PRIDE The Alumni Magazine of Texas A&M University-Commerce Fall 2016
The Legacyof a
Leader
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 Diana Harrell Editor Staci Semrad Art Direction Gavos+Helms Design
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Graphic Designer Rick Gavos
2 THE LEGACY OF A LEADER 9 THE VALUE OF OUR EDUCATION: A RICH HISTORY 10 TRAINING TOMORROW’S HEALTH PROFESSIONALS 14 HIGHER EDUCATION LEADER MAKES IMPACT 18 BRIDGING DISTANT WORLDS 26 A CONVERSATION WITH TIM 42 GOLD BLAZERS 44 DISTINGUISHED ALUMNI
Photographers Paul Bryan Jason Flowers Taylor Mefford Brittany Gryder
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Writers Savannah Abbott Julia Gessner Mary Grace Rodriguez Staci Semrad Sara Wray
Contributors and PRIDE Support Alumni Relations Director Derryle Peace Assistant Director David Morgan Communication & Events Coordinator Rachel Mitchell
Institutional Advancement
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Interim Vice President Wyman Williams Assistant to the Vice President Amy Bassham Administrative Assistant Bree Mefford Senior Director of Development Devin Girod Associate Development Officer Ray Garvin Cheyanne Patterson
Advancement Services Director of Advancement Services Brenda Morris Coordinator of Gift Processing Kim Jefferies Coordinator of Stewardship Baleigh Whitlock Business Data Analyst Cammi Derr
Annual Programs Associate Director of Annual & Special Programs Jill Mobley
CUBA
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 Lion,
Tragic and unforeseen circumstance brought my wife, Patricia Keck, and me into this extraordinarily warm university community. The loss of former President Dan Jones has unfolded within a familial embrace, perhaps because this university is part of The Texas A&M University System. Strong and enduring relationships, forged in our common dream for education, have united the Keck and Jones families since 2003, when Dan came to Laredo to become provost of Texas A&M International University. This bond within the A&M System family makes our transition to Commerce a comforting one. All the intens e momentum Dan and his team generated, for our students and faculty, continues to strengthen our arms and fill our hearts. Writing for The New York Times on February 11th of this year, columnist Frank Bruni reminds us that the value of college and of learning have forever provoked debate. Thomas Jefferson “exalted learning for learning’s sake, while Benjamin Franklin registered disdain for people who spent too much time in lecture halls.” Ronald Reagan did not believe taxpayers should be “subsidizing intellectual curiosity.” Arizona State University President Michael Crow, in his book “Designing the New American University,” famously recommends that institutions pursue an agenda to overcome routine, standardization, and inertia. We at Texas A&M University-Commerce are especially positioned to enter and help guide this national conversation. On March 14, 2017, we will mark the 100th anniversary of East Texas Normal College becoming East Texas State Normal College. Professor William Leonidas Mayo’s determination to deliver his institution to the people of Texas became the crowning, final achievement of our visionary founder, fully realized on the day of his death. Today we root ourselves in the ideals and work of a leader without peer in the history of higher education in this state. Twenty-seven and dream-filled, Professor Mayo in his creed equips us with both outcome and strategy: “ceaseless industry, fearless investigation, unfettered thought, and unselfish service to others.” Professor Mayo tells us both how we should be and what we should do—very specific instructions for the living of these days, and a far more muscular plan than John Henry Cardinal Newman’s injunction that we “reach out towards truth, to grasp it.” In the August edition of Consumer Reports, the lead article pretends to indict us all: “I kind of ruined my life by going to college.” It implies that too much debt – incurred because an incautious young woman “clicked some buttons on the computer and [received] a huge check” – perhaps makes our entire enterprise too expensive, not worth the cost. Old E.T./A&M-Commerce empowers us to reorder those destructive doubts. A rich, 126-year-old tradition defines our spirit; an innovative, dynamic curriculum propels our students toward new life. Patricia and I are energized and deeply moved to have become a part of this warm and inclusive community. As we take up residence in Heritage House and fill those rooms with students, alumni, and faculty and staff members, we will celebrate together the unique identity made possible at A&M-Commerce. Life’s richest blessings come at the intersection of tradition and change. At A&M-Commerce, that landscape is ours. Sincerely,
Ray M. Keck, Ph.D. President
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PRIDE The Alumni Magazine
Fall 2016
The Legacyof a
Leader
Remembering President Dan Jones In the fall of 2008, Texas A&M University-Commerce welcomed a new leader: a global thinker who embraced diversity and ingenuity, who understood the value and momentum of innovation, and who inspired and mentored student, faculty, and staff alike. Dr. Dan Jones led the university to new heights and changed paradigms by sharing his vision – a vision that honored our rich history and transformed our future. Our Lion Pride lost a visionary leader, inspirational mentor, and trusted friend on April 29, 2016. He will be forever missed; but, like our founder, William Leonidas Mayo, Dr. Jones left a lasting legacy.
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remembering president dan jones
Dr. Ray Keck
Dr. Mary Hendrix
President
Vice President of Student Access and Success
Early in the spring term, 2003, Dan Jones
Dr. Dan Jones was a transformational
arrived in Laredo from the University
leader. He was an eloquent speaker
of Houston-Downtown as a candidate
who could paint a picture of his vision
for provost of Texas A&M International
with mere words. His legacy, I believe,
University. Tall and angular, with the look and dress of an
we were all immediately taken with his intelligence, the clarity and beauty of his speech, and his gentle, welcoming presence. For five years, Dan and I Oxford don,
he refocused the culture of our institution to focus on student access and success. Enrollment will center around the fact that
increased significantly, and student success metrics improved during his tenure. He had a driving passion for first-generation,
worked side by side, daily, during a time when state funding
underserved students. He often quoted Professor William
still seemed plentiful and ambitions were vaunted for university
Leonidas Mayo: “No industrious, ambitious youth shall be
life. He became especially interested in securing a mechanism
denied an education, if I can prevent it.” I have many fond
to encourage faculty research, including time away from
memories of President Jones, but the one that will forever stand
teaching to pursue clearly defined projects. In addition, he
out in my mind is at a commencement ceremony. When a
led us to the writings of John Gardner and to planning for an
student who had many obstacles to overcome (and had spent
effective first-year program.
many hours visiting with the two of us and many others across
In the fall of 2007, several A&M presidencies opened. I
campus) crossed the stage to receive her diploma, he hugged
had, almost from his arrival in Laredo, encouraged Dan to
her, turned to me, and showed a brilliant smile as he whispered,
move toward a presidency. My strong preference was that he
“She did it.”
pursue the job at A&M-Commerce, the institution I felt offered the most exciting combination of storied past and bright future. After much discussion, he concurred and applied for appointment as president of A&M-Commerce. The regents wisely agreed that Dan Jones was the best choice for Old E.T. He and Jalinna found in Commerce a home for their family and an ideal venue for professional life.
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remembering president dan jones
Alicia Currin
Linda King
Vice President Business Administration
Chief of Staff
In the past eight years, Dan Jones built
For nearly eight years I had the pleasure
a life with us that was rich in friendship
of working closely with Dr. Dan Jones.
and shared adventure. He touched
During that time, I had the privilege of
people across our community with
witnessing on a daily basis the attributes
his deep kindness and willingness to help, his humor and
of a great leader. Shortly after he arrived, he added the core
enthusiasm, and his playful charm. He was our president,
values of integrity, innovation, and imagination to our
but he was also a very normal guy.
university mission and vision; and, to me, those three words
The university thrived under his describe his legacy. He was able to inspire his employees by leadership with increased enrollment exhibiting fairness, kindness, and empathy; and he had and programs. He valued faculty and staff members the ability to make each person feel and rewarded them with a merit pool every year of his valued and instill in them a desire to presidency. He secured funding from the Legislature for a do their very best. His sense of humor and his
new Nursing and Health Sciences Building; completed two
calm demeanor were an inspiration. He was a consummate
new residence halls; added seating to Memorial Stadium;
communicator; not only was he an eloquent speaker, his
completed the Music Building; built a new softball complex
passion and extraordinary talent for writing were well known,
and added softball as a new sport; repurposed the print shop
also. I will always be thankful for the opportunity to work with
into the One Stop Shop; and repurposed a church sanctuary
Dan Jones and the lessons I learned from him. He took to heart
into the current Nursing Building.
the principles expressed by our founder, William Leonidas
His favorite word was innovation. He would want each of
Mayo, and had an unwavering belief in and love for the
us to remain committed to making this institution the best by
university and its faculty, staff, and students.
supporting innovation, program expansion, and growth. And he continues to inspire us.
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remembering president dan jones
Edward Romero
Tim McMurray
Chief Diversity Officer
Lion Athletics Director
Dr. Jones believed in diversity and inclusion, and how they must be integral to the university community and educational experience.
trusted colleague. We covered each of those topics in my interview,
The Office of Equal Opportunity and Diversity was established
and that set the foundation for our relationship. While working
within the first three years of his presidency, and by 2014 the
together for seven months, we enjoyed a number of successes and
office name was changed to the Office of Institutional Diversity
challenges. Any major decision we made was rooted in reaching
and Inclusion. A master at bringing people together, Dr. Jones
the best outcome for our students. It was a privilege and blessing to
assembled a university-wide committee with the purpose of
call him a mentor and friend, because his demeanor and genuine
developing a Strategic Plan for Diversity and Inclusion.
concern for our student-athletes placed him in rarified air.
From our very first conversation during my interview process in September 2015, I knew Dan Jones had the “IT factor” – as a leader, president, husband, father, and
With support from other administrators on campus, he led
My greatest memory without question was walking down to
the charge in supporting the Learning, Living, and Working
the field together after clinching our second consecutive Lone
Climate Survey, disseminated to all students, and faculty and
Star Conference football title in more than six decades last
staff members in spring 2016. The results of the survey will
fall. He put his arm around me and inquired, “This feels pretty
be used to improve upon the Learning, Living, and Working
good doesn’t it?” Obviously, I answered affirmatively. “Well,
environments at A&M-Commerce.
I have been here for back-to-back 1-9 seasons, so it actually feels damn good!” was his jovial response.
That is simply who Dan Jones was – a ferocious advocate for students and for Lion Pride. Indeed, it does run deep.
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remembering president dan jones
Noah Nelson Vice President for Media Relations and Community Engagement
I was constantly amazed by the eloquence of Dr. Jones and his ability to quickly organize his thoughts and say something
He understood the inspiring, clarifying, and amplifying power of language. meaningful, no matter what the occasion or audience.
With an accent that was part Texan and part Oklahoman, he could decode the complicated or elevate the ordinary. No matter what the subject, his message always came through. Dan Jones loved interacting with his students. I would often see him walking across campus, exchanging greetings with almost every student who came his way. A few years ago during a graduation ceremony, one of the grads hugged Dr. Jones and picked him up off his feet. Protocol only called for a handshake, but Dr. Jones laughed and went with the energy of the moment. Somewhere there’s a photo of that. If there isn’t, there’s an everlasting picture of it in my mind that still makes me smile.
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A Rich History the college of education and human services
The Value of Our Education:
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the college of education and human services
The dream began more than 125 years ago in the small rural town of Cooper, Texas. William Leonidas Mayo, at age 27, opened the doors of East Texas Normal College in a humble two-story frame building. His dream was to provide educational opportunities to the rural residents of the region. Professor Mayo, as he became known, believed that no industrious, ambitious youth should be denied an education if he could prevent it. He strived to cultivate an environment in which inspiration, dreams, and frustrated ambitions gave way to rich prospects. he environment he created, the college he founded, and the rich history he shaped inspired the PRIDE magazine series: The Value of Our Education. The series is divided into four issues, with each issue featuring one of the four colleges within Texas A&M UniversityCommerce. One issue in the series will also highlight the School of Agriculture. The series begins at the beginning.
