PRIDE The Alumni Magazine of Texas A&M University-Commerce
A PRIDE OF CHAMPIONS
In this issue of
PRIDE Magazine is published by the Texas A&M University-Commerce Marketing Communications Department in collaboration with the Alumni Relations Department. Non-profit postage paid at College Station, Texas. PRIDE is distributed without charge to alumni, faculty and staff members, and friends of A&M-Commerce.
Marketing Communications Editor-in-Chief Scott Cason Managing Editor Russell Schneider Art Direction Jessica Norris
2
Graphic Design Boldface Studio Photographers Brittany Gryder Jason Flowers
2 REFLECTIONS ON A WINNING SEASON
Writers Gerald Deats Dr. Ray Keck Savannah Abbott Daniela Chamorro
6 TRANSFORMING NURSING EDUCATION IN NORTHEAST TEXAS
6
48 THE GOOD WORK OF JUNE AND NATHAN FINKE
Lynne Liberato Scott Cason Tim McMurray
Contributors and PRIDE Support
10 CLASS NOTES
Institutional Advancement
14 LUIS PEREZ’S PATH TO GREATNESS
Vice President for Institutional Advancement Keturi Beatty
16 BUILDING A BEST-IN-CLASS STUDENT
Associate Vice President for Institutional Advancement
ATHLETE EXPERIENCE
Wyman Williams
17 SCOTT WHEELER ’80 PLEDGES $100,000
Director of Alumni Relations Derryle Peace
TO COLLEGE OF BUSINESS
Executive Director of Alumni Engagement Sam Walker
18 DISTINGUISHED ALUMNI
Assistant Director of Alumni Events Stephanie Fiorisi
22 HONORING A LEGENDARY LION CHAMPION
14
23 INTRODUCING DR. MARK J. RUDIN 24 ON THE HEART OF A SERVANT LEADER
Membership & Communications Coordinator Rachel Mitchell Assistant to the Vice President Amy Bassham Administrative Assistant Bree Mefford Senior Director of Strategic Giving Ray Garvin Director of Development Baleigh Whitlock Director of Development Abbie Harper Executive Director of Lion Champions Fund Taylor Phelps Director of Annual and Special Programs Iris Beare Restricted Funds and Executive Events Administration Brenda Morris
22
Coordinator of Gift Processing Kim Jefferies Data Analyst/Prospect Manager Cammi Derr
23
24
Address changes, inquiries and contributions of information may be made to Alumni Relations at 903.886.5765, via e-mail to Alumni.Relations@tamuc.edu or to Texas A&M University-Commerce Alumni Relations P.O. Box 3011 Commerce, TX 75429
Dear Fellow Alumni, As your A&M-Commerce Alumni Association president, I am honored to work with the university administration, faculty and staff to represent our more than 90,000 Lion alumni living and working around the world. I embrace the challenge and the responsibility of representing your needs and diverse interests. In that vein, your alumni board and university alumni staff work diligently to advance and support university initiatives, goals and, most importantly, current students. With a growing reputation for academic and athletic excellence, A&M-Commerce invests in students, faculty and alumni while continuing to expand its course offerings, community partnerships and educational facilities. This year, we have established a goal of raising A&M-Commerce’s profile in the community, not just in Commerce, but in the thousands of communities that are your own hometowns. Every day, you each have the opportunity to represent A&M-Commerce through your participation in alumni events, current and future student outreach and peer-to-peer collaboration. We encourage you to get involved in a local Lion activity that inspires you! Thank you again for allowing me the opportunity to serve as your Alumni Association president. I’m excited about the future and what it holds for us as we partner to strengthen and grow our Alumni Association. Sincerely,
Gerald Deats President, A&M-Commerce Alumni Association
Reflections on a
e
2
PRIDE The Alumni Magazine
Fall 2018
THIS IS TEXAS AND THIS IS FOOTBALL. Several years ago, the legendary Coach Gene Stallings, then a regent of The Texas A&M University System, reminded me just how important football is in our society. The A&M System regents were about to approve a renovation of Kyle Field, budgeted at nearly half a billion dollars. At a reception in College Station, I was visiting with a group which included Coach Stallings. When asked my opinion of the renovation, I improvidently suggested that the planned expenditure seemed quite large merely to renovate, not create, a football venue. “Dr. Keck, what is your academic field?” Coach Stallings inquired. “This is not going to end well,” I thought, and I desperately regretted my remark. “Spanish literature, sir,” I replied. “Have 85,000 people ever showed up to watch you teach Spanish?” he asked. “Sir, I fully understand,” I managed to squeak out.
Fall 2018
Texas A&M University–Commerce
3
The story of how our university came to earn a national championship carries with it all the revelations and nostrums undergirding leadership programs everywhere. This stellar achievement was not a stroke of good luck or divine intervention. The Lord did not send His chariots to smite other teams’ defenses on our behalf. Rather, good decisions and unstinted effort over many years led to the greatest prize. As he began his first year heading Lion football in 2012, Coach Carthel inherited a 1-9 record for the two previous seasons. And that first year, his squad ended with a 7-5 showing, including an appearance at the Texarkana Bowl. The next three years, he led the team to Lone Star Conference championships, and in the fifth year, 2017, he led them to the national title. That first year, his beginning squad of 87 shrank to fewer than 35 by the year’s end. Only the serious remained! Good decisions, patience and unrelenting focus with eyes on the future created this astoundingly successful history. Neither the coach nor the athletic director, Tim McMurray, promised a swift ride to the
4
PRIDE The Alumni Magazine
stars. “Our goal is to the top,” Coach Carthel repeats. “This program promises best in class,” McMurray insists. Players understand; the hearty flourish. “Coach Carthel put Under Armour on my back and a championship ring on my finger,” one player commented in 2016. “Of course I’m happy!” I have been asked more than once, as fans consider our meteoric surge upward, if A&M-Commerce prizes football above all other activities. Does our investment in this program clearly outpace other DII institutions? Does our success on the field compromise academic outcomes or our essential identity as an academic institution? The answer offers the very best possible commentary on Lion athletics. This team, which earned national honors, accumulated the highest GPA of any football team in the university’s history. Garrett Blubaugh, a sophomore, won the Elite 90 award for having the highest GPA (3.97) of any student playing in the championship game. Our quarterback, Luis Perez, who this year won the highest
Fall 2018
accolade for a Division II player, the Harlon Hill Trophy, received his bachelor’s degree the day of the big game, finishing with a 3.5 GPA. Both as athletes and as students, Coach Carthel’s team is the best in program history.
