Here is a look back at some of the semester’s highlights:

New leadership

Amanda Posada, TSTC’s executive director of Dual Enrollment, became the interim provost of the Harlingen campus. Former campus provost Cledia Hernandez took on the role of TSTC’s associate vice chancellor for External Relations and Workforce Development.

More opportunities

The TSTC Foundation received a grant from the Rio-South Texas Education and Community Development Foundation for TSTC’s Biomedical Equipment Technology program and The TSTC Foundation’s Goal Line Assistance Scholarship, providing new training equipment and aiding students who may be facing financial difficulties during their final year at TSTC.

High-flying students

Adrian Nacianceno, a TSTC Aircraft Airframe student, and Izzy Ortiz, a TSTC Aircraft Powerplant student, are the stewards of an X-38 space prototype vehicle frame for research purposes. Once their project is complete, the X-38 will be used as a beacon to inspire other students to consider careers related to space exploration.

History-making grad

Claudia Reyes is a 2019 graduate of TSTC’s Computer Networking and Security Technology (now Computer Networking and Systems Administration) program. Her fascination with working with computers, analyzing crime documentaries and advocating against cyberbullying led her to return to TSTC to pursue an advanced technical certificate in Digital Forensics Specialist. She added a new credential to her portfolio by becoming the first student in the program to earn the AccessData Certified Examiner (ACE) certification.

A commencement to celebrate

The TSTC campus in Harlingen marked the return to an in-person commencement ceremony Dec. 8 at the Bert Ogden Arena in Edinburg. More than 300 graduates walked across the stage to accept a TSTC occupational skills award, certificate of completion or associate degree.

TSTC congratulates all of its students and graduates for their accomplishments, and looks forward to what the next semester will bring.

Registration for the spring semester at TSTC is underway. For more information, visit tstc.edu.

More than 100 fall 2021 graduates walked the stage to receive their diplomas during the first in-person TSTC commencement ceremony since fall 2019.

“Tonight means the completion of two years of hard work paying off,” said Chase Carey, who earned an Associate of Applied Science degree in Aircraft Powerplant Technology with honors. “Earning the honors means that all of my late nights of studying were worth the time and effort.”

Edward Deanda, who earned a certificate of completion in Aircraft Powerplant Technology, also graduated with honors.

“These honors accomplishments mean so much to me,” Deanda said. “But I am not through because I am coming back to work on a backup career in Digital Media Design. I want to have something to fall back on, and TSTC is the place to do that.”

For Omar Alvarez, it was the completion of a second degree program. After earning a degree in Automotive Technology, he returned to TSTC and earned an Associate of Applied Science degree in Aircraft Airframe Technology. He graduated as a TSTC Board of Regents Honor Roll member.

“It was a lot of work for me, and it was worth it because I maintained a 4.0 grade-point average during each semester,” he said. “The best part is I now have a job lined up and am ready to start my career.”

Alfred Rodriguez also added to his TSTC collection of TSTC degrees. After earning a certificate of completion in Diesel Equipment Technology, he added an Associate of Applied Science degree in Industrial Systems.

“This is a great day for me, and I am so excited because it has already paid off for me at work,” he said.

Kiana Abarintos said she can now pursue her passion in aviation with her Associate of Applied Science degree in Aircraft Powerplant Technology.

“My father was in aviation for 20 years, and it was always something I wanted to do,” she said. “When my husband was transferred to Dyess Air Force Base, I did my research and found TSTC had an aviation program. I am so proud of myself for achieving this goal in my life.”

Misty Burton, who earned an Associate of Applied Science degree in Nursing, also realized a dream.

“This was 16 years in the making,” she said. “I graduated in licensed vocational nursing when my baby was a baby. That was 16 years ago, and I have completed my goal of completing the program. This has been an amazing experience.”

Ken Becker, interim executive director of the Sweetwater Enterprise for Economic Development, said students were given a key during the ceremony.

“The key is your hard work. The key is the completion of your studies,” he said. “The key is the certificate or associate degree that you will walk across the stage tonight to receive. It’s the key that can take you places you want to go.”