The Genesis of The College of Education and Human Services Professor Mayo was committed to sharing knowledge and extending educational opportunities otherwise nonexistent to generations of deserving youth. He discovered this passion when, not yet 15, he was asked to take over as teacher on an Fall 2016
emergency basis for three months because the regular teacher was elected sheriff. Two years later, he taught school near his family’s farm in Kentucky; and for the next three years he taught whenever possible, saving money to attend secondary school and then college. These experiences instilled in him educational philosophies, including strong and optimistic leadership, personal attention to each student, and a firm commitment to the lasting value of education. The College of Education and Human Services continues the tradition of Professor Mayo and today is known to be one of the state’s top producers of teachers, school principals, superintendents, school counselors, and community college presidents. In addition, it has been recognized nationally for excellence in practice, programs, research, and service. Adding to its founding mission of developing teachers, the college also prepares social
workers, nurses, and professionals in the fields of psychology and counseling. Driven by the pursuit of excellence, the college designs outstanding programs that combine instructional engagement, responsive research, and active partnerships with external constituencies to ensure students gain the knowledge, skills, and hands-on experience needed for success in their chosen profession. With more than 125 years of creating educational opportunities for a diverse student body, the College of Education and Human Services continues to preserve Professor Mayo’s guiding principles: ceaseless industry, fearless investigation, unfettered thought, and unselfish service to others. On the following pages, PRIDE magazine showcases the people and programs within the college who are advancing these principles on a daily basis. P Texas A&M University–Commerce
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TRAINING TOMORROW’S HEALTH PROFESSIONALS A&M- Commerce to Construct New Nursing and Health Sciences Building By Staci Semrad
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ince opening its doors in 2013, the Department of Nursing at Texas A&M University-Commerce has contributed to improved health care in the region and opened the floodgates of opportunity for many students. The university will soon be even more equipped to produce welltrained professionals with a new facility. Construction of the new Nursing and Health Sciences Building on the A&M-Commerce campus is slated to begin this winter and be completed by January 2019. It will house the School of Nursing and Health Sciences, which includes the Department of Nursing and the Department of Health and Human Performance. “The new building will facilitate interdisciplinary collaboration between the departments that will contribute to the health and wellbeing of the region,” said Dr. Betty Block, associate provost and vice president for academic affairs. 10
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The facility will have a simulation hospital and house state-of-theart labs to allow for cutting-edge research. It will also have enough classrooms to expand existing programs and support the proposed master’s degree in nursing focused on preparing students to become family nurse practitioners. The nursing, health, and human performance programs currently use facilities that have limited capacity for growth, and labs in the existing science building are insufficient to support research opportunities, said Alicia Currin, vice president for business and administration and chief financial officer. The $54 million project is funded by $48 million in tuition revenue bonds authorized by the Texas Legislature and $6 million in funds raised by the university, she said. “We are very thankful to the Legislature for its support. This will Fall 2016
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be a phenomenal building and will truly enhance our student experience,” Currin said. The late president of A&M-Commerce, Dr. Dan Jones, worked with
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Currin and The Texas A&M University System Chancellor John Sharp to set a plan in motion for the new building, Currin said, noting, “Dr. Jones was the true leader of the effort.” Earlier this spring, Jones had commented on the project: “The new Nursing and Health Sciences Building will create an environment that inspires instructional excellence, interactive learning, collaborative research, and clinical distinction. The decision of the Legislature to support this facility through $48 million in funding will enhance the learning experience for our students. We are thankful to them for their commitment and support for all of our legislative priorities.” State Rep. Dan Flynn, R-Canton, was particularly instrumental in getting A&M-Commerce’s building project approved. “The growth and success of Texas A&M University-Commerce is vital to East Texas jobs, economy, and well-being, and the School of Nursing and Health Sciences is an important part of that success,” Flynn said. State funding for such projects at Texas universities was last granted by the Legislature in 2006, Currin said. Thus, higher education institutions have become increasingly strained to accommodate a growing influx of students. Enrollment in the higher education system in Texas has grown by about 120,000 students in the past 10 years, she said. Meanwhile, enrollment in nursing and health sciences programs at A&M-Commerce has surged, with an increase of about 60 percent over the past decade, according to the university’s Department of Institutional Effectiveness and Research.
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MAKING DREAMS COME TRUE The nursing program at A&M-Commerce helped Barbie Termini realize the seriousness of a nurse’s job and education. In nursing school, students have one shot to succeed and graduate, the alumna said, adding, “It’s the same way with people’s lives. As a nurse, you have a one-time shot to touch their lives and to save their lives.” Clinical data underscores her point. “Research studies over the last 20 years have confirmed that a higher percentage of baccalaureate-prepared nurses reduces the mortality rates in hospitals,” said Dr. Barbara Tucker, professor and chair of the Department of Nursing. Responding to a shortage of registered nurses in Northeast Texas, A&M-Commerce commenced its Bachelor of Science in Nursing Program in January 2013. Since then, 45 students have graduated from the program, Tucker said. A member of the university’s first class of nursing students, Termini represents the high caliber of conscientious nursing graduates the Department of Nursing has cultivated. She knew from the time she was a teenager that she wanted to
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become a nurse, but the dream sometimes seemed out of sight. Raised in Sulphur Springs, Texas, she lived hours away from nursing programs in Dallas. “By A&M-Commerce opening this program, and the professors being willing to jump into the unknown, it helped me and all my other classmates achieve our dream of becoming nurses at a bachelor’s level,” Termini said. The nursing program initially operated out of an old church building in which the main fellowship hall was converted into a classroom, she said. More space was added onto the building within a couple of years. “That helped a lot, because they added a big room that functioned like a hospital with wings off the side, like hospital rooms,” she said. However, space remained limited, with the nursing program continuing to need larger and more updated facilities, she said. A December 2014 graduate, Termini lauds the university’s plan to expand facilities for the nursing program. She expects the new building will foster learning and provide more space for students to practice.
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She is one of many A&M-Commerce nursing graduates whose careers illustrate the goodness that flows into a community from professionals well-trained in nursing and health sciences. As a registered nurse on the inpatient unit at Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children in Dallas, Termini understands the importance of a solid educational foundation to support lifelong learning and compassion: “The children at the hospital have my heart and challenge me to be a better nurse every day.” For information on how to support A&M-Commerce’s mission of preparing quality health professionals, contact the Office of Advancement at 903-468-8180. P
“By A&M-Commerce opening this program, and the professors being willing to jump into the unknown, it helped me and all my other classmates achieve our dream of becoming nurses at a bachelor’s level.” – Barbie Termini
Family Nurse Practitioners: A Profession in Demand
The new Nursing and Health Sciences Building will be home to these degree programs: Undergraduate • Nursing • Sport and Recreation Management • Health with teacher certification • Public Health • Kinesiology and Sport Studies with teacher certification • Human Performance • Athletic Training licensure Minors include: Health, Coaching Athletics, Human Performance, and Sport and Recreation Management
Graduate • Master of Science in Nursing (proposed family nurse practitioner program) • Master of Science in Health, Kinesiology & Sports • Studies with the following concentrations: > Sport and Recreation Management > Athletic Administration > Health Promotion > Exercise Science
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his fall, the state Board of Nursing will consider A&MCommerce’s request to offer a Master of Science in Nursing Program. The proposed program would prepare students to become family nurse practitioners. Nurse practitioners are trained to perform a wide range of primary care services and provide ongoing care for chronically ill patients. Working in collaboration with a physician, the nurse practitioner is authorized to: examine, diagnose and counsel patients; order, perform, and interpret diagnostic tests; prescribe medications; and initiate and manage treatment. The nurse practitioner profession is ranked No. 6 this year in “The 100 Best Jobs” list by U.S. News & World Report. The profession began about 50 years ago and has recently experienced explosive employment growth, with the number of nurse practitioners licensed in the United States nearly doubling between 2004 and 2014, according to the American Association of Nurse Practitioners. Job growth in this field is expected to continue in the years ahead. Research has shown that nurse practitioners provide a high level of quality care and achieve high rates of patient satisfaction. Nurse practitioners play an especially important role in rural and other medically underserved areas of Northeast Texas and elsewhere. “Considering the growth of the population in Texas as well as the aging of the population nationwide, nurse practitioners will be in continuing short supply for the foreseeable future,” said Dr. Barbara Tucker, professor and chair of the Department of Nursing. The Master of Science in nursing is another example of A&MCommerce’s commitment to offering programs that meet the needs of people in the region and beyond. P
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Higher Education Leader Makes Impact
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By Julia Gessner
n important aspect of making higher education more flexible involves working to make it more affordable, and that is just what alumnus Steven Taylor is doing. A critical leader in higher education, Taylor serves as the associate director of academic innovation initiatives for America’s coordinating body for higher education, the American Council on Education (ACE). The organization plays a vital role in federal policy debates in Washington, District of Columbia. One of Taylor’s initiatives, the Alternative Credit Project, began in October 2014 to provide low- or no-cost online general education courses and is backed by $2.4 million, of which $2.1 million is from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. It formed a network of nonaccredited providers of courses that can be accepted for transfer credit by select accredited colleges and universities identified by the program. The project has grown substantially, with over 50 participating colleges and universities communicating their acceptance of these credits.
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“My focus is on creating more opportunities for students to attain some type of credential beyond high school that will provide them with greater economic opportunities throughout their lifetimes,” Taylor said. Taylor oversees initiatives that form flexible pathways for adult learners to earn a postsecondary credential, including a certificate, an associate’s degree, or a bachelor’s degree. In addition to working toward improving student and institutional awareness of quality, low-cost alternative education options, Taylor works to connect higher education with industry and workforce
groups by bridging the gap between credentials and the needs of employers. Of course, before becoming a key player in higher education, Taylor was a student himself. His academic career began in 2000 at Mt. San Jacinto College, a community college in Southern California. After graduating with his Associate of Arts and Associate of Science degrees, he originally planned to attend San Diego State University. However, when he learned that he would not be able to graduate from there in two years with a degree in public administration, he decided to explore other options. He remembered receiving a
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“Embrace the difference of A&M-Commerce; it really is a diamond in the rough. You might have to seek out experiences outside the classroom, but once you do, you love it, and it makes it really hard to leave.” – Steven Taylor
letter earlier in the year from Texas A&M University-Commerce offering him a Phi Theta Kappa scholarship, and decided to contact the admissions office that June to ask if the scholarship was still available. Fortunately, it was. “I would have just been another student lost in the jungle of a college campus at San Diego State, so truly it was probably one of the best things that could have happened to me,” Taylor said. “I think had I stayed in California that I would never have branched out the way that I have, so I wouldn’t have the opportunities I do now.” Taylor visited the campus in July that year. He remembers feeling welcomed by the staff upon his arrival, and he felt that he could make Commerce his home. In August, he made the 1,500 mile drive to
From the left, front row: Jay Neely (’05), Jacob Logan (’05), Erin Green Wharton (’05), Teisha Wallace (’05), Artur Schander (’05, ’07); back row, Steven Taylor (’05, ’07), holding child. The group met through Phi Theta Kappa and became close friends throughout their junior and senior years. This picture was taken in Webster Hall (Phi Theta Kappa housing).
