Texas A&M University-Texarkana Convocation - Fall/Winter 2016-17

T E X A S

A & M

U N I V E R S I T Y- T E X A R K A N A

TM

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for Life

EAGLES

A&M-TEX ARKANA

CONVOCATION CONVOCATION [kon-vuh-kay-shuh n]

(noun)

Ceremonial assembly of members of a college or university; A collective group of Eagles President Dr. Emily Fourmy Cutrer Chief of Staff to the President Vicki Melde Huckabee Associate Vice President for University Advancement LeAnne Wright Director of Alumni Relations Mark Missildine Director of Communications Carol Langston Director of Marketing Stacy Glover Graphic Designer Lindsey Clark Development Officer Courtney Boeckmann Administrative Assistant Shannon Gustafson Contributors Carol Langston Lindsey Clark Stacy Glover Marina Garza Dr. Thomas Cutrer The Convocation is published by the Office of University Advancement for Texas A&M University-Texarkana. Address changes, inquiries and contributions may be directed to Carol Langston at 7101 University Avenue, Texarkana, Texas 75503, Office of Communications@tamut.edu, (903) 334-6628.

Copyright ©2017 by Texas A&M University-Texarkana. All rights reserved. No part of this periodical may be reproduced without the written permission of Texas A&M UniversityTexarkana.

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THE CONVOC AT I O N

FROM THE PRESIDENT During the winter break, millions of people from around the world tuned in to the Southwest Florida Eagle Cam live feed to witness the hatching of Harriet and M15’s little eaglet, E9, on New Year’s Eve. Here at Texas A&M University-Texarkana, the beginning of a new semester creates that same type of anticipation as we welcome returning and new Eagles to campus.

It is indeed my pleasure to bring you the fall/winter 2016-17 issue of The Convocation, our magazine for alumni, friends, faculty, staff, and students of Texas A&M University-Texarkana.

As a member of a world-class university system, A&M-Texarkana provides our students with the prestige of a Texas A&M University degree earned on a campus well-recognized by students, faculty, and staff as the “Eagle family,” and by others in the higher education realm as a true “community of learners” – a community that includes you as a friend of A&M-Texarkana.

Throughout this issue of The Convocation, we will highlight examples of students, faculty, and alumni who truly represent our Eagle spirit and Eagle pride. You will read stories about wonderful opportunities to engage with the university through our faculty-led Program for Learning and Community Engagement, Student Life events, and other activities designed to create a community of learners and “Eagles for Life.”

While we have experienced many milestones recently, including affirmation of accreditation with the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, there are many more new and exciting things to come.

Thank you for being a part of our Eagle family and the A&M-Texarkana community of learners, and thank you for your commitment to joining us as we anticipate another wonderful year.

Sincerely,

Emily Cutrer, President Texas A&M University-Texarkana

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IN THIS ISSUE

CONTENTS Academic Excellence • • •

Pages

6 Extended Education and Community Development Executive Director Creates Synergy on Campus and in Community 7 A&M-Texarkana Receives Reaffirmation of Accreditation New International Studies Office Offers Students 9 a World’s-eye View

Student Features •

•

Greek Life - Fraternity Brothers Turn Hobby into Small Business Student Life: The Heartbeat of the University - Hatch Camp - Freshman Convocation - “Best Week Ever” Welcome Week - 2016 Homecoming Week - Trunk or Treat - Eagle Wonderland

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• •

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Professor Takes on Leadership Role in Texas Mental Health Counselors Association New Dean of College of Education and Liberal Arts Brings Energy, Enthusiasm to Position Professors in Print: New Books by A&MTexarkana Faculty - Professor Pens New Book for

Professional Counselors and

Counselor Educators - Professor Releases Book on

Medieval Warrior Clergy

THE CONVOC AT I O N

•

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New Softball Coach Brings Experience, Winning Record to A&M-Texarkana

Happening at A&M-Texarkana •

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Happening at A&M-Texarkana 22 - Groundbreaking Ceremony - Women for A&M-Texarkana Gourmet Brunch - Women for A&M-Texarkana Gourmet Dinner - 20 Years with the A&M System 2016 Eagle Roundup: A Community 24 Celebration of Distinguished Alumni and Faculty - Honorees

Alumni Features

Faculty Features •

Eagles Athletics

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•

•

Educating the Educators 26 - James Henry Russell, Texarkana College - Edward Lamb and Jennifer Bailey, 28 University of Arkansas Hope-

Texarkana New Graduate Ventures to Mongolia with 30 Peace Corps

Alumni News • • • •

Genie Clem Toney Favors Rrepresentative Gary and Pamela VanDeaver Scott Nivin

Honor Roll: Donor List

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A&M-TEXARKANA ALUMNUS AND PEACE CORPS VOLUNTEER, LAKE PHILPOT

ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE

Extended Education and Community Development

Executive Director Creates Synergy on Campus and in Community If you spend 10 minutes in Shelley Caraway’s office you’ll likely hear the phone ring half a dozen times.

The new executive director of Extended Education and Community Development at Texas A&M University-Texarkana has hit the ground running since joining the university last summer, creating partnerships with business and industry and developing a curriculum of non-credit courses and customized programs for professional development and personal growth.

Caraway brings a wealth of knowledge and vision to this new position at A&M-Texarkana. She is an education pioneer in thought and practice. A native of east Texas, she grew up in Kilgore, attended Kilgore College, and earned both her Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts degrees from the University of Texas at Tyler. She completed Higher Education Leadership coursework at the University of Alabama.

After a successful entrepreneurial career, Caraway chose to give back when asked to adjunct at Kilgore College. Shortly thereafter, she accepted a position with the Workforce and Continuing Education department at Panola College, applying her business acumen to growing programs at Panola College’s multiple off-site locations.

She coordinated and wrote grants, interacted with community and various state agencies regionally, recruited students, and supervised classroom activities.

Due to her interest in improving workforce development and increasing participation in post-secondary education, Caraway joined the Student Services team at Tyler Junior College to develop a retention program for at-risk students. Participating in P-16 discussions regionally and statewide, she returned to the PanolaHarrison County area and taught at both Panola College and Texas State Technical College, strengthening their partnerships with independent school districts and charter schools.

Ripe for administrative challenges, Caraway accepted a position as Tyler Junior College’s interim Dean of Arts and Sciences, managing record-breaking enrollment. Looking for ways to level the playing field for all high schools in the state, Caraway’s team developed and taught seven of the original Texas Virtual High School Network dual credit courses during 6

THE CONVOC AT I O N

that time. She also participated in Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board committees, developing the mechanical engineering pathways and redesigning the freshman composition curriculum.

Caraway later took the helm as dean of the newly formed Engineering, Math, Education, and Student Success division at Lone Star College-Kingwood. Charged with developing a pre-engineering curriculum and developing partnerships with universities, she also led one of the nine co-development teams as a partner to The Charles A. Dana Center’s New Mathways Project.

Passionate about working with students to increase success, Caraway returned to the classroom in fall 2015 to teach communication courses. She also continued her work with The Dana Center coaching campuses as they developed curriculum and pathways.

Now at A&M-Texarkana, Caraway describes her role as a facilitator of learning.

“It’s all about creating pathways to careers. We will determine what the industry needs are and how to fill those gaps,” she said. “The vision for Extended Education and Community Development at A&M-Texarkana is to provide regional residents access to programming and knowledge needed for employment advancement. As a comprehensive regional university we recognize that our students need to be supported educationally beyond the bachelor and master degree tracks. Many employers require degrees but encourage employees to increase their knowledge through the attainment of certifications.”

Examples of the type of programming offered might include Project Management Professional, Certified Financial Planner and Certified Fund Raising Executive. Other sectors of business require industry specific certifications rather than academic degrees such as the Paralegal Certificate Course, Ophthalmic Assistant/Optician training program, and Certified Occupational Safety Specialist.

Caraway worked with Dr. Nick McColley of Texarkana Eye Associates to develop a 15-week Ophthalmic Assistant/ Optician training course that will equip students with the

necessary skills to perform ophthalmic procedures in the office of an ophthalmologist or optometrist. The course consists of 60 hours of classroom and 20 hours of lab training completed at a Texarkana Eye Associates facility. It’s the only program of its kind in Texarkana with the closest other program being in Tyler, Texas.

“This type of course is a win-win for employers and for students,” Caraway said. “It keeps them from having to send employees out of the area for training, and it creates career pathways for students who are interested in a particular field or industry.”

In the past six months, Caraway has become involved with the Texarkana USA Chamber of Commerce, the Small Business Development Center and a number of regional, state and international organizations.

“I’ve been working with an international company to develop a training program for its workforce that certifies teachers of English,” Caraway said. “It’s exciting to be bringing that type of global program to Texarkana. Technology really expands the types of opportunities we can offer our businesses and industries through online and blended courses and programs.”

Caraway is also working with the Texas A&M University System to bring some of the system’s training opportunities to

Texarkana.

“It’s so exciting to be a part of a system that has a wide array of educational resources. This provides us with a lot of flexibility and the ability to respond rapidly to employer and student needs.”

Caraway says she looks forward to what the future holds for the Office of Extended Education and Community Development.

“Having moved here from Houston, I’ve enjoyed being a part of a more intimate community and getting to know people in the area. There is a lot of local flavor here, and it’s easy to get around and to explore the region.”

Aviation buffs, Caraway and her husband Jerry are currently building an experimental aircraft. She is also a third-generation pilot and holds a commercial rating in hot air balloons.

Spending time with family and friends is high on her list these days. She admits she cannot pass up a chance to walk through a garden center and is a bona-fide “horticulture junkie,” as her husband affectionately puts it.

The Caraways have three children, seven grandchildren, and an extended family of nieces and nephews.

For more information about the Office of Extended Education and Community Development at A&M-Texarkana, contact Shelley Caraway at Shelley.Caraway@tamut.edu.

A&M-Texarkana Receives Reaffirmation of Accreditation The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges Board of Trustees voted in December to reaffirm the accreditation of Texas A&M University-Texarkana for 10 years, the maximum length of time an institution can receive reaffirmation of accreditation.