Registration for the spring semester at TSTC is underway. For more information, visit tstc.edu.

Texas State Technical College student Juliana Perez, of Brownsville, is training to be one of those technicians.

She is proud of her decision to enroll in the Aircraft Powerplant Technology program at TSTC.

She also is expanding her knowledge with a part-time paid internship at Southmost Aviation Inc. in Brownsville.

The fourth-semester student said the TSTC program has enabled her to learn about tools and other areas in an enticing industry.

“When I grew up, I was not introduced to tools,” she said. “I love to learn new things, and this is something I was excited about.”

Perez credits her TSTC instructor’s influence as great motivation.

“Our instructor, (Leo) Guajardo, is very passionate,” she said. “His explanation about engine systems and other areas is very exciting.”

Perez’s internship at Southmost Aviation provides real-world learning opportunities about fixed-base operation, aircraft maintenance, administrative duties and customer service.

“I have been taught about the correct fuel to use for different planes,” she said. “I have performed aircraft marshaling. I learned how to use a tug to tow the aircraft into a hangar area. I also assist with administrative duties and anything else, as needed.”

Ben Douglas, general manager for Southmost Aviation, said he is impressed with Perez’s work ethic.

“She has excellent administrative and customer service skills,” he said.

Perez grasps concepts quickly and demonstrates an eagerness to learn, according to Jon Douglas, director of maintenance for Southmost Aviation.

“I taught her how to refuel a King Air turbine passenger aircraft,” he said. “I only had to teach it one time, and she handled it very well. She enjoys learning different processes. It is important that a mechanic knows how to interact with an aircraft and possesses knowledge of ground service, as well, to be successful.”

Upon completion of her Associate of Applied Science degree this December, Perez will pursue a second associate degree from TSTC, this time in Aircraft Airframe Technology.

In Texas, aircraft mechanics and service technicians can earn an average of $66,260 per year, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The projected growth for this job in the state is more than 8% through 2028, onetonline.org states.

Registration for the spring semester is underway. For more information, visit tstc.edu.

The son of a former Air Force mechanic, Hummel is hoping to honor the memory of his late father by earning Associate of Applied Science degrees in Aircraft Airframe Technology and Aircraft Powerplant Technology at Texas State Technical College.

“I know that he is proud of me,” Hummel said of his father. “I was able to watch him work in the Air Force, and what he did was always intriguing.”

Hummel’s father worked on the hydraulic systems of B-1 Lancers at Dyess Air Force Base in Abilene. He said the progression of technology is what led him to TSTC.

“We, as people, had to learn to survive in the wild by using sticks and stones,” he said. “Now we are able to fly in the sky, and the technology is only going to improve and grow.”

The ATEMS (Academy of Technology, Engineering, Math and Science) High School graduate knew that TSTC offered aviation programs. After his first tour of the college’s Abilene campus hangar, Hummel knew where he wanted to continue his education.

“I have never been in a professional hangar before with this many planes,” he said. “The Air Force hangars only had one plane, and many of the others I have been in were for one plane. This hangar and the planes we have are great to learn on.”

Hands-on lab sessions are Hummel’s favorite part of the curriculum. He said they fit his learning style.

“I am a big visual learner,” he said after working in the cockpit of one plane.

TSTC aviation maintenance instructor Brian Wilkins said students benefit from the lab sessions.

“Our students learn so much by working together in the lab,” he said “We want them to work together and solve the problems we have in class.”

Hummel said he is looking forward to the advanced classes, especially when he will learn the ins and outs of a jet engine.

“I cannot wait to get in there and work on those engines,” he said. “The experiences we have are great and will only get better.”

Hummel said the instructors make sure that students know what is going on both in class and in the industry.

“They teach us so much more than what we learn in the book,” he said. “The book may illustrate the way to do something, but our instructors have working experience and can recommend doing it a different way for better results. That working experience is the best way for all of us to learn.”

After earning his degree, Hummel said he will have many options, from being employed as a technician at an airport to working for a private company.

“I know no matter which way I go, I will be able to work because TSTC is preparing me for a career,” he said.

The need for aircraft mechanics in Texas is forecast to grow 8% by 2028, according to onetonline.org. The average salary for a technician is $66,260, the website showed.