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Commerce and moved into a residence hall with other Phi Theta Kappa students. In addition to having a community through PTK, Taylor credits former political science faculty member Dr. JoAnn DiGeorgio-Lutz with helping him feel at home in Commerce and grow intellectually. “She became more than just a professor by becoming a true advisor, mentor, and friend,” he said. Her enthusiasm about learning was contagious, according to Taylor. “She would invite students to come in and ask questions and learn more than just about the classroom studies,” Taylor said. “She actually created this thirst for knowledge and a sense of connectedness around a topic, and that’s why I developed some of the friendships that I have still today with people that I met in her classes at A&M-Commerce my first semester.” Taylor left no stone unturned at A&M-Commerce. As an undergraduate student, he was involved in the Student Government Association, Pi Sigma Alpha political science honors society, residence life, Model United Nations, and Model Arab League. Through his leadership roles in student government and residence life, Taylor was able to build a relationship with Vice President of Student Access and Success Dr. Mary Hendrix. “What impressed me most about Steve is that he was constantly focused
on improvement—searching for ways to make our university better. I knew, without a doubt, that Steve would one day be recognized as a national leader in education,” Hendrix said. “I was pleased, but not surprised, when he contacted me to say that he was employed by the American Council on Education.” After graduating with his Bachelor of Science in health education with a minor in political science in 2005, Taylor returned to A&M-Commerce for graduate school and earned his Master of Science in training and development in 2007. “At many universities and colleges, you have to try to stand out, you have to try to be noticed by faculty and administrators. At A&M-Commerce, I would say that the faculty and administrators seek out ways to get to know students,” Taylor said. “Embrace the difference of A&M-Commerce; it really is a diamond in the rough. You might have to seek out experiences outside the classroom, but once you do, you love it, and it makes it really hard to leave.” As an alumnus, Taylor remains actively involved with A&M-Commerce. He still maintains his relationship with Hendrix, who serves on advisory committees with ACE. In addition, he was recently a keynote speaker at the Day Conference for Advising Personnel Prior Learning Assessment, hosted by the university. Currently, he is working toward his doctorate in business administration from Wilmington University in Delaware. P
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By Savannah Abbott
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fter graduating from high school at age 16, it was many years before Jeanetta Groce could realize her dream of earning a bachelor’s degree from Texas A&M University-Commerce. When she finally enrolled, after being out of school for 14 years, Groce found the role of being a student anything but comfortable. “I actually had to start two levels below college algebra because I had been out of school for a long time and had developed a serious fear of math,” she said. However, Groce knew that education was the ultimate solution to her financial obstacles; she was on government assistance and working to provide for her three children. A life spent worrying about how to pay for food, much less extracurricular activities, was not what she had in mind for her family. Determined to realize a better life for her children, she continued to learn and grow, taking every impediment head-on. Perhaps the biggest obstacle confronted her a few months before she was due to graduate, when she was given a stage 4 cancer diagnosis. “At first, the idea that I might die didn’t seem real to me,” she recalled. “But reality struck when I met with my oncologist for the first time, and he gave me a 50/50 chance of survival. I remember telling my friend that even if things got really bad, I wanted to finish my bachelor’s degree and get my Texas Educator Certification, even if I died before I got to use them.” With an army of support around her, Groce prepared for the greatest battle of her life, never backing down from the fight. 16
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“I had a tremendous amount of support from my family, church, friends, and instructors,” she said. “In fact, the local A&M-Commerce faculty and staff brought dinner to my family on several occasions and offered to take me or my children anywhere we needed to go during that time. They went above and beyond anything I could have expected.” Though faced with enormous life challenges, she never neglected her classroom obligations. “Instead of staying home during the first several days after each treatment like I should have, I would go right back to my elementary school placement the day after treatments. This put me at a very high risk of infection,” she said. “But I never even caught a cold during treatments. It was during this time that I learned what trusting God in the hard times really meant.” Groce conquered college and cancer, graduating with her bachelor’s degree at the age of 33. She had to deviate from her plan to move straight into her master’s degree program by taking time off to recover from treatment and prepare for her new role as a fourth-grade teacher. However, she did not let the time away from the classroom deter her from returning. Fall 2016
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“I initially decided to pursue my master’s degree because I wanted to be a better teacher. After going through a divorce that summer, however, I quickly realized that I would need more than a teacher’s salary to support my three teenage children,” she said. Groce powered through the program and graduated with her Master of Education in curriculum and instruction in 2009. Soon after, she joined forces with the university on a different level, accepting the director’s position with A&M-Commerce at the Navarro College Partnership. She said she loves her position at the Navarro College Partnership because it allows her to work with students who are going through the same kinds of issues she faced when working to complete her college education. “I have experienced some significant hurdles along the way, but I truly believe that those challenges made me a better, stronger person,” she said. While Groce had been successful in her academic endeavors, even securing an ideal career with her alma mater, she felt there was one more step she needed to complete. In 2011, she began what would be her final journey in the classroom, her quest to obtain a doctorate in higher education leadership. “I started on my doctorate because I knew it would enable me to stay in academia and help other students in the same way that others helped me,” she said. “Now, I get to pass this on to other students. I get to encourage them to continue, even when it gets Fall 2016
tough. And I get to share in their celebration when they complete that degree, get their first professional job, and see all of that hard work pay off.” As she reflected on her voyage to her final graduation, Groce said A&M-Commerce wasn’t just an option amongst other universities – it was her first and only choice. “When I decided to work toward my bachelor’s degree, we lived in low-income housing directly across the street from Navarro College,” she said. “I knew I wanted more than that for my kids, but there was no way I could commute to class. Then I found out about the Navarro College Partnership, which allowed me to complete my associate’s degree and then transfer seamlessly to A&M-Commerce to complete my bachelor’s. “When I decided to work toward my master’s degree, I knew there was nowhere I’d rather do it than with A&M-Commerce in Corsicana. I knew the instructors; I knew the integrity of the program; and I knew that I would be part of a cohort of like-minded students.” While Groce’s position affords her the opportunity to meet, motivate, and inspire new people daily, her children have had the privilege of her leadership their entire lives. “For as long as I can remember, any time my mom has been brought up in conversation, there are two things said,” Jeanetta’s youngest son, Ethan, recalled. “The first, ‘Your mother is the sweetest person!’ The second, ‘Your mother is so strong.’ While in school for her bachelor’s degree, I watched her fight cancer and redefine bravery in a way that I had never seen. I’m incredibly proud of my mom for what she has accomplished, but even more so for what she has done to get there.” Dr. Joyce Scott, an associate professor in the Department of Educational Leadership, witnessed Groce’s strength firsthand in and out of the classroom and commended Groce for showing unrivaled dedication to education. “Jeanetta has overcome numerous hurdles, both personal and educational, to earn her doctorate, and I envision her continuing to make substantial contributions to her students, to higher education generally, and to A&M-Commerce particularly,” Scott said. Groce was triumphant in the face of each of her challenges. She graduated from A&M-Commerce with her doctorate in higher education leadership in the summer of 2015, shortly before her 43rd birthday. Upon the recent 10-year anniversary of her cancer diagnosis, Groce’s oncologist was able to officially declare her “cured.” P Texas A&M University–Commerce
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BRIDGING DISTANT WORLDS S T U D E N T V I E W S B R O A D E N E D I N C U B A A N D C O S TA R I C A By Sara Wray and Staci Semrad
Continuing a quest to prepare students for an interconnected world, the School of Social Work at Texas A&M University-Commerce this summer was the first on campus to send students to Cuba.
u o Y h s i W ! e r e H e Wer
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or several years, the School of Social Work has been taking undergraduate and graduate students to Costa Rica. A year ago, in the wake of thawing relations between Cuba and the United States, faculty members started planning a summer program to Cuba as well, modeled after the successful Costa Rica one. “We decided to expand the study abroad experience to Cuba to provide students a unique immersion experience in a country that has limited travel opportunities for citizens from the United States due to a long history of severed diplomatic relations,” said Dr. Rebecca Judd, who leads the university’s School of Social Work. President Barack Obama restored full diplomatic relations with Cuba last summer, easing travel restrictions and making historic strides toward reversing more than a halfcentury of American policy toward Cuba. “Full U.S.-Cuba rapprochement provided the university with an opportunity to create a uniquely life-altering study abroad experience for our students,” said Jacques Fuqua Jr., executive director for global programs at the university. “Within one week of the official announcement, I was fully committed to having A&M-Commerce
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become one of the first universities in Texas to have its students travel to Cuba.” As with students in the Costa Rica program,
participants in the Cuba program were exposed to another culture and learned about the strengths and challenges faced by people living there. Essentially, they learned about the culture of the social systems, Judd said. “The ethnocentric perspectives of our students were challenged, allowing for the development of a true awareness of personal bias and values. This selfawareness is a core skill necessary for emerging as a competent social work professional,” Judd said. Eight undergraduate and graduate students left in early June for Havana, Cuba, and stayed for nine days. They experienced Cuban culture, interacted with residents in different communities, and met with students studying social work at the University of Havana. They also learned about the various social service systems, including Cuban health care, aging services, and the education system, Judd said. Being in Cuba required a “huge adjustment,” but the people were friendly and helpful, said social work graduate student Dana Jackson. Upon returning from the trip, social work graduate student Nikki Barnett said: “We have been welcomed with open arms, kind words, and hospitality. I am humbled by the
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peacefulness among Cubans and their commitment to helping each other. Cuba is truly an amazing country!”
MAKING CONNECTIONS IN COSTA RICA
Dear Friends of A&M-Commerce.
Cuba is almost as beautiful as its people. Although that statement is easily true based on looks alone, the best part of Cuba has been meeting its lovely, helpful, friendly, interesting, smart, fun and very funny residents who have welcomed us with open arms. Its amazing culture, history, music and art are also a recurring theme. What an enchanting place. I am charmed. Wish you were here!
The school’s annual May trip to Costa Rica served as an ideal model for the program in Cuba. The School of Social Work has sent a total of 43 students to Costa Rica to study its social system since its first trip there three years ago. The trip was established to provide an opportunity for students to learn about social justice and human rights advocacy by the social work profession in a developing country. “As I near the end of my graduate school program, this was a powerful event for me to experience and reminds me that our clients are powerful, capable people,” said student Terri
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of the country’s prison system, the public school system, and the School of Social Work at San Jose University. Students also spend several days in the rain forest at the Texas A&M University Soltis Center, which promotes sustainability and conservation of tropical biodiversity in Costa Rica and encourages social and economic development. Through meetings with social workers at various agencies throughout the country, students explore the evolution and development of social work in Costa Rica and make connections between political processes, economic constraints, and the implementation of public policies. “Globally, that’s something we’re really proud of in our program,” Judd said.
