Scholarship Provides Resources for Qualified Students
Angelina College recently held a luncheon in honor of its Smith-Hutson Scholarship recipients for the 2026 academic year.
Those students included both first-year and second-year recipients.
The Smith-Hutson Scholarship, established at AC in 2003, was created to assist incoming students – as well as those students with at least a year remaining – who “demonstrate both financial need and academic promise as they pursue an associate’s degree or certifications” in their chosen fields of study, according to the AC website.
The scholarship targets assistance with “tuition, books, fees and reasonable living expenses.”
Following is the list of recipients, along with hometowns of record and chosen majors when provided:
Esmerelda Almaguer (Lufkin), Business Administration and Management; Even Cantu; Mia Carcamo (San Augustine) Pharmacy Technology; Mario De La Cruz (Lufkin), Welding Technology; Landon Elliott (Pineland), General Studies; Sariette Flores (Pollok), Emergency Medical Services; Jonathan Garcia (Pollok), Business Administration and Management; Summer Goins (Wells), Radiologic Technology; Julia Gonzalez (Diboll), General Studies; Kristina Guardado (Lufkin), Teaching; Emerson Jackson (Lufkin), Sonography; Nickolas Jiminez (Lufkin), Undeclared; Destiny Ordaz (Lufkin), Business Administration and Management; Samara Reagan (Pollok), Design and Applied Arts-Graphic Arts; Angel Rios (Diboll), Engineering; Angelique Rodriguez (Lufkin), Nursing; Reina Rodriguez (Lufkin), Respiratory Care; Rylea Terrazas (Diboll), Business Administration and Management; and Rosa Torres (Lufkin), Pharmacy Technology.
For further information regarding the Smith-Hutson Scholarship at Angelina College, contact Irma Montoya (imontoya@angelina.edu) or Annette Sandoval (asandoval@angelina.edu.)
Join us for an evening of professional networking and community connection at Alive After Five, hosted by Motorhomes of Texas.
Since 2003, Motorhomes of Texas has served as a premier luxury motorhome dealership in Nacogdoches, specializing in high-quality pre-owned coaches and expert service.
Free to all to attend and celebrate, it provides an excellent opportunity to expand your local network, connect with fellow professionals, and celebrate the success of our local business partners.
Guests can enjoy beverages from The Mad Hatter Distillery, Sage’s Vintage, Miller Lite, and Coors Light. Snacks will be provided by Roma’s Italian Kitchen and Chili’s, with desserts from Stone House Kitchen.
Event Highlights: Live music Professional photo booth Door prizes and giveaways Chamber Member Cash Giveaway — now at $1,000 (must be present to win)
We look forward to an evening of quality conversation, community celebration, and meaningful connections. We’ll see you there!
On the slow, expensive work of choosing what you already know
There is a kind of tree, common in the woods around here, that will die slowly from the inside without anyone noticing until it comes down in a storm. The bark looks healthy. The leaves come in most years. But the heart of it has been rotting for a long time, and the damage was done by a decision the owner kept meaning to make — to cut it, to treat it, to call someone who would know — and kept putting off because the tree still looked fine, and the work still felt premature, and the other things were louder.
I have watched this happen in a great many organizations too. The avoided decision is the slow rot. It does not announce itself. It does not show up on a report. It reveals itself, finally, in the storm, when the tree comes down and takes the fence with it, and everyone says how sudden it was, and nobody says that it had been dying for years.
“The decisions you do not make are making you, and they are making the organization, whether you give them permission to or not.”
What is actually being avoided
In almost every case I have seen, the decision itself is not the thing being avoided. The decision is simple. The answer is usually clear, and has been for some time. What is being avoided is the consequence of the decision — the conversation with the person you like who is not performing, the disappointment of the stakeholder who expected something different, the admission that an earlier bet did not pay off, the end of a season you were hoping would turn around if you gave it just a little more time.
Leaders do not avoid decisions because the decisions are hard. They avoid them because the consequences are personally costly, and postponing the decision postpones the consequence. That is true until it is not — until the cost of waiting exceeds the cost of the consequence, and by then, the bill has grown in ways that cannot be undone.
Scripture is candid about this pattern. “Boast not thyself of to morrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth” (Proverbs 27:1, KJV). The assumption that tomorrow is a safer place to make a decision than today is one of the most expensive illusions in leadership. Tomorrow is almost never safer. Tomorrow usually comes with fewer options and a tighter frame, because today’s avoidance has narrowed it.
The interest rate on a delayed decision
A few years ago I sat with a business owner in East Texas who was wrestling with whether to close a location that had been losing money for eighteen months. He had the data. He had the conversations. He had the private conviction that it needed to happen. But every quarter he found a reason to wait — the season was about to change, the new manager might turn it around, the holidays were coming, he owed it to the long-time employees to try one more thing.
By the time he finally closed the location, he had spent nearly a year of cash reserves he did not get back. More expensively, he had lost the trust of his strongest manager at another location, who had watched the whole thing and concluded, quietly, that her boss could not be counted on to make hard calls. She left six months later. The location closing cost him money. The delay cost him a leader. He has told me more than once that the second cost was much worse than the first.
This is the shape of avoided decisions in leadership. The cost is rarely the decision. The cost is always the delay, and the delay compounds in currencies — trust, credibility, the quiet respect of the people watching — that do not show up on any balance sheet and cannot be bought back.
“The people watching you are taking notes. What you tolerate teaches them what you value.”
Three disciplines for moving on what you have been avoiding
Name the real thing
Sit down with a blank page. Not on a screen — a page. Write this sentence. “I am avoiding this decision because if I make it, I will have to ____.” Finish it honestly. If the first answer is abstract, try again until it is specific. The answer is almost never, “because I do not have enough information.” The answer is almost always, “because I will have to tell someone something I do not want to tell them,” or “because I will have to admit I was wrong about something,” or “because I will have to close a door I was hoping would stay open.”
Once you have written the real answer, look at it. The reason you have been avoiding the decision is almost always recognizable as a cost you can actually bear, set against a delay cost you probably cannot.
Calculate the delay cost, not just the decision cost
Ask the question that is rarely asked. “If I do nothing for ninety more days, what will it have cost me?” Not only in money. In trust. In optionality. In the moral credibility of your leadership in the eyes of people who are watching more closely than you realize. Write the number down. Write the names down. That calculation, done honestly, almost always ends the avoidance.
Ecclesiastes, in its unvarnished way, says, “Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil” (Ecclesiastes 8:11, KJV). The verse is talking about moral consequence, but the principle carries into leadership. A delayed decision signals, to everyone watching, that there will not be a decision. Behavior adjusts accordingly. The longer you wait, the more calibration you will have to undo when you finally act.
Set a date and tell one person
Avoided decisions thrive in the private interior of the leader’s head. Bring one into the light by committing to a date — not a discussion date, a decision date — and telling one trusted person. A spouse. A peer. An advisor. A member of your board. Not to ask permission. To create a witness.
