Ronda Knight was 46 when she decided it was time to further her education.

That was about three years ago. In May, the Lindale resident graduated from Tyler Junior College with associate degrees in psychology and sociology. The week after graduation, Knight was back in the books as she began TJC’s 16-month Associate Degree Nursing program.

Oh, and another thing – Knight works full-time! Besides having a job and being a busy student, she’s also a mother to eight children – ages 18 to 29.

Knight’s busy schedule doesn’t stop there. She gets up at 3:30 every morning and drives a school bus, which she’s done for 17 years.

While juggling all of that, she maintained a near-perfect GPA during her time at TJC.

“I don’t require a lot of sleep,” she laughed.

In 2022 when Knight decided it was time to go back to school, she dived in head-first and hasn’t slowed down since.

“One of my co-workers at Lindale High School was about to graduate from TJC, and she convinced me to just go for it,” she said. “I said, ‘OK, walk me through the process and help me apply,’ and she did. That was it.”

TJC had a lot of benefits for Knight, she said.

“I originally chose TJC because it was close to home and offered the courses I needed — but I stayed because I found a place where I was accepted and feel at home,” she said.

In addition to her TJC degrees, she is also two credits from earning her Bachelor of Applied Arts and Sciences from UT Tyler and is applying to their Bachelor of Science in Nursing program.

She chose the healthcare track for personal reasons.

“In 2021, my husband was in an accident at work and had a traumatic brain injury and was in a coma for several weeks, plus my daughter was in a high-risk pregnancy at the same time,” she said. “It was a lot, and there was this group of nurses who helped my husband and also helped me walk that path. That was what made me decide to go back to school.”

She also credits a posse of TJC women who have been her mentors and encouragers: Kim Chastain, biology lab specialist; Gigi Delk, professor and Phi Theta Kappa sponsor; Nancy Carter, professor and Phi Theta Kappa sponsor; Kassie Garcia, processing analyst; Marie Davis, office coordinator and Phi Theta Kappa sponsor; and Dr. Deb Kelley, psychology and sociology professor.

“This group of ladies keeps me going,” she said. “If it had not been for them, I would not still be here and thriving in the way that I am.”

In addition to her studies, Knight is also active in TJC’s Alpha Omicron Chapter of Phi Theta Kappa (PTK), serving as chapter president and is the incoming district vice president for the Texas Region. She has participated in numerous community service events and volunteers in the student resource center on campus.

“I also want to do sign language interpreting because I think that would help with being a nurse,” she said.

Eventually, she plans to earn doctorates in psychology and nursing — and maybe be a professor.

“I’ve thought about coming back here to teach someday,” she said. “To anyone thinking about going back to school, I would just say to do it. If you have questions, don’t be afraid to reach out to your professors or advisors because they are here to help. Most of all, get involved on campus. This is a great place, and I’ve enjoyed every minute of it.”

All in this together

For Starla Taylor, education at Tyler Junior College is now a family tradition.

Starla, who graduated in May, was joined by her sister, Janese Largent, and her daughter, Destiny Taylor. The three women share one powerful message: It’s never too late to rewrite your future.

Originally from Springhill, Louisiana, Starla has lived in Hideaway for the past seven years. Four years ago, she decided to eventually take over her uncle’s septic system installation company and needed the knowledge to do it right.

That decision led her to TJC, where she pursued a degree in business management and earned a certification in bookkeeping.

“I chose TJC because it was close to home, and I could work at my own pace,” she said. “That was important to me since I run a business.”

She is a first-generation college graduate. “My mom went to college but never finished,” she said. “So, for me, my sister and my daughter to all be walking together, that’s something special.”

The journey wasn’t easy, but it was meaningful. After overcoming addiction, Starla returned home determined to change her life. She’s now nine years clean. Her sister, Janese, five years clean, joined her at TJC a year later, earning credentials in EMT and medic courses. And when Starla’s daughter Destiny graduated high school two years ago, she decided to pursue her college education alongside her mother and aunt, majoring in general studies with an interest in psychology.

“We never thought this would happen,” Starla reflected. “It’s a testament to God that we are here. To have my daughter with me — after getting her back and everything we went through — it means so much.”

She credits business professors Don Blaine, Jennifer Coon and Joshua Edinger as key influences during her time at TJC.

After graduation, Starla plans to take a year or two to focus on her business before transferring to The University of Texas at Tyler to pursue her bachelor’s degree in business. But she’s not stopping there. “My ultimate goal is to get my bachelor’s and then go after my license to become an addiction counselor,” she said. “That’s my end goal with all of this.”

Starla’s story is about second chances and the belief that education can be a path to healing and positive change — not just for one person but for an entire family.

“It really is a testament to God that we are here to be able to do this together,” she said.

Finding a future

Marc Patrick’s path didn’t come from following a straight line but through trial, redirection and an eventual passion for a trade he once knew nothing about.

For two years, Patrick, of Wills Point, has commuted more than an hour each way to attend Tyler Junior College’s HVAC/Refrigeration program. What began as a search for stability has turned into a clear vision for a long-term career in ammonia refrigeration — a critical but often overlooked part of the food supply chain.

“I was looking at trade schools in Tyler and Waxahachie, and I just wasn’t big on the Waxahachie area,” Patrick said. “So, I chose Tyler. It was a good decision.”

After completing an entry-level HVAC certificate last spring, he’s now earning his advanced certificate and has already committed to returning next year for the specialized ammonia refrigeration track.