Alma Hernandez Master of Social Work Class of 2017
Parker, who went on the Costa Rica trip last year. During the nine-day trip, the students engage with social workers of the government’s child welfare system, as well as representatives
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BRINGING THE GLOBAL EXPERIENCE HOME Part of the significance of the School of Social Work’s programs in Costa Rica and Cuba is they provide rich learning experiences that students can apply back home. For instance, many of the school’s graduate students go on to work in rural communities. “This increases the importance of the global experience, because the areas we’re visiting are typically rural and lower socioeconomic areas,” Judd said. “Students learn about educational and social welfare systems and how these are designed to address population needs in other countries – knowledge they can bring back to rural communities here in the U.S.” These international programs reflect a global outlook and hands-on approach that is central to the school’s mission and curricula. For example, the bachelor’s degree program offers a course on global populations that enables students to experience other countries through experiential classroom activities. Though some graduate programs are now mostly or solely online, the graduate social work program at A&M-Commerce emphasizes face-to-face interaction so students develop the social skills necessary
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for a career in social work. “Faculty within the School of Social Work pride themselves on knowing our students by face and by name,” Judd said. Faculty members strive to provide a flexible schedule to accommodate students’ diverse needs without compromising the personal interaction of the classroom setting, she said. This is accomplished through a technologically
mediated environment, rather than through a fully online program. “Social Work at A&M-Commerce remains focused on human interaction in a physical environment, which we believe is best practice for preparing our students to become competent practitioners in our region and beyond,” Judd said. The trips to Costa Rica and Cuba allow for just that kind of hands-on study. “I now have an even greater appreciation for cultural diversity,” said social work graduate student Nina Hernandez upon returning from Cuba. Such unique overseas learning opportunities do not come easily, especially those involving countries still relatively closed to outsiders, Fuqua said. Organizing a trip to Cuba at this time would be challenging for any administrator because of the special administrative and legal requirements that travel to Cuba presents. “But Dr. Judd persevered, and her students were the beneficiaries because they got to see the unadulterated Cuba – the Cuba before tens of thousands of visiting Americans drive inevitable social and economic change,” Fuqua said. “These students now have memories that will last a lifetime.” P
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Where No Program Has Gone Before By Mary Grace Rodriguez
After the doors open at Ben Milam Elementary School, two resident teachers confidently engage their classrooms. They are students themselves but known here as Ms. James and Mr. Nguyen.
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riel James and Harry Nguyen are graduate students of Texas A&M University-Commerce serving one-year apprenticeships with a mentor teacher through the A&M-Commerce Teacher Residency Program (T-RES), a partner of the Dallas Teacher Residency (DTR) program. They teach elementary school in the Dallas Independent School District and receive support through stipends while concurrently taking A&M-Commerce graduate courses at Universities Center at Dallas (UCD). The goal of the partnership is to create a toolbox of strategies and pedagogy to aid resident teachers in instructing students in high-need urban classrooms, while providing students with a high-quality education. National studies show that teachers from such programs stay in the field longer because of these tools, as well as support and encouragement from their program peers and mentors. “It’s a lot of responsibility getting in front of a classroom, but knowing how the school system works and what to expect makes our residents not seem like first-year teachers,” said Elizabeth Kastiel, cofounder and president of 22
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Dallas Teacher Residency. “We’re changing the school culture by anchoring the cohort group together, which is a big bonus to schools and residents, because national studies show that while low pay is not always the greatest factor in why teachers decide to leave, isolation can be.” The program compensates resident teachers through paid yearlong apprenticeships. Through this arrangement, the students receive financial help, as well as support from mentors who treat them as fellow teacher educators. “Residents really like and respond to the students, and the students respond to them,” said Carole Walker, professor of curriculum and instruction at A&M-Commerce. “Just believing that they can do this is an important aspect of the program.” The stipend takes much of the burden off of resident Preplanning is very crucial to becoming an effective teacher. teachers so that they can I believe that this gives the lesson concentrate more on lesson more structure and makes it more planning and honing their engaging to your students so that skills. It provides incentive they will be able to master any subject area that you bring forth for them to continue and to them. During my journey in may even encourage them to this program, I’ve learned that surpass their original mark. planning is so essential to being a While it is true that there are teacher, because as a teacher you older teacher residency programs are constantly preparing yourself for the classroom. in the country, “the year-long – Ariel James, second-grade resident teacher, apprenticeship with pay is really Master of Education, August 2016 what makes a difference,” said Fall 2016
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Gilbert Naizer, professor of curriculum and instruction and the A&M-Commerce liaison for Dallas Teacher Residency. The resources that make this program possible come from the state of Texas, through a Texas Education Coordinating Board grant, and private donations from the United Way of Metropolitan Dallas, which in large part supported the program this past academic year. This is just the second time that the state award has been granted. The $1.29 million grant is a two-year award that has been renewed specifically for the program at A&M-Commerce, and it is the only grant of its kind to be awarded in the state of Texas. The DTR partnership, now entering its third year, has succeeded in attracting a diverse pool of resident teachers. Attesting to the strength of the program, out-of-state students are willing to move to Texas to work in inner-city schools to complete their residencies. In the second class of students who entered the partnership, a handful of resident teachers moved here just to be in the program, said Rob DeHaas, co-founder and CEO of Dallas Teacher Residency. “The third cohort promises to be even more diverse and will be three times as large as the second,” he said. “It’s all about the tail ored training that creates a unique skill set for those who teach in urban ISDs, and Fall 2016
this effort is closing the gap for our highest-need students. Young teachersin-training and existing teachers in these districts can see the value in that.” The program’s first class produced 11 graduates in May 2015, and this second group of 10 has shown signs of easily branching out, developing its own leadership and support styles through opportunities gained in the classroom. This recent class of program participants has made strides by sharing alternative ways of getting desired student results, so the benefits flow both ways. “Mentor-teachers are learning too by teaching other adults,” Kastiel said. “They get more reflective about their own practice, which has a ripple effect. Residents feel they are going to be prepared for the next year, even as they lead and support as resident teachers.” The continuing vision of the A&M-Commerce and Dallas Teacher Residency partnership is to Being a resident teacher has been strengthen enrollment and attract a wonderful experience for me. As more new teachers from areas part of this program, I was able to outside of Texas. learn a lot from my mentor teacher The nature of our partnership throughout the year. By doing this, I will have a year of experience under with A&M-Commerce is certainly my belt before I am even a teacher unique, DeHaas said, noting: of record. In other programs you are “Learning doesn’t happen in silos, thrown into a classroom by yourself and the ability and willingness and have to learn on the spot, but in this one, I am given the support I of the university to be both need to be successful. Thanks to DTR, collaborative and innovative has I feel that I am better prepared for ultimately allowed our partnership my first year as a teacher of record. to develop exceptional teacher – Harry Nguyen, third-grade resident teacher, Master of Education, August 2016 educators.” P Texas A&M University–Commerce
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By Julia Gessner
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Two faculty members at Texas A&M University-Commerce, who have spent decades serving public schools and higher education, now continue their support of students through scholarship endowments at the university. They are Dr. William “Chuck” Holt, associate professor in the Department of Educational Leadership, and his wife, Donna Holt, an adjunct instructor in the Department of Math. The couple met at Texas A&M University in College Station while she was working on her bachelor’s degree in mathematics, which she earned in 1979, and while he was completing his bachelor’s degree in agriculture education, which he earned in 1978. “We were both scholarship recipients,” Dr. Holt said. “It meant a lot to us. And it seems like the only right thing to do, if you’re able, is move that to another generation.” In 2015, they established the first two endowed scholarships: the Dr. Chuck and Donna Holt Educational Administration Scholarship for a doctoral level student in the program; and the Dr. Chuck and Donna Holt Math Educator Scholarship Endowment for junior or senior level students pursuing careers as math educators. The latest endowment, the Ruth Tuttle Garber Memorial Scholarship Endowment, was established in honor of instructor Holt’s grandmother, Ruth Hodges Tuttle Garber, who taught in public schools for 55 years. When asked about the reason for honoring Garber through the scholarship, Dr. Holt said, “We both admired Donna’s grandmother.” Donna Holt agreed: “She was an exemplary teacher.” She recalled her grandmother’s talents and life history, including making each child feel like the most important person in the classroom. Garber worked as a teacher and principal in several small towns in Colorado, where she taught every subject from first through eighth grades. She was
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exceptionally passionate about teaching music at all grade levels, orchestrating the involvement of her students in musical theater productions. While teaching in Denver public schools, she wrote an elementary arithmetic textbook and crafted articles for teaching journals. In addition, she presented teaching approaches at both state and national teaching conferences. She was directly involved in developing strategies for using Legos as classroom learning aids for elementary mathematics.
When she retired from Denver schools at the age of 65, she moved on to teaching elementary special education in San Jose, California. Like Garber, the Holts have spent their careers wearing a variety of hats in various schools. “We really see it as a calling,” Donna Holt said. “I always knew I wanted to teach, beginning with my stuffed animals and my younger sister.” Following their undergraduate degrees and teaching certifications, Donna Holt earned her master’s degree in school counseling in 1998 and her master’s degree in mathematics in 2013 from A&M-Commerce. Dr. Holt went on to earn his master’s degree in education from Stephen F. Austin State University in 1991 and his doctorate in educational administration from Lamar University in 2008. The couple worked in Texas public schools for more than 30 years. They taught in the Cross Roads Independent School District before moving to Central Texas to work in the Lexington school district. Donna Holt served in many capacities, including teaching English and math and working as a counselor, while Dr. Holt began as a teacher
“ It’s our job to serve the
students – it’s a commitment, it’s a philosophy, it’s part of our culture of the faculty here. We’re committed to the students and seeing them succeed.” – Dr. William “Chuck” Holt
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before becoming a principal and eventually superintendent. “Education was always really good to us. In public schools we had great careers and loved the kids,” Dr. Holt said. When the couple decided to move from public schools to teaching in a university setting, their decision to leave was not made on a whim. “We always wanted to pursue higher education,” Dr. Holt said. “A professor that I knew at Lamar knew people here. They contacted me, and I applied.” Following retirement from public schools, Dr. Holt was employed as an assistant professor at A&M-Commerce in 2010. Donna Holt began working for the university as a graduate assistant in 2011 when she began pursuing her master’s degree in mathematics. After graduating in 2013, she became an adjunct instructor, a role she still holds. “It’s our job to serve the students – it’s a commitment, it’s a philosophy, it’s part of our culture of the faculty here. We’re committed to the students and seeing them succeed,” Dr. Holt said. The couple has gone above and beyond the call of duty in their service to the university. Dr. Holt has served as interim department head twice, in addition to teaching classes, publishing books, serving on various committees, and working with the honors fraternity for education majors, Phi Delta Kappa. He is currently the executive director of the School Leadership Alliance. “It’s just paying forward what we received,” Donna Holt said. In addition to their generous scholarship endowments, Dr. Holt originally became a Bridge Builder in 2010. Bridge Builders can choose to support university programs by setting up a payroll deduction or making a gift online, or in person. The term Bridge Builder was taken from a favorite poem of A&M-Commerce founder William Leonidas Mayo that symbolizes the bridge built between students and education when faculty and staff members contribute financially – a term certainly fitting for the Holts. P
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A CONVERSATION WITH TIM
Lions, Loyalty, Leadership
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t’s a typical Monday morning in the Lion Field House; student-athletes, coaches, and trainers beginning their day walking across the one acre of maple hardwood floor that has been a springboard for so many before them. Tim McMurray, director of athletics, beams with Lion Pride. He stands in front of trophy cases displaying over 100 years of athletics success. Recognizing that success, the excellent foundation he inherited, and upward trajectory launched by the student-athletes, Tim is honored to have the opportunity to take the baton and build on the positive momentum. With a diverse background in intercollegiate athletics, including revenue generation, sports administration, strategic planning, and brand engagement, Tim is uniquely qualified to continue the pursuit of program excellence at Texas A&M University-Commerce. His career includes a portfolio of experience gained while serving the University of Maryland, Southern Methodist University, Northern Illinois University, Texas State University, and Lamar University, his alma mater. Tim became part of the Lion Leadership team on Oct. 1, 2015. He and his wife Vickie have two daughters, Maya (21) and Marley (16), and a Yorkiepoo named Bailey (6). Tim shares a few words about his first year as the athletics director for the Lions, building relationships, providing a Best In Class experience for student-athletes, and his 26 years of athletics leadership.
