(HARLINGEN, Texas) – Three construction projects underway at Texas State Technical College’s Harlingen campus have ties to alumni.
The graduates work for Vaughn Construction, which has offices in McAllen and throughout the state. The construction company is the contractor for a new building for the Automotive Technology and future Diesel Equipment Technology programs, along with a new learning structure for the Electrical Lineworker and Management Technology program. Vaughn Construction is also working on the 20PM building renovation on campus. The buildings are scheduled to be completed in spring 2025.
“Our graduates are building more than just new campus facilities, they are building a legacy,” said Cledia Hernandez, TSTC’s vice chancellor and chief external relations officer. “Their work stands as a shining example of how skills learned here can create a lasting impact, inspiring the next generation to dream bigger and build brighter.”
Rolando Castillo, of Edinburg, is a project manager at Vaughn Construction. His work on the TSTC projects includes overseeing the project schedule and making sure that work stays within budget.
“When we announced we were awarded this project, I wanted to go back to TSTC since it provided me with a good education and a step forward in this industry,” he said.
Castillo is a graduate of Harlingen High School.
“I actually was doing drafting for three years in high school through the vocational program,” he said. “I just wanted to continue that path.”
Castillo has an associate degree from the Drafting and Design program at TSTC’s Harlingen campus. He went on to pursue a Bachelor of Science degree in Construction Science and Management at the University of Texas at San Antonio.
Castillo did an internship with Vaughn Construction, which led to his hiring. He has been with the company for about 10 years.
“Internships are valuable that way,” he said. “It gets you a foot in the door in the industry. You can learn so much in your classes. But once you work in the field, it is completely different.”
Daniel Lerma, of Olmito and Port Isabel, is a senior project manager at Vaughn Construction. His work on the TSTC projects includes working with the college’s construction staff and overseeing project teams. Lerma also has to ensure that the projects are completed on time.
“It is an everyday task to read through the plan, interpret it and build everything with the right quality,” he said.
Lerma is a graduate of San Benito High School and has an associate degree from TSTC’s Drafting and Design program. He attended what was then the University of Texas – Pan American in Edinburg (now the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley) and worked in the drafting department of a local civil engineering firm. It was this work that inspired Lerma to study at TSTC.
“I really liked how you can design and then watch what you do actually put in the field and get built,” he said.
Alejandro Lugo, of San Benito, is a project engineer at Vaughn Construction. His roles on the TSTC projects are to ensure that subcontractors are on-site, to review safety paperwork and to work on subcontractor payment applications. He also works with the architect of record and engineers to find solutions to any problems arising in the construction process.
“You are not just building a building,” Lugo said. “It is making a building for future generations so they can graduate and one day be in my shoes or do something even better.”
Lugo has an Associate of Applied Science degree in Business Management Technology from TSTC’s Harlingen campus. He went on to earn a Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting from the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley.
Lugo chose his program of study at TSTC because he always wanted to work with numbers and had an interest in construction.
“You have to be detail oriented,” he said. “I was able to relate quickly. Construction documents have a lot of details.”
Lugo graduated from San Benito High School, where he was a kicker on the football team. He attended the University of the Incarnate Word in San Antonio on a football scholarship for a year before attending TSTC.
TSTC alumni have worked on other statewide campus construction projects. Alumni include more than 80 workers in various technical fields at The WorkSITE (Skills, Innovation, Training and Education) in Waco. The WorkSITE is TSTC’s workforce training facility in partnership with the city of Waco and McLennan County that is scheduled to open in February.
For more information on TSTC, go to tstc.edu.