“A&M-Texarkana received the best possible reaffirmation, with no recommendations for additional reports,” said Dr. Emily Cutrer, President. “Being unconditionally reaffirmed by SACSCOC demonstrates the success and integrity of our university in delivering high quality teaching, research and service programs to our students and institutional stakeholders. With this announcement, we continue to celebrate our success in achieving our mission of academic excellence, student success and community leadership.”

Reaffirmation with SACSCOC is a long, detailed process that takes several years. Reaffirmation includes completion of a self-study, review by SACSCOC peer evaluators, and finally reaffirmation by the SACSCOC Board of Trustees. SACSCOC

evaluators carefully reviewed the entire campus from academic programs, student life and student success to library and learning services, facilities, resources and governance.

“I want to thank Dr. Nancy Jordan, Associate Provost, for her outstanding leadership during the reaffirmation process, and our entire faculty and staff for their dedication and hard work in making reaffirmation a reality,” Dr. Cutrer said. “I also want to thank Dr. Tom Jordan and members of the Quality Enhancement Plan Committee, who provided leadership in developing our QEP – ‘Connect 360: The Eagle Experience.’ We will continue to implement our QEP in the coming years, with a focus on experiential-centered student learning.”

Dr. Nancy Jordan said, “Our SACSCOC reaffirmation process was truly a team effort bringing faculty, staff, students and community partners together to pursue best practices not only in academics but in all areas of our work.

It is rewarding to see the quality of our university recognized by SACSCOC. Many

thanks go to everyone who contributed to our successful reaffirmation.”

The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges is the regional body for the accreditation of degree-granting higher education institutions in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia and in Latin America for those institutions of higher education that award associate, baccalaureate, master’s or doctoral degrees.

To gain or maintain accreditation with the COC, an institution must comply with the standards contained in the SACS Principles of Accreditation: Foundations for Quality Enhancement and with the policies and procedures of the COC.

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ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE

New International Studies Office Offers Students a World’s-eye View From her office on the fourth floor of the University Center, Jennifer Felps can see the world -- figuratively, of course.

As the director of the new Office of International Studies at Texas A&M University-Texarkana, Felps has her sights set on bringing the world to Texarkana — and A&M-Texarkana to the world.

“Our International Studies program is all about expanding the global mindset here at A&M-Texarkana,” Felps explained.

“Our program has three components. We work with Enrollment Services to assist with global recruitment and services for international students. We also partner with our faculty to develop and organize study-abroad programs to help A&M-Texarkana students develop an understanding of the global community. And we work with Dr. Luz Mary Rincon and our faculty to provide cultural experiences for students in our Intensive English Program.”

For the purposes of global recruitment and student services, Felps partners with Global Recruitment Specialist Edwin Lara to assist in expanding cultural opportunities for international students who are attending the university.

“We have students from Vietnam, Ecuador, Nigeria, Australia, the Netherlands, Russia and other parts of the world,” Felps said. “Our goal is to make sure the students are fully immersed in our culture as members of the Eagle family.”

In November A&M-Texarkana celebrated its first International Education Week, which is an initiative resulting from a partnership between the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Department of Education.

“We had events ranging from an international photo contest and a world trivia competition hosted by our International Student Organization to a coffee house featuring a variety of coffees and teas from throughout the world,” Felps said. “ The events were open to the public, and we were excited to have great participation by our faculty, staff, students and the greater Texarkana community.”

Felps, who graduated from the University of Arkansas with a bachelor’s degree in communication and Latin American studies, and the University of Denver with a master’s degree

in international and intercultural communication, is pursuing a doctoral degree in global educational leadership at Lamar University.

She described her new role at the university as her “dream job.”

“We want to make sure that we are leaders in the region for internationalization in higher education,” she said. “And we want to ensure that we have strong global engagement and that it’s sustainable.”

Felps said A&M-Texarkana is part of the Study Texas consortium that aims to recruit international students to Texas.

“One of my goals is to create an International Studies Advisory Board,” she said. “It’s very important for our students to experience local culture and traditions.”

Recently, 24 students from Mexico, who were on campus for a month-long intensive English program as part of the Proyecta 100,000 initiative, had an opportunity to experience a traditional Thanksgiving meal with families in Texarkana.

“An advisory board would help facilitate those kinds of opportunities for our students,” Felps said.

“International students absolutely love Texarkana, but we do have needs for public and private transportation for our students who are campus bound.”

In addition to hosting students, the International Studies office works with faculty to plan and implement study-abroad programs for A&M-Texarkana students and faculty.

“Dr. Rincon recently took eight students to Costa Rica, and Dr. Sandra Labby and Dr. Abbie Strunc are planning a faculty-led trip to Mexico this summer as part of an A&M System initiative to San Miguel,” Felps said. “We’re also planning a trip to Vietnam in the fall that we plan to develop into a reciprocal exchange.”

“We want to expand our geographic base to include other markets. It’s very exciting.”

For more information about International Studies at A&MTexarkana, contact Jennifer Felps at Jennifer.Felps@tamut.edu or (903) 334-6752.

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S T U D E N T F E AT U R E S

Fraternity Brothers Turn Hobby into Small Business Johnny Nonmacher & Zachary Ludwig

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THE CONVO CAT I O N

Two enterprising Phi Lambda Chi members at Texas A&M University-Texarkana have turned a hobby and a love for cars and motorcycles into a flourishing small business.

Bringle Lake Village roommates Johnny Nonmacher of Houston and Zachary Ludwig of Farmers Branch, Texas, met on campus in fall 2015. Both Eagle Scouts, the two became friends in the First Year Experience program.

Zach, an electrical engineering major, is a self-taught mechanic and worked in the service department of an Acura dealership previously. Johnny, a business major, also enjoyed working on cars and aspired to own his own business.

“We started out flipping motorcycles to help pay for tuition,” Johnny said. “We then had an opportunity to partner with a used auto dealership in the Dallas area. Since then, our business has really taken off.”

Johnny and Zach, along with Zach’s brother, Andrew, who attends college in Dallas and is also an Eagle Scout, formed Axcell Automotive, a limited liability corporation, in March of last year.

“We mainly focus on 1998 to 2004 model cars,” Johnny said.

“Texarkana is a good niche for us. It’s a great place to find cars that we can sell in Dallas and Houston. We search for good deals.

We clean up the cars, make necessary repairs and sell them on Craigslist or Facebook.”

“For me personally, it’s important for us to have a good, ethical company,” Zach said. “I spent a year working for Acura, which I consider to be an ethical company, and learned that people trust mechanics who have good ethics.”

Scouting has played a major role in Johnny, Zach and Andrew’s lives.

For their Eagle Scout project, Zach and Andrew worked on a trail restoration initiative and built a concrete bench and planted trees in downtown Farmers Branch to give the area a muchneeded facelift.

Johnny’s Eagle Scout project focused on building horseshoe pits for recovering vets at Camp Hope in Houston.

After graduating, Zach aspires to work for ICE in some capacity. Johnny hopes to finance his own franchise -- a restaurant, storage unit company or golf driving range.

“We’re at the point where the business is self-sufficient,” Johnny said. “Right now, we’re investing our profits back into the business.”

Zach is the student representative to the Environmental Committee at A&M-Texarkana, serves on the executive council of the Residence Hall Association, is treasurer for the Art Club, and is a representative of the Student Organizations Council.

Johnny serves as president of Phi Lambda Chi and vice president of the Student Government Association. He is a Student Ambassador and a member of the Eagle Business Club.

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S T U D E N T F E AT U R E S

STUDEN The Heartbeat of the University If what happens in the classroom is the lifeblood of the university, then what happens outside of the classroom is the heartbeat.

The Office of Student Life and Campus Activities Board (CAB) at Texas A&M University-Texarkana work collaboratively through the year to provide opportunities for students to become engaged with the campus community. And their efforts have not gone unrewarded.

Last year, Director of Student Life Celeste McNiel received the Association for the Promotion of Campus Activities National Advisor of the Year award at the 2016 APCA National Conference in Houston.

“I was so humbled when they called my name as the recipient of the National Advisor of the Year award. It was such an honor to be recognized in this way by an organization and by other professionals that I really respect and admire,” McNiel said. “I know that all of the professionals in our field give a lot of themselves to their work so it always feels good to know that your hard work is affirmed and valued. It doesn’t change how surprised and honored I was to receive this honor.”

McNiel had been named South Central Region Advisor of the Year the previous November, and she went on to compete against the best from the nation’s four other regions – Western, Mid West, Southeast and Northeast – to earn the national award.

“Celeste has worked hard to create an environment where students can have fun while learning and planning events on campus,” said Carl Grieg, Assistant Vice President of Student Affairs. “It is great to see her commitment to A&M-Texarkana students recognized on a national level, but if you ask

the students that make up CAB, their only surprise would be that it took this long for the ACPA to recognize her accomplishments.”

A&M-Texarkana Campus Activities Board student Kreagan Scott has been named Student Programmer for the South Central Region and will go on to compete for national APCA honors this spring along with the CAB, which received APCA’s South Central Campus Organization of the Year in 2015 and 2016.

McNiel is quick to give credit to the students and to her colleague, Coordinator of Student Life Michael Stephenson.

“I have thought for a long time that I had the privilege of working with some of the best students and staff around,” she said. “I’m thrilled that others are taking notice of the quality of students and programs that we put on at A&M-Texarkana. Each of these students gives us a lot of their time and energy and, frankly, without them, a lot of what we do wouldn’t even be possible.”

Hatch Camp New students at Texas A&M UniversityTexarkana were welcomed to campus this fall with the second annual Hatch Camp, a FirstYear Experience program for incoming Eagles.

Hatch Camp began with freshman movein, a welcome party, and food, games, and music for new students living in the Bringle Lake Village residence hall, and continued with interactive sessions designed to acquaint students with university expectations, a sand volleyball tournament and grill-n-chill at Bringle Lake Park West, and a freshman meet and greet on the University Center lawn.

Students also learned about the history

NT LIFE of the university and how to sing the alma mater, and heard from deans and faculty members about classroom expectations, leadership opportunities, services offered, and other important information. They also participated in Playfair: The Ultimate Icebreaker at Eagle Field, had a Humans vs. Zombies competition, and heard from motivational speaker Bobby Audley whose motivational program, “Don’t Be,” encouraged them to step outside of their comfort zones.