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What is your initial assessment of Lion Athletics? One of the many unique points of difference for our program is that Lion Athletics is celebrated, not just tolerated. There is a sports page and sportscast dedicated to what we do on a daily basis, and with that comes a great responsibility to our student-athletes and sports programs. One primary emphasis is expanding collegial relationships on campus, in the community, and throughout our alumni base. I can think of numerous examples where collaboration with these partners has strengthened our department’s mission and provided strong support to our student-athletes. The collective desire for Lion Athletics to succeed, in the classroom and on the field, is exceptionally refreshing. There is a metaphor, sometimes overused, about athletics being the front porch, but it really is. The front porch is not the most important part of the house, but it is the most visible.
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“ The collective desire for Lion Athletics to succeed, in the classroom and on the field, is exceptionally refreshing.”
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How has your experience helped prepare you to be director of athletics? Having had the privilege to serve in multiple areas of collegiate athletics and in various levels of NCAA competition, I’ve gained a broad range of experience, and I feel very blessed to bring that perspective to A&M-Commerce. Specifically, I have learned that we often don’t tell our stories loud enough or far enough. We need to do a better job connecting with our donors, alumni, and students. During my tenure at Lamar, I got to drink from a fire hose when transferring from media relations/communications into an oversight role for all athletics external units. At Texas State and Northern Illinois, there were many lessons on brand expansion, revenue generation, and in some cases simply connecting with alumni for the first time. While serving at both Maryland and NIU, I had the opportunity to put valuable tools in the toolbox, preparing me to make informed and focused decisions in the athletics director chair. They were not always popular decisions, but they were necessary and made an impact.
It was a privilege to be on the leadership team at Southern Methodist University when we enjoyed four bowl games in four years. We grew the donor base, improved facilities, and increased ticket sales. My best lesson at SMU was the collaborative spirit on campus between athletics and university development/ external affairs. Partnerships with alumni relations and university development, along with our approach to annual and major giving, were a model that we have an opportunity to replicate here at A&M-Commerce. It can be a great ride.
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What do you think the biggest differences are in NCAA Division I and Division II? Let me first say that I have a true passion to make it about the student-athlete, every day. At the Division II level, I see greater possibilities for achieving that important goal. After working at the highest level in Division I, it seems that sometimes the business side of college athletics can take priority over engaging and supporting our student-athletes.
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What would you like to share about your first year as the Lion Athletics leader? First and foremost, my dedication to our departmental mission – providing a Best In Class experience for our studentathletes – is a daily commitment. Attached to that mission is the commitment to maximizing opportunities and resources for our coaches and administrative team. It has been a privilege to personally meet with each head coach and senior administrator, as well as with key donors and our Student-Athlete Advisory Council leadership. As a result, I have gained invaluable knowledge and insight into the legacy and traditions of this university and our athletics program. The thing that really excites me is our strategic planning process. It was an inclusive and comprehensive process that included the student-athlete experience, facility needs, competitive levels on budget and operations, competitive rankings in the Lone Star Conference, and what our coaches needed to be successful. We facilitated: a cultural feedback assessment to gain information and evaluate each unit; and a senior management team assessment to garner as much feedback as possible and
identify common themes. Whether it’s sports medicine, athletic development, strength and conditioning, or academic support, I wanted to identify our strengths and opportunities, as well as immediate program needs. Our team advance (I don’t like the word retreat) in late March helped shape guiding principles to improve communication and develop our product. I am proud and honored to celebrate the success Lion Athletics achieved this year with seven post-season appearances and the great number of our student-athletes recognized for outstanding athletic and academic performances. Another point of pride is being the first NCAA Division II program in the nation to establish a comprehensive institutional partnership with Under Armour. This will be instrumental in helping us continue to strengthen our support of student-athletes. Being a member of the Lion Pride is a true privilege because I can spend some time every day working on defining and developing that Best In Class experience. Every studentathlete has a story – hearing those, sharing those, and the opportunity to be an influential part of those is an exceptional blessing and invigorating responsibility. P
By the Numbers
2015/2016 Lion Athletics Success NCAA Post-season Appearances CoSIDA Academic All-American Football, Soccer, Men’s Indoor Track & Field, Kylene Hatton, Softball Women’s Indoor Track, Softball, Men’s Outdoor Track & Field, Women’s Outdoor Lone Star Conference Championships Track & Field Football, Soccer, Men’s Indoor Track & Field
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218 Student-Athletes on Lone Star Conference 2 Lone Star Conference Performers of the Year Commissioner’s List (3.3 or better) Ricky Romero / Richard Cooper 297 Student-Athletes on Director of Athletics 56 All-Conference Performers Honor Roll (3.0 or better) 17 All-LSC Academic Team Performers 3.06 Comprehensive Student-Athlete Average Team GPA 35 All-Region Student-Athletes 2 National Champions 2 CoSIDA Academic All-Region Performers Ricky Romero – 800 Meters DeVontae Steele – Triple Jump 1 Under Armour Comprehensive Institutional Partnership, the first of its kind 21 All-American Student-Athletes in NCAA Division II
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Transforming the future You make it possible
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huge Lucky thank you goes out to our generous benefactors, incredible supporters, and dedicated donors. Your support is enhancing the academic opportunities of our students; advancing the endeavors of dedicated and inspirational faculty members; and supporting the commitment of a nurturing university community devoted to providing an excellent, personal educational experience. We brought our Pride of supporters together on Friday, October 23, 2015, to participate in the inaugural Lucky Thank You Celebration, which will be a biennial event. The Western-themed night was filled with fun and memorable recognition. The highlight of the event was the unveiling of four wall displays, installed on the second floor of the Sam Rayburn Student Center, that permanently honor
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those who give, those who accomplish, and those who support. The Presidents Club Giving Society wall display recognizes individuals and organizations whose cumulative giving is $10,000 or more. Individuals who make contributions through planned giving and bequests are commemorated in the Society of 1889 wall display. The Distinguished Alumni wall display honors alumni who have achieved outstanding success, while the Gold Blazer wall display contains the names of alumni who exemplify Professor William Leonidas Mayo’s motto of “Ceaseless Industry, Fearless Investigation, Unfettered Thought, and Unselfish Service to Others.” Our dedicated supporters and outstanding alumni are making an impact on the educational journey of generations of Lions. Your involvement can and will enable them to transform the future. P
PRIDE Sponsor $15,000
MAYO Sponsor $5,000
GOLD Sponsor $1,000 College of Humanities, Social Sciences & Arts Brian and Barbara Cullen Robert R. Galvan Hunt Regional Healthcare Robert Rhoads and Leonard Merrell Roy Rhodes Texas A&M University-Commerce Foundation Board Ken Threlkeld Vice President for Institutional Advancement Texas A&M University–Commerce
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Campus Notes HONORING THE WORK OF ROB LAWTON At a special reception, the Department of Art gave special recognition to Rob Lawton’s work and honorary doctorate.
HESTERLY, THOMAS, AND WALTON The Department of Physics & Astronomy recognized Katie Hesterly and James Thomas as Outstanding Teaching Assistants in 2015 and Lindy Walton as the Outstanding Learning Assistant. Students were nominated by department faculty members and selected because of consistent availability and going “the extra mile” for students in terms of preparation and performance. Department Head Dr. Matt Wood presented each with a certificate of achievement and a gift membership to the American Association of Physics Teachers, the world leader in promoting physics education.
AL ROKER PRESENTS Sigma Alpha Pi’s Speaker Broadcast in October 2015 featured Al Roker in a discussion about the path of his career journey.
2015 RANKINGS ROLL CALL Texas A&M University-Commerce ranked No. 5 in Top Education Degree’s “Top 50 Most Affordable Master’s in Curriculum and Instruction Online 2015.” The university’s online Master of Education in curriculum and instruction and its online Master of Science in curriculum and instruction made the ranking. Programs chosen in this poll offer online courses and were evaluated based on in-state graduate tuition rates. The Accounting Degree Review ranked A&M-Commerce’s online master’s degree in accounting as No. 5 in the top 45 online master’s accounting programs of 2015. According to Degree Review, programs are chosen based on publicly available information about accreditation, the quality of the academic program,
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student satisfaction, cost, and the program’s reputation in the field. Of all business schools in the country accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business, A&MCommerce ranked No. 18 in the Top 50 Best Value Online Business Schools, according to Value Colleges’ rankings in May 2015. Value Colleges is an online database that uses three criteria to determine ranking order: complete cost necessary to obtain a degree, average debt of graduates, and average starting salary of graduates. A&M-Commerce is one of five schools from Texas making the grade. A&M-Commerce ranked among the top in several different categories for 2015 in GraduatePrograms.com’s annual ranking. Program rankings were based on data
compiled between Sept. 1, 2012, and Sept. 20, 2015. The data came from over 75,000 reviews from students participating in over 1,600 graduate programs around the country. • The university ranked No. 2 in the Top 25 Online Elementary Education Graduate Programs. • The university ranked No. 6 in the Top 25 Library Science Degree Online Graduate Programs, tying with Syracuse University. • The university ranked No. 16 in the Top 25 Online Master’s in Social Work Graduate Programs. • The university ranked No. 20 in Best Online Graduate Programs. • And the university ranked No. 23 in the Top 25 Best Counseling Education Graduate Programs. Fall 2016
THE EAST TEXAN TURNS 100 The East Texan celebrated its 100th anniversary last fall. Started in 1915, the newspaper is a resource for students as well as a training ground for their future work in mass media. “It serves as a forum of expression,” said Fred Steward, faculty advisor for the publication since 1993. In addition to its online presence, it seeks to incorporate video work each week.
A&M-COMMERCE CONGRATULATES “VOICE” CONTESTANTS Students Malik Heard and Hannah Kirby made fellow Lions proud as they wowed crowds on the popular television show. Heard got a standing ovation for his dazzling performance this year, and Kirby made it to the top-eight round last year.
TIMESTAMP KINDERTRANSPORT The Department of Political Science and the Pi Sigma Alpha political science honor society hosted Holocaust Days of Remembrance with the assistance of the Dallas Holocaust Museum/Center for Education and Tolerance. The three-day event included guest speakers and student presentations. Guest speaker Margaret Furst shared her experience on the KinderTransport, an effort that rescued nearly 10,000 Jewish children by transporting them to the United Kingdom. Children eligible for transport had to be under the age of 17 and had to travel alone, with only two children per family eligible for relocation. Other guest speakers included Fred Strauss, who presented postcards written during the time period and spoke about his family’s escape from Nazi Germany. Fall 2016
9TH INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON MATHEMATICS The Department of Mathematics hosted the 9th International Conference on Differential Equations and Dynamical Systems in May 2015 at A&M-Commerce’s downtown Dallas location. The conference received more than 130 papers, and 96 participants gave 106 presentations representative of 18 countries. A&MCommerce faculty members Dr. Nikolay Sirakov, Dr. Tingxiu Wang, and Adam Bowden, and students Chris Johnston and Bradford Garcia, presented research papers and discussed their research with attendees from around the world. The Department of Mathematics will host the 97th Conference of the Texas Section of the Mathematical Association of America in 2017.
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Campus Notes LATINO AMERICANS: 500 YEARS OF HISTORY, GRANT AWARD
GOT G.A.M.E.
During the 2015-2016 academic year, A&M-Commerce hosted a lecture series focusing on the history of Latino Americans. This series was sponsored in part by a grant awarded to Texas A&M University-Commerce Libraries from the American Library Association and the National Endowment for the Humanities. A&M-Commerce was one of 203 institutions in the nation to have been offered the grant and among only 55 institutions that received the maximum award of $10,000. In addition to showing a six-part documentary film created for PBS called “Latino Americans,” the university hosted four nationally recognized speakers during Hispanic Heritage month in October. One speaker was Dr. David Montejano, professor of ethnic studies at University of California, Berkeley. His historical overview, “Anglos and Mexicans in the Making of Texas, 1836-1986,” won the Frederick Jackson Turner Prize from the Organization of Professional Historians. It has been called a “seminal work in Chicana/o history” and noted for being especially informative about Mexican-American history in Texas.
