Tag: Feature
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Alum expresses love for helping children by founding outreach center
by REBEKAH HARVEY Megan Estrada has always had a heart for-at risk youth. Estrada, founder, director and president of Hub City Outreach Center, attended South Plains College to pursue that love for children. She grew up in Abernathy, Texas, 19 miles outside of Lubbock, and graduated from Abernathy High School. After graduating, Estrada made the…
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Faith leads alum degree in human services
by REBEKAH HARVEY For Melinda Ledesma, Levelland has always been home. She was born and raised in Levelland. She first attended St. Michael’s Catholic School, before transferring to the Levelland school system. After graduating from Levelland High School in 1988, Ledesma enrolled in college. “A week after high school graduation, I immediately started college at Incarnate…
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Alum discovers passion for art following advice from professor
by REBEKAH HARVEY Many college students know what it is like to change their major. For Catherine Argueta, changing her major was also part of her college experience. Argueta was born and raised in Lubbock. She graduated from Lubbock High School in 2007. After high school, Argueta decided to attend South Plains College, a decision…
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Student chooses SPC for college experience
Donald Duane Sanders II is enthusiastic about education and looks forward to making the classroom a fun place for students. A sophomore at South Plains College, Sanders currently resides in Arlington, Texas, with his mother Lashunya Sanders and his cousins. During his free time, Sanders enjoys listening to almost all kinds of music, along with…
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Married musical duo released third studio album
by DEBRA MONTANDON Brent and Emily Wheeler still make time out of their busy lives to play guitar together after 20 years. They are married, but they make time to play music together and with others in the industry. Brent is the director of guitar studies at South Plains College, while Emily is a part-time…
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Former student pursues business endeavors in Thailand
by REBEKAH HARVEY Before deciding to move to Thailand, Devin Hargrove was an unconventional college student. Hargrove, who grew up in Lubbock, planned on going into the military after an ROTC program, but medical issues kept him from continuing on that path. “I kind of had it planned all through high school, coming out of…
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Student becomes novelist after years of hard work
Elizabeth Sacks came up with a story idea 10 years ago and recently got it published. Sacks, who is majoring in Graphic Arts at South Plains College, published her first novel on Feb. 14. Sacks, who uses her pen name, said she has been writing most of her life. She said that she would come…
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Difficult start with higher education motivates professor
Dr. Erika Warnick looks to always make the learning process exciting for her students. An associate professor of reading and education at South Plains College, Dr. Warnick grew up in Boston, Massachusetts. She moved to Lubbock 14 years ago after working for 17 years as a college recruiter, researcher and research assistant. She was always…
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Sophomore selected for Student of the Year representing student government
by REBEKAH HARVEY Audrey Crowson was recently selected as Student of the Year for Region One at the state capitol in Austin. Crowson, along with the rest of South Plains College Student Government Association, was in Austin for the Region One meeting and Community College Day held on January 29. At the Region One meeting, various…
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Professor combines appreciation for dance with artistic abilities
by REBEKAH HARVEY For Kristy Kristinek, teaching is only one of the things that occupies her time. Kristinek, associate professor of fine arts at South Plains College, made the decision early on to stay in Lubbock. “Leaving Texas or just leaving Lubbock, in general, was not an option for me because I just established my family…
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Student following family footsteps toward agriculture
Cesiley Stroud decided to become an agriculture communications major because of an appreciation for her deep agricultural roots. “So going in for a company and doing their social media work or PR work for people,” Stroud explained about her future career plans. Her mother attended SPC for nursing, and some of her friends also transferred…
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Alum find career she enjoys after facing challenges
by DEBRA MONTANDON Jordan Dewbre says she chose South Plains College because of their well-known Allied Health program in surgical technology. “They have the best program around,” Dewbre said, “and also produce the best results in the work field.” She said that she was “attracted to SPC for their small class numbers, and the willingness of…
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Alum finds career path while at SPC
by REBEKAH HARVEY Before moving to New York City to become an actress and director, Anna Hogan got her start at South Plains College. Hogan grew up in Lubbock, Texas. She attended Monterey High School before going to SPC. Hogan says that she chose SPC because of its affordability and the opportunities it held for…
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Former student jumpstarts career with experience on Plainsman press Staff
Like many young college students, Jessica Safavimehr Hernandez had struggled to figure out what she wanted to do with her life after graduation. Safavimehr Hernandez graduated from Lubbock High School in 2004 and transferred to South Plains College during the spring semester of 2005. While attending SPC, Safavimehr Hernandez was a staff writer for the…
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Student finds career inspiration from family
by GENEVA NATAL There are two choices when leaving high school: go to college or get a job. Not many people have the luxury to spending a year finding themselves in a foreign country. Carolyn Sinklier, an education major at South Plains College, knew this and made the decision to better herself for others.…
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Retiring librarian sad to leave, happy about starting new chapter in life
With plans for the future, James Belcher is retiring after working for South Plains College’s Library for 10 years. Belcher, was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma, living there until he was about 6 years old. His family later moved to Bartlesville, Oklahoma, where he lived until he graduated from high school. Belcher attended John Brown University…
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Lopez retiring after 41 years in nursing, health occupations
When she was growing up, Sue Ann Lopez could never remember wanting to do anything else besides being a nurse. Lopez is retiring from serving as the Dean of Health Occupations after 24 years at South Plains College. She grew up in Statesboro, Georgia, attending high school there as well. Lopez said she did some…
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Despite challenges, alum balances school, work, family
Finishing college and getting a degree seemed like a stretch to Fabiola Muñoz. But it is now a goal within her reach. Muñoz graduated from Levelland High School in the top 20 of her class in 2009. In high school, she was intimidated by the thought of being part of a “big” club or organization.…
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Instructor values music after overcoming hearing disorder
Devin Collins recalls finding his passion for music at a young age, after overcoming a hearing disorder for the first three years of his life. Eustachian Tube Dysfunction happens if the Eustachian tube becomes blocked, if the lining of the tube swells, or if the tube is not fully open to allow air to travel…
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Alum achieves goal of becoming law enforcement officer
Weapon drawn, preparing to apprehend a criminal, Blake Blanscett’s first-ever traffic stop turned into a situation you would only see in the movies. Blanscett is a police officer for Midland Police Department. He began working for the department as soon as he graduated from South Plains College in 2017. Blanscett started as a student in…