(SWEETWATER, Texas) – If there is a pool tournament or a friendly game of pickleball happening at Texas State Technical College’s Student Center, then Ethan Godfrey will probably be there.
The Electromechanical Technology student from Frankston said he was surprised to learn that TSTC has activities for students to enjoy at the Sweetwater location during their free time.
“When I first started school, I did not think there was much for me to do outside of class,” he said. “I did not think they would have a tournament for different activities. If there is something going on, if I am not at work, I am participating.”
It is not just the weekly tournament schedule that Godfrey participates in.
“Many of us like to come down to the Student Center between classes and either play a game of pool or throw darts,” he said.
“It is a great way to decompress from class,” Toby Styron, also an Electromechanical Technology student, said while playing a recent game of pool with Godfrey.
Tiffany Oden, TSTC’s director of housing in Sweetwater, said Godfrey and his fellow resident assistants have worked to get more students involved in activities.
“They are always looking for things to do with the students,” Oden said. “Ethan has proven to be a good leader among the students. He is someone I can count on to make sure everyone is following the rules while also having fun in their spare time.”
Besides sports-related activities, Godfrey has participated in everything from an evening bonfire to the 2023 Halloween costume contest, which he won dressed as a college student in pajamas and drinking coffee through a straw directly from a coffee pot.
Being from a small East Texas town, Godfrey said touring TSTC before he enrolled helped him decide on a career.
“I came to tour the wind program, but when I walked through the Electromechanical Technology lab, I saw it had more opportunities for me,” he said. “When I complete my associate degree, I will be able to do so many different things.”
Arnoldo Soto, an Electromechanical Technology instructor, has noticed Godfrey’s work in the lab and around campus.
“He is one of the best students in the program. He picks up things really quickly,” Soto said. “The things he does when he is not in class also get noticed by everyone.”
Godfrey said he wants to help the TSTC staff because he has grown to appreciate what they do for the students. When high school tours are scheduled, he is one of the first to sign up to help.
“I have a great time when I am at school because I love the classes, the people and the staff at TSTC,” he said.
According to onetonline.org, the need for electrical and electronic engineering technologists and technicians in Texas was forecast to increase 14% between 2020 and 2030. The website stated that the median salary for these technicians in the state is $64,220.
TSTC offers an Associate of Applied Science degree and certificates of completion in Electromechanical Technology exclusively at the Sweetwater location.
Registration for TSTC’s fall semester is underway. Learn more at tstc.edu.
