Six 2024 Brownwood High School graduates who enrolled this fall at Texas State Technical College each were rewarded financially with $1,000 scholarships.

Joshua Diaz, Triston Holder, Trent Loftin, Stevey Ramirez, James Stroope and Rudy Velasquez, all Welding Technology students at TSTC, were among the first recipients of the inaugural TSTC Hometown High School Opportunity Scholarship that was available to 2024 graduates of the Abilene, Breckenridge, Brownwood and Sweetwater school districts who enrolled at a TSTC campus in West Texas.

“Receiving this scholarship has helped me begin my education,” Loftin said. “This is a good opportunity for Brownwood graduates.”

Stroope agreed.

“It allowed me to stay close to home to go to school,” he said.

Salvador Marquez, TSTC’s Welding Technology instructor in Brownwood, said the scholarship gives TSTC an edge in recruiting local students.

“The scholarship shows that TSTC likes to help the homegrown talent any way we can,” he said.

Jim Espinoza, an admissions advisor at the Brownwood campus, hopes more area students take advantage of the scholarship.

“This scholarship helps family and students get a good financial start so they can complete their educational journey,” he said.

Loftin and Stroope have been welding partners for several years, including during competitions at various TSTC campuses in West Texas.

“We hope to be able to work together once we finish our certification,” Stroope said.

Both students began welding at young ages, but Stroope admitted that he learned many techniques on his own.

“I would always go out with my dad when he fixed things,” Stroope said. “I kept telling him to let me try welding. My dad would always say, ‘Next time.’ Next time never came, so I taught myself.”

Loftin said students enjoy their time in the lab and have been working to hone their stick welding techniques this semester.

“Sal makes sure we know what the proper way to do a weld is and makes sure to explain the process in depth,” Loftin said.

According to onetonline.org, welders can earn a yearly median salary of more than $48,000 in Texas. Welding jobs were expected to increase 23% between 2020 and 2030 in the state, according to the website.

Welding Technology is one of nine programs at TSTC that have money-back guarantees. For more information, visit tstc.edu/mbg.

Registration for TSTC’s spring semester begins Oct. 28. To learn more, visit tstc.edu.