TSTC & the Helping Hands Fund with John Kennedy
This week, we’re joined by John Kennedy, Field Development Officer at TSTC and Deacon at St. Theresa Catholic Church, to talk about what the Texas State Technical College does, who it serves, and how different programs and opportunities continue to be created as they expand further into Fort Bend county.
In this episode, Aimee, Emily, and John cover:
- John’s decision to become a Deacon after years in the Catholic faith
- Transitioning out of a hospitality role into his role with TSTC
- Scholarship fundraising and the Helping Hands fund
- Programs and opportunities offered to students at TSTC
- Fulfilling community needs and placing students in solid careers
Important highlights:
Finding a new opportunity for growth with TSTC
After fulfilling and achieving his goal of becoming a Deacon at St. Theresa, John was left at a crossroads with his career in hospitality and wanted a position that allowed him freedom to be a part of the church and to contribute to his community. TSTC’s Field Development Officer position ended up being the perfect opportunity for John to do just that, giving him access to the tools and skills to reach out and connect with students in the Fort Bend community.
“I fell in love with not only what we do for our students, but also how we help them live better lives.”
Becoming an important educational aspect of Fort Bend county
TSTC’s original campus is in Waco, but with 10 different campuses to choose from, Fort Bend county students are lucky enough to have a TSTC location right in their own backyards. As passion and interest in their offerings and programs expands within our community, John hopes to grow the campus from a few hundred students to thousands of enrolled students, all studying to affordably achieve their goals in a variety of technical fields.
“We are an economic engine for the state of Texas, and the community leaders were smart enough to see that and say, ‘We want that in Fort Bend.’”
Providing a new experience for students seeking jobs
In today’s world, a degree is not a guarantee of a steady job opportunity after graduation. However, John hopes that a stronger focus on technical degrees and certifications with TSTC’s methods creates a chance for students to count on economic success after school. With a unique money-back guarantee for several programs and funding based on student success, TSTC will do anything to help students land on their feet in a well-paying position.
“If we had a bumper sticker, it would say: We don’t get paid until you get paid.”
Giving back and collaborating with local nonprofit organizations
As huge supporters of local nonprofits ourselves, it’s so encouraging to see people like John collaborating with organizations in Fort Bend to create the best environment possible for students at TSTC and for the communities present in our county. More opportunities for education, higher amounts of financial aid, and an increasingly open approach to educating people of all ages are just some of John’s goals to continue to serve our area.
“They brought us here so that we could do all we can…to be good partners to our community.”
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Get in contact with John by shooting him an email: john.kennedy@tstc.edu
Find out more about the TSTC on their website and the TSTC Foundation website.
Additional resources to check out: TSTC Scholarships, TSTC Foundation information, St. Theresa Catholic Church
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