“If you are coming to Commerce to play football,” Coach Carthel tells recruits, “you have picked the wrong school. We are about getting you a bachelor’s degree and pointing you toward a rich and full life. Football is just a part of that larger plan.” At A&M-Commerce, the football program strengthens, reinforces and promotes everything we at the university hope for all our students. And this program champions the highest moral and ethical standards we know. At the press conference immediately following the final game in Kansas City, Coach Carthel was asked to divulge the secret to the Lions’ stunningly effective defense. Coach Carthel answered, “Our defense depends upon one word: L-O-V-E. It sounds soft, and it isn’t.” No dream for young people could exceed that vision.
Dr. Ray M. Keck III President Emeritus
Fall 2018
Texas A&M University–Commerce
5
TRANSFORMING NURSING EDUCATION in NORTHEAST TEXAS
In a builder’s rite ceremony called a topping out, the final overhead beam in the new Nursing and Health Sciences building was set in place on April 12, 2018.
ACCORDING TO REPORTS FROM THE TEXAS BOARD OF NURSING AND THE TEXAS WORKFORCE COMMISSION, MORE THAN 40% OF QUALIFIED APPLICANTS ARE DENIED ADMISSION TO NURSING PROGRAMS EACH YEAR DUE TO LACK OF CLINICAL FACILITIES AND/OR FACULTY. WITH THIS DATA IN HAND, A&M-COMMERCE REQUESTED STATE FUNDING FOR THE NURSING AND HEALTH SCIENCES BUILDING IN 2014. The new facility, scheduled to open in Spring 2019, serves as evidence of the university’s swift response to numerous reports from organizations and groups including the Texas Department of State Health Services, the Texas Action Coalition and the Health Resources and Services Administration. All of these entities affirmed the critical need for more registered nurses in the state and the importance of finding the dedicated funding and support necessary to produce more registered nurses. Construction began in 2017, and when complete, the facility will house the Nursing Department, the Department of Health and Human Performance and the Biomedical Institute for Regenera6
PRIDE The Alumni Magazine
tive Research. It will include state-of-the-art laboratories for research, equipment for practical learning, a simulation hospital and additional classrooms to allow for expansion of current programs, including the potential development of a new Master of Science in Nursing degree. These facilities will not only enhance A&M-Commerce students’ learning experiences but also allow the university to secure partnerships with health care providers, school systems and other organizations in Northeast Texas. A&M-Commerce’s nursing program was established in 2013 and more than 100 graduates have completed the bachelor’s degree program since its inception. The family nurse practitioner master’s program was added in September 2017 with seven students in the first cohort. The program has already earned national accreditation and a 92% first-try pass rate among students taking the nursing licensure exam. The Texas Board of Nursing requires an 80% pass rate. “We emphasize judgment, critical thinking, evidence-based treatment, forward thinking and creativity,” said Dr. Barbara Tucker, Nursing Department director. “We don’t want our students to do something a certain way because that’s the way it’s always been done, but to create better ways.”
Fall 2018
“WE DON’T WANT our STUDENTS to do SOMETHING a CERTAIN WAY BECAUSE THAT’S the WAY it’s ALWAYS BEEN DONE, but to CREATE BETTER WAYS.”
The New Nursing and Health Sciences building is scheduled to open in Spring 2019.
Fall 2018
Texas A&M University–Commerce
7
The
GOOD WORK of JUNE and NATHAN FINKE
8
PRIDE The Alumni Magazine
Fall 2018
the college of education and human services
June Kirkpatrick Finke came to East Texas State University, her father’s alma mater, in the 1960s, where she was an English and history major and pledge captain for her sorority. “I enjoyed my time on campus, and that’s one of the reasons I wanted to establish a scholarship here so that students could take part in campus life instead of just spending all their time studying and working.”
“I hope that ALUMNI realize it doesn’t matter how much they give. I hope this INSPIRES them to say, ‘Sure, WE CAN do that.’” Left to right: Nathan Finke, student Rachel, and June Finke
June and her husband, Nathan, planned to establish a scholarship
had been awarded the scholarship,” Lilia said. “And then I checked
in June’s mother’s name. Once they heard about the university’s
my email on a break from clinical, and there it was: ‘Congratula-
young but promising nursing program, they set about creating a
tions!’” she laughs, still in slight disbelief. “I never thought I would
scholarship that would benefit two junior-level nursing students for
get it.”
up to three semesters with the hope that it would allow them to stay in the program and graduate. The nursing scholarship is named after June’s mother, LaNelle Ellison Kirkpatrick, who was not a nurse. Though she had her hands full raising her five kids, “she always managed to stay a step ahead of us,” June said. For June, her mother’s caring spirit reflects the nursing profession: “She nursed us through sickness, skinned knees and elbows and
Rachel, another scholarship awardee, took six months off from school last year due to financial struggles. “I thought I could make it through the semester, and then I had car trouble. I was so upset,” Rachel said. “When I heard I was getting this scholarship, I cried.” The Finkes also established a Literature & Languages endowment at A&M-Commerce in 2015. It is named after June’s father, Omer F.
broken hearts.”
Kirkpatrick.