TSTC offers Associate of Applied Science degrees and certificates of completion in both Aircraft Airframe Technology and Aircraft Powerplant Technology at its Abilene, Harlingen and Waco campuses.

For more information about TSTC, visit tstc.edu.

He can either drive on Interstate 35 or secure a seat on an American Airlines flight from Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport to Waco Regional Airport, then use ride-sharing to get to classes.

Nyagaka is an associate degree candidate for fall graduation in the Avionics Technology program at TSTC. He balances his class schedule with working in baggage claims at American Airlines.

He chose avionics because it combines aviation with his past work repairing cell phones, computers and laptops.

“I am just ready to go get out there,” he said. “Just from working at the airport for two years, and seeing the airplanes every time I go to work, it gets me excited.”

Ryan Becerra, a fourth-semester Avionics Technology student from Waco, said he has enjoyed working with Nyagaka during his time in the program.

“He’s really nice and helpful,” Becerra said. “We are test-set buddies, so we sit next to each other. We have a study group that we have formed.”

Martin Segraves, lead instructor in TSTC’s Avionics Technology program, admires Nyagaka’s work ethic.

“Penn’s low-key demeanor is a great fit for aviation,” Segraves said. “He is able to leave his problems at the door and prominently displays his positive attitude as he works through his Avionics Technology projects. He truly will be an asset to his employer.”

Nyagaka’s motivation in life is easy to find.

“Mostly my family, just because I have family back in Kenya,” he said. “Just knowing eventually I can help them with money, building up land and equity, things of that nature. Just having a family of my own one day and supporting them.”

Nyagaka grew up in Arlington and developed a fascination with airplanes. After graduating from James Bowie High School in Arlington, he went to a two-year college in the Fort Worth area and began studying in a pre-med program with hopes of becoming an orthopedic surgeon. He later decided to pursue marketing but eventually changed his mind.

Nyagaka learned about TSTC from a relative, by way of a friend working in aviation maintenance. He was already familiar with Waco because a cousin is a Baylor University graduate.

“I liked the aerospace facility (at TSTC) and how big it was and that there was an airport,” he said.

TSTC’s Fall 2021 Commencement will be held at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Dec. 11, at The BASE at the Extraco Events Center at 4601 Bosque Blvd. in Waco.

For more information, go to tstc.edu.

The former nurse is pursuing Associate of Applied Science degrees in Aircraft Airframe Technology and Aircraft Powerplant Technology at Texas State Technical College. In her first year in the program, Dupre has been pleased with what she has been able to accomplish.

“I have worked at Eagle Aviation for two years as a parts crew chief, and the TSTC programs caught my interest,” Dupre said. “I have always loved airplanes, and the program has already helped me move up at work.”

Dupre is now a repair person and wants to continue to advance at Eagle Aviation.

“This is home for me and my family,” said the Trent native. “I am really excited about the opportunities in store for me at school and work.”

According to Dupre, her father taught his daughters to be independent and self-sufficient. That meant learning to work on engines.

“I worked on vehicles and motorcycles,” she said. “My dad taught all of his daughters the things they needed to know to survive.”

Dupre said it was natural for her to grow from the small engines of a motorcycle to those in airplanes. While working at Eagle Aviation, she knew that TSTC offered degrees in aviation.

“I never knew what was in the (TSTC) hangar while I was working at Eagle — and it is right across the street from work,” she said. “When I first walked in the hangar, I was like ‘wow.’ It was impressive to see everything in the hangar and what was being offered.”

What drew Dupre to the program was the hands-on approach during class. Instructor Brian Wilkins said the first-year students are working hard together to make sure everyone succeeds.

“We have a big first-year group, and that is great for our program,” he said. “All of the students are working hard during lab sessions, and they are working together.”

Dupre said the online portion of class is a challenge for her. However, she has a support system both at school and at home.

“I am married and a mom of three. With a full-time job and working full time, I have to find time to get my assignments done,” she said. “My husband is supportive and helps me when he knows it is time for me to study.”

Dupre hopes she continues to see more women enroll in the program.

