By Melissa Trevizo
Terry McWilliams (photo courtesy of Terry McWilliams)
If actions speak louder than words, then San Jacinto College alum Terry McWilliams shouted to the rooftops after a recent visit to the South Campus air conditioning technology facility.
“I was in the area on a service call, and I decided to stop into the new training facility for a quick tour,” McWilliams said. “I was impressed by the use of space for mock home installations and the variety of residential and commercial equipment, but I noticed they didn’t have any high-efficiency systems.”
With ever-changing efficiency standards and federal regulations, these systems will be the most common in the future, according to McWilliams.
“I felt a responsibility to my craft to fulfill the need of the program,” he said. “I want students to get exposure to the technology now so they can be more ready when they encounter it in the field.”
McWilliams, who owns Texcellent Heating and Cooling in Deer Park, made a call to his distributor and manufacturer to donate a high-efficiency specialty training system to the program.
Texcellent team installing AC unit at South Campus (photo courtesy of Terry McWilliams)
With Allied Air Enterprises and Johnson Supply on board, McWilliams and his team completed the unit installation in April.
“This new unit will give our students an even broader range of experience working with technology that is the future of our profession,” said James Fairleigh, air conditioning technology instructor. “I appreciate when someone in the industry, especially a former student, sees a need and meets it for our program. Terry and his team did a high-quality, meticulous installation of the unit. He’s a great example for our students.”
McWilliams graduated from San Jac in 2015 with an Associate of Applied Science degree in air conditioning technology. He also serves on the HVACR advisory committee, advising on curriculum, instructor qualifications, and equipment and facility requirements to ensure graduates have appropriate skills for employment.
“I’m proud to give back to our local community college and to our industry,” McWilliams said. “My company hopes to cultivate a consistent standard of high quality in our craft by playing an active role in our community. I look forward to seeing craftsmen come out of this program who hold the industry to a high standard and strive to be the best.”
Fairleigh sees the value in tapping into alumni for mentorship and leadership for his students.
“Out of the seven instructors in our program, five are San Jac alumni, including myself,” he said. “As former students, we believe in the program and its future. We are building the program for future students, and it’s rewarding to see those who have come before giving back.”
