FORT WORTH, Texas — GE Aerospace employees joined Tarrant County College students Monday for a hands-on community service endeavor benefiting the Trinity River campus food pantry.
As part of GE Aerospace’s annual conference, held this year in Fort Worth, approximately 50 employees partnered with the students to design and construct three large structures made entirely from canned food. Working with the Tarrant County Food Bank, the collaborative builds were highlighted on the Trinity River Campus before being distributed to TCC-affiliated food pantries serving students across the district.
This is the first time GE Aerospace employees have worked directly with a GE Aerospace Foundation Grant awardee on a community partnership. The event highlights the company’s commitment to educational investment and community engagement.
“Today’s project reflects the very best of what partnerships can accomplish,” said TCC Northwest President Zarina Blankenbaker. “We’re here to address a real and pressing need — food insecurity — through collaboration with the Tarrant Area Food Bank. This is service with purpose.”
The activity blended engineering, design, creativity, teamwork and problem-solving — the same competencies students are developing every day in TCC classrooms, labs and learning spaces, Dr. Blankenbaker said.
The three structures — a space shuttle, cowboy boot and cowboy hat, and a castle — were displayed in the campus’ Main Street Showcase Space, Riverfront Café and Trinity River Rotunda, offering an opportunity to view the designs and learn more about food insecurity and community involvement in Tarrant County.
The service project reflects a growing partnership between the GE Aerospace Foundation and TCC. In 2025 the foundation awarded TCC a $250,000 workforce grant to support the Aviation Maintenance Technology program at TCC Northwest.
GE Aerospace sponsored this week’s event, underscoring the company’s continued investment in student success and community impact. “This investment in TCC’s Aviation Maintenance Technology program is already making a difference — strengthening training capacity, supporting industry-aligned equipment and ensuring that our students are prepared to meet the high standards of today’s aviation workforce,” Dr. Blankenbaker said. “That kind of partnership sends a powerful message: that education and industry are strongest when they move forward together.”
Students from across the College were invited to participate, including student leaders, Student Government Association officers, art students and engineering majors.
Tarrant County College is one of the nation’s largest higher education institutions and boasts the second lowest tuition of Texas’ top 10 community colleges. A comprehensive college with six campuses and online classes, TCC offers a range of opportunities for learners of all ages and backgrounds.