“It is not like the old days when it was a male-dominated job,” she said. “We know there are some challenges as women, but we will work through them.”

Dupre’s co-workers are showing her support while she is in school.

“They are so easy to work with and supportive at work,” she said. “Everyone wants to see me succeed.”

The need for aircraft mechanics in Texas is forecast to grow 8% by 2028, according to onetonline.org. The average salary for a technician is $66,260, the website showed.

TSTC offers Associate of Applied Science degrees and certificates of completion in both Aircraft Airframe Technology and Aircraft Powerplant Technology at its Abilene, Harlingen and Waco campuses.

For more information about TSTC, visit tstc.edu.

But for two students of Leo Guajardo, a Texas State Technical College Aircraft Airframe and Powerplant instructor in Harlingen, they can come close.

Guajardo and the students are the stewards of an X-38 space prototype vehicle frame for research purposes.

Through an initial partnership years ago between the city of Santa Rosa and TSTC, NASA gifted the X-38 space prototype to inspire a newer generation of space explorers. Originally the spacecraft was designed to bring astronauts home from outer space.

Guajardo has made this a special long-term project with the two TSTC students, Adrian Nacianceno and Izzy Ortiz.

The students are cleaning the heat panels and then bolting them back onto the spacecraft. One panel takes 30 National Aerospace Standards-certified space bolts to specific numbered sections on the body. Once this project is complete, the X-38 will be used as a beacon to inspire other students to consider careers related to space exploration.

“Adrian and Izzy have the expertise, they have demonstrated integrity, trustworthiness and a willingness to excel in their future careers,” Guajardo said.

Nacianceno is pursuing Associate of Applied Science degrees in both Aircraft Airframe Technology and Aircraft Powerplant Technology.

“You are used to seeing airplanes for this program,” he said. “I was amazed to see a spacecraft, and it pushes me to work harder because this is something not seen in the Valley.”

Guajardo wants to ensure that the technologies and processes that are learned by the students can transition from aviation to aerospace.

“Space technology is now becoming mainstream due to private entities in the modern space race,” he said. “I want my students to be part of that race, and I’m training them so they can build those spacecraft of 2025 and 2030.”

TSTC offers an Associate of Applied Science degree in Aircraft Airframe Technology and an Aircraft Airframe Technician certificate of completion. Also offered is an Associate of Applied Science degree in Aircraft Powerplant Technology and an Aircraft Powerplant Technology certificate of completion.

For more information about TSTC, visit tstc.edu.

(HARLINGEN, Texas) – A group of aviation students from Texas State Technical College have gained valuable hands-on experience by volunteering to work at Mid-Valley Airport in Weslaco.

TSTC student Adrian Nacianceno was among those who got a leg up through the opportunity.

“Definitely great, very invaluable — I learned so much that I knew things that my classmates didn’t over in school,” he said of his time in the hangar. “It’s always good to have that type of experience — it’s like how it’s going to be, those job opportunities out there. It kind of gives you a glimpse of that.”

TSTC offers an Associate of Applied Science degree in Aircraft Airframe Technology and an Aircraft Airframe Technician certificate of completion. The program offers hybrid coursework, blending online learning with in-person lab time that delivers hands-on training with relevant equipment and technology.

When Nacianceno graduates from TSTC, he will have earned a pair of Associate of Applied Science degrees — one in Aircraft Airframe Technology and the other in Aircraft Powerplant Technology. He has yet to decide whether he will continue his education or get his pilot’s license.

TSTC aviation maintenance instructor Leo Guajardo selected some of his best students to participate in volunteer opportunities to give them the chance to further explore one specific facet in the broad field that his program trains them to enter.

“There’s a saying that a jack-of-all-trades is a master of none. What I learned is that the rest of that saying is ‘but better than a master of only one,’” Guajardo said. “My students are very much a jack-of-all-trades — they know a little bit about everything. Airplanes have such a wide variety of different technologies. They end up, when they graduate, finding their niche.”

Aircraft mechanic and service technician positions are projected to grow by 12% through 2030, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics finds, adding that such positions can earn an average annual salary of $66,680.