His goal: to become a Certified Assistant Refrigeration Operator (CARO) and eventually, a Certified Refrigeration Technician, which will require another five years of operator experience.

Patrick’s journey didn’t start in the trades. He graduated high school in 2008 and briefly attended Navarro College with hopes of becoming a nurse. When that didn’t work out, he spent a year working at a CVS pharmacy — a time he describes as heading “toward rock bottom.”

“I joined the Navy to get out of Corsicana,” he said.

He enlisted on May 8, 2013, serving nearly a decade of active duty before separating in October 2022. In the Navy, he served as a gunner’s mate while working toward a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice — initially aiming for a career in law enforcement. But during his studies, he realized it wasn’t the right fit.

“That lifestyle just isn’t for everyone,” he said, so he set about charting a new future, which turned out to be HVAC — and more specifically, ammonia refrigeration.

“I was finishing the light commercial and residential HVAC track when they introduced the ammonia program,” he said. “It looked like something I’d really enjoy, and I was right. It’s all on a much larger scale.”

Unlike residential HVAC systems, which cool homes to a comfortable 75 degrees, ammonia refrigeration involves massive, industrial-sized equipment capable of cooling entire facilities to sub-zero temperatures — often to store perishable food. It’s an industry that plays a silent but vital role in global food security.

“Without refrigeration, you lose the ability to store and move that amount of food across the country,” he explained. “Places like Tyson Foods — they have huge plants, and these can’t even be near neighborhoods due to the risks involved with ammonia systems. There are laws about that.”

Staffing in the field has declined in recent years.

“The HVAC community is small, and the ammonia field within that it is even smaller,” he said. “A lot of people are retiring, and not many are coming in to replace them.”

He’s determined to be part of the solution. He’s currently studying for the Certified Assistant Refrigeration Operator (CARO) exam and plans to gain five years of field experience to become a technician.

Balancing life isn’t easy. Patrick has three children — 8-year-old twins and an adopted 3-year-old son — and for a while, he juggled school and work. But something had to give.

“As things progressed, I couldn’t maintain the balance. I had to stop working to focus on school,” he said. “I’m doing this for my family, too.”

He credits TJC’s instructors for their support and flexibility. “They’re awesome — very knowledgeable and they really work with our schedules. You can tell this is what they’re meant to do.”

Looking ahead, he encourages anyone considering a trade to explore their options and keep an open mind.

“If you had told me 10 years ago that I would go into HVAC, I would have laughed,” he said. “But once I started learning about it — how it works and all that goes into it — it really grabbed my attention.”

Taking the leap

When Jimmy Purcell first stepped into public service in 1990 as a firefighter/EMT with the City of Gladewater, he had no idea that one day he would be at the helm of an entire city.

Now, as the city manager of White Oak, Purcell oversees every department in a growing community of 6,500 residents — proving that a willingness to keep learning can chart a new path in public service.

Purcell’s public safety career spans more than three decades, beginning with the Gladewater Fire Department, where he rose through the ranks to captain. Along the way, he attended the police academy at night, earning his certification and serving as a reserve police officer. In 1998, he joined the Longview Fire Department as a firefighter/paramedic, eventually becoming deputy fire marshal and serving as a fire/arson investigator until his retirement in 2019.

But retirement didn’t last long.

White Oak, a small East Texas city neighboring Longview, was seeking to transition its volunteer fire department to include a paid chief. Purcell was hired in August 2019 and served in that role for three years. As he got to know city officials, including the mayor, another opportunity emerged: the upcoming retirement of the city manager.

“I never thought I’d be in this kind of position — it wasn’t on my radar at all,” Purcell said. “But I prayed about it with my wife, and when the time came, I applied and was chosen out of 13 applicants.”

In 2022, Purcell officially became the city manager of White Oak, overseeing 55 employees and every major municipal function — from police and fire services to water, streets, parks and economic development.

“I wear a lot of hats,” he said. “In a small city, you have to. I’m the city manager, but I also serve as the human resources director and the economic development director.”

While Purcell’s background in emergency services gave him leadership experience, municipal management was entirely new territory. That’s when a familiar face stepped in to help.

Mike Bishop, a former Longview police chief and longtime acquaintance, had become a faculty member in Tyler Junior College’s Public Administration program. Knowing Purcell was new to city government, Bishop suggested he look into the program.

Purcell enrolled and completed the 18-hour Public Administration Certificate entirely online while balancing his full-time responsibilities as city manager.

“TJC made it easy,” Purcell said. “The courses were all online and specifically tailored to public service. I learned a lot about how cities function — things I wish I had known before stepping into this role.”

He completed six courses over two semesters, calling them “tremendously helpful” for managing city operations and understanding government processes. The experience was so impactful that Purcell encouraged his assistant and finance director to enroll as well.

As a city manager, his philosophy centers around people — his staff and the citizens they serve. “My main job is to make sure my employees are happy and have the tools they need to serve the public,” he said. “If they’re supported, everything else falls into place.”

As for the future, Purcell is already looking to expand his knowledge further by taking additional courses through TJC.

His message to others considering a move into public service or leadership is simple: “Take the leap, especially if you’re working full time. TJC makes it possible.”

Tyler Junior College achieved a new milestone this year, with a record 1,689 graduates crossing the stage to earn nearly 2,000 awards during Spring 2025 commencement. The graduating class included residents from all across East Texas, the state and beyond.