(WACO, Texas) – Students from Texas A&M University’s College of Engineering are wrapping up a summer of hands-on learning at Texas State Technical College’s Waco campus.
More than 30 students in the Texas A&M Engineering Experiment Station’s (TEES) Bachelor’s+ Program began taking hybrid and online classes in late May and finished at the end of July. They took classes focusing on architectural and mechanical drafting, aviation electronic control systems, cybersecurity, and integrated manufacturing processes.
“TEES has worked with us to select the courses that will enhance their course learning outcomes,” said Sara Sanchez, TSTC’s executive director of student learning.
Sankarshana Mukundhan, who was born in the state of Georgia and raised in Chennai, India, is a general engineering student at Texas A&M. He grew up interested in aviation and space.
Mukundhan said to get a good job in the aviation industry, he needs to know how electronics work. Some new skills he learned during the summer include crimping, soldering and installing wiring. His curiosity in learning has never waned.
“They have given me one of the best experiences ever,” Mukundhan said about his time at TSTC. “Having these skills is a great head start to get into the industry.”
Alex Sargent, of Cedar Park, will be a junior this fall at Texas A&M, where he studies Aerospace Engineering. He said taking classes at TSTC has prepared him for upcoming design classes at his university.
“I think it is important to see the other perspectives,” he said. “This is a great experience.”
Sargent had the opportunity to take a discovery flight with TSTC’s Aircraft Pilot Training Technology program.
“It was stressful in a good way, but I am glad I did it,” he said.
The Bachelor’s+ Program fulfills the students’ ENGR(x) zero-credit-hour requirement for graduation from Texas A&M. To meet the requirement, engineering students must participate in an approved engineering-centric activity that meets the criteria of a high-impact learning experience, followed by meaningful self-reflection. This is the third summer that TSTC’s Waco campus has hosted Texas A&M students.
For more information on the Texas A&M Engineering Experiment Station’s Bachelor’s+ Program, go to tees.tamu.edu.
Registration continues for the fall semester at TSTC. For more information, go to tstc.edu.
