(ROSENBERG, Texas) – Student success extends far beyond the lab, and two Texas State Technical College employees have spent years proving that.
Judy Cox and Alonzo Garza were recognized with the 2026 Chancellor’s Cornerstone Award for exemplifying the college’s core values of excellence, accountability, service and integrity.
The annual awards process starts with TSTC employees submitting nominations, which are reviewed and forwarded to Mike Reeser, TSTC’s chancellor and CEO, who makes the final decisions.
“At the heart of TSTC’s success is the exceptional quality of our people,” Reeser said. “Within that remarkable team are individuals who consistently go above and beyond, and this award recognizes and celebrates those people.”
Although their responsibilities are different, Cox and Garza have dedicated their careers to helping students succeed at TSTC.
Cox, a manager of Career Development, has been with the college for 25 years. She started with the Fort Bend County campus in 2001 when it opened.
“The rewarding part of my job is when a graduate comes back to say, ‘I got the job I wanted,’” she said. “That is when the circle is complete. It takes everybody working together to help students succeed.”
Cox said helping students sharpen their interviewing skills and resumes is only part of the journey.
“Seeing graduates return years later to recruit new TSTC students reminds me why I have stayed with the college for nearly 25 years,” she said.
Garza has worked at TSTC for nine years and is now a Facilities department director.
“Every project supports students,” he said. “Anything that improves their quality of life and gives them something they can take pride in, is what matters most.”
Garza credits his team’s success to a culture built on pride and shared purpose.
“You should take pride in everything you do,” he said. “When you feel this is part of you, it drives you to give that extra effort.”
Registration for the fall semester is now underway at TSTC. For more information, visit TSTC.edu.