Best Week Ever Welcome Week

parade, and western selfie station.

Homecoming Week activities Best Week Ever, the annual fall included a spirit banner competition, welcome week at A&M-Texarkana, offered university decorating contest, Chalk the something for everyone this year, with Walk Block Party, and a pep rally on the events ranging from Party Like a Pirate lawn. The university rounded out the hosted by the John F. Moss Library, big 2016 Homecoming Week with an A&Mmoney bingo, caricature artists and a Texarkana Eagles women’s soccer 3-0 win comedy show to a bowling night, and a and a men’s soccer 2-3 loss in matches movie night. against Texas College.

Highlights included a show featuring 2015 Homecoming Queen Elizabeth magician Joseph Réohm, and Spotlight on Vargas and King Travis Garvin crowed 2016 Texarkana, which featured more than 50 Homecoming Queen Stephanie Trujillostudent organizations, banks, restaurants Freshman Convocation Mendoza and King Brian Huynh. Members and other local businesses, showcasing of the homecoming court included Tori Texas A&M University-Texarkana all that Texarkana has to offer. Bearded Leach, Molly Mangkawat, Yuliana Gonzalez, freshman celebrated time-honored Brothers Yogurt provided free frozen yogurt Alisa Robinson, Sammy Hogan, Jamauryon traditions at Freshman Convocation August to participants.

Pree, Kreagan Scott and Malik Tucker.

21 in Eagle Hall of the University Center.

The week ended with a showing of On game day, October 1, the A&MConvocation is an academic ceremony “Now You See Me 2,” a 2016 American Texarkana Alumni Association hosted the that traditionally allows newly-matriculated thriller film.

2016 Eagle Chili Fest and Tailgate Party in students to join the university community the Bringle Lake Village parking lot adjacent and begin their academic careers among 2016 Homecoming Week to Eagle Field. Winners included Make their colleagues and professors.

A&M-Texarkana celebrated its third Chili Great Again (Student Success Center), Students heard from professors Homecoming Week September 26 to first place; Red Hot Bringle Peppers and other students, as well as university October 1 with a throwback to the 1990s (University Advancement, President’s Office administrators. Students also signed and several events hosted by the A&Mand Eagle Central), second place; The the university matricula, a ceremonial Texarkana Alumni Association, Office of Cookbooks (John F. Moss Library), third parchment that contains the names of all of Student Life and Campus Activities Board place; and Bean-No 9-1-1 (University Police the students and alumni since 2010. that proved to be highlights for students, Department), People’s Choice. All proceeds Becoming part of the university alumni, faculty, staff, and the general public. benefited A&M-Texarkana Alumni community is an exciting event in Distinguished alumni and faculty were Association scholarships. a student’s life, and the role of the honored at the 2016 Eagle Roundup on Convocation is to solemnize and celebrate September 29 in Eagle Hall of the University Trunk or Treat that moment.

Center. More than 250 alumni and friends Dr. Craig Nakashian, Associate The Texas A&M University-Texarkana of the university attended the countryProfessor of History, chaired the Freshman campus was abuzz with hundreds of western-themed event, complete with a Convocation Committee and served as one trick-or-treaters October 31 for the annual homecoming bonfire, senior torchlight of the keynote speakers for the event.

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hosted by the Office of Student Life and the Campus Activities Board. The event featured a bounce house, an inflatable obstacle course, games, and candy distributed by A&MTexarkana departments, student organizations, faculty, and staff.

“We’ve been doing a community wide Trunk or Treat for 10-plus years and it continues to grow every year,” said Celeste McNiel, director of Student Life. “It’s always amazing to see the campus community come together to make this event happen. I think it is as fun for us at it is for the kids.”

Eagle Wonderland Christmas came early this year—on December 3, to be exact—for some 500 children from the community who enjoyed the first-ever Eagle Wonderland at Texas A&M University-Texarkana.

Santa and Mrs. Claus were the stars of the show, and activities included photos with Santa, a create-a-critter station, make-and-take photo ornaments, an inflatable snow globe, games, cookie decorating, and refreshments.

Sponsored by the Office of Student Life, Campus Activities Board, and various campus departments and offices, the event was deemed a huge success.

“Our students and our department were thrilled to host a family-focused holiday event on campus,” said Celeste McNiel, director of Student Life at A&M-Texarkana. “I think events like this really showcase the best in our students and the work our student organizations are doing. It was a fun-filled afternoon for all.”

WINGSPAN EVENTS Grad Fair | March 29 | UC Eagle Lounge

Women for A&M-Texarkana Spring Membership Social | April 27 | 5-6:30 p.m.

TBD “Hats and Horses: A Day at the Derby” | May 6 | 4-7 p.m.

Texarkana Country Club, Texarkana, Texas

A&M-Texarkana Ring Ceremony | May 11 | 6 p.m. | UC Eagle Hall Spring 2017 Commencement | May 13 | 10 a.m.

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THE CONVO CAT I O N

F A C U LT Y F E AT U R E S

Professor Takes on Leadership Role in Texas Mental Health Counselors Association Dr. Enobong Inyang

It’s easy to see why his students stop by his office just to let him know how their day is going.

Dr. Enobong Inyang has all of the qualities of a great counselor. He’s patient, empathetic, compassionate and a good listener. He’s also encouraging, research-oriented, selfaware, and authentic.

Later this year, the assistant professor of counseling and psychology will take on the role of president-elect of the 684-member Texas Mental Health Counselors Association, a division of the Texas Counseling Association and an affiliate of the American Mental Health Counseling Association, and begin a four-year commitment that includes two years as president and a year as past president.

Dr. Inyang worked for more than 17 years in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice providing mental health counseling services and supervising a clinical staff of 17 in the Sex Offender Rehabilitation Program.

“The program focused on reducing the potential for further deviant behavior,” said Dr. Inyang. “It’s a comprehensive treatment program that addresses motivation, psychosocial education, psychological evaluation, and sex offender treatment and relapse prevention training for the population of sex offenders residing in TDCJ.” “It’s a challenge for society. Most offenders do return to their families, and it’s very important to develop personalized treatment plans that meet the needs of individuals in terms

of their re-entry.”

While at the TDCJ and pursuing a doctoral degree at Sam Houston State University, Dr. Inyang supervised more than 40 practicum students and counseling interns.

“I really enjoyed working with the students. For almost every fact we discussed, I had a real-life example to share. I enjoyed getting students’ feedback and working with them in the classroom.”

In 2011, Dr. Inyang accepted an assistant professorship at Marshall University in West Virginia. His family grew tired of the snowy West Virginia winters, so he decided to return to Texas and accepted a position with A&M-Texarkana in 2014.

The two overarching goals of the Texas Mental Health Counselors Association are to increase public visibility of the mental health profession throughout Texas and to organize and advocate practices and policies that positively impact mentalhealth professionals. This year Dr. Inyang is serving on the TMHCA board as a senator at large.

“Dr. Teri Sartor and I are planning a trip to Austin this spring to visit with legislators about issues facing our profession,” he said. “I’ll also attend the national conference in Washington, DC. We want our legislators to not only understand the importance of mental health counseling, but to understand the importance of credentialing and education for providers.”

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F A C U LT Y F E AT U R E S

Behind the Bow Tie: New Dean of College of Education and Liberal Arts Brings Energy, Enthusiasm to Position Before most have had their morning coffee, Dr. Del Doughty has likely swum several laps in the pool, worked out in the gym, read the morning paper, and checked his email.

Along with his bow-tie collection, the new Dean of the College of Education and Liberal Arts has brought an abundance of energy and enthusiasm to the Texas A&M University-Texarkana campus.

Dr. Doughty came to A&M-Texarkana in August from Huntington University, where he served as Associate Dean of Academic Affairs and Professor of English. There, he oversaw curriculum, faculty development, and assessment and program review for over 70 traditional undergraduate, degree-completion and health science graduate programs. He also provided leadership on institutional and program accreditation, spearheaded a fundraising campaign for the university’s honors program, and developed student and faculty exchange programs with Liaocheng University and Jilin UniversityZhuhai City in China.

“Coming from a private liberal arts university, I am excited to be a part of an institution with a great brand (A&M) behind it,” Dr. Doughty said. “I really like the fact that we’re able to operate on a smaller, more personal scale at an affordable price for students.”

Dr. Doughty said the university’s mission of academic excellence, student success, and community leadership was an easy sell for him. The A&M-Texarkana faculty also made the decision an easy one.

“I have been extremely impressed with the faculty, which gives me a tremendous amount of confidence as a dean,” he said. “For being so busy in the classroom and with students, they are producing a great amount of academic work.”

Dr. Doughty says he plans to add some momentum to their efforts by helping to establish a sabbatical program and a junior faculty research grant initiative.

“Research shows that the best scholars are also the best teachers,” he said. “My role is one of advocacy. A big part of my job is keeping things up-to-date. We want to be able to attract and retain the best faculty possible. They are the heart of the institution.”

Having worked directly with students as a faculty member, Dr. Doughty said he’s also been impressed with the students at A&M-Texarkana.

“Nothing changes someone’s life for the better like a college education,” says Dr. Doughty. “My educational experiences had a tremendous impact on me, and I see a lot of similarities in our students.”

Dr. Doughty received a Bachelor of Arts in English and Master of Liberal Arts from the University of South Florida and a Doctor of Philosophy in comparative literature from Pennsylvania State University in 1995.

Since then, he has participated in seminars offered by the National Endowment 16

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for the Humanities, the Houghton Institute for the Integrative Studies, and the Council for Independent Colleges and the Center for Hellenic Studies.

A poet and a self-described “outdoorsy person,” Dr. Doughty enjoys biking, running, hiking, swimming and bird-watching. He’s also an Americana music aficionado and enjoys playing the mandolin. For fun, he built a box guitar and learned how to play it.

As a poet, Dr. Doughty has published four collections, two of which have won awards, and he has produced scholarly editions for James Joyce’s “Dubliners” and “A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man.” He has served as a juror for the Indiana Arts Commission on several occasions since 2002. In 2012, he collaborated with student programmers at Huntington University to develop “High Marks,” a software application for grading papers. The app is for sale on iTunes.

Although he has a background in liberal arts, Dr. Doughty said he is especially excited to be working with the educator preparation programs at A&M-Texarkana.

