TSTC Precision Machining Technology students supported by scholarships

(RED OAK, Texas) – For many years, the Gene Haas Foundation has helped students in Texas State Technical College’s Precision Machining Technology program achieve their dreams of honing their skills and earning their degrees.

Lyle Guinn, instructor for TSTC’s Precision Machining Technology program in North Texas, said that for the past three years the program on that campus has received around $25,000 a year from the foundation. 

Unlike a typical scholarship, students do not need to apply for it. The department applies for a grant and then is able to determine the needs of the students and how funds will be distributed.

“The scholarship funds are used to provide students with things that they need, such as help with tuition, help with books and help with tools,” Guinn said. 

He said that last semester he was able to provide scholarships for every student in the program. 

Ryan Thornton is the senior field development officer for The TSTC Foundation at TSTC’s North Texas campus.

“The Gene Haas Foundation has been an incredible philanthropic partner to The TSTC Foundation,” he said. “Since 2015, we’ve received more than $500,000 statewide for our students. The impact they’ve made will be felt for years to come.”

Guinn said he had seen the impact from the scholarship first-hand.

“It allows (the students) to continue their education a little more stress-free,” he said. “They don’t have to come up with all of the tuition or all of the books (because) we have help available.”

The Gene Haas Foundation is based in Oxnard, California, and was established in 1999 by Gene Haas, founder and owner of Haas Automation Inc. As of 2022, it has provided more than $175 million in grants, according to its website, https://ghaasfoundation.org. 

“By providing scholarship grants, sponsoring individual and team CNC (computer numerical control) competitions, and partnering with the very best CNC training programs in the world, the foundation helps expand the availability of high-quality manufacturing technology training worldwide,” the foundation’s website states. 

TSTC offers an Associate of Applied Science degree in Precision Machining Technology and certificates of completion in Machining and Precision Machining Technology. Besides the Marshall campus, TSTC offers the program at the East Williamson County, Fort Bend County, Harlingen, North Texas and Waco campuses.

According to onetonline.org, machinists in Texas earn an average of $48,730 a year. The number of these jobs was projected to grow 23% between 2020 and 2030 in the state, according to the website.

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