June and Nathan Finke most recently established a nursing endow-
The Finkes advocate strongly for debt-free education and hope their
ment specifically aimed at providing direct financial assistance to students in the program who otherwise may not have the resources to complete the program. Dr. Barbara Tucker, Nursing Department director, said she was “thrilled” when she heard about the Finkes’ donation. “It will mean so much to the students,” she said. Many students attend classes, complete a huge number of clinical hours every semester and spend most of their free time studying. Most of our students are
contributions help students for years to come. “We want some of them to get to where they are financially able to support their school,” June said. “I hope that alumni realize it doesn’t matter how much they give. I hope this inspires them to say, ‘Sure, we can do that.’” The Finkes each draw inspiration from their fathers who believed so strongly in the value of education that they were willing to make sacrifices. “Both of my parents only had an eighth-grade education. My dad cleaned all the classrooms at his boarding school to pay for
putting themselves through the program, and their schedules are
his room and board,” Nathan said.
too tight to hold on- or off-campus jobs.”
When June’s father was in school, he could only afford the meals he
Lilia, one of the first two recipients of the LaNelle Ellison Kirkpat-
got on weekdays. “By Sunday afternoon he’d be kind of light-headed.
rick Endowed Scholarship, is in her third year of nursing school. She is a first-generation college student and mother to a seven-
I admire that he wanted an education so bad that he would [go through that],” June said.
month-old daughter. “I was having a rough day when I found out I Fall 2018
Texas A&M University–Commerce
9
Class Notes CRENESHA COTTON (MS ´04), principal at Ridglea Hills Elementary in Fort Worth, started her teaching career with the Dallas Independent School District. In addition to her Master of Science in Secondary and Higher Education degree from A&MCommerce, she completed a second master’s degree in 2006 at Dallas Baptist University in education administration with a certification in school counseling. “I enjoyed my journey into secondary and higher education at A&M-Commerce,” Cotton said. “I am truly blessed to be a Lion!”
W. NIM KIDD (BAAS´11) has been chief of the Texas Division of Emergency Management (TDEM) since 2010, managing the state’s emergency responses to major natural disasters. Kidd has managed 12 presidential disaster declarations during his tenure. He also serves on the FEMA National Advisory Council and is chair of the Response and Recovery Committee. His eldest son, an Army infantry sergeant deployed in Africa, recently added to the family’s Lion legacy by enrolling in his first semester at A&M-Commerce.
1960s.
.1950s. RHEBA ICENHOWER (BS ´50, MEd ´52), is an emeriti member of the Alumni Association board of directors. CHRISTOPHER (CHRIS) STEVE ADAMS, JR. (BS ´52) is a retired Air Force major general and former chief of staff with the Strategic Air Command, former associate director for Los Alamos National Laboratory and former vice president with the Andrew Corporation. He is a published author of 12 books including documentaries, histories and spy novels.
10
PRIDE The Alumni Magazine
JOHN HOWARD MCCASLAND (BA ´61, MEd ´62) works as the director of payroll and human resources at McLean Mechanical Contractors, Inc. in Dallas. He volunteers quite a bit outside of work and is starting his seventh year as a member of the A&M-Commerce alumni board. He serves as president of the Gamma Upsilon Alumni Association of Kappa Alpha Order and has just started his 19th year delivering Meals on Wheels in the Casa View area of Dallas.
female president of the Lamar County Chamber of Commerce, the first female president of NeTseO Boy Scout Council and the first female chair of CHRISTUS St. Joseph’s Health System. PAUL ROUNTREE, MD (BS ´65) currently serves as professor in the Department of Occupational and Environmental Health at the University of Texas Health Science Center in Tyler.
JO ANN PARKMAN (BS ´64) went on to have an illustrious career and register numerous firsts. She was the recipient of the first Outstanding Home Economist of ETSU award given by Dr. Wathena Temple. She was recognized as a Distinguished Alumna in 1981 and was presented the award by longtime friend and mentor, Garland Button. She was the first female manager for Texas Power & Light Company, the first Fall 2018
JUDY CASTLE SCOTT (BS ´68, MS ´77) recently retired as a director with the American Foundation for the Blind Center on Vision Loss in Dallas.
.1970s. K. MICHAEL CONAWAY (BS ´70) currently serves as chair of the U.S. House of Representatives Agriculture Committee and chair of the Intelligence Committee in the U.S. House of Representatives. ROBERT EARL EDISON (BS ´71, MS ´99) retired as the director of social studies for Dallas ISD in June 2017 after 44 years. He also spent more than 35 years in the classroom. GWENDOLYN MCMILLAN LAWE (BS ´71, MS´73) is the author of two books including her most recent work: “Taking Care of Mother: An Age of Transition.” MICKEY JOE TRUSTY (BBA ´72) retired from the financial services industry twice and is currently practicing law of counsel with the Horton & Archibald, P.C. law firm in Rockwall, Texas. He is also an adjunct business law professor at A&MCommerce. He is married to WANDA OXFORD TRUSTY (BS ´84).
Fall 2018
1972 National Championship
ROSLYN QLYCEE GOODALL (MBA ´73) retired in 2011 as associate director of community recruitment initiatives for UT Southwestern Medical Center after spending over 17 years of service in a variety of human resource management positions. OSCAR FAYE WILLIAMS (BS ´73) worked for the City of Dallas for 31 years, serving as a registered code compliance officer, supervisor and manager. She also worked for the Texas A&M Extension Service as an assistant director and adjunctsenior code trainer. ALTON LYNN BIGGS (BS ´74, MS ´79) resides in Commerce, writes textbooks for McGraw-Hill Education, and travels widely. Some of his recent destinations include Antarctica in January and France in July. DR. ISAAC WENDELL WILLIAMS JR. (BS ´74, MS ´76, EdD ´90) received three gubernatorial state appointments in the early 1990s to the State of Florida Board of Correctional Education. He also served as vice president of
educational services at Central Florida Community College (1974 – 1994), and vice president of Lone Star College Kingwood campus (1994 – 2008) and was the founding dean of the Springfield College – Houston campus. He also served as a board member with Sun Trust Banks, on the board of trustees at New Caney ISD, as chairman of the board of the East Montgomery County Texas Chamber of Commerce and Volunteer of the Year for the Greater Houston Family YMCA and for Montgomery County United Way in 2007. AUTRY BEAMON JR. (BS ´75) was was a member of the 1972 National Championship East Texas State University football team. He was a member of the team from 1970-75. He currently serves as senior marketing manager at Holcim Incorporated in Eden Prairie, Minnesota.
