(MARSHALL, Texas) – Thunderous applause erupted as 32 Texas State Technical College students became graduates at the Spring 2025 Commencement on Friday, May 9, in Marshall.
Automation and Controls Technology and Process Operations are two programs offered exclusively at TSTC’s Marshall campus. The majority of the graduates who attended Friday’s ceremony were from those programs.
Barzilai Arellano’s time with TSTC went beyond earning his Associate of Applied Science degree in Process Operations. The LaRue native was also a student worker and resident assistant at the Marshall campus, and he walked away with his degree and the Provost’s Outstanding Achievement Award.
“It feels like time flew,” Arellano said.
Zachary Martin, of Newton, said the value of the education that he received from the Automation and Controls program exceeded the relatively low cost of attending TSTC. He received his associate degree and hopes to work at Louisiana-Pacific Corp., a building materials manufacturer.
“My uncle works there,” Martin said. “He sent me here to go to school.”
Alec Johnson, a Process Operations graduate from Carthage, traded a college in Houston for TSTC’s Marshall campus after the former’s programs proved less than satisfactory. He had already been hired by Prysmian Group, an electric cable manufacturer, before he received his certificate of completion from TSTC.
“If you find something you really like, you should definitely go for it,” Johnson said.
Luz Gomez, of Center, attended TSTC’s Automation and Controls program to further the knowledge that her previous degree in electronics and instrumentation had already given her. She received her associate degree from TSTC while surrounded by the friends she made along the way.
“Just keep going,” Gomez advised current and future TSTC students. “The classes might be stressful at times, but just keep going and make the best of it.”
Registration for TSTC’s fall semester is underway. For more information, go to tstc.edu.
