TC STEM Programs Expand Industry Connections through EnergyX, FE4 Collaborations

Texarkana College is expanding connections between its STEM programs and regional industry, giving students opportunities to gain firsthand experience with laboratory careers and applied scientific testing, Dr. Catherine Howard reported during the college’s September 28 Board of Trustees meeting.

Howard, dean of STEM programs at Texarkana College, highlighted recent student experiences with EnergyX and ongoing work with FE&sup4; Evaporators as examples of how the college is bringing real-world applications into its STEM programs.

TC’s collaboration with EnergyX began when company representatives visited campus to speak with chemistry students about its operations, workforce needs and laboratory and technical careers. EnergyX later invited TC chemistry students to tour its facility in Hooks, Texas, where students observed testing, processing and production operations and toured the company’s laboratory.

During the visit, EnergyX technicians discussed their responsibilities, educational backgrounds and career paths. The experience generated strong interest among students, and at least one TC chemistry student secured employment in the company’s laboratory following the tour and application process.

“Students were able to see that a chemistry education can lead to much more than a traditional laboratory setting,” said Karin Grisham, professor of biology and chemistry at Texarkana College. “They met people doing the work, learned how they got there and could picture themselves pursuing those careers.”

TC is also working with FE&sup4; Evaporators to explore opportunities for students to gain hands-on experience with applied laboratory testing. FE&sup4; designs and fabricates evaporation, distillation and crystallization equipment used in industrial applications and is working with TC to explore using college laboratory facilities to test industrial samples.

Cullen Matthews of FE&sup4; has visited TC several times, including with a chemist from the company’s French laboratory. The college and FE&sup4; are working through details for a vacuum boiling point still, with the goal of beginning laboratory work this fall. If finalized, the collaboration could allow TC students to conduct tests involving boiling point, percent solids, chemical oxygen demand, viscosity, pH and conductivity.

“We’re excited about the opportunity for our students to get hands-on exposure to real bench chemistry,” Howard said. “This gives students an opportunity to apply what they’re learning in a way that has a direct connection to industry.”

The industry collaborations are part of TC’s broader effort to help students understand how STEM knowledge translates into careers. By interacting directly with employers, touring professional facilities and gaining exposure to applied laboratory work, students can see how the skills they develop in the classroom are used in the workplace.

“Those real-world experiences can help students better understand where their education can take them,” Howard said. “It also gives them an opportunity to see the types of work they may not have considered before.”

Texarkana College continues to develop relationships with regional employers to expand hands-on learning, industry engagement and career pathways for students in STEM programs.