Midland College Automotive student Thomas Bolin embodies Mark Twain’s famous quote, ”Find a job you enjoy doing, and you will never have to work a day in your life.”
“I have always loved tinkering with stuff,” Bolin said. “I enjoy seeing how things work and how they run correctly. My dad used to be a carpenter, and growing up I helped him build houses. Now, I do a lot of hands-on learning every day in MC’s Automotive Technology program at the Advanced Technology Center. I get to meet a lot of new people, which is a great experience for me.”
Thomas Bolin excels at MC while living with dyslexia, a disorder involving difficulty in reading and comprehending, and dysgraphia, a disorder involving trouble with writing.
“My mom was a teacher so she helped me a lot growing up,” he said. “I am from Monahans, and I ultimately decided to go to MC because it was close to home. Having dyslexia, it was easier being closer to home with my mom so she could help me with my schoolwork if I needed it.”
“Thomas does not like school, and school has been very difficult for him in the past,” Bolin’s mother Kandace admitted. “As a parent I can say MC has been an exceptional, exceptional thing for my child. When he took his first test his first semester and scored 100, I exclaimed, ‘Oh, print it and put it on the refrigerator!’ MC faculty and staff are so helpful, from the bookstore to the registrar’s office—everyone helped Thomas, no questions asked. This was an amazing experience since he was starting school during the very confusing time of COVID-19 in 2020!”
Thomas Bolin constantly sets himself up for success. He fondly remembers getting to class early just to connect with MC faculty, staff and students. Bolin talked a lot about how these interactions and friendships helped him excel in school.
“I did not know much about cars when I started,” he said. “I have to admit that at first I didn’t really understand what we were doing, but I got involved. I stayed after class …….