“Teachers are the best people. It may be kind of a cliché, but I never get tired of saying it,” Dr. Doughty said. “Think about the important people you need in your life. Sometimes you need a doctor; sometimes you need a lawyer -- but not very often; you need good teachers around you every day for almost 20 years of your life.”

On Tuesday nights, Dr. Doughty participates in a reading program at Nash Elementary School.

“I am very happy to be here. I look forward to becoming more involved in the community and on campus. It’s an exciting time to be a part of a growing university.”

Professor Pens New Book for Professional Counselors and Counselor Educators Dr. Teri Ann Sartor, Assistant Professor of Counseling Education at Texas A&M University-Texarkana, working with Dr. Bill McHenry, former Dean of Graduate Studies and Research, are the authors of a new book designed for professional counselors, social workers, psychologists, counselor educators and others who work with children and adolescents.

Legal and Ethical Issues in Counseling Children and Adolescents is described as “one of the first comprehensive textbooks that deals with legal and ethical issues in counseling children and adolescents.” It provides counselors and other professionals with clinical cases and accurate, up-to-date information on both ethical standards and case law.

The book is also a resource for faculty who recognize the limited scope with which other texts cover the topic and for practitioners looking to better understand the legal and ethical concerns around working with young people.

“When we began researching these topics specifically, we couldn’t find a lot of literature on ethical issues in working with children and adolescents, so we decided that we’d write it,” Dr. McHenry said.

Dr. Sartor and Dr. McHenry, along with Dr. Jim McHenry, Professor Emeritus at Edinboro University of Pennsylvania, wrote the original chapters and invited other experts to contribute to the book.

“The chapters take a comprehensive, developmental approach to legal and ethical decisionmaking when counseling children and adolescents,” Dr. Sartor said. “Each chapter topic explores accommodations important to children and adolescents.”

Dr. Sartor and Dr. McHenry will be promoting the book at conferences in the coming months. It is available on Amazon.com and from publisher Routledge, a member of the Taylor & Francis Group.

F A C U LT Y F E AT U R E S

Professors in Print: New Books by A&M-Texarkana Faculty Professor Releases Book on Medieval Warrior Clergy Dr. Craig M. Nakashian, tenured Associate Professor of History, at Texas A&M University-Texarkana, has released a new book that delves into the activities of medieval clergy in times of war.

With medieval, military and religious history scholars and enthusiasts in mind, Boydell & Brewer Publishers released Warrior Churchmen of Medieval England, 1000-1250 Theory and Reality on Dec. 15.

The book received top-billing in Boydell & Brewer’s announcement in the December 2016 issue of the English Historical Review, which is among the most prestigious academic publications on history in the world.

“Christianity has had a problematic relationship with warfare throughout its history, with the Middle Ages being no exception,” Dr. Nakashian said. “While warfare came to be accepted as a necessary activity for laymen, clerics were largely excluded from military activity. Those who participated in war risked falling foul of a number of accepted canons of the church as well as the opinions of their peers.”

Dr. Nakashian said many clerics continued to involve themselves in war - including active participation on battlefields.

His book, focusing on a number of individual English clerics between 1000 and 1250, seeks to untangle the cultural debate surrounding this military behavior. It sets its examination into a broader context, including the clerical reform movement of the 11th and 12th centuries, the development of a more comprehensive canon law, and the popularization of chivalric

ideology.

“Rather than portraying these clerics as anachronistic outliers or mere criminals, this study looks at how contemporaries understood their behavior, and I argue that there was a wide range of views - which often included praise for clerics who fought in licit causes,” Dr. Nakashian said. “The picture which emerges is that clerical violence, despite its prescriptive condemnation, was often judged by how much it advanced the interests of the observer.”

Dr. Nakashian’s interest in the topic was piqued while writing a paper in graduate school at Durham University in Durham, England, where he earned a Master of Arts in Medieval History.

His research continued at the University of Rochester while writing his doctoral dissertation.

A member of the A&M-Texarkana faculty since fall 2010, Dr. Nakashian teaches courses including Medieval Civilization, Sex, Swords and Sorcery: The Medieval World in Anglo-American Film, Augustus Caesar to Charlemagne, Crusades, Councils and King Arthur: Europe in 1215, and World Civilization I and II. His research interests include medieval England and France, religious and military culture, and chivalry and the church. He also serves as director of the University Honors program and coordinates the freshman convocation each fall.

The book is available from Amazon.com and from publisher Boydell & Brewer.

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E A G L E S AT H L E T I C S

New Softball Coach Brings Experience, Winning Record to A&M-Texarkana Marie Stone

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Texas A&M University-Texarkana has announced the addition of Marie Stone as head coach of the new Eagles softball team.

A&M-Texarkana Athletics Director Michael Galvan said the university is thrilled to have Coach Stone joining the Eagles coaching staff.

“Marie has been a head softball coach, has started a softball program, and has recruiting ties throughout Texas and the region,” Galvan said. “I believe she will be a trailblazer for our new softball program.”

Dr. Emily Cutrer, president of A&MTexarkana, said students, faculty, staff and the community are excited about the addition of softball to the Eagles intercollegiate athletics lineup.

“We are delighted to have someone with Coach Stone’s experience join the A&M-Texarkana community,” Dr. Cutrer said. “We hope the entire region will join us for what promises to be an exciting season of fastpitch softball and another exciting year of sports at the university.”

Coach Stone said she is excited to get in on the ground floor of the growing athletic program at A&M-Texarkana.

“I want to thank President Cutrer and AD Galvan for the opportunity to be the first softball coach at A&M-Texarkana. It’s very exciting to be able to build a softball program from the ground up,” Coach Stone said. “One of my goals this year is to get to know the academic community and to recruit a class of student-athletes who are successful on the field and in the classroom.”

Coach Stone comes to A&M-Texarkana from Murray State College in Tishomingo, Oklahoma, where she spent four years as the head coach of the Lady Aggies softball program.

Last season, the Lady Aggies set single-season team records for total runs scored, home runs, stolen bases, hits, and highest batting average.

Under the leadership of Coach Stone, the Lady Aggies won Regionals in each of the last three seasons. During the 2015 season, the team received numerous honors and was ranked 17th nationally by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) for team grade-point average.

Prior to joining the Murray State coaching staff, Coach Stone spent three years at Western Oregon University (NCAA, Division II). In addition to her responsibilities as recruiting coordinator and assistant softball coach, she spent five months as interim head coach.

In 2010, Coach Stone started the softball program at Our Lady of the Lake University, a member of the Red River Athletics Conference in San Antonio, Texas.

Coach Stone was honored by her peers as the Red River Athletic Conference Coach of the Year.

Coach Stone also previously served as an assistant coach at Reinhardt University (NAIA) in Atlanta, Georgia, and Hill College (NJCAA) in Hillsboro, Texas.

Coach Stone played at Texas Wesleyan University from 2004-2006, where she earned First Team AllRegion honors in 2006, Red River Conference Co-Player of the Year in 2006 and Red River Conference First Team All-Conference in 2005.

Coach Stone said she looks forward to recruiting students from the Texarkana area, as well as the four-state region and beyond.

“I plan to get the ball rolling on recruitment quickly and to identify a group of quality studentathletes who will be ready to help build a solid and successful program.”

The Eagles softball team will have its first game in spring 2018 at Bramlett Field at Spring Lake Park in Texarkana, Texas. When announced, the schedule will be available at tamuteagles.com.

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H A P P E N I N G AT A & M - T E X A R K A N A

HAPPEN Happening at A&M-Texarkana Groundbreaking Ceremony Speaker of the Texas House of Representatives Joe Straus and State Rep. Gary VanDeaver joined Texas A&M UniversityTexarkana June 7 in breaking ground for two new buildings – a student recreation and wellness center and an academic and student services building – on the A&M-Texarkana campus.

The $32 million, 58,000-square-foot building for academic and student success will house a recently expanded nursing program, business programs, academic classrooms, laboratories and support services for students.

The building will accommodate enrollment growth, particularly in science and healthaffiliated disciplines that require specialized laboratory space. The project was made possible through the approval of funding by the 84th Texas Legislature in 2015.

The $11 million, 38,000-square-foot student recreation center will be the home of the university’s new kinesiology program, a regulation-sized intercollegiate basketball/ volleyball court that will double as space for recreational and intercollegiate sports, retractable bleachers, classrooms, locker rooms, a training room for student-athletes, and offices for faculty and staff. Through a public-private partnership, Eagle Lake Development of Texarkana, Texas, is working with A&M-Texarkana on construction of the center. A&M-Texarkana is raising funds to furnish and equip the building.

Joining Speaker of the House Straus and Rep. VanDeaver in turning the soil were A&M University System Regent Judy Morgan,

A&M University System Chancellor John Sharp, A&M-Texarkana President Dr. Emily Cutrer, Mayor Bob Bruggeman of Texarkana, Texas, Mayor Ruth Penney Bell of Texarkana, Arkansas, representatives from the A&M System, business and industry leaders, alumni and other friends of the university.

“We owe a great deal of thanks to the Texas Legislature and the Texarkana community for making these new buildings possible,” said Chancellor Sharp. “With these additions, Texas A&M University-Texarkana will provide even better service to its students, teachers, researchers and community members on what will be the most beautiful campus in Northeast Texas.”

Rep. VanDeaver stressed the importance of higher education in moving the state and region forward.

“These buildings represent a brighter future for Texarkana and for the State of Texas because these buildings represent our commitment to improving educational opportunities for Texans,” Rep. VanDeaver said. “We cannot regulate our way to a better Texas. We cannot legislate our way to a better Texas. My friends, our best hope is to educate our way to a better Texas.”

Speaker of the House Straus said the building program is an investment in the future of the university and its students.

“We are breaking ground today on something that’s much more than buildings.

It’s a place where students will grow, where they will discover gifts, talents and interests they probably never knew they even had,” Rep. Straus said. “There’s no doubt this growing university is on the rise, and today we begin a

NING promising new chapter in your history.”

“These two buildings will usher in a new era of excellence for the university and are the next steps in our Eagle Evolution in support of community and economic development in the Texarkana region,” Dr. Cutrer said.

