(RED OAK, Texas) – Sixteen students celebrated their graduation from Texas State Technical College’s North Texas campus on Wednesday, Aug. 23, at the Waxahachie Civic Center, receiving associate degrees or certificates of completion.
James Stewart, a graduate of the Diesel Equipment Technology program, received a certificate of completion and said he was ready to start working full time.
“(I plan to) just keep doing what I’m doing now, just on a larger scale, (do) more business,” he said. “I work for a farmer that has a lot of big trucks and pickups that I work on for him, and I work on a lot of his tractors.”
Stewart said that following the ceremony he planned to get something to eat and relax with some of his family and friends.
Shawna Long graduated with a certificate of completion from the Welding Technology program.
Long decided to continue her education and will begin classes at TSTC’s Waco campus in order to earn an associate degree.
“(I’m) excited to be moving to the next step, the next chapter,” she said.
Long said her favorite part of being at TSTC were the people.
“Everybody is so nice and so happy to be there, and you can see that,” she said. “It shows.”
Stewart echoed the sentiment.
“Everybody is just excited to be there,” he said.
Marcus Balch, provost of TSTC’s North Texas campus, also commented on the TSTC community during his address to the students, thanking faculty and staff for their influence on them.
“I’d like to take a moment to also recognize and thank the members of TSTC’s faculty and staff who have worked diligently to prepare these graduates for this special day and for the careers that await them,” he said.
Balch ended the ceremony with one final message to the graduates.
“You are all officially alumni of Texas State Technical College,” he said. “I encourage you to go out into the world like the legends you will become. We are so proud of you. Congratulations.”
For more information about TSTC, go to tstc.edu.