Texas A&M University–Commerce
11
Class Notes ROBERT V. (BUDDIE) BARNES JR. (BS ’76) serves on the A&MCommerce Athletic Council and is a member of the Lion Champions Fund National Advisory Council. He has also received the A&M-Commerce Alumni Association Gold Blazer and Distinguished Alumni awards. LYNNE LIBERATO, JD (MS ´76) was selected to head the United Way Hurricane Harvey Recovery Taskforce in Houston. MILTON DENARD WALLACE (BS ´78, MS ´79) is a retired high school principal who served for more than 30 years. He served as a middle school math teacher and assistant principal for Commerce ISD, high school principal for Union Hill ISD, assistant high school principal and high school principal for Denton ISD, and high school principal for Longview ISD.
1980s. GEORGE WILLIAM ALDRIDGE (MS ´80) retired from the U.S. Foreign Service in October 2017 after a diplomatic career of more than 27 years. He completed overseas tours in Jamaica, Denmark, Ethiopia, Belize, Morocco, Kenya, Tunisia (during the Arab Spring), Sudan and Lebanon. His State Department domestic assignments included service as a staff assistant in the Bureau of African Affairs and 12
PRIDE The Alumni Magazine
program officer for Palestinian refugees in the Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration. While on ordered departure from Tunisia, he served for several months as the Maghreb watcher in the Office of International Labor Affairs. Aldridge garnered three Superior and eight Meritorious Honor Awards during his career. Prior to joining the State Department, he served as the director of the Southwest Office of the National Association of Arab Americans (January 1986 June 1990). LARRY PITTMAN GODDARD (BS ´80, MS ´91) served as a private consultant for school districts, creating education foundations. Goddard has held a variety of other positions in his career including associate vice president for development, assistant vice president for marketing, and assistant provost for special programs. He received a number of awards during his career including the Key Communicator award given by the Texas School Public Relations Association, Employee of the Year awarded by the Commerce Rotary Club, and the A&M-Commerce Alumni Association Gold Blazer award. Goddard has also served in a variety of other roles including three terms as national governor for the National Association of Nonprofit Organizations, two terms with the OneStar Foundation via appointment of the governor of Texas and as a charter member of the A&M-Commerce Golden Leos.
STANLEY DWAYNE BREWER (BBA ´84) serves as the senior field examiner for Midcap Financial, as a member of the A&M-Commerce Alumni Association board of directors, and in 2016, he was selected Advisor of the Year (Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity) with the A&M-Commerce Interfraternity Council. JOSELECQUE (JOE) RAOUL PARSI-GRACIANI (BS ´85) is a retired Air Force master sergeant who specialized in flight control and landing gear systems. He also retired from U.S. Airways and American Airlines as a customer service supervisor and manager. He is presently a mobile equipment shop superintendent for the State of Louisiana Flood Protection Authority East and lives in Metairie, Louisiana. MICHAEL ERIC LOVE (BBA ´87) is in her 28th year as an educator. She has taught kindergarten through eighth grades using virtual/blended learning practices. JO ALLISON COCHRAN (BS´87) is in her 28th year as an educator. She has taught kindergarten through eighth grades using virtual/blended learning practices. Currently, she teaches sixth through eighth grades in the Disciplinary Alternative Education Program at Texarkana Independent School District. PAUL FEATHER (BAA´86) was recognized as an Alumni Ambassador in the 33rd Annual Alumni Ambassador Forum held in February 2016.
Fall 2018
.1990s.
From 1983 Locust Yearbook
LYDIA WALDEN (BS´84, MEd´03) is the director of academics and support services for Highland Park ISD. Three of her four children graduated from A&MCommerce, along with two daughtersin-law and one son-in-law.
RUSTY HARDEN (BBA ’90, MEd ’06) is in his 26th year in public education and currently serves as the assistant superintendent of human resources and support services for Sulphur Springs ISD. He is a current member of the A&M-Commerce Alumni Association board. Harden is married to A&M-Commerce alumna Amy Bowers Harden (BBIS ’92). They will celebrate their 25th wedding anniversary in 2018. Amy teaches sixth grade history at Sulphur Springs Middle School. The Hardens have two daughters. Taylor, 20, is a junior in the Honors College at A&M-Commerce, and Brooke, 17, is a senior at Sulphur Springs High School. KIMBERLEY WINANS (BA´94) is a financial advisor with Edward Jones in Dallas.
KRISSANDRA DENESE DEMUS (BS ´98) is a Texas real estate sales agent, senior tax specialist and an A&M-Commerce Alumni Association board member. She is a former educator and college professor.
.2000s. HOLLY KAY MULLIGAN (BS ´03, MS ´07) is the head girls’ basketball coach at Prestonwood Christian Academy and is married to John Paul Mulligan who played football at A&M-Commerce. AMANDA ANN LOWE (BS ´04, MEd ´11) is an elementary school teacher at Greenville ISD and currently serves as an A&M-Commerce Alumni Association board member. JARRED D. DAVIS (BS´07, MS´13) is executive director of human resources for the Dallas County Community College District. He also serves as a commissioner on the City of Dallas Plan Commission and on the A&MCommerce Alumni Association board of directors.
Freshman Orientation - 1983 Locust Yearbook
Fall 2018
Texas A&M University–Commerce
13
LUIS PEREZ’S PATH TO
greatness W
e sat down with the 2017 NCAA Division II Player of the Year and National Champion quarterback Luis Perez to discuss what it takes to be a champion. Luis began his college football career as a walk-on at Southwestern Junior College where he was the ninth-string quarterback on a nineman quarterback roster. What happened next is the stuff of legend. Luis Perez turned grit into greatness, and in only two seasons, won the Harlon Hill Trophy as the best player in NCAA Division II football and earned a shot at playing quarterback in the National Football League.
