(WACO, Texas) – For Samantha Higham, of League City, her days consist of metals and her weekends are for mammoths.
Higham is a fourth-semester student working toward an associate degree in Texas State Technical College’s Precision Machining program at the Waco campus.
Higham had some experience with machining when she was a student at Clear Creek High School in League City. She also took engineering classes.
Engineering was on her mind when she graduated high school and began attending a state four-year university. She discovered once she got into her classes that the field was not quite what she expected.
“I thought about whether I wanted to go to school for three more years,” Higham said.
She started thinking about machining again and did online research to find TSTC. She said she enjoyed 3D-modeling and blueprint reading.
“TSTC popped up and I picked the Waco campus because me and my mother used to watch HGTV and being in the same area as Chip and Joanna (Gaines) would be so cool,” she said.
Higham quickly discovered in her first semester that she was the only woman in the program. Since she began taking classes, the program has gained a second female student.
“I like baking and crocheting and machining,” Higham said. “The guys are actually friendly and fun to talk to. We are all focused on doing work in class.”
Joshua Appenfeldt, a fourth-semester machining student from Killeen, met Higham during their first semester. He said he admires Higham’s ability to keep going when assignments get tough.
“Her work ethic is honestly outstanding,” he said. “She’s definitely a go-getter for sure. She likes to definitely try out new things.”
Higham said manual machining has been a challenge to overcome.
“I feel like I am less protected with chips flying at me and getting all over me,” she said. “With a computer, I can check and see the simulation. On the manual side, I need to be on guard.”
Harry Leining, a program instructor, said he respects Higham’s effort to arrive early to labs and bring a positive attitude.
When Higham was a junior in high school, she began working as a tour guide at Space Center Houston. She said the job gave her valuable practice in memorizing long strings of facts.
She has worked part-time since April as a city ranger at the Waco Mammoth National Monument. She considers this a great opportunity to learn more about STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics). She helps lead tours and checks visitors in.
“Working at the park has helped me become a better student by knowing how to ask better questions,” Higham said.
The mammoth monument is home to the world’s only recorded Columbian mammoth nursery herd, according to the National Park Service.
“I love learning about them, especially prehistoric mammals, and thinking just about how different their lives were from ours,” Higham said. “So, every time I learn a cool fact, I like to add them to my tours.”
Higham’s goal after graduation is to become a CNC (computer numerical control) machinist. She is already career-hunting in the suburbs of northern Houston.
“I like doing that fun modeling on the computer, but I also like seeing a part being made and me being able to make it with the right tolerance and have a smooth finish and be all pretty,” she said. “I like shiny things.”
For more information on TSTC, go to tstc.edu.