The Powerhouse of Tech

How TSTC became the dynasty in competitive skills

The Los Angeles Lakers.

The New England Patriots. 

The New York Yankees. 

Texas State Technical College.

Yes, these four belong in the exact same conversation. While three of them are global icons for their sports dominance, TSTC is dominant in a league of its own: SkillsUSA national medals.

Since 2004, TSTC students have earned 96 national medals, according to data compiled from the SkillsUSA website. Out of that total, 29 students are national champions. TSTC competitors have also claimed 37 silver medals and 30 bronze medals on the national stage.

To put that achievement into perspective, Texas students overall have won a total of 225 medals since 2004. TSTC holds a staggering 43% of that state total. Dallas College sits in a distant second place on the Texas leaderboard with 30 medals.

Mike Reeser, TSTC’s chancellor and CEO, frequently refers to SkillsUSA as the college’s Olympics because, unlike traditional community colleges, TSTC does not field competitive athletic teams. Instead, students channel their competitive drive directly into their crafts.

“TSTC is the market-share leader in Texas in training skilled talent in critical industries like Power & Water infrastructure, Advanced Manufacturing, Transportation, Construction, and Digital Data Systems,” said Reeser, “So, our participation in SkillsUSA shows were not just the biggest, we also produce the highest quality. After all, we prove it in direct head-to-head competition.”

Chasing Excellence in Atlanta

At this year’s national event in Atlanta, TSTC students brought home six medals: two gold, three silver and one bronze. It was the highest medal count among all Texas postsecondary schools. Dallas College and Collin Community College followed behind, earning five and four medals, respectively.

What exactly is SkillsUSA? It is a professional organization focused on employability, leadership, and technical skills designed to help college students pursue successful careers and join a highly skilled workforce. The organization hosts more than 100 contests at the state and national levels.

Jonathan Hoekstra, TSTC’s executive vice chancellor and chief operating officer, recalled walking through the massive Georgia World Congress Center and feeling a deep appreciation for the students’ dedication.

“Gathered here are some of the best technical students in the nation, each having invested months preparing for a competition that, in many cases, lasts eight to 12 hours,” Jonathan said. “They work with remarkable focus and intensity, knowing their skills will be evaluated against demanding standards. There are no shortcuts in this environment.”

TSTC has claimed medals across a wide array of both individual and team competitions. The college hit its peak performance years in 2011 and 2025, taking home a record nine total medals at the national event in each of those years.

Inside the Winner’s Circle

For the students involved, the opportunity to represent TSTC at both the state and national levels is a badge of honor.

“It was a surreal experience being able to represent our school and state,” said Joseph Amaro, who won a 2026 gold medal in the Emergency Medical Technician division alongside teammate Liana Rios.

For others, success required pivoting existing skillsets. James Chung, a former Wind Energy program instructor in Sweetwater, prepared for his contest by working at four fiber-optic and nine copper-wiring stations. The preparation paid off: James won a gold medal, marking the first time a TSTC student secured top honors in Telecommunication Cabling. James noted that his previous experience working on the construction side of an information technology help desk in the Dallas-Fort Worth area gave him a vital edge with the cabling.

The rigor of the national stage requires an entirely different level of focus. “The state contest wasn’t that hard,” noted one TSTC cybersecurity student. “I had to dedicate much more time to studying for nationals.”

For many, the true reward is the sheer thrill of the arena. Joshua Stock earned a bronze medal in the Architectural Drafting contest in 2025. “It looks good on a resume, and I get to compete in stuff I enjoy doing,” Joshua said.

Winning can also pave the way for a career right back where it started. Toby Styron won a gold medal in the Facilithon category in 2024. Today, Toby is inspiring the next generation of competitors as an Advanced Manufacturing – Automation and Robotics instructor at the Sweetwater campus.

“It is an honor to be the first student to win the gold medal,” Toby said. “I hope this sets the standard for future SkillsUSA participants.”

Other notable Facilithon finishes include Michael Lopez, who earned a silver medal in the category in 2022.

Furthermore, the impact of the competition often sticks with students long after graduation. April Walker-Davis, a TSTC graduate who won gold at the state level and bronze at the national event in 2014, spoke to students about the lasting impact of the organization during the 2024 state closing ceremonies.

“The fundamental values of excellence, accountability, service, integrity, respect, responsibility and community are now just ingrained in the very embodiment of who I am,” April said. “SkillsUSA and TSTC are not just organizations — they are communities that uplift, inspire and empower individuals like you and me to fight for our future selves.”

Fast Facts: TSTC’s Historic SkillsUSA Run

• A Consistent Streak: TSTC has earned at least one national medal every single year since 2004, with only two exceptions: 2020 (when the national contest was canceled due to COVID-19 travel restrictions) and 2021.
• Dominating Residential Systems: TSTC dominated the Residential System Installation and Maintenance division from 2011 to 2014, capturing gold medals in 2011, 2013, and 2014, alongside a silver medal in 2014.
• Campus Firsts: The Williamson County campus secured its first-ever national accolades with back-to-back silver medals in the CNC 5 Axis Milling Programmer division, claimed by Garrett Roeder in 2025 and Ethan Williams in 2026.
• Back-to-Back Champions: Three TSTC students have achieved the rare feat of winning national medals in consecutive years:
  • Christopher Coffey: Gold in Electronic Installation & Maintenance Technology (2011) and gold in Customer Service (2012).
  • Marcus Crespin: Consecutive gold medals in Residential System Installation and Maintenance (2016–2017).
  • Chris Martinez: Consecutive bronze medals in Plumbing (2022–2023).
• A Statewide Network: Eight of TSTC’s 11 campuses have produced national medalists: Abilene, Breckenridge, Brownwood, Harlingen, Marshall, Sweetwater, Waco, and Williamson County.