20 Years with the A&M System

State University in Commerce, Texas. Both ETSU-Commerce and ETSU-Commerce Texas A&M University-Texarkana at Texarkana joined The A&M System as celebrated its 20th anniversary as a member stand-alone institutions in September 1996. of The Texas A&M University System on For 39 years, A&M-Texarkana September 14 with barbecue, live music offered only upper-division courses for from Kristen Merlin of NBC’s “The Voice,” undergraduate programs and master’s and remarks from Student Government degree programs and shared a campus with Association President Richie Rutter-Reese, Women for A&M-Texarkana Gourmet Texarkana College, the university’s primary President Dr. Emily Cutrer of Texas A&M Brunch transfer institution.

University-Texarkana and Regent Judy In More than 100 Women for A&MMorgan of 2005, Texarkana members and friends of the the Texas A&Muniversity gathered in Eagle Hall on the A&M Texarkana Texas A&M University-Texarkana campus University received August 27 for the annual Gourmet Brunch. System. approval Celebrated Chef Shawn Cirkiel of “We from the Parkside, Backspace, Olive & June, and are excited Texas Bullfight of Austin, Texas wowed the to celebrate Legislature crowd with his culinary expertise and our 20th for approachable manner. The brunch was anniversary downward prepared by Silver Spoon of Texarkana. as a expansion. member In fall Women for A&M-Texarkana Gourmet of one of 2010, the Dinner the largest university and most The Women for A&M-Texarkana began prestigious hosted the 12th annual Gourmet Dinner accepting Dr. Tom Cutrer (right) presents two eagle prints by photographer and higher and Auction on August 27 at the Texarkana freshman A&M-Texarkana alumnus Melanie Gloster (second from right) to education Country Club. Approximately 240 guests and President Emily Cutrer in honor of the university’s 20th anniversary as a systems in member of The Texas A&M University System. The prints will be displayed enjoyed a meal prepared by Chef Shawn sophomore the nation,” at the university. Also pictured are Student Ambassadors Travis Garvin Cirkiel of Austin, Texas, a live auction, students said Dr. and Braxton Wood. music and dancing. Players from the Eagles and Cutrer. “We baseball team and A&M-Texarkana Student relocated look forward to continuing our tradition of Ambassadors served as event volunteers. to a new campus on a 375-acre tract of land academic excellence, student success and Funds raised from the Women for A&Mnear Bringle Lake, north of Texarkana. community leadership for many years to Texarkana Gourmet Brunch and Dinner Since that time, enrollment, programs come.” are used for student scholarships and other and services have increased steadily.

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H A P P E N I N G AT A & M - T E X A R K A N A

2016 Eagle Roundup: A Community Celebration of Distinguished Alumni and Faculty The Texas A&M University-Texarkana Alumni Association honored seven alumni, faculty and spirit award recipients at the 2016 Eagle Roundup: A Community Celebration of Distinguished Alumni and Faculty on Thursday, September 29, in Eagle Hall of the University Center on the A&M-Texarkana campus.

Mark Bledsoe (MSIS ‘89) of the United Way of Greater Texarkana and Jill Whittington (MSBA ‘11) of Alcoa Mill Products Texarkana served as co-chairs for the event, which was set during A&M-Texarkana’s Homecoming Week.

Distinguished alumni honorees included George Carpenter of Texarkana, Texas; Diane Green of Texarkana, Arkansas; and Chad Raney of Texarkana, Texas. Distinguished faculty recipient was Dr. James Harbin, professor of management. Kelly and Lisa Mitchell of Texarkana, Texas, were honored with the Spirit of A&M-Texarkana Award, and Pat Coker of Texarkana, Texas, was honored with the Spirit of A&M-Texarkana Pioneer Award.

Presentation of the Distinguished Alumni Awards began in 1982. The Distinguished Faculty Award was introduced in 1999.

“A&M-Texarkana has a rich tradition of honoring distinguished alumni and faculty for their accomplishments in their careers and in the community,” Bledsoe said. “We are delighted to announce these prominent recipients and invite the entire community to join us in celebrating their achievements.”

Diane Green worked in elementary education in the Texarkana Arkansas School District for 32 years and has served for two terms on the George Carpenter, a lifelong Arkansas Early Childhood Commission. resident of Texarkana, Texas, graduated She is a member of the Women for from Texas High School, Texarkana A&M-Texarkana Board of Directors, College and Texas A&M UniversityOpportunities, Inc. Foundation Board Texarkana with a Bachelor of Applied of Directors, Miller County Retired Arts and Sciences in 1980. He has Teachers Association, Arkansas Women extensive experience in customer service for Education, Arkansas Retired – from his early days working at Teachers Association, Texarkana College to his career Junior League of in banking that spans the last 15 Texarkana Sustainers, years. He currently serves as senior the May Dale Garden vice president of commercial Club and Salvation Army lending and business development and has been active with at Farmers Bank & Trust. He is Friends of the Library, the a deacon at Central Christian Wadley Guild, Circle of Church, past president of the Friends and Delta Kappa Texarkana Noon Lions Club, and Gamma. She graduated has served on Texarkana, Texas, from A&M-Texarkana Historic Landmark Preservation with a Master of Science Commission. in Education in 1991.

DISTINGUISHED ALUMNI

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DISTINGUISHED ALUMNI

SPIRIT OF A&M-TEXARKANA

Chad Raney graduated from A&M-Texarkana with a Bachelor of Business Administration in 1994 and is an entrepreneur, realtor, author, speaker and consultant. He won the 1997 Texas Entrepreneur Award, which was presented to him by then Governor George W. Bush for his medical supplies company, CareChoice. He founded Lone Star Music in 1999 and sold it in 2009. He currently lives in his hometown of Texarkana, Texas, where he works as a Realtor and team leader for Keller Williams Realty. He is active in the community, supporting efforts to revitalize downtown Texarkana.

He helped form Songwriters on the Edge of Texas, a benefit concert series to raise money for CASA of Northeast Texas.

Known affectionately as “Mom Pat,” Pat Coker and her late husband, Jack, who served on the East Texas State University Board of Regents, were instrumental in the development of what was then ETSU-Commerce at Texarkana in the early 1970s. For many years, Pat served on the A&MTexarkana Alumni Association Board of Directors and was part of a group of supporters that would help promote A&M-Texarkana in the community. From recruiting students to decorating the campus for the holidays and creating flower arrangements for commencement, Pat always made sure the university put its best foot forward in the community.

The Cokers were honored with a scholarship in their name at A&M-Texarkana in 2002.

SPIRIT OF A&M-TEXARKANA Kelly and Lisa Mitchell reside in Texarkana, Texas, where Kelly graduated from Texas A&M University-Texarkana with a Bachelor of Business Administration in 1992 and a Master of Business Administration in 1994. He is currently the president of TEXAR Federal Credit Union where he has been employed since 1986. He has served on the boards of directors of the American Red Cross, the Greater Texarkana People’s Clinic and the Caddo Area Council of Boy Scouts. He was appointed to the Texarkana Regional Arts and Humanities Board and selected to serve on the Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone Committee for the City of Texarkana, Texas. He has served as president of Harvest Texarkana and president of the Texas A&M University-Texarkana Alumni Association.

He is a 2010 recipient of the Texas A&M University-Texarkana Distinguished Alumni Award and is a member of the Texas A&M University-Texarkana Foundation Board of Directors, where he serves on the Scholarship Committee. He currently serves on the Riverbend Water Resources Board of Directors, the Greater Texarkana Chamber of Commerce Economic Development Committee, the Arkansas Hunger Relief Alliance and is an active member of the Wilbur Smith Rotary Club. Kelly and Lisa are active volunteers with the food pantry at Williams Memorial United Methodist Church, where she serves as volunteer director. Lisa serves on the Women for A&M-Texarkana board and has served as a CASA volunteer.

DISTINGUISHED FACULTY Dr. James Harbin has served on the faculty of A&M-Texarkana for 33 years. He has an exemplary record of teaching a wide range of management courses and more than 30 peer reviewed journal publications and professional conference presentations. He holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Business Administration from Arkansas State University and a Doctor of Philosophy in Business Administration from the University of Arkansas. Prior to joining the A&M-Texarkana faculty, he taught at Missouri Southern State University and the University of Arkansas.

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A L U M N I F E AT U R E S

Educating the Educators James Henry Russell

There’s no place like home for Texarkana, Texas, native James Henry Russell, who has dedicated his entire career to giving back to and helping to shape the Texarkana we know and love today.

After graduating from Texas High School in 1988, Russell attended Texas A&M University at College Station where he majored in accounting. While home during a break, he met his wife, Rosemary, who was working in the Business Office at Texarkana College.

Upon graduating from Texas A&M, Russell went to work for the Texarkana accounting firm, Thomas and Thomas CPAs, where he was responsible for the audit of the Texarkana Independent School District and found he had a penchant for educational finance and administration.

Russell went to work for the district, where he spent 17 years working his way up from Food Service Comptroller to Superintendent. He also enrolled at A&M-Texarkana, where he received a Master of Education degree and pursued his Texas principal and superintendent certifications.

“A&M-Texarkana truly opened the door to educational leadership opportunities for me,” Russell said. “I had experience with the business side of education, but I needed to find out more about what happens inside the classroom. Drs. Rosanne Stripling and Larry Sullivan were great mentors to me. You couldn’t find better people to teach educational administration.”

During his tenure at TISD, Russell also served as the 26

THE CONVO CAT I O N

Director of Purchasing and Support Operations, Assistant Superintendent for Business and Support Operations and Deputy Superintendent. As Superintendent, he worked with the TISD Board of Trustees to implement a strategic plan and managed 11 campuses that included more than 200 acres, more than 7,000 students, more than 1,000 employees, and 1.5 million square feet of facilities with an annual budget of $60 million.

He also served as a classroom teacher at Texas High School, where he taught economics for two years.

In 2011, the Texarkana College Board of Trustees appointed Russell to his current position, President, at the regional community college, which offers degrees and certificate programs for workforce entry and advancement, university transfer, and personal and professional development.

“When I accepted the position at Texarkana College, I was ready for something different. I have loved my time at TC and have assembled a wonderful team,” Russell said.

“Seeing the impact a quality education and completing a degree can have on someone’s life is the best reward.”