14
PRIDE The Alumni Magazine
Fall 2018
YOU QUIT FOOTBALL AFTER YOUR FRESHMAN YEAR OF HIGH SCHOOL. WHY? WOULD YOU DO ANYTHING DIFFERENT IF YOU COULD GO BACK IN TIME AND START OVER? I wouldn’t change a thing. All of the experiences I’ve had have made me who I am. When I quit football, it just wasn’t the right fit at the time. I was bowling competitively in California and nationally, and I think the best decision at that time was to stick to bowling.
A GREAT STUDENT ATHLETE EXPERIENCE IS BUILT AROUND ACADEMIC CHALLENGE AND CLOSE RELATIONSHIPS WITH FACULTY AND COACHES WHO INSPIRE AND PUSH YOU. WHO INSPIRED AND PUSHED YOU? Man, that list could go on forever. Judy Sackfield, the deputy athletics director for student athlete success and Coach Carthel immediately come to mind. Ms. Judy was there for me with academic planning and what I’d call “life talks.”
WHAT DID BOWLING TEACH YOU THAT MADE YOU A BETTER FOOTBALL PLAYER? The mental aspects of bowling are immense. Most people probably have no concept of how challenging the sport is in this sense. To really compete as a bowler, I have to make decisions about which of the six balls I can bring to use. Lanes are oiled, and that oil is constantly breaking down over the course of every game. I had to learn how to diagnose a lane based on how competitors are using lines, knowing each roll of a ball changes the dynamics of how the next ball will
Fall 2018
move down the lane. I think bowling helped me develop as a quarterback because in both there are so many things happening at once that require quick evaluation and adjustments. I love the mental aspects of both games. I love being in charge when I bowl - nobody to count on but me. But I also love the idea of getting 11 guys on an offensive squad to pull together and execute a scoring drive.
Luis Perez’s Career Highlights All-time leader in completions (665), passing yards (8,325) and passing touchdowns (78) •
•
25-3 record over the course of a two-year career
•
Six-time All-America selection
•
2016 Lone Star Conference Championship
•
Two NCAA Division II playoff appearances
•
2017 Harlon Hill NCAA Division II Player of the Year
•
2017 NCAA Division II National Championship
Update: Luis signed a professional contract as an undrafted free agent with the Los Angeles Rams in April 2018.
Texas A&M University–Commerce
15
Best-in-Class
Building a
Student Athlete Experience
SWEATY PALMS . . . A RACING HEART . . . ADRENALIN ENGULFING THE ENTIRE BODY. WAS THIS THE FEELING IN OUR FOOTBALL TEAM LOCKER ROOM PRIOR TO THE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME? Perhaps, but I was specifically referring to the first time I stood before a group of prospective Lion football student athletes as an athletics director in January 2016 – just four months after I began working at A&M-Commerce. I knew then, after only a few months on the job, that the program Coach Carthel was building stood on the verge of national prominence, and I wanted to deliver a championship message.
Each and every day, we strive to provide a best-in-class experience for all of our student athletes– academically, athletically and in life skill development. Book-ending that memory is the national championship press conference following our victory in Kansas City this past December 16th. Among Coach Carthel’s crown jewel remarks were the simple words, “We did it!” Yes, Coach Carthel, WE did it. That WE involves a best-in-class coaching staff, a supportive and engaged administration, a faculty that both instructs and supports our student athletes, a student body who packs Memorial Stadium and our entire alumni base and Northeast Texas region who enjoyed the magic carpet ride that was the 2017 NCAA football playoffs. 16
PRIDE The Alumni Magazine
Each and every day, we strive to provide a best-in-class experience for all of our student athletes– academically athletically, and in life skill development. We approach each of our 14 sports programs with that same passion and purpose. While football on any campus is often the “rising tide that can gather all other ships,” each of our 436 student athletes are equally and profoundly important. That mission-centric approach is what helps us produce champions – in the classroom, in competition and in life.
—Tim McMurray Director of Athletics
Fall 2018
SCOTT WHEELER ’80 PLEDGES $100,000 TO COLLEGE OF BUSINESS R. Scott Wheeler, president of Daseke, Inc., and his wife, Kathryn, recently pledged $100,000 to the Texas A&M University-Commerce Foundation for the purpose of supporting the College of Business Excellence Fund and the College of Business Finance Excellence Fund. The Wheelers’ decision to offer this gift was driven by their desire to invest in the transformative power of a great college education. According to Mr. Wheeler, “By supporting our region’s university, we are supporting ourselves. The young people, professors and administrators deserve our support because they are achieving great things and producing great graduates ready to contribute.” Dr. Shanan Gibson, dean of the College of Business, welcomed the gift, stating, “Mr. Wheeler’s investment in the College of Business is evidence that our alumni appreciate the larger scope of business education and that business executives see real value in helping create these experiences for nascent business professionals. This gift also demonstrates the passion that so many of our alumni feel for the College of Business.” Mr. Wheeler is the son of two East Texas State University professors, so his passion for his alma mater was kindled from a very young age. He graduated in 1980, majored in psychology, minored in radio/television and went on to earn his Master of Business Administration degree from Southern Methodist University’s Cox School of Business. Today, Mr. Wheeler is the president of Daseke, Inc., the largest flatbed/open deck freight logistics operator in North America, providing services in 49 U.S. States, Canada and Mexico.
Fall 2018
“THE YOUNG PEOPLE, PROFESSORS AND ADMINISTRATORS DESERVE OUR SUPPORT BECAUSE THEY ARE ACHIEVING GREAT THINGS AND PRODUCING GREAT GRADUATES READY TO CONTRIBUTE.”
—SCOTT WHEELER
Texas A&M University–Commerce
17
2018
Distinguished Alumni
JOE CAVENDER graduated from East Texas State University in 1979
SYDNA GORDON and her husband Don both came to East Texas
with a bachelor of business administration degree in marketing. Today, he is the president of Cavender’s Boot City/Western Outfitter, a retail chain based in Tyler. Since becoming president, he has modernized the company and led it into a new era of growth. The retail chain now has more than 1,800 employees and more than 70 stores in eight states, 48 of them spread across Texas. Cavender’s has been the highest-volume western wear retailer in the United States for more than 20 years.