Six students involved in the Economic and Finance Society attended the Quinnipiac Global Asset Management Education forum in New York in early 2015. The forum provided an international group of college students and faculty members with a unique opportunity to interact with industry leaders and learn best practices in investment management. The forum also asked speakers their views on global markets, corporate governance, global economics, and investment strategies.
TAKING IT FROM THE TOP The Department of Economics and Finance held a chief financial officer panel in early fall 2015 for graduate and undergraduate students. Students participating were able to meet each member of the panel, ask questions, and learn how each became a CFO. The department then held a similar event with controllers/chief accounting officers in October 2015.
DADA FALL GALLERY WALK A&M-Commerce participated as a member in the Dallas Art Dealers Association (DADA) Fall Gallery Walk in September 2015. It was held in the university’s VisCom Gallery in Universities Center at Dallas. DADA hosts gallery art walks in the fall and spring. The Fall Gallery Walk included the opening of more than 30 galleries around Dallas and North Texas. As part of the grant, the university also hosted Jamie and Gilbert Hernandez, two authors of the long-running comic book series “Love and Rockets.” They and their brother Mario are known as “los Bros Hernandez” and have produced multiple works as individual authors and illustrators.
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MEN’S CHOIR PERFORMS IN KANSAS CITY
he A&M-Commerce Men’s Choir performed at the American Choral Directors Association Southwest Conference in March 2016 in Kansas City, Missouri. Choirs wishing to perform at the conference were required to submit an application in 2015 with a CD recording of three selections performed during a live concert or studio session. “Selection for this event is a highly competitive process, and we are honored that the selection committee chose our students to be part of the conference,” said Dr. David Scott, head of the Department of Music.
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MEMORIALIZING DEVIN OLIVER A plaque honoring Devin Oliver, one of the A&M-Commerce student-athletes who lost her life in a car accident on June 3, 2014, was placed in Isaac Scruggs Park in Rowlett. Fall 2016
CAREER AND INTERNSHIP FAIR The Department of Career Development and the National Society of Leadership and Success hosted a Career and Internship Fair in October 2015 in the student center. The event gave students the opportunity to interact with potential employers and make business connections while discussing potential jobs and internships. In attendance were signature partners, including Fastenal, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, Enterprise, and Lowe’s.
THE “PRESIDENT’S OWN” BAND “The President’s Own” United States Marine Band played a concert on campus in October 2015. The Marine Band was founded in 1798 by an Act of Congress. The group performs for the President and the Commandant of the Marine Corps, presenting concerts throughout the country and around the globe.
CHENNAULT AND HIS FLYING TIGERS A ceremony commemorating Lt. General Claire Lee Chennault and his Flying Tigers, American Volunteer Group, took place in October 2015 at his birthplace, 1509 Monroe St., Commerce, Texas. Chennault’s granddaughter, Nell Calloway, was one of those in attendance. A marker in English was placed at this location in 1968, but the new marker in Mandarin is the first of its kind in the state, honoring Chennault in the language of the people of China whom he helped. The heroic action of Chennault and the Flying Tigers is believed to have saved the lives of hundreds of thousands of Chinese men, women, and children during the Japanese invasion of China during World War II.
DALLAS TEACHER RESIDENCY The Dallas Teacher Residency program has partnered with the A&M-Commerce Teacher Residency Program to provide an avenue for teacher candidates who already have bachelor’s degrees to obtain certification and masters’ degrees. Read more about the program on page 22. Fall 2016
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Campus Notes JESSE EISENBERG LIVE STREAM
YELLOW ROSE OF TEXAS Texas State Rep. Dan Flynn surprised Jalinna Jones, former A&M-Commerce first lady, with the Yellow Rose of Texas Award at the Lt. General Claire Lee Chennault Historical Monument Dedication luncheon. The Yellow Rose of Texas is the highest award presented to women in the state. The award is given by the governor in honor of Texas women who have demonstrated exceptional volunteer and community service. In 2011, she was named the Commerce, Texas, Citizen of the Year.
24TH VETERAN’S VIGIL The 24th annual Veteran’s Vigil took place in November 2015 with the lighting of the vigil flame. The speaker was Jacques L. Fuqua Jr., executive director of global programs at A&M-Commerce. Fuqua was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Regular Army in 1979, when he trained at Fort Ben Harrison in Indiana. After completing his officer basic course, he was assigned to Fort Knox, Kentucky, as part of the 194th Armored Brigade. He would later serve as chief at Fort Knox Protocol Division, adjutant at U.S. Army Field Station in Okinawa, adjutant at 4th Combat Service Support Training Brigade, training and doctrine command representative to the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force Headquarters in Tokyo, Japan, and chief at Government Relations in U.S. Forces Japan,
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to name some assignments. He has been awarded the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, as well as others during his service. In 2000, he retired from the military and
The A&M-Commerce chapter of The National Society of Leadership and Success brought Jesse Eisenberg to campus in November 2015 via a live streaming event. He is an actor, author, playwright, and humor contributor for The New Yorker. Students were encouraged to submit questions on Facebook and Twitter during the broadcast. This event was the fourth installment of the 2015-2016 multispeaker broadcast series sponsored by the society, whose mission is to build leaders who make a better world.
became associate director of the East Asian Studies Center at Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana. He has been at A&M-Commerce since January 2015.
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SUIT BANK
DURKIN’S PIZZA
In October 2015, money was donated by The Texas A&M University System Chancellor John Sharp for a new “Suit Bank” on campus. Each university in the A&M System was awarded money by the Chancellor’s Century Council to begin, or contribute to, an existing program. On the A&M-Commerce campus, the $5,000 donation will support the existing Career Closet operated by Career Development. “The contribution will allow us to purchase both male and female professional business suits in a variety of sizes, to better serve our students’ needs,” said Tina Boitnott, director of career development.
The Organization of Future Entrepreneurs hosted a Dinner with an Entrepreneur event in October 2015. Michael Durkin of Durkin’s Pizza was the guest speaker. Durkin started a local pizza chain in North Dallas that has now expanded to three locations within North Texas. Durkin spoke about his experience and offered suggestions about making a positive marketing impact.
SUMMER CAMP PRODIGY Shiza Shahid spoke in fall 2015 as part of the William L. Mayo Prestigious Speaker Series. She co-founded and served as CEO for the Malala Fund, the international organization created with the goal of keeping girls around the world in school through year 12. Shahid herself grew up in Pakistan and came to America after receiving a full scholarship to Stanford. When she learned that the Taliban was preventing girls of the Swat Valley from going to school, she decided to form a summer camp for them.
GATHERING S.E.E.D.S. The Serving Engaged Empowered & Diverse Students (SEEDS) Office is into its one-year anniversary on campus. The office helps students navigate the inclusive and diverse environment of this multifaceted, multicultural campus. The office stands for embracing the value of all students and collaborates with campus and community organizations to provide resources and educational opportunities focused on race/ ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, faith, socioeconomic status, and disability. SEEDS welcomed Joshua Moore, a two-time graduate of Western Kentucky University, as its associate director, to serve under Danielle Davis, director of the Leadership Engagement & Development Department.
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Campus Notes VOICE YOUR FREEDOM AWARD A&M-Commerce student Taylor Mefford won the Voice Your Freedom award. Taylor, a radio and television major, was named the first-place winner of the radio portion of the Freedom of Speech Public Service Announcement Contest. The contest, held by the National Association of Broadcasters Education Foundation and the Broadcast Education Association, announced the winners of the 30-second radio and television public service announcements addressing “What Freedom of Speech means to me.” Submissions were judged on originality, technical skills, and “overall impact.” The first-place winner in each category received a $3,000 scholarship and was recognized in an event held during Free Speech Week in October 2015.
LAMP GIVING BACK Students at A&M-Commerce involved in the Latino American Mentorship Program (LAMP) teamed up with Univision, a Latino television network, during its Education Week Phone Bank. Students responded to questions regarding admission, financial aid, and costs of attendance. Participants also called Hispanic families to inform them of opportunities to attend college. “Univision was very pleased with the professionalism of our students and how committed and engaged they were with the callers. The presence of LAMP generated the biggest social media buzz for Univision’s social media
EQUESTRIANS REIGN The A&M-Commerce equestrian team, which formed in 2015, is comprised of students of diverse majors who practice regularly at the Equine Center. They participate in competitive events through intercollegiate associations, such as the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association (IHSA). Team members Meagan Gravelle (equine studies) and Channing Marley (agriculture science) placed second and third, respectively, in 2A hunt seat, equitation walk, trot, and cantor at the IHSA show in Oklahoma held in October 2015.
page, with the post being seen by over 12,000 individuals,” said Julian Sanchez, coordinator of Hispanic Outreach and Retention.
FUENTES IS FIRST The University Staff Council named Dr. Fernando “Fred” Fuentes Jr. the Staff Member of the Month for October 2015, making him the first awardee to receive this recognition. The University Staff Council’s mission is to serve as a representative voice for all staff members and as a liaison between the university’s staff and administration. 36
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ACCREDITED ASSOCIATE MEMBER OF NASAD A&M-Commerce became an accredited associate member of the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD), an organization that ensures that the Department of Art maintains high academic and institutional standards. According to NASAD, approximately 346 institutions are accredited members of the organization. Membership lasts for five years.
HOUR OF CODE
LIONS OVER HOPKINS COUNTY A&M-Commerce secured the right to once again fly the university flag over the Hopkins County Courthouse in Sulphur Springs, Texas. Alumni raised $5,500 during the Hopkins County Health Care Foundation’s “Fly Your Flag” event in the Lights of Life Campaign. The university won the event for the first time in 2013. Proceeds from the 2015 Lights of Life Campaign support Hopkins County Memorial Hospital.
During the spring semester, the A&MCommerce local student chapter of the Association for Computing Machinery held an “Hour of Code” event to teach students how to code. Under the supervision of assistant professor of computer science Dr. Unal “Zak” Sakoglu, students from different departments at the university learned to code games, including “Minecraft” and “Jetpack Jumper,” using Scratch, a free online service that allows users to program.
FIRST IN THREE OUT OF SIX
A
&M-Commerce students took first place in three out of six overall distinguished awards categories at The Texas A&M University System 12th Annual Pathways Student Research Symposium. The symposium was open to all Texas A&M System students and allows students to present research and interact with faculty members, judges, and other participants. “For the third year in a row, A&M-Commerce students won the most awards of all A&M institutions participating in the symposium,” said Vice Provost for Research and Dean of Graduate Studies Dr. Arlene Home. DOCTORAL Meichan Huang, Nelly Shora and Hilal Ergul, who ranked first, second, and third, respectively, in doctoral social science poster presentations Victoria Scholz, who ranked third in doctoral social sciences oral presentations
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MASTER’S ORAL PRESENTATION IN SOCIAL SCIENCES Katherine Skrabanek, who ranked first Samuel Lawrence, who ranked third MASTER’S POSTER PRESENTATION Brandy Spoor, first place, an undergraduate student, for agriculture Christopher Woodard, first place, business and computer information Ambre Fairfield, first place, education Swati Balluri, first place, life science James Wheeler, first place, physical science Fatma Abu Hawas, second place, computer science Jacob McCabe, second place, physical science Sam Ijeh, second place, social sciences Simbarashe Mazambani took third place in master’s life science poster presentations. UNDERGRADUATE POSTER PRESENTATION John Naizer, first place in physical science Jennifer Patterson, second place in mathematics Collin Rodgers, third place in life science
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Campus Notes FUNDING GRANT FROM CRI A&M-Commerce has been awarded $1.6 million from the Chancellor’s Research Initiative. The grant will fund the purchase of specialized scientific equipment for the new Biomedical Institute for Regenerative Medicine (BIRR) and recruitment of a new professor and two new assistant professors to conduct research in the institute. Dr. Larry Lemanski will serve as the founding director of the BIRR. The innovative research, headed by Dr. Lemanski, is expected to be developed into a world-class universitybased research enterprise located in the new Nursing and Health Sciences Building with faculty-level scientists, postdoctoral fellows, and graduate and undergraduate students contributing to the research. Their work to improve heart function and quality of life is paying off.
