On August 13, the Seguin Chamber of Commerce celebrated the six outstanding individuals who have been named Guadalupe County’s Rising Stars for 2026. Among the six is TLU’s own Dr. William O’Brochta, assistant professor of political science.
O’Brochta is the Hugo and Georgia Gibson Endowed Assistant Professor and chair of political science at TLU. He is also director of Professional Development for the American Political Science Association Civic Engagement Section.
He volunteers on a weekly basis as a bicycle mechanic and is on the board of Community Cycles Seguin, and seeks to find ways of building connections between the local community and the university. O’Brochta continually demonstrates dedication to helping his students become engaged citizens and community problem-solvers, merging lessons taught in the classroom with meaningful real-world impact.
“This recognition is a testament to the effort, engagement, and partnership with so many students who collaborate with me to apply political science theories and methods to address urgent and practical challenges both on our campus and in our community” said O’Brochta. “I am grateful for the opportunity to accompany them in this part of their vocation, and I appreciate Dr. Steve Boehm, Professor of Sociology, and Dr. Germaine Walsh, Professor of Political Science, who have helped to make this work possible.”
The local excitement will continue on September 16, when the six Rising Stars will be recognized at the Seguin Chamber of Commerce Annual Banquet, and two will be named Top Rising Stars based on their professional leadership and community impact scores.
TLU sends warmest congratulations to Dr. O’Brochta, who is always a star in our book!