Fred Perez’s company, Sky King Aviation, operates in a hangar at the Mid-Valley Airport. The company primarily paints aircraft, but Perez is retooling its mission to acquire, refurbish and resell them.

Having the TSTC aviation students on hand to assist with the highly involved and intensive process of painting was a wonderful help to his company, Perez said.

“They had to help us remove most of the paint just to make sure the aircraft was really clean right before we got to our priming stage, and they did a great job,” he said. “It’s fantastic — they’re a great help. They bring a lot of energy to our hangar.”

Perez added that he and his painter relished the opportunity to deliver some real-world experience to the students.

“I thought it’d be great to help out the community and help out these aspiring aircraft mechanics to show them what interesting opportunities await them in the future by giving them a chance to be hands-on right now,” he said.

Guajardo noticed a change in the students who participated in the opportunity when they returned to class.

“My students came back with an enlightened attitude,” he said. “It’s not just about painting. You should’ve seen them walk in the next day. They had a different step about them. They felt like airplane mechanics after that — they weren’t just students. I was super proud to be a part of that feeling they gained.”

Learn more about TSTC at tstc.edu.

Led by TSTC Chancellor and CEO Mike Reeser and Waco campus provost Edgar Padilla, the tour included driving by the newly constructed Griffith Hall, a 246-unit student housing facility.

Before the tour, Reeser briefed the senator about TSTC’s successes and what sets the technical college apart.

“Other colleges are about scholarship, but we’re about craftsmanship,” Reeser told Cruz.

Reeser also reminded Cruz that TSTC is funded by the state legislature based solely on the employment outcomes of its graduates.

Cruz concluded his tour in the “terminal” of the campus’ Col. James T. Connally Aerospace Center, where he took questions from reporters.

“There’s a reason 1,000 people a day move into the state of Texas; Texas is where the jobs are,” he said. “And institutions like Texas State Technical College are part of the reason why — that we are helping men and women acquire the skills they need to come out and get good-paying jobs and provide for their kids and provide for their family, and work toward the American dream.”

Also representing TSTC for the visit were Joe Arnold, TSTC deputy vice chancellor and executive external relations officer, and Marlene McMichael, TSTC associate vice chancellor for Government Affairs.

As space shuttles inspired children of the 1980s, today’s space capsules and reusable rockets are motivating a new generation to dream galactic.

“My students are going to be the technicians the aerospace world is hiring,” said Leo Guajardo, lead instructor in Texas State Technical College’s Aviation Maintenance program in Harlingen.

United Launch Alliance on Airport Drive is next door to Valley International Airport and across the street from TSTC. The company has operated in its 300,000-square-foot facility since 1990, producing adapters, engine sections and payload fairings for the Atlas V launch vehicle. The company also has locations in Alabama and Colorado, with launches taking place in California and Florida.

Guajardo said ULA has been a good neighbor to TSTC, and their long relationship has proved valuable. He said in the past TSTC’s Aviation Maintenance students have acquired work experience at ULA as they took classes.

“It is a leg into the aerospace industry, and it is extremely valuable,” Guajardo said.

Heather McFarland, ULA’s communications specialist in strategic communications, said the company is always seeking technicians who have skills in assembly, computer numerical controlled machine operations, crane operations and welding. TSTC fits the company’s mission of finding the best employees with a strong technical education.

“We build great teams and partners to achieve legendary results,” she said.

ULA has given financial gifts in the past to TSTC, including $40,000 in 2015 for the campus Challenger Learning Center’s planetarium. 

TSTC offers an Associate of Applied Science degree in Aircraft Airframe Technology and an Aircraft Airframe Technician certificate of completion. Also offered is an Associate of Applied Science degree in Aircraft Powerplant Technology and an Aircraft Powerplant Technology certificate.

Hands-on work is key to students learning how to work within Federal Aviation Administration guidelines.

“Our projects are preparing students for that (aerospace) world within the curriculum that exists,” Guajardo said. “A lot of the composite work we do is similar to the old foam and ceramic-type panels on the NASA space shuttles.”

Registration continues for the fall semester, with scholarships available. For more information, go to tstc.edu.