State University. She wanted to become a teacher, and he came to play football on a scholarship. After earning her degree, she went on to teach until 1974. Sydna then decided to change careers. She was accepted to the Southern Methodist University School of Law and earned the Juris Doctor degree in 1977.
Under his leadership, the company received several honors, including recognition as Western Retailer of the Year, the Texas Family Business of the Year, and an American Express/National Federation of Retailers “Best Practices” honor. The A&M-Commerce Founders Circle has also honored Cavender.
After 21 years with the firm of Gay, McCall, Isaacks, Gordon and Roberts, P.C., she recently joined Perdue, Brandon, Fielder, Collins & Mott, LLP.
A former A&M-Commerce Foundation Board director, Joe is also an active member of the community, involved in several charities. He is the board chairman of Bullard First Baptist Church Building Foundation and a member of the Bullard ISD School Board. He is a lifetime member of the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo, and supports the Texas UIL/FFA High School Convention and the North Texas Fellowship of Christian Athletes. Joe is also proud to participate in the Cattle Baron’s Ball, an event that raises funds for the American Cancer Society.
18
PRIDE The Alumni Magazine
Sydna first worked at the Federal Reserve Bank before going into private practice. She is one of only a handful of female attorneys who have obtained ad valorem tax contracts individually.
Although she left teaching to practice law, Sydna never lost her passion for supporting public education. Her years of service as a teacher proved invaluable during her tenure as a school board member with the Garland Independent School District. She understands the challenges teachers and administrators face every day. While serving as a Garland ISD trustee, Sydna ran for and won a position as a Texas Association of School Boards trustee. She remained on the Garland ISD board for 15 years and stayed involved, maintaining her association with TASB as an “alum” and supporting her local district.
Fall 2018
IN MAY 2018, THE A&M-COMMERCE ALUMNI ASSOCIATION RECOGNIZED THE LARGEST GROUP OF DISTINGUISHED ALUMNI TO DATE. EVERY YEAR, THE UNIVERSITY COMMUNITY IS REMINDED THAT OUR GRADUATES MAKE A DIFFERENCE
HOYLE JULIAN graduated from East Texas State University in 1960 with a bachelor of science degree in mathematics, and in 1965 with a master of science degree in mathematics and physics. Hoyle has served as a member of A&M-Commerce faculty since 2000. Prior to teaching, he worked for ARCO Oil and Gas, retiring in 1992. ANN OGLESBY JULIAN is one of six siblings who graduated from ETSU. Ann married Hoyle Julian in 1961. After earning her bachelor of science degree, she taught in Texas and on Ramey Air Force Base in Puerto Rico. She then earned her master of science degree and returned to teaching in Texas. Ann returned to ETSU one more time to earn her library certification. Ann was honored in Who’s Who in Texas Educators in 1976 and Who’s Who in American Librarians in 1982. She retired from Garland ISD in 1992. Hoyle and Ann have endowed seven scholarships. Hoyle also served on the A&M-Commerce Foundation Board and currently serves on the Commerce Alumni Chapter Executive Committee. Hoyle and Ann are members of the Founders’ Circle, the Heritage Society, the Rayburn Society and the Society of 1889. There is also a science lab named in their honor in the Keith McFarland Science Building.
IN THE LIVES OF SO MANY WITHIN THE UNIVERSITY, IN THE REGION AND ACROSS THE NATION. FOLLOWING ARE PROFILES OF THIS STELLAR GROUP OF INDIVIDUALS. SEE OUR 2018 GOLD BLAZERS ON THE BACK COVER.
CARLA D. PRATT is the dean of Washburn University School of Law in Topeka, Kansas. Prior to assuming her current position, Carla served as associate dean for diversity and inclusion at Penn State University’s Dickinson School of Law, in Carlise, Pennsylvania. Carla has published in academic journals, trade journals and the popular press. Her most recent published research project explores the potential for race-neutral law school admissions. The findings in this study, published in the “Iowa Law Review,” focus on enhancing the understanding of race-neutral law school admissions factors and the ways in which they contribute to success in assembling a racially diverse student body. She served on Penn State University’s President’s Commission for LGBTQ Equity, and she was the recipient of the Philip J. McConnaughay award for outstanding achievement in diversityrelated work. Her co-authored book, “The End of the Pipeline: A Journey of Recognition for African Americans Entering the Legal Profession,” provided a roadmap for launching recruitment and retention efforts in the legal education field aimed at improving diversity in law schools and the legal profession. From 2012 to March 2018, Carla served as an associate justice for the Supreme Court of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe in Fort Yates, North Dakota.
In 2005, the Julians were honored with the Spirit of Mayo Award for their dedication and devotion to the university. Fall 2018
Texas A&M University–Commerce
19
PHILLIP RAY grew up in Campbell, Texas, and graduated from East
DR. ROSIE M. COLLINS SORRELLS began her teaching career in
Texas State University in 1987. After graduation, he earned an MBA at
Luling, Texas, where she taught elementary and high school for six
Southern Methodist University. Phillip has previously served as the director of procurement and contract administration at both the Katy ISD and at A&M-Commerce. His earlier career path included service in diverse and challenging leadership positions with E-Systems/Raytheon and at Texas Tech
years and in the Head Start Program for one year. Rosie earned the Master of Science degree in Elementary and Early Childhood Education from East Texas State University and was hired by Dallas ISD in 1969. While working there, she earned her doctorate in continuing education and administration from Texas Woman’s University.
University where he served as assistant vice president for business
Rosie retired from Dallas ISD in 1993 after which the ECE staff
affairs and as contracting officer. Phillip found his next professional
established the Dr. Sorrells Scholarship Fund at ETSU in her honor.
challenge at Texas A&M University in College Station where he served
Soon after retiring, she was elected to the Texas State Board of
as the assistant athletic director and executive director of Reed Arena.