Ecclesiastes again, a verse often quoted at weddings but relevant here: “Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour. For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow” (Ecclesiastes 4:9-10, KJV). A witness is not a crutch. A witness is what keeps a date from sliding quietly into another delay. The trusted person’s only job is to ask, on the morning of the date you committed to, whether the decision was made. You will find it harder to slide past a human being than past a note in your calendar.
Leadership Reflection
• What is the decision in your organization right now that has been pending longer than it should have been? What consequence are you actually avoiding?
• What has this delay cost you in the last ninety days that you have not yet named out loud?
• If you had to commit, this week, to a decision date in the next thirty days, what date would it be, and who would you tell?
• What are the people watching you learning, quietly, about what you are willing to do and what you are not?
The relief on the far side
There is a particular quality to the peace that comes after an avoided decision has finally been made. It is not the peace of getting what you wanted. Often the decision is costly, and the aftermath is hard, and there is grief to move through. But underneath the grief is a peace that does not come any other way. It is the peace of a leader who has stopped carrying something they were never meant to carry that long.
I have watched leaders, in the weeks after finally making the call, describe the experience in almost physical terms. They sleep better. They think more clearly. Their families notice a shift they cannot quite name. The decision cost them something. The decision also gave them something back — a part of themselves the avoidance had been quietly eroding.
Whatever tree in your organization has been dying slowly from the inside, this is the week to walk out and look at it honestly. Not because acting is easy. Because the storm is coming, and a tree you take down on your own terms is a very different thing from a tree that takes the fence with it.
———
A note from Lee: If any of this lands where you are right now, and you would value an unhurried conversation with someone whose job is to help you see clearly, the door is open. connect.msgresources.com/leadership-advisory
Angelina College is pleased to release the list of graduates for the Spring 2026 semester, with nearly 500 students receiving their degrees and/or certifications in various fields of study. These conferred degrees and certifications encompass all graduates from the 2025-2026 academic year.
Following is the list divided by hometown of record and including the applicable degrees and/or certifications earned. (Cities are in Texas unless otherwise specified):
Alexandria, Louisiana
Jordan J. Mathews, AA, General Studies.
Alto
Citori L. Antley, CERT-1, Basic Welding; Dayton A. Bozeman, CERT-1, HVAC and Refrigeration Control; Alex Cervantes, AAS, Pharmacy Technology; Natalie N. Cervantes, AAS, Nursing; Brian A. Hilderbrand, CERT-1, Law Enforcement Academy; Taylor L. Jones, AAS, Diagnostic Medical Sonography; and Janeli Perez, CERT-2, Pharmacy Technology.
Apple Springs
Jameson W. turner, CERT-1, Welding.
Barry
Aicila M. Lester, AA, Business Administration and Management.
Batson
Xavier C. Randolph, AAS, Nursing.
Beaumont
Christian T. Savage, AA, Business Administration and Management.
Broaddus
Nicholas L. Anthony, CERT1, EMT-Maintenance Technician Specialty; and Lauren B. Wallace, CERT2, Vocational Nursing.
Bogota, Colombia
Paula V. Suarez, AA, General Studies.
Bronson
Harley W. Norwood, CERT-1, EMT-Electrician Specialty.
Brookeland
Thomas J. Barlow, AA, Criminal Justice with Field of Study, CERT-1, Criminal Justice Core Level 1; and Hannah D. Spring, AA, General Studies.
Burke
Bryan R. Villanueva, CERT-1, Basic Welding.
Canutillo
Aundrea N. Barreiro, CERT-1, Criminal Justice Core Level 1.
Center
Danny J. Consford, AAS, Emergency Medical Services; and David F. Wilson, AA, General Studies.
Chester
Susan A. Muncrief, AA, General Studies; Lacy N. Brock, CERT-1, Business and Supervision.
Cleveland
Damon L. Anthony, AA, Business Administration and Management; and Ashley N. Suttle, AAS, Nursing.
Coldspring
Harley K. Husband, AAS, Nursing.
College Station
Jackson B. Batten, AA, General Studies; Jaycee L. Lowery, AA, General Studies.
Conroe
Angelina T. Arevalo, AA, Business Administration and Management; and Jackson Todd, CERT-1, Real Estate Sales.
Corrigan
Bryan Gonzalez, AA, Business Administration and Management; Minnie L. Harrison, AA, General Studies; Kelci E. Hearn, AA, General Studies; Makaylee R. Herchman, CERT-1, Pharmacy Technology; Patricia A. Lopez, CERT-1, Business and Supervision; and Brianna J. Monroe, CERT-2, Pharmacy Technology.
Crockett
Erika M. Aldavalde, AAT, Teaching; Christopher S. Hernandez, AA, General Studies; Tristan L. Hill, AA, General Studies; Delontae L. James, AAS, Nursing; Alexandra F. Kane, AA, General Studies; Miriam C. Moran, AA, General Studies; and Yanet P. Peralta, CERT-1, Criminal Justice Core Level 2.
Cushing
Clayton C. Alexander, CERT-1, Law Enforcement Academy.
Diboll
Diana L. Beza-Martinez, AAS, Paralegal-Legal Assistant; Sarah E. Carpenter, CERT-1, Electronics Technology-Electronics Assembly, CERT-1, Electronics Technology-Computer Maintenance; Victor Castill0, CERT-1, Criminal Justice Core Level 1; Tyler J. Cobb, AA, General Studies; Izaiah D. Compean, CERT-1, Diesel Technology-Basic; Vianney Duran, CERT-2, Pharmacy Technology; Kendra S. Esquivel, AAS, Nursing; Hayden R. Garcia, AAS, Software Development; Cristoval Gonzalez, CERT-1, HVAC-Residential; Julia I. Gonzalez, AA, General Studies; Samuel R. Haywood, CERT-1, Diesel Technology-Basic; Jacqueline Hernandez, AA, General Studies; LaJoy Hood, CERT-1, Child and Family Development-Level 1; Kimberly M. Lopez, AA, General Studies; Kandyse L. I. Mendoza, AAT, Teaching; Felicity M. Mettlen, CERT-1, Business and Supervision; Christopher Rodriguez, CERT-1, Basic Welding; Tristen L. Rodriguez, CERT-1, HVAC-Residential; Jamal L. Rollins, CERT-1, HVAC and Refrigeration-Commercial; Jade A. Scott, AA, General Studies; Seth B. Silguero, CERT-1, Diesel Technology-Basic; Karson B. Smith, AAS, Nursing; Justice L.E. Stephens, AA, General Studies; Tyra G. Stewart, AAS, Child and Family Development; Rylea N. Terrazas, AA, Business Administration and Management; Cameron Tobias, AAS, Business and Supervision; Erick Trevino, CERT-1, EMT-Maintenance Technician Specialty; Victor G. Villareal, AAS, EMT-Electrical Technician Specialty; Gregory R. Wisner, CERT-1, HVAC and Refrigeration-Commercial; and Laura F. Zamora, CERT-1, Child and Family Development-Administrative.
