culinary Arts on our farm-to-table initiative,” said Agricultural Technology Instructor Norberto Mendoza. “It’s great to open our students’ eyes to new experiences and opportunities.”

Both programs have been working together on this concept for nearly a year, and although culinary students have already helped to harvest vegetables and fruits, this is the first time they have helped to plant them.

The farm-to-table project gives the agriculture students the chance to give what they have grown to the culinary students to use in their kitchen.

“One of our goals as our partnership grew was to include Culinary in the planting process,” said TSTC Culinary Arts Instructor Emma Creps. “I’m excited to give my students this opportunity, and they’re excited for the experience.”

The students who participated in Wednesday’s potato planting are from the Agricultural Technology Crop Science and Culinary Arts Food Prep I classes.

Everything from potato cutting and treatment to planting on a one-acre lot used by Agricultural Technology was handled by the students under their instructors’ guidance.

Agricultural Technology student Irene Loya said this by far has been one of her favorite projects.

Loya, who will graduate with an associate degree from the program in Spring 2019, is already farming vegetables, fruits and various peppers, as well as growing flowering plants such as lilies, lavenders and roses.

“It’s exciting to be given this type of hands-on, real-world training. I know for a fact I could not get this anywhere else,” said Loya. “Everything I’m doing I can relate to what I am doing and want to do in the future.”

Loya said opportunities like this one give her a chance to build relationships and network with people who she might work with someday. She added that she hopes to grow her farming business once she completes her degree.

“At the end of the day, we’re all here to learn from each other and help in any way we can,” she said. “It just opens doors to many more opportunities that will be beneficial to all of us in the long run.”

Mendoza and Creps agree that this partnership is helping them create well-rounded students who will appreciate the processes that make the food business successful.

“I want my students to know where the food they cook comes from and appreciate the process that happens before they get it in the kitchen,” said Creps.

She added that many of her students go on to work at or open restaurants or build catering businesses, and having an understanding of farm-to-table and its processes makes a huge difference in their success.

Culinary Arts second-semester student Griselda Medina said she is already preparing a space in her backyard for a small vegetable and fruit garden and that this opportunity has opened her eyes to a whole new world.

“I already love nature and what it provides for us,” she said. “I’m not afraid of a little dirt. I’d rather know where my food is coming from and what I’m putting into my body and that of my family and, someday, customers.”

She said being able to plant the potato and seeing it grow over time is something beautiful because it is food that is straight from the earth and natural.

“This is so exciting for me, and I’m glad our instructors have given us this type of opportunity,” said Medina. “This project lets me know that I am definitely on the right path in my life.”

In late May the students will have another opportunity to come together over potatoes when harvesting begins. In the meantime, Culinary Arts will keep cooking and serving the vegetables and fruits that Agricultural Technology provides.

For more information about TSTC Agricultural Technology and Culinary Arts, visit tstc.edu.

(HARLINGEN) – Gabby Perrett is a student at Texas State Technical College pursuing an associate degrees in Architectural Design and Engineering Graphics, and in Mathematics.

The 20-year-old Edinburg native expects to graduate Spring 2019 and is a member of the Architectural Design and Engineering Graphics Club.

What are your plans after graduation?

After I graduate I want to continue my education at Texas A&M University in College Station to pursue a bachelor’s degree in Geographic Information Systems.

What’s your dream job?

My dream jobs are to work for a city in the geographic information systems department and manage the land surveying and I would also like to work for a non-profit designing and building houses for those less fortunate so they have a place to call home.

What has been your greatest accomplishment while at TSTC?

My greatest accomplishment while at TSTC has been being able to show my parents, who do not have a college background, that I’m working hard to achieve my goal of a college degree and showing my younger brother that an education is possible.

What greatest lesson have you learned about yourself or life?

The greatest lesson I have learned is that although my family and I stress economically, I have the strength and knowledge I need to go to college. TSTC has shown me this.

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

My Architectural Design and Engineering Graphics instructors Samuel Pizano, David Campos, Miguel Loya and Marc Rosas are my greatest influences. They are always willing to share their experiences and give their students advice. Hearing about their journeys helps me feel that if they can do it, so can I.

What is your advice for future TSTC students?

My advice for future TSTC students is be determined and don’t let anything stop you from pushing forward and getting your college degree.

(HARLINGEN) – It has been a cold January so far, and cabin fever may be kicking in. So to keep adventure in these cold days, the Culinary Arts students at Texas State Technical College want to share a recipe they recently created and cooked for their International Cuisine course.

Enjoy!