Education in 1994 and again in 1998, representing District 13 (Dallas
He was then promoted to associate vice president for finance and
and Tarrant counties)..
university contracting officer.
Rosie has authored numerous publications, presented at local and
In his current position as vice chancellor for business affairs for The
national conferences, and served in a leadership capacity with the
Texas A&M University System, Phillip is responsible for the overall
United Way of Texas, the Texas Commission for Children & Youth,
planning, organization, operational resource allocations, assessment
the State Textbook Committee, the Texas Education Task Force on
and management of business-related functions. Additionally, he
Early Childhood Education, the Dallas ISD Superintendent’s Advisory
oversees Historically Underutilized Business initiatives, facilities
Committee, the U.S. Department of Education and the Department of
planning and construction, and aircraft operations.
Health and Human Services.
Phillip served as a member of the Campbell ISD School Board, as well
In 2010, Dallas ISD established the Rosie M. Collins Sorrells School of
as the Saint Joseph Catholic School System in Bryan, Texas, and is
Education and Social Services in her honor.
involved in a variety of other civic, community and faith-based service organizations. He is a nationally recognized speaker on topics related to finance, development and banking.
20
PRIDE The Alumni Magazine
Fall 2018
BRUCE TREGO holds an MBA degree from Southern Methodist
RONALD SCOTT WHEELER graduated from East Texas State
University and a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science from
University in 1980, double-majoring in psychology and radio/television.
Texas A&M University-Commerce.
He went on to earn his MBA from Southern Methodist University’s Cox
Bruce recently retired as Sector President for Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) Systems for the L3 Aerospace
School of Business. Scott currently serves as the President at Daseke Inc., the second
Systems segment of L3 Technologies. He also served as President
largest flatbed/open deck operator in North America, providing
of L3 Mission Integration in Greenville, Texas, and oversaw divisions
services in 49 U.S. States, Canada and Mexico.
located in Rockwall, Texas, and Tulsa, Oklahoma. Bruce began his career in the intelligence field, serving with the
Prior to Daseke, Scott served as the chief financial officer at OneSource Virtual and consulted as an independent CFO. For 13 years, Scott also
U.S. Army Security Agency as an electronic warfare specialist, later
held the position of vice president of business management with the
becoming an instructor in telemetry identification and collection. He
Beltway Companies.
has amassed more than forty years of management, engineering and field support experience in a broad spectrum of domestic and international defense programs. Bruce served as interim president of L3’s Aircraft Systems sector, and prior to that as vice president of reconnaissance programs in the ISR Systems sector. He has also served as president of L3 ComCept, a leader in networking ISR assets through machine-to-machine horizontal integration techniques.
Additionally, Scott has served on the Addison City Council for nine years and as mayor from 1999 to 2005. He was selected CFO of the Year for the Middle Market by the Dallas Business Journal in 2015. Scott currently serves on the A&M-Commerce College of Business Advisory Council and offers expert counsel to the college leadership. He also teaches as an adjunct professor with the Economics and Finance Department at A&M-Commerce. While many consider “generosity” a term that specifically relates to financial giving, Scott
Bruce was previously director of systems engineering for Raytheon
recognizes a deeper meaning in the term and is generous in offering
Aircraft Integration Systems (AIS) and spent most of his early career
his time, energy and expertise in service to his alma mater.
with Raytheon AIS and E-Systems. He has also headed the Big Safari and Special Operations Forces lines of business at the Lockheed Martin Skunk Works in Palmdale, California. Fall 2018
Scott lives in Dallas with his wife, Kathryn, and two daughters, Whitney and Kelley.
Texas A&M University–Commerce
21
Honoring a
LEGENDARY LION CHAMPION Ernest Hawkins Field, the football field at A&M-Commerce’s Memorial Stadium, was officially dedicated on November 7, 2017. The ceremony took place prior to kickoff at the Lions’ final regular season home game of the historic National Championship season.
“Ernest Hawkins represents everything right about Texas A&M University- Commerce and Lion Athletics,”
—Dr. Ray M. Keck III, President Emeritus
The Hawkins Field Legacy Campaign raised more than $362,000 in gifts and pledges over a seven-week period in the late summer and fall of 2017. The campaign also generated the two largest gifts in athletics program history. All gifts will be 100 percent invested in summer scholarships for the Lion football program and in capital improvements, including construction and maintenance of a new locker room facility. “When we discuss ‘Best in Class’, Ernest Hawkins, his wonderful family and his Lion legacy are at the front of the line,” Director of Athletics Tim McMurray said. “To see the outpouring of record philanthropic support during the initial stages of the Hawkins Legacy Campaign was truly gratifying. It sends a strong message about honoring the history, pride and tradition associated with Coach Hawkins.”
22
PRIDE The Alumni Magazine
Hawkins, who passed away in early 2018, was the Lions’ head coach from 1964-85 and is the winningest coach in the program’s history with an all-time record of 132-92-6. He led East Texas State University to the NAIA National Championship in 1972 and won four Lone Star Conference championships in 1966, 1969, 1972 and 1983, earning LSC Coach of the Year honors in each of those seasons. He was inducted into the Lion Athletics Hall of Fame in 1988 and the Lone Star Conference Hall of Honor in 2004.
Fall 2018
Introducing
DR. MARK J. RUDIN, the 13th President of Texas A&M University-Commerce On August 16, 2018, The Texas A&M University System Board of Regents formally approved the selection of Dr. Mark J. Rudin as the next president of Texas A&M University-Commerce. Dr. Rudin previously served as the vice president for research and economic development at Boise State University. He came to BSU in 2007, during a pivotal time in the university’s development, and throughout his tenure, he continued to build Boise State’s reputation as a Metropolitan Research University of Distinction. His experience, both in the private sector and as a faculty member and administrator, shaped his perspective on how research and academic programs can collectively enhance student learning and contribute to the prestige of a university.
Dr. Mark Rudin helping students during his first move-in day.