Doucette
Quashunna D. Burrell, AAS, LVN to ADN Transitions Track.
Douglass
Shawna R. Phelps, AA, Business Administration and Management.
El Paso
Cecilia M. Naderman, AA, General Studies.
Groveton
Armando Bautista, CERT-1, Basic Welding; Bryan H. Munoz, CERT-1, Basic Welding; Dylan R. Newman, CERT-1, Basic Welding; Daxten D. Parker, AA, Business Administration and Management; and John Truelove, CERT-1, Networking-Cybersecurity Specialization.
Hemphill
Barbara A. Sepulvado, AA, Business Administration and Management; and Kachina D. Simmons, AAS, Surgical Technology;
Houston
Alicia Booker-Scott, AA, General Studies.
Hudson
Kamryn M. Bergeron, CERT-1, Diesel Technology-Basic.
Humble
Hannah E. Donia, AA, Criminal Justice with Field of Study, CERT-1, Criminal Justice Core Level 1.
Huntington
Hannah E. Balle, AA, General Studies; Ricardo Bautista, AAS, Nursing; Leanne S. Burke, AA, General Studies; Kaleb J. Carter, CERT-1, Drafting and Design Technology; Abbigail P. Evett, AAS, Nursing; William D. Kenner, CERT-1, Law Enforcement Academy; Mikell C. Kinner, CERT-2, Pharmacy Technology; Reagan L. Kirby, CERT-1, Basic Welding; Marley N. Lawrence, AA, General Studies; Rosalinda T. Loggins, AAT, Teaching; Blake C. McLaughlin, CERT-1, Basic Welding; Peyton A. Ricks, AA, Criminal Justice with Field of Study, CERT-1, Criminal Justice Core Level 1; Billy W. Russell, CERT-1, Law Enforcement Academy; Francisca J. Steenks, AA, General Studies; Abigail A. Stephens, AS, Multidisciplinary Studies; and Valerie G. Valdez, CERT-1, EMT-Electrician Specialty.
Huntsville
Emily S. Zunker, AA, General Studies.
Jacksonville
Frank D. Maldonado, AS, Engineering; and Lizet Rangel, AAS, Radiologic Technology.
Jasper
Lyria L. McQueen, CERT-1, Child and Family Development-Level 1; Esmeralda Ortiz, AA, General Studies; Joshua L. Primrose, CERT-1, Criminal Justice Core Level 1; and Brooke A. Tykol, CERT-1, Law Enforcement Academy.
Katy
Connor J. Ficarra, AA, General Studies; Katherine Martinez, AA, General Studies; Ethan A. Muniz, AS, Multidisciplinary Studies; and Kaitlyn N. Siebold, AAS, Nursing.
Kennard
Tommie Clark, CERT1, Basic Welding; Tuff L. Maxfield, CERT-1, Diesel Technology-Basic; and Colton W. Rains, CERT-1, Basic Welding.
Kilgore
Tate W. Truman, AA, Business Administration and Management.
Kingwood
Jaylin R. Lake-Garcia, AAS, Diagnostic Medical Sonography.
La Porte
Breeann K. McClain, AAS, Nursing.
League City
Qasim J. Boyd, AA, General Studies.
Livingston
Micah M. Altom, CERT-1, Business and Supervision; Andrew R. Arocha, CERT-1, Law Enforcement Academy; Braden S. Barnett, AA, Business Administration and Management; Patrick Bayless, CERT-1, Law Enforcement Academy; Adam M. Bolduc, AS, Multidisciplinary Studies; Chandler C. Brown, AAS, Drafting and Design Technology; Yessica Damian, AAS, LVN to ADN Transitions Track; Gladys Don Juan, CERT-2, Pharmacy Technology; Jeremy B. Elizondo, CERT-1, Diesel Technology-Basic; Kayla M. Galvez, AAS, Diagnostic Medical Sonography; Jonathon W. Hammond, AAS, Network Administration, CERT-1, Networking-Cybersecurity Specialization; Demario K. Hickman, CERT-1, Law Enforcement Academy; Timothy D. Johnson, AAS, Respiratory Care; Jaycee B. Knighton, CERT-1, Criminal Justice Core Level 1; David L.R. Kovar, CERT-1, Business and Supervision; Evan T. Luna, AA, Business Administration and Management; Nicholas McClenathan, CERT-1, Law Enforcement Academy; Nikolas McNiel, AAS, Nursing; Rachel T.A. Middleton, AAS, Nursing; Jessica A. Neal, AAS, Radiologic Technology; Chesney R. Payne, AAS, Radiologic Technology; John J. Perez, CERT-1, Intermediate Welding; Brent T. Riley, CERT-1, Real Estate Sales; Courtney Thompson, AAS, Radiologic Technology; Andrea D. Vazquez, AAS, Nursing; and Hannah M. Vickers, CERT-1, Law Enforcement Academy.
Lovelady
Mackenzie G. Collier, AA, Business Administration and Management; and Tabitha A. Cook, AAS, Nursing.
