(WACO, Texas) – Five employees at Texas State Technical College’s Waco campus have been recognized with the college’s Chancellor’s Cornerstone Awards.
The recipients are Patrick Brady, the college’s associate general counsel; Kelly Hlavenka, an enrollment coach in the Instrumentation Technology program; Tony Montoya, an instructor in the Plumbing and Pipefitting Technology program; Amanda Oswalt, a senior manager in the Human Resources department; and Rob Wolaver, a senior advisor to TSTC’s executive vice chancellor and chief operating officer.
Brady has worked at the college since 2019. He said it was wonderful to be appreciated for his work. He said he enjoys helping the college’s employees and likes dining at the Culinary Arts program’s student-operated restaurant.
Hlavenka works with students from the application process all the way to when they graduate. She began work in 2017 at TSTC as an instructor in the Dental Assistant program.
She said the award symbolizes the energy and time she has put into helping students succeed.
“It reminds me that the small, often unseen efforts matter, that being a reliable foundation for others is both noticed and appreciated,” Hlavenka said. “This recognition strengthens my dedication to continue serving with purpose, to support those around me and to remain a positive force in our institution.”
Montoya has worked at the college for three years.
“What motivates me most is seeing that ‘light bulb’ moment when students truly understand what I am teaching,” he said. “It’s incredibly rewarding to receive phone calls from former students sharing how my instruction has helped them succeed in their careers.”
Oswalt began work at TSTC in 2014, having worked in human resources at the Marshall and North Texas campuses before joining the staff at the Waco campus.
“This award reflects the amazing teammates I get to work with,” she said. “Their trust, collaboration and dedication make my job fulfilling.”
Wolaver has been employed at TSTC since 1992.
“There are two things that stand out in my mind about my years at TSTC: the number of lives that we have changed and being able to contribute in a small way to those successes, and the absolutely tremendous teammates that I have been able to work alongside and build relationships with,” he said.
The Chancellor’s Cornerstone Awards honor TSTC employees who demonstrate the college’s core values of accountability, excellence, integrity and service.
“A cornerstone is an essential component in the foundation of a building,” said Mike Reeser, TSTC’s chancellor and CEO. “Similarly, our cornerstone principles are what make us strong as an organization. Without these core values and the teammates who embody them every day, we simply would not be the same.”
For more information on TSTC, go to tstc.edu.