(ABILENE, Texas) – Texas State Technical College’s Fall Commencement ceremony featured several students who have already been hired across the state.
Companies including Koenig & Bauer, NextEra Energy, Rentech Boiler Systems and Warren CAT have hired fall graduates.
Nearly a third of the students who walked across the Abilene Convention Center stage on Thursday, Dec. 5, represented the Vocational Nursing and LVN to RN Transition Nursing programs. More than half of those nursing students have secured jobs in an area from Snyder to Houston.
“Anytime you can help fill the shortages, especially in the health care field, it is a great thing,” Mike Procopio, the cardiopulmonary director at Rolling Plains Memorial Hospital, said. “We want to do anything we can to help elevate the programs’ graduates to get quality candidates in the workforce.”
Rolling Plains Memorial Hospital is one of the area hospitals that allow TSTC students to complete clinical sessions as part of the TSTC curriculum.
For the graduates, the ceremony capped off a long journey.
Ashley Harden, of Cleburne, will continue to work with Solaris Healthcare after graduating from the LVN to RN Transition Nursing program.
“I have been working with Solaris since August. They have been very supportive of me completing school,” she said. “TSTC has given me the tools to better myself as a nurse.”
Natasha Whiteley, of Westbrook, will move to Houston to work for Angels of Care, a pediatric home health agency.
“This will be a totally different area for me,” said the LVN to RN Transition Nursing Program graduate. “I worked in a clinic for eight years and med-surg for two years. I will now be more confident in my decision-making because of my time at TSTC.”
Emilyann Dye, of Snyder, graduated with a certificate of completion in Vocational Nursing. She will return to her hometown to work in the medical-surgery department at Cogdell Memorial Hospital.
“I was able to do my clinicals there, and it was great,” she said. “The hospital staff was so great and worked with me to make sure I would be successful.”
Elizabeth Allen, of Graham, and Hailey Hendrix, of Breckenridge, also graduated with certificates of completion in Vocational Nursing. While they are still considering job positions, both said they are prepared for the next steps in their careers.
“TSTC taught me the skills I need to be a good nurse,” Allen said.
“I am planning to begin the LVN to RN program at TSTC this summer,” Hendrix said.
Registration for TSTC’s spring semester is underway. To learn more, visit tstc.edu.