Yield: 6 to 8 servings

Ingredients

• 1 3.3-pound whole red snapper, cleaned and scaled

For the marinade

• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 limes, juiced
• 2 tablespoons water
• Pinch clove
• Pinch pepper
• Vegetable oil, for sauteing
• 1/2 cup chicken stock
• 1 onion, sliced
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 pinches dried oregano
• 1/2 cup freshly made tomato puree (water, tomatoes and a dash of olive oil)
• 4 plum tomatoes
• 6 pickled chilies
• 8 green olives, pitted and crushed, plus 12 green olives, whole
• 1 tablespoon capers
• Salt
• 3 tablespoons chopped parsley

Directions

1.  Clean the fish without cutting off the head or the tail. With a sharp knife, score the fleshy       part of the snapper.
2.  In a bowl, combine the garlic, lime juice, water, clove and pepper to make the marinade.     Pour the marinade over the fish and allow the marinade to penetrate the snapper for 30        minutes.
3.   Pour a tablespoon of oil into a hot pan and sear the fish for a few minutes on each side.   Add the chicken broth and begin to add the remaining ingredients.
4.  First, add the sliced onion, bay leaves and oregano. Next, pour in the fresh tomato puree,   followed by the whole plum tomatoes. Add the pickled chilies, crushed olives and capers.
5. Season with salt and continue simmering for 15 minutes. Before serving, sprinkle the whole olives and chopped parsley over the snapper and serve on a large dish.

(HARLINGEN) – Texas State Technical College alumnus Sam Garcia was recently named the first Technician of the Year for 2017 at Mercedes-Benz of San Juan.

The Los Fresnos native, who now calls Harlingen home, has worked with Mercedes-Benz for 34 years. It was his first job after graduating from Texas State Technical Institute, now TSTC, in 1984 with a certificate in Automotive Technology, and he is still going strong as a team leader and master technician.

“I am so grateful to TSTC. It is because of it that I have had a long and successful career,” said Garcia. “I pride myself in my work, and it’s great being recognized.”

The 54-year-old comes from a family of six. The fact that his father was the only working parent gave Garcia pressure to find a job and make money quickly.

“I had to grow up fast,” he said. “I had to work to help my parents and help support my younger brothers.”

Garcia started his college career at Texas Southmost College, but it was not a good fit for him.

That’s when Garcia found TSTI.

“It was exactly what I needed,” he said. “I was in and out in about a year, and with the support and training I received I was ready to start working and earning an income.”

Garcia added that he will never forget the support he received from his instructors. To Garcia, the help he got in the classroom for finding a job was invaluable.

Immediately after graduating, Garcia received a job offer from a Mercedes-Benz dealer in San Benito, where he started as a technician’s helper. He later continued his career with Cardenas Metroplex in Harlingen.

TSTC changed his life in more ways than one. It was at the college that Garcia also met his wife. They have been married for 31 years.

“TSTC gave me a career, a wife, three kids and a grandchild,” Garcia said with a laugh.

Garcia hopes to return to TSTC, not as a student, but as a mentor for others. He said he is interested in giving other students the same kind of help his TSTC instructors gave him.

“I’ve returned to judge a couple of automotive competitions,” he said. “But I hope I can get the opportunity to become a mentor, take students under my wing and guide them in the right direction.”

Garcia added that he is impressed with all of the success stories TSTC creates and hopes his mentoring can help create more.

In the meantime, Garcia waits for warmer weather so he can enjoy the outdoors in his Technician of the Year prize: an all-terrain vehicle.

For more information on TSTC, visit tstc.edu.

(HARLINGEN) – Jackeline Perez is an Education and Training student at Texas State Technical College. The 18-year-old holds a 3.7 grade-point average and expects to earn her associate degree in Spring 2020.

When the San Benito native is not busy studying she can be found volunteering around campus and the community with TSTC’s Service Squad.

What are your plans after graduation?

After I graduate I plan on continuing my education at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley to pursue a bachelor’s degree in Bilingual Education. I will also look for employment at a local school district so I can work and gain experience while still in school.

What’s your dream job?

My dream job is to become an elementary bilingual teacher. Although, a girl can dream, and it would be nice to someday pursue a music career as a singer.

What has been your greatest accomplishment while at TSTC?

My greatest accomplishment so far is my high GPA. I know that maintaining my good grades will help me cross the finish line and receive my degree.

What greatest lesson have you learned about yourself or life?

The greatest lesson I have learned was taught to me by my mother and aunt. They have always told me to never give up. If I fail I know to get back up, keep going and strive for my goals. This advice keeps me going when I’m struggling.

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

The person who has had the most influence on my success is Amanda Tamez, my Developmental Math instructor. Math is not my strong subject and she helped me get through the semester and understand the material. She did such a good job at teaching me that I ended up with an ‘A’ at the end of the course. Thank you Ms. Tamez.

What is your advice for future TSTC students?

My advice is the same advice shared with me: Don’t give up, dust yourself off when you fall and keep going. At the end everything you work hard for is worth it.