For many years, Russell said, Texarkana College focused on creating a higher level of educational access for this region.

“While that is still a primary focus, we are now concentrating on three overarching goals,” he said.

“First, we are focused on increasing our graduation rate,”

Russell said. “We have greatly increased the number of students reaching their completion goals because of programs like ‘Commit to Complete,’ which is focused on pathways to completion of degrees and certificates.”

Next, Russell says, he would like to see more Texarkana College students transferring to A&M-Texarkana.

“A&M-Texarkana is the best value in Texas for our graduates,” Russell said.

“We have an A&M-Texarkana recruiter on our campus, and our financial aid and admissions offices are working together to ease the transition for our students to the university. Ultimately, it would be great to have some type of joint scholarship program with the university to assist our students in completing bachelor’s degrees.”

Finally, Russell said, his third goal is to expand the Texarkana College Foundation to $10 million in assets by 2020.

“Anyone in our service area who ranks in the top 15 percent or top 10 of their class is eligible for our Presidential

Scholarship funded by the Texarkana College Foundation,” he said. “Our foundation’s philosophy is ‘work hard, get rewarded.’ Presidential Scholarship students receive up to two years at TC at no cost for tuition, fees and textbooks.”

Russell said Texarkana College has a flourishing dual-credit program, enrolling 1,700 to 1,800 high school students within a 50-mile radius of Texarkana.

“Ultimately, I would like to see our dual-credit students obtain at least 30 credits while in high school, spend a year here at Texarkana College, and then transfer to A&M-Texarkana without any debt. It’s a financial win for the students and their families.”

Russell has served on several state committees, including the Texas Education Agency Commissioner’s Cabinet of Superintendents. He is a member of a number of community and civic organizations and has been honored with the community’s Idalee Hawkins Leadership Award, the NAACP President’s Award, and has been designated a

distinguished alumnus of Texas A&M University-Texarkana.

In 2012, Russell was named as the recipient of the C.E. Palmer Award, the city’s most prestigious honor for community service exemplifying a lifetime of service to Texarkana. In addition, he has served as past chairman of the Texarkana Chamber of Commerce, the United Way of Greater Texarkana, and president of his Rotary Club.

The Russells have three children, Madeleine, who recently graduated from Texas A&M, Colleen, a freshman at Texas A&M, and Reed, a freshman at Texas High School. He is a lifetime member of Williams Memorial Methodist Church and his hobbies include hunting, gardening, and cheering for the Texas A&M Aggies.

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Edward Lamb and Jennifer Bailey, University of Arkansas Hope-Texarkana Once an Eagle, always an Eagle This time-honored Boy Scout adage also can be said of Texas A&M UniversityTexarkana alumni Jennifer Bailey and Edward Lamb.

Only now they spend their days cheering on the Iron Horses of the University of Arkansas Hope-Texarkana in their new roles as deans at the community college campus.

A graduate of Nashville High School in Arkansas, Bailey serves as Dean of the Technical and Industrial (T&I) Division. The Fulton, Arkansas, resident began her career at UofA Hope-Texarkana as an instructor in the Power Plant Technology program in 2013.

“Actually, I have to say my teaching career at UofA Hope-Texarkana chose me before I chose it,” Bailey said. “Southwestern Electric Power Company had donated $1 million to the UofA Hope-Texarkana Foundation to fund scholarships for technical and industrial programs. I was fortunate enough to receive one of the scholarships, and I graduated in 2011 with an Associate of Applied Science in Power Plant Technology. After graduating, I stopped by to pick up a letter of recommendation and was asked if I would consider teaching in the program. I’ve been there ever since.”

Bailey went on to earn a Bachelor of Science from A&M-Texarkana in 2013 and a Master of Business Administration from A&M-Texarkana in 2016.

In her role at UofA Hope-Texarkana, she is responsible for programs in Commercial and Residential Equipment Maintenance and Repair, Diesel Technology, General Technology, Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning, Industrial Electricity, Industrial Maintenance, Power Plant Technology, and Welding.

She and her husband, Martin, are the parents of Dillon, 11, Abigail, 6, and Katelynn, 4.

Lamb, Dean of the Business, Technology

A L U M N I F E AT U R E S Lamb went on to teach business classes at Arkansas Tech University at Russellville, and, in 2013, he was offered a full-time teaching assignment for the University of Charleston in West Virginia where he taught in the Master of Business Administration program.

“As a community college, we are truly there for the students at UofA Hope-Texarkana,” Lamb said. “We say we are the ‘bridge to the future’ for students in Hempstead and Miller counties. We are a bridge to a better life. The people here really care about the students.”

“Education changes people for the better,” Bailey said. “For many, it’s a way to get ahead…a way out…a future.”

Bailey and Lamb join colleague Jan Whatley, Dean of Arts and Humanities, who is also an A&M-Texarkana graduate.

TAMUT ALUMNI

The mission of the Texas A&M University-Texarkana Alumni Association is to serve as a liason between the university and the community by building relationships, financial support, and recognition for graduates, faculty, and staff now and in the future.

Bachelor of Applied Arts and Sciences in 2005 and Master of Science in Business Administration in 2007 at A&MTexarkana, where he began teaching in the College of Business. He and his wife also team taught a leadership class at the university.

Show Your Eagle Pride Mission Statement

and Education Division, stepped into higher education after a successful career in the banking industry. He now oversees programs in Accounting, Business, Early Childhood, Information Systems, Medical Office Management, Supply Chain Management, and General Education.

Originally from Scotland, Lamb has worked in most regions of the United Kingdom, Belgium, and the Netherlands as a banker and financial consultant.

After he married his wife, Jo Kahler, the couple moved to Texarkana, where Kahler worked for 12 years as the founding Dean of what was then the College of Health and Behavioral Sciences at A&M-Texarkana.

Lamb, who lives in Texarkana, continued his banking career as a manager and lender in both Arkansas and Texas. At the same time, he earned his

A&M-Texarkana Office of Alumni Relations Mark.Missildine@TAMUT.edu | 903.223.3153

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A L U M N I F E AT U R E S

A&M-Texarkana Alum is Peace Corps Volunteer Lake Philpot

Many students dream about traveling the world and experiencing new things before starting their careers.

Lake Philpot is actually doing it.

Following his graduation from Texas A&M University-Texarkana with a degree in psychology in December 2015, the Mena, Arkansas, native joined the Peace Corps.

He traveled to Mongolia last spring, where he spent the summer living with a Mongolian family near the Russian border.

After that, he and 47 other volunteers were assigned to different parts of the country.

“I somehow turned out to have a knack for teaching, so I was placed in a small city in an apartment with WiFi and a shower. Other people weren’t so lucky and they live in little yurts, called gers,” Philpot says.

“I live in a city near the Gobi Desert in southeast Mongolia, and it’s considered the cleanest and safest city in the country, so that’s definitely a plus. There’s no livestock allowed in the city, which I’ve heard is extremely progressive.”

Philpot says he’s becoming used to walking by the Buddhist monastery on his

way to work every morning.

“I live right next door to Nomin, which is like the Walmart of Mongolia. I’m still able to get wine and the occasional bottle of whiskey.”

He also had an opportunity to meet actor Steven Segall.

“I ended up randomly getting Bell’s Palsy, and I had to go on medical leave to Ulaanbaatar, the capital, for two weeks,” Philpot said.

“I didn’t have to work during this time so I went to all five days of Mongolia’s first ever wine tasting. On day three, I met Steven Segall at the bus station on my way there. He’s a really intense guy, and his wife is Mongolian so that explains why he’s

there.”

Philpot says the hardest thing about living in another country is learning names.

“Some of the teachers I work with are named Chuluntsetseg, Octyobrituya, Munkhnaren, Gerelchimeg and Puruvjev.

None of them are pronounced like they are spelled, and they always wonder why I can’t remember any names.”

Philpot will spend a total of 27 months on his volunteer assignment.

Upon returning to the U.S., he doesn’t plan on staying very long.

“My goal is to apply to an English speaking master’s programs in Europe,” Philpot said. “I haven’t decided everything I want to do with my life, but whatever I choose, I want it to include lots of travel.”

ALUMNI NEWS

GENIE CLEM

DR. SCOTT NIVEN

Genie Clem is a native Texarkana resident. Her educational career started at Texarkana College where she earned an Associate of Arts with a concentration in Behavioral Science in 1999 and continued at Texas A&M University-Texarkana where she obtained a Bachelor of General Studies with a concentration in Business Management in 2001 and a Master of Science in Business Administration in 2002. She is currently pursuing a second master’s degree in adult and higher education with an expected graduation in 2018.

Genie has been a part of the banking industry for over 16 years beginning as a teller and is presently employed with Farmers Bank & Trust as Vice President Corporate Trainer. In her professional career, she has served in several capacities from training, project management, culture development, marketing, event planning, security, and branch administration. Her passion at work is to create and develop programs to provide tools, resources, and training for others to succeed.

Married to Mason Clem, they enjoy cooking gourmet food, kayaking in the summer, and snorkeling in the Caribbean. Genie loves to travel and explore new places.

Dr. Scott Niven was named as Allen Independent School District Superintendent of Schools in November 2016 and joined the Allen ISD staff on January 2, 2017.

Dr. Niven comes to Allen from Red Oak, Texas, where he has served as superintendent of schools since 2007. He previously served as superintendent of schools with Liberty-Eylau ISD in the Texarkana area. He worked as assistant superintendent for business and support operations with Texarkana ISD for two years and director of business operations in Texarkana for four years. He also taught at Texas High School in Texarkana. Dr. Niven is a CPA and served as a senior staff accountant with Thomas & Thomas Certified Public Accountants from 19881994.

He earned his doctorate of education at Texas A&M University-Commerce in 2012 and a Master of Education at Texas A&M University-Texarkana in 2003. His undergraduate degree in business administration and accounting was earned from the University of Arkansas-Fayetteville.

ALUMNI NEWS

REPRESENTATIVE GARY AND PAMELA VANDEAVER District 1 State Rep. Gary VanDeaver and wife Pamela have been named the 2016 Texas Public Schools Ambassadors of the Year.

The couple was chosen for the title by the Friends of Texas Public Schools, a 501c(3) nonprofit grassroots organization dedicated to restoring confidence in public schools by promoting their many strengths and achievements.