Before joining Boise State, Dr. Rudin served as an administrator at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, most recently as the interim vice president for research and graduate studies. He also held positions as UNLV’s senior associate vice president for research services, associate vice president for research services and as department chair in the Department of Health Physics. Dr. Rudin’s early career included positions with the U.S. Department of Energy, the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory and Idaho State University. Dr. Rudin and his wife, Libby, are the parents of three children, Noah, Mia and Izzy.
Fall 2018
Texas A&M University–Commerce
23
“SERVANT LEADER” WAS NOT A TERM ANYONE USED WHEN I CAME TO CAMPUS IN 1971, BUT IT EXISTED IN DEED. DR. WILLIAM “JACK” BELL DEMONSTRATED IT. —LYNNE LIBERATO
DR. OTHA SPENCER WAS ALSO A SERVANT LEADER. HIS SERVICE TO THE UNIVERSITY SPANNED 47 YEARS.
24
PRIDE The Alumni Magazine
Fall 2018
On the HEART of a
SERVANT LEADER By Lynne Liberato Dr. William “Jack” Bell and Dr. Otha Spencer taught us how to write a lead and calculate an f-stop, but we learned so much more as journalism and photography students in the early 1970s. We learned that practicing journalism called us to be public service champions.
of the hall with a demand for excellence. To him, photojournalism was instrumental to a free society.
The culture that these fine men impressed upon us endures at the university. Our professors, along with the entire A&M-Commerce family, instill in students the need to champion public service as we practice our crafts. Every issue of this magazine provides new evidence that those lessons have been well taught and well executed.
Years ago, I put down my notepad and camera to become a lawyer. Even so, the values I was taught at East Texas State University continue to influence me every day. While my professors did not teach me to practice law, they have guided my practice of law. Whether as a journalist or lawyer, the same lesson holds true— I must practice my profession to serve the public good.
While our heritage as a teachers’ college is certainly a contributing factor, I believe the culture of this college and any organization is instilled by its leaders. Everything I have read about Professor Mayo, the founder of our college, indicates that his approach was that of a servant leader long before the term was broadly used. “Servant leader” was not a term anyone used when I came to campus in 1971, but it existed in deed. Dr. Bell demonstrated it. He not only chaired the Journalism Department but also served as Commerce’s mayor for four years. Dr. Spencer demonstrated it. He surveyed the Journalism Building’s third floor from his foreboding office at the end Fall 2018
Today, we see public service champions in our teachers, our nurses, our business people, our journalists—all of our students and alumni. It is who we are.
Dr. Bell was in my thoughts last year when the United Way of Greater Houston asked me to chair its Hurricane Harvey Recovery Task Force, a position similar to the one I had taken after three earlier natural disasters. It is an opportunity for me again to lead a team that is restoring people’s lives. Like everyone else who pitched in after the storm, I found that I got much more than I gave. And that observation brings me back to A&M-Commerce. I suspect that Dr. Bell, Dr. Spencer and the many other fine teachers have a reason to champion public service. It provides a critical educational benefit by enhancing a student’s judgment. The
good judgment I acquired from public service has allowed me to give better advice to my clients, help manage my law firm and raise my sons. The ability to exercise good judgment may be the greatest of all professional skills.
THE GREATEST GIFT ETSU GAVE ME IS THE HEART OF A CHAMPION—A CHAMPION WHO KNOWS THAT SUCCESS MEANS SERVING YOUR PROFESSION, YOUR COMMUNITY AND YOUR WORLD. —LYNNE LIBERATO At ETSU, we were taught a lot of information, but how to apply it to champion the greater good is the biggest lesson I learned. P
Lynne Liberato A Houston partner at the law firm of Haynes and Boone, Lynne Liberato started as a freshman at ETSU and ultimately received her master’s in Journalism here in 1976. She has argued at the U.S. Supreme Court, been elected president of the State Bar of Texas and was the first practicing lawyer to chair the community campaign for the United Way of Greater Houston.
Texas A&M University–Commerce
25
P.O. Box 3011 Commerce, TX 75429
CHANGE SERVICE REQUESTED
Join the Conversation Online!
Follow our social media channels to find out more about innovative research, noteworthy achievements and opportunities to reconnect with the university.
TWITTER.COM/TAMUC FB.COM/TAMUC YOUTUBE.COM/LIONSMEDIA INSTAGRAM.COM/TAMUC TAMUC.EDU/LINKEDIN TAMUC.EDU/NEWS
Gold Blazers The Gold Blazer Award was first established in 1984 and is given annually to alumni for service to The Alumni Association of Texas A&M University-Commerce, Inc., and to the university. They provide both economic and social benefits which have had an overwhelming effect on the alumni association’s ability to reconnect with alumni. Gold Blazers also help the alumni association offer positive avenues for interactions with the university and student body.
VIVIAN CHAFFIN put off college, choosing instead to join the workforce. In 1980, she discovered her calling when she took a job in Printing Services at East Texas State University. While working full-time, she began a seven-year journey toward a college degree. In 1990, Chaffin graduated with honors, earning a bachelor’s degree in printing with a minor in technical writing. After 29 years of service to the university, Chaffin retired in 2009 as the printing supervisor. In addition to staff duties, she taught academic courses in typography and typesetting, which were curriculum requirements for printing majors. Chaffin is currently a member of the Silver Leos Writers Guild, a chapter of the Texas A&M University-Commerce Alumni Association,
ARLAN PURDY received his Bachelor of Business Administration degree in accounting and finance in 1967 and his MBA in 1972 from East Texas State University. For thirty years until his retirement in 1998, he held the position of a systems analyst in the university’s computer center. Purdy is a 33-year member of Commerce Masonic Lodge No. 439 and a member of the Commerce alumni chapter and more recently, the Silver Leos Writers Guild. Purdy and his wife Bobbie, both first-generation college graduates, established the Purdy Family Endowment with the help of their children. Through this endowment, it is their wish that kids of modest means like them can realize their dreams of earning a college degree.
where she has held the positions of president and vice president. 26
PRIDE The Alumni Magazine
Fall 2018