Ivan Richardson is well on his way to launching a successful heavy machinery transport business, thanks to practical training he is receiving as a student in San Jacinto College’s International Business and Logistics (IBUS) program. Richardson grew up in the Galena Park area, and graduated from Furr High School. Living near the Port of Houston, he watched the Ship Channel grow and develop, and...

A typical day for 30-year-old Julio Lopez revolves around college, work, and family. Upon graduation from Pasadena High School, he went into the Marine Corps and served as an avionics technician. Lopez returned home and attended San Jacinto College as an automotive technology student. “I was very impressed with the automotive program and that is what persuaded me to later on enroll in the...

College earns Bayou Buddy award San Jacinto College recently earned the Greens Bayou Corridor Coalition’s (GBCC) Bayou Buddy award, based on the College’s “real dedication to the care and restoration of the watershed.” Faculty, staff, and students from the College participated in volunteer efforts to clean up trash, and remove tires and invasive plants, replacing them with native plants...

It’s not every day that a student in the middle of finishing a master’s degree suddenly quits to start another career path from scratch, but that’s exactly what San Jacinto College pharmacy technology alumnae Meredith Fugitt did. “I was literally halfway done completing my master’s degree in psychology when I decided that it wasn’t the right decision for me,” said Fugitt....

Making Cancer History” is the goal of the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. San Jacinto College honors graduate Jackie Castro hopes to be a part of that effort to do away with cancer. Castro attends MD Anderson’s School of Heath Professions, where she plans to earn a bachelor of science in medical dosimetry in 2014, en route to earning a PhD in medical physics. “I would love...

How many Hollywood directors have math majors on their film crew? Chances are if you spot a shoot in Houston, you’ll find San Jacinto College alum Andrew Olson using math to help capture those perfect on-screen shots. Now a full-time freelancer, Olson brings a little something extra to the table when it comes to film shoots. “Even though my associate degree is in math, most of the jobs I do...

San Jacinto College dual credit graduate Lucas Williams is on a fast track to becoming a successful attorney at a young age. At 20, Williams is the youngest student at the Southern Methodist University (SMU) Dedman School of Law in Dallas. He is on course to earn a Juris Doctor degree in law from SMU at the ripe old age of 22. His ultimate career goal is to start his own law practice and work as...

As many can see from the cut-throat competition of TV reality shows, it’s not that easy to make a name for yourself in the world of culinary arts. However, one San Jacinto College graduate has … in one of America’s largest cities. James Heard, 33, of Laredo, Texas, began his journey to culinary greatness back when he used to visit his grandmother in Mexico. Waking up at 6 a.m. and sweeping...

Elena Mallary wants to make a difference by being compassionate, caring, and dedicated to her patients. She found her career path as a nursing student at San Jacinto College, earning a certificate of technology in vocational nursing in 2011. She then passed her national licensure exam as a Licensed Vocational Nurse, and transferred to the University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) School of...

As Houston continues to hold its prominent position in the medical world, many new career opportunities are becoming available. The San Jacinto College Continuing and Professional Development division offers a number of health occupation training programs to enable students to enter the medical workforce with quality certification training to start their medical careers. Programs like the...

Eddie Foster’s lifelong love may be high school football, but the Mont Belvieu native describes how the lovesick blues set him on a path into welding, or what he calls the “best job.” As department chair of industrial technology at San Jacinto College, Foster now guides students along a path that has changed from on-the-job training to formal education. What jumpstarted your career in...

Versatile San Jacinto College English professor Dr. David LeMaster is equally at home on stage, at the author’s desk, or in the classroom. Central Campus students know LeMaster as a gifted English professor with an engaging and interactive teaching style. Outside the classroom, he finds a creative outlet as a prolific playwright, director, and actor. He portrayed the role of President...

Graduation day is the ultimate culmination of student success. But behind that diploma, certificate, or degree are the stumbles and struggles that encompass the journey, and in the crowd are the teachers that taught them how to get back up and try again. Teaching future teachers is something that Dr. Joy Thompson-Grim, lead faculty in the San Jacinto College South Campus education program, or...

Cayman Tirado is a mental health services instructor at San Jacinto College. She is also a Licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor - Intern. Question: What attracted you to the field of mental health services? CAYMAN TIRADO: I always knew I wanted to help others, but did not know it would be in the area of mental health. My college major was anthropology with a focus on anxiety disorders in...

The San Jacinto College art and design program encompasses an array of areas to suit the artistic needs of every student. Sometimes one class can lead to an exciting career and professional collaborations. Former San Jacinto College culinary instructor, April Didrikson, and art and design alumnus, Eric Bottos, took their collaboration all the way to Las Vegas last year and are making their way to...

“It’s a great time to be in the culinary business. The possibilities are endless.” So says Manny Chavez, who earned a culinary arts associate degree from San Jacinto College and who is in the process of launching his own unique restaurant business – Brink Dining. Brink is a “pop-up” restaurant venture, a relatively new concept in the culinary career field that is considerably...

More knowledge can equal a faster and more efficient repair Sarah Heasty is an automotive rock star. The recent San Jacinto College graduate was recognized for passing all eight areas of the automobile Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) exams to achieve Master Certification and Advanced Engine Performance Specialist Certification (L1), a rare feat among college students. [caption...

The best man for the job might be a woman San Jacinto College’s Emily Choate and Amber Tyler are breaking stereotypes and demonstrating that women can excel in the male-dominated welding industry. The education and career paths of the two ladies are remarkably similar. Choate earned a welding technology associate degree from San Jacinto College in 2004 and went straight to the field as a welder...

More women have career opportunities in maritime as industry evolves Capt. Carol Curtiss and Capt. Amy Arrowood have traveled the world as mariners. They know what it’s like to be one of a few women on board a ship at any given time. They are two of the 27 percent of women employed in the water transportation industry in the United States, and two of the 50,000 employed as captains and ship...