STATE REP. GARY VANDEAVER VISITS
GIVING SOCIETY WALL UNVEILED An A&M-Commerce Giving Society Wall was unveiled in the Rayburn Student Center during an inaugural Lucky’s Thank You Celebration – a biennial appreciation event for donors. In the 2015 fiscal year, the university’s staff, faculty, students, and friends collaborated with University Advancement to raise a record $2 million for A&M-Commerce. The majority of these funds help to lessen the financial burden for students by providing them with scholarship opportunities.
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State Rep. Gary VanDeaver visited the A&M-Commerce campus in January 2016 to see how the university will implement the Institute for Competency-Based Education, an initiative funded by a special appropriation of $1,487,000 that he helped pass in the 84th legislative session. This project addresses the need to find alternative, affordable ways to deliver high-quality education to students, including working adults. The university has established an institute to conduct research for the promotion of innovation that encourages online education and the development of competency-based education models. During Rep. VanDeaver’s visit, the late A&M-Commerce President Dan Jones shared a university overview, and Executive Director of the CompetencyBased Institute Dr. Judith Sebesta unveiled the university’s plans for the institute.
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ARTICULATION AGREEMENT WITH EASTFIELD COLLEGE
n December 2015, A&M-Commerce signed an articulation agreement with Eastfield College, a two-year community college in Mesquite, Texas. This agreement allows students to begin their college careers by completing two years of study at Eastfield College, then transfer seamlessly to the A&M-
Commerce campus or an affiliated off-campus location. The new articulation agreement formally establishes an arrangement in which students studying criminal justice, psychology or interdisciplinary studies will not lose semester credit hours when they transfer.
TEXAS ATOMIC IRON In January 2016, the Department of Art hosted the Texas Atomic Iron Commission’s Juried Membership Exhibition and Iron Pour, which was on display through Feb. 12 between the Wathena Temple Fine Arts Building and the Agricultural Sciences, Industrial Engineering & Technology Building. Founded in 2007, the Texas Atomic Iron Commission serves to unite universities, industry, students, and the arts by holding exhibitions that demonstrate the pouring of cast iron sculptures and the sharing of ideas. A reception honoring the artists was held following the iron pour.
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Campus Notes “THE EDGE OF DARKNESS” In early February 2016, the A&M-Commerce Planetarium celebrated its 10th anniversary with its newest show, “The Edge of Darkness.” The show documents groundbreaking discoveries made just last year, such as a spectacular flight through the great cliffs on comet 67P, a close look at the fascinating bright “lights” on Ceres, and the first ever close-ups of dwarf binary planet Pluto/ Charon and its moons. The feature is narrated by Hayley Atwell of the ABC television series Marvel’s Agent Carter. The planetarium’s show was produced by Evans & Sutherland, who also brought programming that includes “Stars of the Pharaohs,” “Seven Wonders,” and “The Mystery of the Christmas Star.”
QATAR EXCHANGE FELLOWSHIP The National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations selected A&M-Commerce political science and Honors College student Kaylin Taylor as one of 10 students from across the U.S. to receive the Qatar Exchange Fellowship. It allowed her to travel to Qatar with fellow recipients and five faculty members who received the Malone Fellowship. One goal of this experience is to increase awareness about the positive relationship between the U.S. and Qatar. Students eligible for the fellowship must participate in their campus’s Model Arab League (MAL), which allows students to debate as diplomats and discuss real issues according to the actual agenda set by the Arab League. Taylor has been involved in MAL at A&M-Commerce since her sophomore year. She currently holds the highest student position, secretary general for the MAL Conference, which was held in March and April 2016.
TIM SEIBLES GUEST STARS
TEXAS STATE HISTORIAN BILL O’NEAL Universities Center at Dallas and A&MCommerce kicked off their Mini-Speaker Series in March 2016 with Texas State Historian Bill O’Neal. An alumnus of A&M-Commerce, O’Neal is currently serving his second term as State Historian of Texas. He has written over 40 books, as well as 300 articles and book reviews. At the March event, O’Neal premiered his latest book, “Sam Houston: A Study in Leadership.”
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The Mayo Review welcomed Tim Seibles as guest reader with a reception held in the Hall of Languages in March 2016. “He is one of the most significant voices in contemporary American poetry,” said Dr. Salvatore Attardo, dean of the College of Humanities, Social Sciences and Arts. “Having him on campus to read from his work and to host the Mayo Review launch is a major event.” Seibles’ work includes themes of racial tension and conflict between classes. His collections include: “Body Moves” (1988); “Hurdy-Gurdy” (1992); “Hammerlock” (1999); “Buffalo Head Solos” (2004); and “Fast Animal” (2012). He has earned numerous awards, including the Theodore Roethke Memorial Poetry Prize and nomination for a 2012 National Book Award.
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GETTING TO KNOW YOU In February 2016, A&M-Commerce hosted “Getting to Know You: Addressing Islamophobia through Mutual Understanding, Building Trust & Respect.” The event was a unique opportunity to learn about diversity on campus and to learn more about one another through dialogue.
DOCTORAL UNIVERSITY – HIGHER RESEARCH ACTIVITY DESIGNATION Thanks to the hard work and dedication of its students, administrators, faculty, and staff, A&M-Commerce has been classified Doctoral University-Higher Research Activity (R2) by the Carnegie Classification 2015 Update. This update of higher education was made in February 2016. This basic classification framework was developed by Carnegie in 1970 to support its research program.
HOW TO SUCCEED… WITHOUT REALLY TRYING This spring, the Department of Music performed the Broadway hit, “How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying,” by Abe Burrows, Jack Weinstock, and Willie Gilbert. It is based on a 1952 book of the same name written by Shepherd Mead. The show won the 1962 Pulitzer Prize for Drama and the 1962 Tony Award for Best Musical, among other awards. It opened for the first time in 1961 and has had multiple revivals. A&M-Commerce’s presentation was directed by Dr. Jennifer Glidden and conducted by Dr. Randall Hooper.
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MATHWAYS MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING As part of an innovative New Mathways Project, A&M-Commerce signed a Mathways Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with several other regional colleges: Brookhaven College, Cedar Valley College, Collin College, Eastfield College, El Centro College, Kilgore College, Mountain View College, Navarro College, North Lake College, Richland College, Texarkana College, and Tyler Junior College. The Mathways Project is a collaborative effort by the Charles A. Dana Center at the University of Texas at Austin and the Texas Association of Community Colleges. In 2012, all 50 community college districts in the
state agreed to take part in the project. The Mathways MOU that the university has signed allows students to transfer college mathematics courses seamlessly from their signing community colleges. Inaugural partners with the university to date are Paris Junior College and Trinity Valley Community College. This signing took place in February 2016 at Universities Center at Dallas.
SAEA QUIZ BOWL The Southern Agricultural Economics Association held its annual Quiz Bowl during its yearly meeting in February 2016 in San Antonio, Texas. Students from A&M-Commerce who attended and competed were: Austin Harrison, Eliseo Hernández, Jordan Oneal, Emilee Peterson, and Jaylen Wallace. This year’s event brought together 140 undergraduate students from 22 colleges and universities. Students were tested in their knowledge of eight categories: microeconomics, macroeconomics, resource and policy, quantitative reasoning, agribusiness and finance, marketing, management, and general knowledge. Students were assigned to four-person teams in which no more than one member could be from the same university or college. This mixed format was designed to encourage interaction between students from different schools. Wallace’s team placed second. Next year’s meeting will be held in Mobile, Alabama, Feb. 4-7.
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DESTRESS FEST
he Counseling Center hosted DeStress Fest in May 2016. It was scavenger-hunt based, with four stations located across campus. At each station, participants learned about different stress management tips, collecting a card along the way to show proof of visit. Each of the four stations had a different theme adapted from the book, “Healthy Mind Platter,” by David Rock and Dan Siegel. After participants collected all four cards, they received a free T-shirt. In addition to the scavenger hunt, miniature horses returned to campus, having been a favorite during last spring and fall’s DeStress Fests. P
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2015
Gold
Blazers THE GOLD BLAZER AWARD STARTED 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. SIXTY-NINE GOLD BLAZER RECIPIENTS HAVE BEEN NAMED OVER THE LAST 32 YEARS. TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY-COMMERCE HAS BEEN FORTUNATE TO HAVE ALUMNI WHO WORK ON BEHALF OF THE UNIVERSITY WITHOUT THE EXPECTATION OF COMPENSATION. THEIR EFFORTS HAVE PROVIDED TWO MAJOR BENEFITS: ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL. IN BOTH CASES THEIR INVOLVEMENT HAS BOLSTERED THE ASSOCIATION’S ABILITY TO RECONNECT WITH ALUMNI AND PROVIDE POSITIVE AVENUES FOR THEIR INTERACTION WITH THE UNIVERSITY AND STUDENT BODY. THE ALUMNI ASSOCIATION IS PLEASED TO PRESENT TWO INDIVIDUALS WITH THE GOLD BLAZER AWARD, EACH OF WHOM EPITOMIZES THE MOTTO OF A&MCOMMERCE FOUNDER WILLIAM LEONIDAS MAYO: “CEASELESS INDUSTRY, FEARLESS INVESTIGATION, UNFETTERED THOUGHT, AND UNSELFISH SERVICE TO OTHERS.”
In April, the university honored the 2016 Gold Blazer recipients at an awards ceremony. The next issue of PRIDE magazine will include their stories.
