(WACO, Texas) – Eight employees at Texas State Technical College’s Waco campus were recognized with the college’s Chancellor’s Cornerstone Award during a luncheon on Tuesday, Sept. 22.
The honorees were James Blosser, David Garvin, Gabby Guerrero, Camryn Herman, Luther Johnson, Isabel King, Kali Oliver and Melissa Williams.
The Chancellor’s Cornerstone Award honors TSTC employees who demonstrate the college’s core values of accountability, excellence, integrity and service. 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 the remarkable team are individuals who consistently go above and beyond, and this award recognizes and celebrates those people.”
Blosser has worked for four years at TSTC, but has been an instructor at The WorkSITE (Skills, Innovation, Training and Education) located in the heart of Waco’s Texas Central Park, home to several existing and emerging industries, since the facility opened in February 2025.
Blosser said he enjoys “improving people’s ability and improving people’s self-dignity and teaching them things they never thought they would learn.”
Garvin is an Electrical Construction instructor and course material expert. He has worked at TSTC for three years.
“You need to care about what you teach, but you also need to care about the students you’re teaching,” he said. “If you bring your industry experience into the classroom and give students your best effort, it can be a very rewarding place to work.”
Guerrero is a teammate experience effectiveness manager and has worked at the college for 10 years. Her role involves connecting the work the Human Resources department does with the college’s employees.
“Receiving the award is truly humbling,” Guerrero said. “I’ve been fortunate to work with teammates and leaders who have encouraged me, challenged me and trusted me along the way. To know that the work I genuinely enjoy doing is making an impact is an awesome feeling.”
Herman is an associate manager for admissions and enrollment. She has worked for four years at the college. She works with current and prospective students to help them start and succeed in their technical programs at TSTC.
“This place truly feels like a family,” Herman said. “I have yet to meet someone who isn’t kind, welcoming and willing to step in and help when needed. Everyone is genuinely supportive and makes you feel like you are part of something bigger.”
Johnson, a welding instructor, has worked at the college for two stints totaling seven years. This semester, he is teaching four classes filled with future welders.
“The students are my biggest motivation,” he said. “I get to see someone come in on day one who may not even know how to strike an arc, then watch that same student graduate and move into refineries, advanced manufacturing and major industrial projects. Some of our students have incredible success stories and have truly built a new life for themselves through the trade.”
King is The TSTC Foundation’s stewardship and donor relations manager and has worked at TSTC for almost four years. She helps support donors and scholarship programs.
“One of the most rewarding parts of my work has been participating in scholarship committees to help award scholarships to deserving students and then sharing their stories and successes with our board of directors and donors,” King said. “Every day is a little different, but ultimately, my work is about connecting the generosity of our donors with opportunities that can make a difference in a student’s life.”
Oliver is an enrollment coach working with staff members throughout campus. She has been employed for 10 years at TSTC. She assists students in registering for classes and overseeing their progress through graduation.
“Every student is uniquely different,” Oliver said. “Some students face difficult circumstances and reach a point where they feel like they need to give up. That’s where I feel I can step in and say, ‘Wait — let’s look at this from a different perspective.’”
Williams is a senior Veterans Affairs certifying specialist who has worked at the college for seven years. She assists military-affiliated students with their education benefits.
“Hearing someone tell me that I have been helpful to them brings me joy,” Williams said. “I love to assist my team and try to think of ways we can improve our processes.”
For more information on TSTC, go to tstc.edu.