(NEW BRAUNFELS, Texas) -The partnership between Texas State Technical College’s New Braunfels campus and the Texas Federation for Advanced Manufacturing Education (FAME) Lone Star Chapter has received nationwide recognition.
The organization was recently recognized as a top-quality assurance-accredited chapter at The Manufacturing Institute’s 2026 FAME National Conference held in Jacksonville, Florida.
“I think it’s a huge deal,” said Jason Dinscore, president of the Lone Star Chapter and a technical training and development manager at CMC Steel in Seguin. “For me personally, it is a point of pride. I wanted nothing less than the top chapter designation.”
The FAME program enables students to be sponsored by companies in the Comal and Guadalupe County area to take industrial maintenance classes at TSTC. Students work as they learn, with many able to stay on at their employers after graduation. Some of the program’s industry partners include Aumovio, Caterpillar and CMC Steel.
“The FAME Lone Star Chapter played a pivotal role in launching TSTC in New Braunfels, and since then, we have experienced incredible growth,” said Maisie Brown, TSTC’s associate manager of admissions and enrollment. “Although we are still a young campus and continue to pave our path, being recognized so early in our journey is a testament to our team’s dedication and commitment to making both our campus and our FAME chapter the very best it can be.”
The chapter successfully passed a multi-point quality audit to determine the organization’s health.
“Reaching that top-performing level comes down to the best practices you are doing as a chapter to set yourselves above and beyond the baseline standards,” Dinscore said.
Some of the activities the chapter does for students include a team ropes course for new cohorts enabling them to work through problems and build unity. Dinscore said monthly lunch-and-learn events bring in area business representatives to talk about financial literacy and other topics.
Courses emphasize safety, with a daily morning meeting and afternoon technical talks. Students also undergo end-of-semester presentations every term.
Keeping a direct line to manufacturers is critical as the work changes with growth in automation. Mike Anderson, provost of TSTC’s New Braunfels campus, said Guadalupe County is a Texas powerhouse in manufacturing.
“That is only going to get better and stronger,” he said. “I think in the supply chain for industry, we are the perfect hub for that.”
Students who complete the 20-month program receive an Associate of Applied Science degree in Industrial Systems – Advanced Manufacturing (FAME). Industry partners build the curriculum students use.
“As TSTC grows in the New Braunfels area, so shall we,” Dinscore said. “We are looking for more employers to be involved in the FAME program, more employer sponsorships, more spots to put more people in.”
New cohorts start each fall. For more information, go to tstc.edu/txfame.