Lufkin
Rebecca N. Abel, AAS, Business and Supervision; Elisabeth Acevedo, AA, General Studies; Cassidy M. Adams, AA, General Studies; Francisco N. Aguilar, AAT, Teaching; Natalie N. Aguilar, AAS, Diagnostic Medical Sonography; Victoria G. Aguirre, AA, General Studies; Andrew J. Alamo, AA, General Studies; Jayci G. Alexander, AA, General Studies; Jenna C. Alexander, AA, General Studies; Serenity L. Alexander, AA, General Studies; Esmeralda A. Almaguer, AA, Business Administration and Management; Jason Alvarado, CERT-1, Basic Welding; Marco A. Alvarado, CERT-1, Business and Supervision; Natalie L. Alvarado, AAS, Radiologic Technology; Jonielyn M. Asne, AAS, LVN to ADN Transitions Track; Cristian D. Avellaneda Ordonez, CERT-1, EMT-Electrician Specialty; Mark J.B. Bagonoc, AAS, Nursing; Anthony Balderas, CERT-1, Basic Welding; Miranda A. Barge, AA, Business Administration and Management; Bridget B. Barnett, AAS, Child and Family Development, CERT-1, Child and Family Development-Level 1, CERT-1, Child and Family Development-Administrative; Kayla B. Bass, AA, General Studies; Stephanie Beltran, AAS, Surgical Technology; Jaelah C. Bennett, AA, General Studies; Tiara N. Black, AA, General Studies; Tramiya J. Bolton, AAS, Radiologic Technology; Keena N. Boston, AAS, Nursing; Traeci J. Branham, CERT-1, Diesel Technology-Basic; Brenom L. Brown, AA, General Studies; Sarah K. Bryant, AA, General Studies; Lacy M. Cain, CERT-1, Drafting and Design Technology; Bryan S. Campbell, AA, General Studies; Alanna J. Carrizales, CERT-1, Criminal Justice Core Level 1; Juliana I. Carrizales, AAS, Radiologic Technology; Regina A. Carrizales, AA, General Studies; Jason H. Carroll, AAS, Respiratory Care; Avery N. Casper, AS, Multidisciplinary Studies; Edwin D. Cebrian, CERT-1, EMT-Electrician Specialty; Peggy M. Center, CERT-1, Business and Supervision; Lamyia R. Chatman, AAS, LVN to ADN Transitions Track; Brianna M. Chavez, AA, General Studies; Lauren C. Chavez, AA, General Studies; Demarkus S. Chinn, AA, General Studies; Holly T. Choate, AAS, LVN to ADN Transitions Track; Avery M. Chunn, AA, General Studies; Jocelyn M. Coats, AS, Multidisciplinary Studies; Alexander Cordero, CERT-1, Networking-Cybersecurity Specialization; Cinthia L. Corona, CERT-1, Real Estate Sales; Miguel A. Corral, AAS, Design and Applied Arts Graphic Arts, CERT-3, Design and Applied Arts (Enhanced Certification); Aaron Cortes, CERT-1, Cisco Certified Network Associate; Kendyl N. Cotton, AA, General Studies; Julby N. Cox, AAT, Teaching; Nathon P. Crosby, AA, General Studies; Celeste N. Cruz, AA, General Studies; Kayman K. Cruz, CERT-1, Basic Welding; Paulina G. Cruz-Yado, AAS, Respiratory Care; Marleny A. Cuc, AAS, Pharmacy Technology; Diana S. Cuellar, AAS, Surgical Technology; Justus E. Daniels, AA, General Studies; Donta L. Davis, AA, General Studies; Mario De La Cruz, CERT-2, Advance Welding; Vianca De La Cruz, AA, General Studies; Abraham B. Diaz, CERT-1, Basic Welding; Cheleseh M. Diaz, AAS, Radiologic Technology; Frida S. Diaz, AAS, Business and Supervision; Jose Dominguez, CERT-1, Basic Welding; Randall W. Domino, CERT-1, Diesel Technology-Basic; Dana A. Duran, AA, General Studies; Hubert D. Dykes, CERT-1, HVAC and Refrigeration-Commercial; Jacey G. Eagle, AA, General Studies; Tahj M. Easterling, CERT-1, Diesel Technology-Basic; Marlisa I. Edmonson, AA, Business Administration and Management; Sarah L. Edwards, AAS, Paralegal-Legal Assistant; Nathan G. Elliott, AA, Business Administration and Management; Tristan D. Emmons, AA, Business Administration and Management; Gabriel H. Ener, AAS, Criminal Justice; Amy P. Escobedo, AA, General Studies; Amber N. Evans, AAS, Nursing; Sarah E. Fisher, CERT-1, Child and Family Development-CDA Level 1; Kathryne L. Flanick, CERT-1, Criminal Justice Core Level 1; Shevasitti D. Flemons, CERT-1, Intermediate Welding; Zephyr E. Flenoy, AA, General Studies; Eduardo Flores, AS, Health Science; Juan M. Flores, CERT-1, Real Estate Sales; Robert Flores, CERT-1, Basic Welding; Kimberly Flores-Garcia, AA, General Studies; Peyton T. Floyd, CERT-1, Diesel Technology-Basic; Samantha Forrest, CERT-1, Drafting and Design Technology; Alexis S. Fowler, AA, General Studies; Mallory B. Foxworth, AA, Criminal Justice with Field of Study, CERT-1, Criminal Justice Core Level 1; Eric A. Freeman, AAS, Surgical Technology; Haley I. Fritz, CERT-1, Basic Welding; Yazmine A. Gamboa, AA, Business Administration and Management; Pedro C. Garcia, CERT-1, Basic Welding; Zabdy Garcia, AAS, Radiologic Technology; Matthew R. Gattis, CERT-1, Drafting and Design Technology; Pabloernesto Gomez, AA, General Studies; Dulce A. Gonzalez, AA, Business Administration and Management; Guadalupe Granados, AAS, Surgical Technology; Kristina N. Guardado, AAT, Teaching; Melissa M. Guy, CERT-1, Business and Supervision; Chancy L. Hall, AAS, Nursing; Madison E. Hamilton, AA, General Studies; Brant G. Herchman, CERT-1, Law Enforcement Academy; Xochilt G. Hernandez, AA, Business Administration and Management; Kenneth W. Hescott, CERT-1, HVAC and Refrigeration-Commercial; Isabelle R. Hodge, AA, General Studies; Marjorie L. Holmon, CERT-1, Real Estate Sales; Colten T. Horton, AAS, Criminal Justice; Channing G. Howatt, AA, General Studies; Andrew R. Hubbard, AA, Business Administration and Management; Keleseia T. Hubbard, CERT-1, Child and Family Development-CDA Level 1; Victoria L. Hutto, AA, Business Administration and Management; Sigfrid D. Ibarra, CERT-1, Cisco Certified Network Associate; Ibrahim J. Iliyasu, AA, General Studies; Emmili J. Jackson, AAS, Nursing; Latoya M. Jackson, AA, Social Work Field of Study; Alexia Jaraguchi, AAS, Radiologic