The award highlights educators’ efforts in stepping up as a champion for Texas public schools to inspire other educators to take bold action in defense of the state’s public schools.

“Gary and Pamela VanDeaver have exhibited the courage and bold action we intended to recognize when we created this award,” Scott Milder, Friends cofounder said. “Both career educators, Gary and Pamela recognized the Legislature was not taking care of its public school business and made the courageous decision to step out of their public education roles and into the Legislature where they could effect desperately needed change on behalf of all 5.3 million Texas public school students.”

Gary VanDeaver was elected as state representative in 2014, and serves Bowie, Franklin, Lamar and Red River counties. Prior to his election, his 33-year span as an educator included serving as superintendent of New Boston ISD. He also earned a Doctorate of Educational Administration degree.

“The state of Texas is blessed with tens of thousands of public school educators who provide love and care on a daily basis to the millions of students in our public schools,” VanDeaver said in a statement. “These educators often sacrifice their own personal wellness, finances, and time with family to ensure that their students have the best possible educational opportunities. I have been extremely honored to serve alongside these dedicated professionals and now I am truly blessed to have the opportunity to continue to serve in the Texas legislature. At a time when our public schools are under constant attack, I am so thankful for Friends of Texas Public Schools and its continued commitment to telling the awesome stories of courage, commitment, and accomplishment in our public schools.”

Pamela VanDeaver graduated from Avery High School and earned a bachelor’s degree from Texas A&M University-Texarkana.

During her 30 years in education, she has served in Avery ISD, Clarksville ISD and Maud ISD. At each, she served as business manager/CFO, and stated in a release the importance of maintaining the fiscal health of those districts to provide necessary resources to equip teachers and staff. She is also a member of the Texas Association School Business Officials.

TONEY FAVORS Toney Favors is the Director of Admissions and Outreach Services at Texas A&M University-Texarkana. He received his Bachelor of Business Administration in Business Management and Master of Science Degree in Business Administration from A&M-Texarkana. He has 21 years of experience in higher education.

Toney serves on the Diversity Awareness Committee for Texas Independent School District, as Advisor of Radiant and Multicultural Association at A&M-Texarkana, and coordinates the Eagle Mentorship Program. This program, sponsored by Texas A&M UniversityTexarkana and the Pioneer Foundation, establishes a partnership with area high schools to identify seniors and encourage them through an engagement and college preparation program to ensure their successful transition to an institution of higher education. In addition, he served as a board member for the ACE Program at Liberty-Eylau ISD. He had the great opportunity to participate in Leadership Texarkana program thanks to A&M-Texarkana.

Toney serves as a Deacon and Treasurer at Sunset Baptist Church in Texarkana. He also serves on the Admission Standards Committee and is a member of NAACP. He promotes the fact that education is indeed a journey and not a destination; therefore, enjoy life to the fullest!” He is the proud husband of Michelle Favors and father of Brandon Favors. In his spare time he enjoys spending time with family.

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THE CONVO CAT I O N

Honor Roll

TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY-TEXARKANA THANKS OUR DONORS Reginald Abrams Cathy Adams Albert W. Loftin Trust Debbie & Chris Alkire David Allard Carolyn & Buddy Allen Julia Allen Nathan Allen Rhonda Allen Carl Anderson Lisa Anderson Anonymous Arkansas Community Foundation Dolores Arnold Bobbie Nell Atkinson Atlanta Exploration Company Penny Attaway Taylor & Bryan Aumiller Deborah Bailey Belinda Baker Brittney Baker Glenda Ballard BancorpSouth Bank of the Ozarks Becky Barlow Janet Barnes Sara Barnett LaCrecia & Dean Barry Robbin & Jamie Bass Miranda Baugh Melissa Baumgardner Keith Beason Sue & Robin Beck Norma Belonie Morgan & Brent Bennett Better Business Bureau, Inc. Bill Long Youth Memorial Tennis Foundation Billy & Ila Hinton Trust Patricia Bingham Janie Bishop Susan & Phil Bishop Keli Blagg Keely & Mark Bledsoe Danny Bockmon George Boger Tiffany Bolding Sandy & Jack Bolls Ericka Borunda Amy Bowers Mary Bradley Kathy & James Bramlett Yulin & Jerry Brewer Angela Brewster

Brian Barry, DDS Claudia & Ron Bright Rhett Bright Bringle Ridge Commercial 20, LLC Debbie & Mike Brower Cari Brown Jeff Brown Michael Brown John Browning Margaret & Charles Bruce Jackie & Bob Bruggeman Joan Brumm Jane & Scott Bruner Monica & Collins Bruner Melodie Brunt Jay Budzilowski Betty & Bob Bunch Joel Bunyard Donna Burnett Peggy & Ron Burson Toni Burton Kandie Butler Cable One Erica & Eric Cain Jennifer Cannon Karen Cannon Capshaw Green, PLLC Julia & George Carpenter Beverly Carter Joan & Jack Carter Pam & Monty Casteel Centerpoint Energy Molly & Dennis Chambers Lloyd Champion Izabela Chaplin Shanna Cheney Rachael Cherry CHRISTUS St. Michael Foundation CHRISTUS St. Michael Health System Billie & Jason Clanton Angela & Andrew Clark Lindsey & Cody Clark Stacy Clark Gail & Jimmy Cobb Jason Cobb Melanie & Greg Cockerell Linda & Stacey Cogbill Jon Cohen Kelly Coke Jane Coker Mike Coker

Coldwell Banker-Elite Alice Coleman Julie & Ronald Collins Mona & Skip Colvin Commercial National Bank Consortium of State Organizations Cara & David Cook Lucille Cook Shelia Cook Cooper Tire & Rubber Company Nina & Bill Cork Carolyn Cornelius Rorie Costigan Kathi & John Couch Mary Lou & Melvin Court Elaine & Ken Cowling Chris Cox Char & Joe Crane Caroline & Mike Craven Deanna & Brett Craytor Crestwood Management Nora Crittenden Judith & Bill Crutchfield Maggie & Geoff Culbertson Nona & Carl Culpepper Caroline & Andrew Curry Curt Green & Company, LLC Emily & Thomas Cutrer Jane & Eddie Daines Daines Insurance & Financial Services, L.L.P. Carol & John Dalby Lori Davidson Doris Davis Judy Davis Larry Davis Margaret Davis Carole Day Linda Day Mindy & Steve Day Blanca De La Fuente Jamye & Jeff DeHaan Jeannette & John Dempsey Allison & Wayne Denson Cathy Detroia Jennifer & Brett Dietze Alicia Diggs Sallie Dill Althea Dixon Jennifer & Darby Doan Domtar Industries Leah & Del Doughty Anne & Steve Douglas

Lori & Stratton Douglas Ann & Doug Drummond Sarah & Mark Duch Lesley & Adam Dukelow Karen Dukes Winnie & Donald Duncan Tanya Dunlap Annette & Winfred Dunn Norma & Fay J Durrant Mary Dwight Eagle Cutting & Supply, LLC. Chris Easley Eastside Plaza Patricia Edwards Gail & Ed Eichler Katy Elkins Kaye & Tom Ellison Stacey Epps Mary Jo Essex Estate of Eleanor Seymour Melissa Estes Sheri Estes Gwendolyn Estill E-Z Mart Stores, Inc. Farmers Bank & Trust Toney Favors Neisha Federick Betty Feir & Mike Richardson Jennifer Felps Jana & Chris Ferguson Sarahi Figueroa First Baptist Church New Boston Helen Floyd Carolyn Folse Judy & David Folsom For All Brandkind Cassidy Ford Fort Family Foundation Amy Fox Chris Franklin Sonya & David Freeze Nan & Bob Fry Michael Fuller Stephanie & Jim Fussell Galvan Logistics Abdol Ganjizadeh Jamie & Allen Garner Shannin Garrett Travis Garvin Clarice Gary Nancy Gathright Kristen & Derick Giles Susan Gleason

FA L L / W I N T E R 2 016-2017

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Barbara & Howard Glick Haley Glick Marilyn Glick Melanie Gloster Stacy & Allen Glover Cynthia Goerke Golden Star Tire Jackie & Bill Gooding Ashley Goodman Vanessa Goodspeed Tammy Graham Nicholas Graves Alexander Gray Remica & Danny Gray Laurie Gray Gray’s Jewelers Inc Ramona Green Glenn Greenwell Grier, Reeves & Lawley Garrett Griffin Glenda Griffin Guaranty Bank & Trust Bobbie & Mike Guillot Shannon Gustafson Mary Ellen & Delton Gwinn Debra & David Haak Betty Haisten Jaque Hall Betty Hankins James Harbin Rosemary & Paul Hardy Jauquita Hargus Kathy & Bill Harp Teretha Harper Jeanne & Alan Harrel Michaele Harris Monica Harrison Harry Romer Charitable Trust Kathryn Hartshorn Sue & Carlos Harvey Bettie Hastings June Hatchett Addison Hausler Sherry & Buddy Hawkins Mary Catherine & Milburn Haynes Layla & Hesham Hazin Healthcare Express Management Bobbie Heard Suzy & John Heath Becky Hejduk Carolyn Heldt Chessa Helms Cynthia Henderson Wanda Henry Mary Ann & Stephen Hensley Robert Hernandez Debbie & James Herrington Robin & David Hickerson Vickie & Ron Higgins Caleb Hill Dena & Mike Hill Corrine & Tyron Hinton Jeff Hinton

