TSTC graduate determined never to work a desk job

(MARSHALL, Texas) – Marshall native Amanda McMinn knew early on that she never wanted to work a desk job. 

Thanks to Texas State Technical College, she holds a Process Technology (now Process Operations) Associate of Applied Science degree and works as a process safety management and risk management technician for Texas Instruments in Dallas.

“TSTC was a great foundation to get me moving forward in the career field that I’m in,” McMinn said.

McMinn knew she wanted to work with process controls after taking classes on them at Panola College in Carthage. To her, TSTC was the next logical step. 

“Being from Marshall, (TSTC) was a good fit for me, as well as my interest in nontraditional job roles,” McMinn said.

McMinn took the first steps into her career path after receiving an internship with Eastman Chemical Co. Though working and going to college at the same time was challenging, the company rewarded her with a full-time job after she graduated from TSTC in 2016.

Erica Griffin, a program team lead at TSTC’s Marshall campus, worked 12-hour shifts alongside McMinn during her time with Eastman Chemical Co. Griffin says the long shifts could turn co-workers into a second family, and McMinn was no exception.

“(Amanda) was always willing to go the extra mile and be a helping hand whenever needed,” Griffin said. “It is such an honor to know her story and to hear about her job advancements and promotions as we both continue our lives as women with a Process Technology degree.”

McMinn continued to work for Eastman Chemical Co. for six years before starting her job at Texas Instruments.

“Knowing you have a part to play in the manufacturing process because semiconductors go out to medical facilities, cars, technology like cellphones and computers — knowing you’re a cog in the wheel, basically,” McMinn said when asked what she finds rewarding about her work.

TSTC offers an Associate of Applied Science degree, as well as a certificate of completion in materials handling, in Process Operations. The program is offered exclusively at the Marshall campus.

The program is part of TSTC’s Money-Back Guarantee, which refunds a participating graduate’s tuition if he or she has not found a job in their field within six months after graduation. For more information, visit tstc.edu/mbg.

For more information on TSTC, go to tstc.edu.