Technology; Sarah J. Johnson, AAS, Respiratory Care; Timothy M. Jones, AA, General Studies; Chelsey M. Kane, AA, General Studies; Skyler L. Kennerly, CERT-1, Basic Welding; Chyenne E. Koller, AAS, Nursing; Hillary E. Kravitz, AAS, Software Development; Alexander Kuhne, CERT-1, EMT-Electrician Specialty; Cheyenne L.D. Landrum, AAS, Nursing; Miah J. Lane, CERT-2, Pharmacy Technology; Darren T. Larsen, AAS, Surgical Technology; Lauren G. Lee, AA, Visual Arts; Madeleine G. Lee, AA, General Studies; Evan B. Licht, AA, General Studies; Hallie C. Lively, CERT-1, Child and Family Development-Administrative; Israel I. Lopez, CERT-1, HVAC-Residential; Joshua Lopez-Farfan, CERT-1, EMT-Electrician Specialty; Kryclei B. Loving, AAS, Nursing; Jordan Maddox, AA, General Studies; April D. Maddux-Stanbery, AAS, Nursing; Charisma Mallard, AAS, Respiratory Care; Briley B. Mann, AA, General Studies; Yahir R. Martinez, CERT-1, Law Enforcement Academy; William R. Massey, CERT-1, Diesel Technology-Basic; Jaeden S. McAdams, AA, General Studies; Anggie N. Medellin, CERT-1, Criminal Justice Core Level 1; Angel E. Medina, AAS, EMT-Electrical Technician Specialty, CERT-1, EMT-Maintenance Technician Specialty; Brenda J. Medina, AA, General Studies; Efender I. Medrano, CERT-1, EMT-Maintenance Technician Specialty, CERT-1 EMT-Electrician Specialty; Alex S. Mendoza, AA, Music; Yajaira A. Mendoza, CERT-1, Design and Applied Arts-Graphic Arts; Cecilia Merlos, CERT-1, Office Administration, CERT-1 Business and Supervision; Le’Asia U. Miles, AA, General Studies; Joseph C. Miller, AAS, Radiologic Technology; Julissa Muniz, CERT-1, Criminal Justice Core Level 1; Maricela Munoz, AAS, Pharmacy Technology; Shelly Muro, AA, General Studies; Samuel K. Mwangi, AAS, Nursing; Kathryn D. Nick, AS, Multidisciplinary Studies; Colt D. Nunn, CERT-2, Advanced Welding; Lio T. Okamoto-Yamamoto, AAS, Nursing; Leonardo Olalde, CERT-1, Basic Welding; Destiny Ordaz, AA, Business Administration and Management; Martin A. Ortega, CERT-1, EMT-Electrician Specialty; Kody L. Owens, AAS, Software Development; Adelida Pena, AA, General Studies; Branya N. Pennington, AA, General Studies; Bryan B. Perez, CERT-1, EMT-Electrician Specialty; Carmen A. Perez, AA, General Studies; Giselle Perez, AA, Business Administration and Management; Canon D. Pitts, CERT-1, Law Enforcement Academy; Hayley M. Powell, AAS, LVN to ADN Transitions Track; Amador Quintero, AAS, Radiologic Technology; Bryan Ramirez, CERT-1 Basic Welding; Luis E. Ramirez, CERT-2, Advance Welding, CERT-1, Intermediate Welding; Gerardo Ramos, AAS, Network Administration; Margarita J. Ramos, AAS, LVN to ADN Transitions Track; Niko F. Randle, CERT-1, Diesel Technology Basic, CERT-1, Diesel Technology; Brandy R. Redd, CERT-1, Business and Supervision; Daisy Reyes, AA, Criminal Justice with Field of Study; Joel Reyes, AAS, Welding Technology; Gilbert O. Richardson, CERT-2, Criminal Justice Core Level 1; Daniel Rivera, AA, Business Administration and Management; Roxana Rivera-Reyes, AA, Business Administration and Management; Allen O. Roberts, AA, General Studies; Nadilynn R. Robin, AA, General Studies; America L. Rodriguez, AA, Business Administration and Management; Angelique M. Rodriguez, AAS, Nursing; Isabel H. Rodriguez, AAS, Nursing; Juan G. Rodriguez, CERT-1, Basic Welding; Reina Rodriguez, AAS, Respiratory Care; Destiny L. Rogers, CERT-1, Criminal Justice Core Level 1; Giselle Rojo, CERT-2, Pharmacy Technology; Mauricio J. Romero, CERT-1, Basic Welding; Valerie C. Runnels, AAS, Design and Applied Arts-Graphic Arts, CERT-1, Design and Applied Arts-Graphic Arts, CERT-3, Design and Applied Arts (Enhanced Certification); Martin Salinas, CERT-1, Law Enforcement Academy; Jordan M. Sanches, CERT-1, EMT-Electrician Specialty, CERT-1, EMT-Maintenance Technician Specialty; Emily Sanchez, CERT-2, Pharmacy Technology, Dallas T. Sanders, CERT-2, EMT-Electrician Specialty; Dominique L. Sanders, AA, Business Administration and Management; Kase P. Sanderson, AA, General Studies; Jennifer Sandoval, AAS, Radiologic Technology; Kayla Santoyo, AA, General Studies; Jose M. Segura, CERT-1, Diesel Technology-Basic; Karson A. Serratos, CERT-1, Basic Welding; Tristan N. Shepherd, AA, General Studies; Tyquriya T. Shepherd, AAS, Respiratory Care; Andrea Silva, CERT-1, Cisco Certified Network Associate; Ashley Silva, AA, General Studies; Edith Silva, AA, General Studies; Hugo Silva-Castro, AA, General Studies; Christian I.A. Simmons, AAS, Respiratory Care; Neena R. Smith, AAS, Nursing; Neera R. Smith, AAS, Nursing; Diego T. Solis, AA, General Studies; Lucero Solis, AAS, Respiratory Care; Tamara G. Thomas, AA, General Studies; Dominique Thompson, AAS, Pharmacy Technology; Madalie G. Tobias, AA, General Studies; Rosa M. Torres, CERT-2, Pharmacy Technology; Brody Tyer, CERT-1, Diesel Technology-Basic; Serenity Tyler, AA, General Studies; Josalyn P. Urbina, AAS, Nursing; Juan A. Vargas, CERT-1, Drafting and Design Technology; Uriel Villagrana, CERT-1, Basic Welding; Alexander N. Walker, AA, General Studies; Gabrielle E. Wallace, AA, Visual Arts; Daniel W. Whitley, AA, Business Administration and Management; Lakeatra M. Wilborn, AAS, Drafting and Design Technology; Merlene L. Wilcox, AAS, Nursing; Joshua L. Williams, AS, Multidisciplinary Studies; Trinity R. Winters, CERT-2, Pharmacy Technology; Ebony L. Wright, CERT-2, Pharmacy Technology; Yessica Zavala, CERT-2, Pharmacy Technology; and Mark A. Zuniga, CERT-1, Diesel Technology.
Madrid, Spain
Olivia Sanchez, AS, Multidisciplinary Studies.
Mataro, Spain
Nerea Garcia Palomera, AA, General Studies.
Montgomery
Madison B. Johnson, AA, General Studies.