Betty & Charles Hlavinka Suzy & Victor Hlavinka Carol Hoffman Frances Holcombe Dorothy Holler Janis Holliday Holliday, Lemons & Cox, P.C. Barbara Holman Holly Holmes Whitney Holy Debbie Hopkins Horace C. Cabe Foundation Kim & Bruce Hornbuckle Dixie Horning Tamra Houston Daniell Howard Jena Howell Lisa & Bobby Howell Sonja & Bob Hubbard Vicki & Jerry Huckabee Kathy & Chuck Huffman Bryan Hughes Tommie Hughes Patricia Humphrey Thomas Hunley Tricia Hunley Nita Fran Hutcheson Jennell Ingram Wanda Ingram Beverly Irby J & A Investments, Inc. Jack and CoCo Bruner Charitable Endowment Jack B. Kelley Enterprises, Inc. Redfern James Stephanie & Royce James JCM Industries Olivia Johnson Sumer Johnson Tim Johnson Cheryl Johnston Stanley Johnston Lekia Jones Rhonda Jones Nancy Jordan William Jordan Mary Kay & Frederick E. Joyce Susan Keeney Melissa Keil Elizabeth Keinzle Kim & Korey Keith Kelley Morgan Family Foundation Josh Kennington Becky & Jeff Kessler Ernest Keylon Deborah & Lairie Kincaid Ashley & Ben King Nancy & Bill King Andi & William Kirby Cathryn Klaene Robert Kosinski Anitha & Kiran Kurichety Melvin Kusin Keith Laing

Kathryn & Terry Land Susan & Dennis Landreaux Marilyn Lane Annelle & Gary Langdon Dorothy Langdon Sara & Curt Langford Robert Langley Carol Langston Cori Larey Linda & James Larey Jack Larorko Jan & George Lavender Lindy & Richard Lawrence Sara Lawrence Tyler Lawrence Lawrence Termite & Pest Control Jason Lea Renee Lea Katherine & George Lease Lisa & Steve Ledwell Ashley & Lance Lee Connie Lee Rebecca Leighton Robert Leri Liberty Mutual Group, Inc. Stephanie Lichty Mary Jayne Locke Jennifer Lockman Loren Loftin Jordan Logan Longhorn Landscape Kristen & Hal Lower Mavour Lucy Mary Lyle Dean Lynn Janet Lyons Teresa Macon Ginger Mann Marilyn & Fred Markham Eric Marks Brooke & Todd Marshall Nancy Martin Renee’ Martin Sara Kate Martindale Bettye Mason Julee Mathena Janie & Worth Matteson Max Alley Real Estate Services, LLC Larry May Leanne & Derrick Maynard Ann & Mike Mayo Mary Ted & Gary Mayo Richard McCarthy Jon & Jim McCarty Barbara & Paul McCash Linda McClemens Lacey & Chris McCulloch Lee Ann & Buddy McCulloch Linda McDaniel Pam McDaniel LaTonya McElroy Katrina & Robert McGinnis Linda McGrane

Darrah & Jeff McGuire Sarah McIntosh Heather McKnight Tommey McLarty McLarty Ford Lindsey & Chris McMillan Celeste McNiel Becky & George McWilliams Jo & Al Melde Monica Melton Susan & John Mercy Mildred Cabe Cook Foundation Rebecca Miles Elaine Milhorn Betty Miller Dee Miller & John Greer Jennie Miller Jordan & Moody Miller Chayta Mills Deborah & Ron Mills Bette Mills-Shoptaw Chad Miot Mark Missildine Jane Mitchell Joyce Mitchell Lisa & Kelly Mitchell Patricia Mitchell Julia Mobley Margaret & Philip Mobley Brandy Moore Debra & Tom Moore Kathleen Moore Sheila & Marshall Moore Christian Moreno Regent Judy Morgan Morgan Land & Cattle Partners, Ltd. Jason Morris Patsy & Don Morriss Martha & Josh Morriss Rita & William Morriss Morgan Moses MTG Engineers & Surveyors, Inc. Kimberly Murray Jennifer Musgraves Lisa Myers Craig Nakashian Pat & Allen Nance Mary-Nell Nanney Derrell Nantze Susan Nawrocki Neeley’s Service Center Inc. Neighbor’s Emergency Center Carol & Bob Nelsen Summer & Troy Nelson Emily Newsome Thang Nguyen Nancy Nicholas Chester Nichols Jr. Dustin Nix Shannon & Bruce Nix Sharon Nolte Jonathan Nonmacher Ladera Northcross

Martha & Fred Norton Charlotte & Carl Nyman Malise & Dennis O’Banion Patti O’Bannon Leo O’Campo Lenna O’Dell Mary Ann & Steve Oden Laura Odom Brandi O’Donnell Offenhauser & Co. Suki Oneal Mary Jane & David Orr Pam & Gregg Orr Vicki & Maurice Orr June Owen Robert Owen Debbie & Larry Oxford Christy Paddock Noemi Palacios de Santos Jessica & Matt Palmer Rosana Pang Jane Pappas Marchelle Parham Christina Parker Richard Parsons Teensy & Holt Parsons Minakshi Patel Connor Patman Lois & Cary Patterson Lisa & Paul Patterson Nancy & Martin Patterson Peggy & Kirk Patton Sally & Nick Patton Kelly Payne PEO Chapter Josh Permenter Perot Theatre Management Company Michael Perri Kimberly Perry Beth & Leon Pesek Don Peterson Travis Peterson Doni & John Phillips Bennie & Joe Doss Phillips Becky & Stuart Phillips Sandra Piker Barbara & Ken Poole Cindy Porter Charlotte & David Potter Josh Potter Sara Power William Power Keri Price Joanna Pridgen & Rusty Woodard Martha & Jeff Prieskorn Qualisure Insurance & Financial Services, Inc. Carol & Peter Racheotes N. Alex Rain Nicole & Cody Raley Chad Raney Patsy & Charles Raney Lucille Rankin

Dean & Bob Ransdell Betty Rateliff Srinivas Ravipaty Karen & David Reavis Red River Federal Credit Union Red River Lumber Company Red River Oil Company, LLC Dee Reece Trish & Tim Reed Virginia Reed Phil Reynolds Whitney & Conner Ribble Kerry & Alan Ribble Jessica & Blake Rich LaWanda & John Rich Kimberly Richey Sue Richter Brenda Riley Janis Robbins Jaci Roberts Rephonnie Roberts Becky & Cliff Robertson Jane & Jerry Rochelle Marisol Rodriguez Frances Ross Pat & John Rountree Diann & Billy Roy Nancy & Tom Sadowski Pauline Sampson Vicky & Michael Sandefur Judy Sander Blair Sanders Elaine Sanders Julie & Leon Sanderson Rosie Sanderson Emily & Ross Sarine Lucy & Randy Sarrett Eugenia Sawyer René Schmitt Megan & Trey Schroeder Amy Schulz Denise Schwartz Rachael Schwartz Dana Scott Jeraldine Scott Kreagan Scott Linda Scott Kathy & George Shackelford Corey Sharp Mendy Sharp Debora Shidemantle Arlene Shields Sandra & Rick Shingleur Bertha & Bobby Shipp Donna Shipp Michelle & Todd Shores Erma Short Stephanie& Reese Shuffield Allan Simpson Julieanne Sinha Suman Sinha Holly Skinner Judy & Mike Smith Pat & Mike Smith Susan & Carl Smith

Yolanda Smith Smith-Blair Inc. Claudia & Pete Snow Lindley Southard Beth & Jerry Sparks Laura Spencer Sports Magic Phil Spring Spry Creative, LLC Susan & Gary Stading Charlotte & Edward Stanley Gladys Stanley Veronica Starks State Bank Susan Stovall Teri Stover Joseph Strickland Vicki Stringer Rosanne Stripling & Larry Sullivan William Stuart Brenda Sutton Jo Ellen Sutton TAMUT - Faculty-Staff TAMUT Alumni Association Emily & Gabe Tarr Olivia & Leland Taylor Jennifer Teeters Marsha & Barry Telford Clara & Jamie Tengwall Chris Terry Stephanie Terry TexAmericas Center TEXAR Federal Credit Union Texarkana College Texarkana Emergency Center Texarkana Fastpitch Softball Texarkana Funeral Home Texarkana Independent School District Texarkana Soccer Association Texas Pioneer Foundation Jeanette Thomas Barrie Thomson Nikki Thomson Julie & Kelly Tidwell Junella & Greg Torrance Virginia & Chad Trammell Travis Wolff, L.L.P. Jill & Gary Treadway Truman and Anita Arnold Foundation Emilio Turcois Cindy Turner Twin City Title Cathy & Mark Van Herpen Jeannie Van Hoose Elizabeth Vargas Joyce & Bill Varner, Sr. Sandy & Bill Varner, Jr. Vasco McCoy, Jr. Foundation Tina & James Gooch Jean Voltz Pat & Tom Wagy Lila & Chesley Walker

Simmie Walker Mel & Ray Walsh Susan & Mike Ward Jane Warmack Susan & Daniel Warmack Mary & Dennis Washington Sherri Waters Wayne Garrison Trust Gail Weaver Katherine Weber Mary Katherine Weber Sara & Bob Weber Wendy’s of Texas, Inc. Lacy & David White Missy & Mike White Rose Whitmore Lillian & John Whitson Lynn & Paul Whitt Ruth Ellen & David Whitt Jill & James Whittington Wholesale Electric Supply Company, Inc. Rendi & Joshua Wiggins Wilbur Smith Rotary Club Darla Wilf Brandon Wilkins Danette Willard Betty & Doug Williams Kathy Williams Kevin Williams Susan Williams Jamie Williamson Nick Williamson Sarah Williamson Lynn Willing-Bond Clark Willis Elaine Willis Jennifer Willis Barbara Wilson William Wilson Barbara Wilson-Whitney Brenda & Rick Wisdom Wisdom Animal Clinic Melba Wood Latisea Woodberry Ruth Ann & Don Woods Jolly & Jeff Woosley Debra & Dick Wright Denise & Harrison Wright LeAnne & Tim Wright Barbara Yates FaEllen Yates Stacy Yates Cindy & Matt Young Donna Young Junie & Dennis Young Mary Ellen Young Ethel Zale

7101 University Ave. Texarkana, TX 75503 www.TAMUT.edu

THE EAGLE

Landing

Paving the way...

One brick at a time!

The Eagles have landed! The Texas A&M University-Texarkana Alumni Association is working to increase funding for scholarships!

A&M-Texarkana Alumni Association is offering alumni, students, family members, faculty, staff, and friends of the university an opportunity to sponsor an engraved brick that will be placed at The Eagle Landing walkway in front of the University Center on the Texarkana campus. Cost is $100 per brick.

For more information, contact Mark Missildine 903.223.3153 | Mark.Missildine@tamut.edu

Or Visit: tamut.edu/Alumni/Office-of-Alumni-Relations/the-eagle-landing