TSTC’s North Texas campus gets first full-time Advocacy and Resource Center coach

(RED OAK, Texas) - Texas State Technical College's North Texas campus has its first full-time director of the Advocacy and Resource Center (ARC), a place for students to go when they have life challenges to overcome.

Braeden Berger, of Waxahachie, became the ARC coach for the North Texas campus in May. He had previously been a recruiter for the college.

"I enjoy what TSTC stands for and the things we do to help our students," he said.

Berger spends his days working on cases for students who attend TSTC's classes in a hybrid format and online students who live throughout the Dallas-Fort Worth area. He assesses what needs students have, whether it is child care assistance, items from the food pantry, or books from the lending library.

"Having a full-time ARC member at the North Texas campus allows us to better serve our students and provide more robust and timely support for their needs," said Alex Saxon, TSTC's statewide lead for the center. "We are so thankful to have Braeden there building relationships with students. He's made such an impact already."

Berger said some of his goals for the campus ARC include having a donation drive for staff and faculty members and building brand awareness for students. He is also working with the campus performance-based education mentor to create a lounge for students to relax in before and after classes.

Before Berger's hiring, the ARC was operated by a staff member who would travel from TSTC's Waco campus to work with students.

"So many of our students utilize the support and wouldn't be successful without it," said Marcus Balch, provost of TSTC's North Texas campus. "Those services being immediately accessible to our students is critical. Braeden is the perfect fit for the position given his approachable, confident demeanor."

The ARC is located on the second floor of the Jim Pitts Industrial Technology Center at TSTC's North Texas campus.

For more information on TSTC, go to tstc.edu.

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