Nacogdoches
Raymond E. Barrett, CERT-1, Law Enforcement Academy; Dawson J. Belz, CERT-2, Advance Welding; David C. Bennett, AAS, Nursing; Morgan M. Blankenship, CERT-2, Pharmacy Technology; Priscilla Castillo, AAS, Surgical Technology; Felicia P. Crocker, CERT-1, Office Administration-Computer Support Specialist; Trinity B. Crocker, AA, Theatre; Elizabeth N. Dales, AAS, Radiologic Technology; Brianna Davis, AA, Criminal Justice with Field of Study, CERT-1, Criminal Justice Core Level 1; Stacey Delacruz, CERT-2, Pharmacy Technology; Melanie E. Delatorre, AAS, Respiratory Care; Amanda B. Emerson, AA, Social Work Field of Study; Adan Florido, AA, Business Administration and Management; Kimberly R. Fos, AA, General Studies; Kristen E. Fuentes, CERT-1, Law Enforcement Academy; Taylor M. Gates, AAS, Criminal Justice; Haithe M. Garcia, AAS, Surgical Technology; Sh’Keya S. Gregory, CERT-2, Pharmacy Technology; Luis D. Hernandez, CERT-1, Basic Welding; Kiana S. Holcomb, CERT-1, Child and Family Development-CDA Level 1; Haylee M. Hornbuckle, AAS, Surgical Technology; Hazel D. Hubbard, AAS, Criminal Justice; Ruben Jiminez, CERT-1, HVAC and Refrigeration-Commercial; Armando Martinez, AAS, Radiologic Technology; Idalia V. Martinez, AAS, Child and Family Development, CERT-1, Child and Family Development-Administrative; Brooke McCallum, AAS, Diagnostic Medical Sonography; Esveidy Morales, AAS, Nursing; Samantha S. Nielson, AAS, Surgical Technology; Kaley M. Noble, AA, General Studies; Paxton M. Parks, AAS, Machine Tool Technology; Cynthia K. Saldana, CERT-1, Child and Family Development-Level 1; Brianna M. Sanchez, CERT-2, Pharmacy Technology; Eduardo R. Sifuentes, CERT-1, HVAC and Refrigeration-Commercial, CERT-1, HVAC-Residential; Ericka G. Solis, AAS, Radiologic Technology; Makayla B. Sullivan, AAS, Radiologic Technology; Wyatt Sullivan, CERT-1, HVAC and Refrigeration-Commercial; Kevin A. Vega, CERT-1, EMT-Electrician Specialty; Daniel Villa, CERT-1, HVAC and Refrigeration-Commercial; Avery L. Watson, AAS, Nursing; Nathan A. Whitton, AA, General Studies; Theodore R. Williams, AAS, Diesel Technology;
New Waverly
Austin T. Gaskins, AA, Business Administration and Management.
Newton
Connor G. Harry, CERT-1, Law Enforcement Academy.
Onalaska
Holly L. Cox, CERT-1, Law Enforcement Academy; and Collin J. Kirk, CERT-1, Networking-Cybersecurity Specialization.
Orange
Edward B. Frenzel, CERT-1, Drafting and Design Technology; and Carson R. McIlwain, CERT-1, Drafting and Design Technology.
Palestine
Jessi J. Sumpter, AA, Business Administration and Management.
Pineland
Landon R. Elliott, AA, General Studies; and Armani M. Mason, AA, General Studies.
Point Blank
Kristina P. Barton, CERT-1, Child and Family Development-Level 1.
Pollok
Rocio Arredondo, CERT-1, Real Estate Sales; Jonathan P. Cockrell, CERT-1, Basic Welding; Jonathan Garcia, AA, Business Administration and Management; Jonah D. Gergen, AA, General Studies; Madison R. Morehouse, AA, General Studies; Isaac O. Perez, AS, Engineering; Samara A. Reagan, AAS, Design and Applied Arts-Graphic Arts, CERT-1, Design and Applied Arts-Graphic Arts; and Sabrina Weathers, AA, General Studies.
Port Neches
Katherine H. Page, AA, General Studies.
Richards
Robert K. Bradford, CERT-1, Law Enforcement Academy; and Cody L. Pool, CERT-1, Intermediate Welding, CERT-1, Basic Welding.
Richmond
John B. Braswell, AA, Business Administration and Management; and Kai’Ree J. Murray, AA, Health and Physical Education.
Robstown
Dawson L. Byars, AA, Health and Physical Education.
Rockwall
Hannah Monroy, AAS, Nursing.
Rusk
Austin T. Middleton, AAS, Radiologic Technology.
San Augustine
Ja’Kayla N. Adkins, CERT-1, Child and Family Development-CDA Level 1; Karen Avila, CERT-1, Office Administration-Computer Support Specialist; Dejermiyah E. Barnes, CERT-1, Child and Family Development-CDA Level 1; Za’Kiya N. Barnes, CERT-1, Child and Family Development-CDA Level 1; Ty’Kerricca M. Burrell, CERT-1, Child and Family Development-CDA Level 1; Mia Carcamo, CERT-2, Pharmacy Technology; Yarihanna T. Clark, CERT-1, Child and Family Development-CDA Level 1; Jaylan I. Cortes, CERT-1, Office Administration-Computer Support Specialist; Diana M. Davila, CERT-1, Office Administration-Computer Support Specialist; Faith L. Eddings, CERT-1, Law Enforcement Academy; Alexander N. Fabian, CERT-1, Office Administration-Computer Support Specialist; Ke’Asia S. Giles, CERT-1, Office Administration-Computer Support Specialist; Aura Hernandez, CERT-1, Office Administration-Computer Support Specialist; Key Asia N. Jackson, CERT-1, Office Administration-Computer Support Specialist; Autumn M. McCallum, CERT-1, Office Administration-Computer Support Specialist; Andrew C.C. Nash, CERT-1, Office Administration-Computer Support Specialist; Joshua T. Oglesby, CERT-1, Office Administration-Computer Support Specialist; Demarcus A. Porter, CERT-1, Office Administration-Computer Support Specialist; Shequedra C. Sigler, AAS, LVN to ADN Transitions Track; Kirstern K. Smith, CERT-1, Office Administration-Computer Support Specialist; and Charnesha D. Watts, CERT-1, Child and Family Development-CDA Level 1.
Shepherd
Latiana J. Benton Hadnot, AAT, Teaching; Kennedy E. Hoppes, AAS, Nursing; and Gendaraneshy Rodriguez, AAS, LVN to ADN Transitions Track.
Speicher, Germany
Lennart Poth, AA, General Studies.
Sugar Land
William E. Krenek, AA, General Studies.
Trinity
Benjamin L. Kaufman, CERT-1, Basic Welding.
Van
Kaitlyn E. Neal, CERT-1, Child and Family Development-Administrative.
Warren
Jordan K. Hager, AA, Criminal Justice with Field of Study.
Wells
Savannah K. Bearden, AAS, Nursing; and Summer J. Goins, AAS, Radiologic Technology.
Weslaco
Elizabeth Craig, AA, General Studies.
Wharton
Hayden W. Albert, AA, Business Administration and Management.
Woodville
Mallory J. Dunn, AA, Health and Physical Education; Amber R. Kennerly, CERT-1, Design and Applied Arts-Graphic Arts; Ja’Nyrah E. Kibble, CERT-1, Child and Family Development; and Amaya Wagner, CERT-1, Electronics Technology-Electronics Assembly.
Zavalla
Shonda Brown, CERT-1, Networking-Cybersecurity Specialization; Raven M. Ferguson, CERT-1, Business and Supervision; Katelyn B. Iribarren, AA, General Studies; Michael R. Oliver, AAS, Nursing; Brenton A. Peters, CERT-1, Law Enforcement Academy; and Jonathan M. Vaughn, AA, Theatre.
Social media should be the easiest thing in the world for East Texas businesses.
We live in a region full of stories. Real people doing real work in real communities. The kind of authentic, down-to-earth content that social media was built for.
And yet most local businesses struggle with it.
They post sporadically. They aren’t sure what to say. They get discouraged when a post gets four likes. They see a competitor doing something flashy and wonder if they should be doing that too. Eventually, the account goes quiet. A month passes. Then two. Then someone mentions “we should really get back on social media” and the cycle starts over.
The problem isn’t effort. It’s approach.
The myth of going viral
Somewhere along the way, social media convinced business owners that success means going viral. A post that gets shared a thousand times. A video that racks up views. A moment that puts you on the map overnight.
It’s a seductive idea. It’s also irrelevant for most local businesses.
A restaurant in Lufkin doesn’t need a million views from people in California. A contractor in Nacogdoches doesn’t need followers in Chicago. What they need is to be visible — consistently, reliably — to the people in their community who might actually become customers.
That’s a fundamentally different game than chasing virality. And it’s a game that East Texas businesses are perfectly positioned to win — if they stop playing by the wrong rules.
What the smart ones do
The local businesses that get real results from social media aren’t doing anything revolutionary. They’re doing the basics, consistently, with intention.
They show up regularly. Not every day. But on a predictable rhythm. Three times a week. Twice a week. Whatever frequency they can sustain without burning out. The algorithm rewards consistency. More importantly, their audience starts to expect them. And expectation is the first step toward trust.
They mix their content intentionally. Not every post is a promotion. Some posts educate — a quick tip, a piece of industry knowledge, an answer to a common question. Some posts tell stories — a behind-the-scenes look, a team member spotlight, a project they’re proud of. Some posts ask questions — polls, opinions, conversation starters. And yes, some posts sell. But selling is maybe 20% of the mix, not 100%.
They sound like themselves. The businesses that perform best on social media are the ones that sound like real people, not corporate brochures. In East Texas, that’s an advantage. Our businesses have personality. They have history. They have voices that don’t sound like everyone else. The worst thing a local business can do on social media is try to sound like a brand they’re not.
They pay attention to what works. Not obsessively. But intentionally. Which posts got the most engagement? Which ones drove people to the website? Which ones generated actual inquiries? That information tells you what your audience cares about — and it should shape what you post next.
Where it gets hard
None of the above is complicated. But all of it is time-consuming.
Writing three quality posts a week sounds manageable until you’re also running jobs, managing employees, handling billing, returning phone calls, and putting out the daily fires that come with owning a business.
Creating content that looks good requires either design skills or the discipline to maintain a visual standard. Engaging with comments and messages takes attention you may not have at 2 p.m. on a Tuesday. Staying consistent through the slow seasons and the busy seasons and the seasons where everything feels chaotic requires a system that most business owners haven’t built.
That’s not a criticism. It’s an observation. Social media is simple in concept and demanding in execution. The business owners who succeed at it either carve out dedicated time for it or find someone who can carry it for them.
The bottom line
Social media works for local businesses. Not the viral, flashy, overnight-sensation version. The steady, consistent, show-up-and-be-real version.
The businesses in this region that are getting traction on social media aren’t the ones with the biggest budgets. They’re the ones with the clearest message and the most consistent presence. And those two things are available to anyone willing to commit to them.
Lee Allen Miller is the founder of MSGPR Ltd Co, a full-service creative agency in Lufkin, Texas, and author of Entrepreneurship God’s Way. For more insights on marketing and business growth, visit msgpr.com.
Farmers & Artisans Market Coming to San Augustine San Augustine is welcoming a new community tradition this spring with the launch of a local Farmers & Artisans Market, set for Saturday, May 30th from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at the Cotton Gin.
The market aims to highlight the rich agricultural roots and creative talents of the region by bringing together local farmers, growers, and artisans in one central location. Shoppers can expect a variety of fresh, locally sourced products along with handmade goods crafted by area artisans. To ensure the market remains truly local, all vendors are required to source or create their products within a 100-mile radius of San Augustine. This includes fresh produce, baked goods, and other farm-raised items, as well as handmade crafts such as jewelry, pottery, and other unique creations. Vendors will have the flexibility to set up in a way that works best for them, whether that be selling directly out of the back of their vehicle or setting up a tent display. Organizers hope this approach will make participation easy and accessible for vendors of all sizes.
In an effort to encourage participation during the market’s inaugural season, there will be no vendor fee. However, all vendors must complete a registration form and RSVP in advance to confirm their participation.
Main Street Director Shelby Curtis, who is coordinating the market, encourages anyone interested in becoming a vendor to reach out as soon as possible. Vendors interested in participating must fill out a form with the Main Street office and RSVP with Curtis prior to the event date. Community members are invited to come out, shop local, and support the farmers and artisans who help make San Augustine unique.
Join us for Power Networking Breakfast, presented by Amerigy Energy and sponsored by Integra Insurance, as Shane Tatum shares a practical take on embracing chaos and navigating the unexpected with confidence. It is a conversation you will not want to miss, especially in today’s ever-changing business landscape.
Attendance is free. Registration is encouraged to help us plan ahead. Register today >>> bit.ly/PNB-0526
Texas is being chosen, on a massive scale, as the place to build the artificial intelligence economy. That’s already starting to show up in our bills.
If you drive through certain parts of North Texas, West Texas, or the corridor outside Austin, you’ll start noticing them — enormous warehouse-style buildings going up in the middle of pastureland, surrounded by chain-link fence and substations the size of football fields. These are data centers. Some of them belong to familiar names like Google, Microsoft, and Meta. Others belong to companies most people have never heard of. All of them have one thing in common: they consume staggering amounts of electricity.
In April 2026, ERCOT filed its long-term forecast and projected that peak electricity demand in Texas could reach 367,790 megawatts by 2032 — more than four times today’s all-time record of 85,508 megawatts. ERCOT itself was quick to caution that the number is probably overstated. Even so, the more conservative working estimates would still represent the largest growth in demand the Texas grid has ever seen.
Most of that growth comes from data centers, with cryptocurrency mining and large industrial operations making up the rest. According to ERCOT’s filings, more than 228,000 megawatts of the new requested load is data centers alone. Whether half of that gets built or only a quarter, it’s a tidal wave compared to what the grid was designed to handle.
Why Texas?
Data center developers are picking Texas for a fairly specific set of reasons. Land is available and relatively inexpensive. There’s no state income tax. The deregulated electricity market lets large customers negotiate directly with suppliers, which is faster than dealing with a regulated utility. And Texas has both the natural gas and the rapidly growing renewable resources to actually power what gets built.
Add to all of that the massive build-out of artificial intelligence, which depends on enormous computing facilities running flat-out around the clock, and Texas has become the leading destination in America for this kind of construction. Oncor alone reported anticipating more than 109,000 megawatts of large-load projects in its service territory by 2032. AEP reported more than 42,000 megawatts.
The era of data centers showing up unannounced is ending. Texas now requires them to report what they’re building before they ever flip the switch — and lawmakers have given ERCOT new authority to plan around them.
What This Means for Everyone Else
It’s reasonable to ask: if data centers are using all this new power, are the rest of us going to end up paying for it? The honest answer is complicated, but here are the broad strokes.
Forward electricity prices have moved up. The market is anticipating tighter conditions in the coming years, and that’s already reflected in the rates being offered today for plans starting next year and the year after. A homeowner shopping for a new plan in 2026 is looking at noticeably higher rates than someone who locked in two years ago. Wholesale price increases eventually flow through to retail rates.
The transmission build-out is going to be expensive. To move power from where it gets generated — often in West Texas — to where the new data centers are being built, the state will need billions of dollars of new high-voltage transmission lines. Who pays for those lines, and how, is one of the central debates happening at the Public Utility Commission right now. Some of those costs will eventually show up on every Texan’s delivery charge.
Reliability has gotten more attention. When the grid was being planned for modest year-over-year growth, the reliability conversation was different. Now, with massive new load potentially coming online over the next several years, ERCOT and the legislature have moved to put new rules in place. Senate Bill 6 — passed in 2025 and which we’ll cover in detail later in this series — requires large customers to share information about their projects up front and allows certain large loads to be curtailed during emergencies.
What Can You Actually Do About It?
Three practical things.
Lock in rates while you can. If you’re approaching a contract renewal, there’s a reasonable case for choosing a longer fixed term right now. Forward prices are moving the wrong direction, and waiting tends to cost more than acting.
Pay attention to your usage patterns. As prices climb, the gap between an average user and an efficient one widens. Small upgrades — better thermostats, weather stripping, LED lighting — pay back faster than they used to.
Stay informed about the regulatory conversation. A lot of decisions about how transmission costs get allocated are being made right now at the PUC. The outcomes will affect every bill in Texas for the next decade.
The data center wave isn’t a future event we can prepare for at our leisure. It’s happening now, and the ripple effects are already showing up in the prices we pay. The good news is that an attentive household or small business can still come out fine — but it’s going to take more attention than it used to.
— Lee Miller
Lee Miller publishes Texas Forest Country Living and is co-founder of Amerigy Energy, a Texas-based electricity brokerage.
Students from Angelina College’s Associate’s Degree Nursing Program pose in front of the AC Activity Center prior to Thursday’s traditional pinning ceremony. A total of 50 new nurses received their awards. (Gary Stallard photo for AC News Service)
Fifty New Nurses Earn Pins, Awards
Angelina College’s School of Health Careers on Thursday held a traditional pinning ceremony recognizing the newest graduates of the Associate’s Degree Nursing program.
The Class of 2026 group included 50 students receiving their pins from faculty, friends and family members.
Students earning individual awards included Mark Bagonoc (Highest GPA), Harley Husband (Best Overall Student) and Josalyn Urbina (Best Clinical Student).
Dr. Winifred Ferguson-Adams, Dean of the School of Health Careers, shared notes from Florence Nightingale written 166 years ago regarding “what nursing is, and what it is not.”
Dr. Winifred Ferguson-Adams, Dean of Angelina College’s School of Health Careers, addresses the crowd during Thursday’s ceremony held inside AC’s Activity Center. A total of 50 new nurses received their awards. (Gary Stallard photo for AC News Service)
“She wrote about having fresh air, clean water, sanitation, but she also talked about the importance of the patient and the importance of the nurse observing, caring for and listening to the patient,” Ferguson-Adams said. “Don’t ever forget to be present for your patient. You may have a million other things to do, but when you’re with that one patient, be present for them and give them the best of your time you can possibly give.”
AC president Dr. Michael Simon also addressed the crowd, speaking of the Vietnam Women’s Memorial in Washington, D.C. and how approximately 90 percent of those women served as nurses.
“I want to emphasize that women were not drafted during the Vietnam War,” Simon said. “Those women volunteered to go into harm’s way to serve their country and their fellow service members.”
Simon also shared how the memorial’s sculptor, Glenna Goodacre, also created the sculpture dedicated to the Rotary International Group to Eradicate Polio currently exhibited on the Angelina College campus. Simon related how Goodacre chronicled when those nurses returned from Vietnam, they found themselves “unheralded, unwanted and unwelcome.”
“I wanted to share her story because as nurses, from time to time you may feel unheralded,” Simon said. “There may be people in your life who question your choice of profession. As you advocate for your patient, you may feel unsupported and even attacked. There will definitely be challenging shifts and difficult patients.
“When you’re experiencing difficulty in your practice, I encourage you to remember those courageous nurses who preceded you in the profession and know that although doing the right thing can be difficult, it is a hallmark of the nursing profession.”
Following are the graduates of the Class of 2026, along with their home towns. (Cities are in Texas unless otherwise specified.)
Jonielyn Asne (Lufkin), Mark Bagonoc (Lufkin), Ricardo Bautista (Huntington), Savannah Bearden (Wells), David Bennett (Nacogdoches), Kenna Boston (Lufkin), Quashunna Burrell (Doucette), Natalie Cervantes (Alto), Lamyia Chatman (Lufkin), Holly Choate (Lufkin), Tabitha Cook (Lovelady), Yessica Damian (Livingston), Kendra Esquivel (Diboll), Amber Evans (Lufkin), Abbigail Evett (Huntington), Chancy Hall (Lufkin), Kennedy Hoppes (Shepherd), Harley Husband (Coldspring), Emmili Jackson (Lufkin), Delontae James (Crockett), Chyenne Koller (Lufkin), Cheyenne Landrum (Lufkin), Kryclei Loving (Lufkin), April Maddux-Stanbery (Lufkin), Breeann McClain (La Porte), Nikolas McNiel (Livingston), Rachel Middleton (Livingston), Hannah Monroy (Rockwall), Esveidy Morales (Nacogdoches), Samuel Mwangi (Lufkin), Heather Myers, Lio Okamoto-Yamamoto (Lufkin), Michael Oliver (Zavalla), Tangela Patton (Lufkin), Hayley Powell (Lufkin), Margarita Ramos (Lufkin), Xavier Randolph (Batson), Angelique Rodriguez (Lufkin), Gendareneshy Rodriguez (Shepherd), Isabel Rodriguez (Lufkin), Kaitlyn Siebold (Katy), SheQuedra Sigler (San Augustine), Karson Smith (Diboll), Neena Smith (Lufkin), Neera Smith (Lufkin), Ashley Suttle (Cleveland), Josalyn Urbina (Lufkin), Andrea Vazquez (Livingston), Avery Watson (Nacogdoches) and Merlene Wilcox (Lufkin).
Nursing program faculty: Dr. Winifred Ferguson-Adams (Dean, School of Health Careers), Danielle Adams, Kelley Durr, Allison Gray, Vergie Hines, Kathy Jackson, Koshy Jose, Nadia Martindale, Nancy McClurg, Kathy McNeese, Anna McReynolds, Peggy Mortensen, Amber Murphy, Bobbie Williams and Carrie Zavala.
For further information regarding Angelina College Health Careers, email healthcareers@angelina.edu. For information regarding this press release, contact Gary Stallard at gstallard@angelina.edu.