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SUSAN DORSEY discovered her passion for teaching at an early age. She pursued her dream and received a Bachelor of Science in education in 1977. She pledged Alpha Phi Sorority in 1974; she served as assistant treasurer and pledge trainer, and became a Sigma Phi Epsilon Little Sister. She began her teaching career in the Lewisville Independent School District before moving to Mesquite, Texas. She was a classroom teacher for 27 years and transitioned to the role of diagnostician. She currently serves in that capacity at Wilkinson Middle School. Dorsey has worked tirelessly as an alumna to advance the mission of the university. She served as the Chapter Property Committee for Alpha Phi for three years and planned three Alpha Phi reunions. She created The Ivy Vine, a voluntary fund for sisters so that ivy plants could be sent to
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FRANK TURNER, a native of Tucumcari, New Mexico, completed his first two years of college at New Mexico Military Institute before enrolling at East Texas State University in 1959. He graduated in 1961 with a Bachelor of Science in agriculture and was an active member in the Tejas/Sig Ep fraternity. That year, he was also commissioned as second lieutenant in the United States Marine Corps, where he spent the next eight years. His military service included tours in Southeast Asia and in the Republic of South Vietnam. After being honorably discharged with the rank of captain, Turner began his 40-year railroad career with the Norfolk and Southern where he held positions including superintendent and general manager. He was appointed vice president of operations of the Midsouth Railroad in 1988 and was later appointed its president and CEO. In subsequent years, he served as vice president of field operations for CSX Railroad and president of the American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association. He also served as chairman and CEO of other short line railroads. The 107th U.S. Congress and the Association of American Railroads recognized Turner for “his visionary leadership in the railroad industry.” He has served on many boards in the railroad industry, his community, and the Alumni Association for this university. He is a founder of the Tejas/Sig Ep Endowment and a sponsor, along with his wife, Rosalie, of the annual A&M-Commerce Student Civil Rights Tour in Alabama.
sisters when a family member was lost. She continues to manage that fund today. She participates in the Heart Walk in Dallas to support the American Heart Association, the chosen philanthropy of Alpha Phi. In 2010, Dorsey created a Facebook group for East Texas State University Greeks from the 1970s. The creation of this site made it possible to communicate with a large group of her peers and participate in three consecutive homecoming festivities. The site now has more than 800 members. Last year, the group raised enough money to purchase two bricks for the alumni Brick Garden Project. Dorsey and her husband, Steve, are the proud parents of two adult daughters and enjoy camping, cooking, and gardening. She is a regular volunteer at the Dallas Arboretum, logging more than 300 hours per year. P
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2015
Distinguished
Alumni
THE FIRST DISTINGUISHED ALUMNI CITATION WAS AWARDED IN 1967. WITH THE GROWTH IN MEMBERSHIP OF THE GROUP, THEY ORGANIZED AND FORMED THE DISTINGUISHED ALUMNI CHAPTER ON NOV. 5, 1983. ITS MEMBERSHIP CONSISTS OF ALL RECIPIENTS OF THE DISTINGUISHED ALUMNI CITATIONS AWARDED BY EAST TEXAS STATE UNIVERSITY AND TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY-COMMERCE. THE PURPOSE OF THIS CHAPTER IS TO MAINTAIN A MEDIUM FOR SERVING A&M-COMMERCE, TO FURTHER THE INTERESTS AND WELL-BEING OF THE UNIVERSITY, AND TO FOSTER AN APPRECIATION FOR THE RICH HERITAGE LEFT TO THE GREAT UNIVERSITY BY ITS STUDENTS, FACULTY, AND STAFF FOR MORE THAN 125 YEARS. GRADUATES OF EAST TEXAS NORMAL COLLEGE, EAST TEXAS STATE NORMAL COLLEGE, EAST TEXAS STATE TEACHERS COLLEGE, EAST TEXAS STATE COLLEGE, EAST TEXAS STATE UNIVERSITY, AND A&M-COMMERCE HAVE ACHIEVED ILLUSTRIOUS CAREERS IN MANY DIFFERENT WALKS OF LIFE. IT IS FROM THE VAST POOL OF OUTSTANDING GRADUATES OF THE EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTION IN COMMERCE THAT DISTINGUISHED ALUMNI ARE SELECTED AND HONORED.
In April, the university honored the 2016 Distinguished Alumni recipients at an awards ceremony. The next issue of PRIDE magazine will include their stories.
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DR. DEBORAH BRENNAN received a Bachelor of Science in biology and chemistry, cum laude, in 1974. She started her career as a professional chemist for Bell Telephone Laboratories and left to pursue a degree in veterinary medicine. She received her doctorate in veterinary medicine four years later. She went into veterinary practice and owned and managed the Allentown Animal Clinic in Allentown, Pennsylvania, for 14 years. She became the chief veterinarian for the City of Allentown, and in this capacity she worked with the Police K-9 Unit. In 1991, Brennan joined the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service as a veterinary medical officer. Under her leadership, the field team received a “Hammer Award” from Vice President Al Gore for “building a government that works better and costs less.” She received a master’s degree in public administration, summa cum laude, from Kutztown University in Pennsylvania in June 1997. Following this, Brennan accepted the position of area veterinarian in charge of the state of Mississippi. Under her leadership, brucellosis was eradicated from Mississippi. In October 2002, she joined the Agricultural Research Service Mid South Area as the associate area director and served in that role until January 2010. Brennan then accepted the position of area director for the South Atlantic Area of Agricultural Research Service. The SAA had more than 225 research scientists and 60 postdoctoral research associates working in 19 locations and work sites in a four-state area, Puerto Rico, and St. Croix, Virgin Islands. On October 1, 2014, the Agriculture Research Service consolidated eight areas into five. The Mid South Area and South Atlantic Area became the new Southeast Area with the Area Office located in Stoneville, Mississippi. Brennan was selected as the area director for this new large area. She is married to Tim Brennan, who works for the USDA Packers and Stockyards Administration, and is the mother of one son, Dallas. In her spare time, Brennan enjoys gardening, cooking, singing, hiking, and family activities. Fall 2016
TED F. CONOVER earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from East Texas State University in 1972 and 1973 after serving in the United States Marine Corps. He graduated from the Southwest Graduate School of Banking at Southern Methodist University in 1999. During a 32-year career with Heritage Land Bank, he had the opportunity to serve as its president and chief executive officer. He retired in October 2005 to become the president and chief executive officer of the Bank of Tyler. He serves on the board of directors of Huntington State Bank. Conover was appointed in 2008 by former Gov. Rick Perry to the Texas Agricultural Finance Authority. Conover also serves on the State Advisory Board for the Texas Agricultural Lifetime Leadership program. He has been a member and held leadership positions for the executive committee of the East Texas State Fair Association, Build East Texas, and the East Texas Farm and Ranch Club. In 2008, Conover was recognized by the Texas County Agricultural Agents Association as its Man of the Year in Agriculture. That same year, he received the Ag Workers Mutual Auto Insurance President’s Outstanding Leadership award. He is active in the Tyler Area Chamber of Commerce and serves on its Governmental Affairs Committee. Conover also is a director of Junior Achievement and a member of the South Tyler Rotary Club, the Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association, and Green Acres Baptist Church.
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JOANN DURHAM, class of 1956, was an art major, history minor, member of the Tooanoowe Social Club, and later initiated into Gamma Phi Beta. Recognized by Who’s Who in American Art, she is an international artist whose studio and home are in Fort Worth, Texas. Internationally, her paintings have been exhibited in the Belgium Grand Prix; Paris, France, in the US-France Show, Salon d’Automne, and at the Society International Des Beaux Arts; in Gordes, France, with the Society of Layerists in MultiMedia; in the United Kingdom in the US-Wales Show at the Cynon Valley Museum in Aberdare, South Wales, and at St. John’s College, Cardiff, Wales. Domestically, her paintings have been exhibited and have won awards in Chicago, New York, San Francisco, and Washington, District of Columbia. Her works have been published in magazines that include: American Artist, International Artist, Manhattan Arts, Women Artists Datebook, and Women Artists International. They have also been published in these books: “Creative Watercolor,” “Art and Healing,” “The Art of Layering,” “Visual Journeys,” “Journeys to Abstraction,” and “Splash 8.” She will be published in an upcoming book, “Unique Insights,” in September 2016. She recently won a merit award at the National League of American Pen Women Art Show held at the Women’s National Democratic Club in Washington, D.C., a juried show for which only 34 paintings were accepted. Durham is a past president of the International Society of Experimental Artists and a former board advisor. A file on her work is at the Library and Research Center of the National Museum of Women in the Arts in Washington, D.C. She received the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution “Women in the Arts Recognition Award” for her lifetime achievements. She also won the Samuel Leitman Award in the Annual Members Exhibition at the Salmagundi Club in New York City. She is a member of the History Club, Woman’s Club of Fort Worth, Daughters of the American Revolution, United States Daughters of 1812, and National Society Daughters of the American Colonists. Texas A&M University–Commerce
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JOE GRIFFITH, class of 1965, was born and raised in Ennis, Texas. After graduating from high school, he attended Navarro Junior College and then transferred to East Texas State University where he received a degree in finance. He was a member of the Sigma Chi Fraternity. He also graduated from the New York Institute of Finance. His life is an inspiring message that encourages others to overcome their problems to achieve success. Though he suffered from dyslexia, he overcame this difficulty to become a successful businessman in several fields. In the fall of 1996, Griffith relayed his struggles with dyslexia to area students through a fictional story. Students and teachers were overwhelmed by the story and encouraged him to publish it. He transformed his own true story into a fictional book about the feelings and experiences of a dyslexic. The book, “How Dyslexic Benny Became a Star,” has a happy ending. He has been seen in more than 200 television commercials for such leading companies as Fruit of the Loom, Holiday Inn, Dayton Tire, and McDonald’s. He has been a humorist, movie actor, commercial pilot, real estate developer, stockbroker, co-host on XM radio’s Laugh USA channel 98, and co-host of America’s first-ever television business program. As a professional speaker, he has delivered more than 3,000 speeches worldwide to 75 different industries, including computer, retail, medical, construction, finance, and insurance. He was the youngest person ever inducted into the National Speaker’s Hall of Fame. Griffith has authored three books, including the best-selling “Speaker’s Library of Business Stories, Anecdotes & Humor.”
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JANE HARPER, classes of 1963, 1966, and 1971, received her bachelor’s degree in French and history, her master’s degree in secondary and higher education, and her doctorate in supervision, curriculum, and instruction. Harper has worked for Tarrant County College, formerly Tarrant County Junior College, for 47 years. Harper started her career as a French instructor at Greenville High School in Texas, where she worked for one year. She then worked at the university as a graduate assistant in French. After earning her master’s degree, Harper taught French at the University of Texas at Arlington for two years. In 1968, Harper started her career at Tarrant County College as an assistant professor of French. She has worked in various positions, including roles as associate professor of French, professor of French, dean of humanities, and vice president for teaching and learning services. She currently serves as the vice chancellor of academic affairs at Tarrant County College. Harper has authored and co-authored a number of French and foreign language textbooks as well as several teaching manuals. She has been published in a number of national and local publications, including “The Anthology of Old ET.” The list of professional organizations in which Harper has been a part is extensive, including the Modern Language Association, the College Board Foreign Languages Academic Advisory Committee, Texas Community College Teachers’ Association, Texas Foreign Language Association, Community College Humanities Association, American Association for Higher Education, Phi Delta Kappa, Texas Council of the Arts in Education and many more. Harper has one son, Bradley Drake Harper, and a grandson, Culver Drake Harper. She is a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution, the Arlington Master Chorale, Gamma Phi Beta Alumnae Association and the Kimbell Art Museum in Fort Worth. Fall 2016
LEONARD MERRELL, classes of 1967, 1968, and 1984, received a bachelor’s degree in agriculture and master’s and doctoral degrees in educational administration. He also attended the Superintendent’s Academy at Lamar University and the Superintendent’s Summer Work Conference at Teacher’s College, Columbia University. Merrell started his career at Commerce Junior High School in 1968 as a teacher and coach. He then taught at Austin Junior High School in Garland until he became assistant principal at South Garland High School in 1972. Merrell served many roles at the Garland Independent School District, including South Garland High School principal, budget director for the district, and business manager. After receiving his doctorate, Merrell served as a superintendent for 22 years, working for Sulphur Springs Independent School District (1985-1988), Texas City Independent School District (1988-1995), and Katy Independent School District (1995-2007). Since 2007, Merrell has worked as an educational consultant at his company, L. Merrell Consultants, LLC. Merrell has received much professional recognition over the years, including: the Texas Association of School Administrators Honorary Life Membership in 2008; Texas A&M University: Administrative Leadership Institute Golden Deeds Award in 2007; service as President of the Texas Association of School Administrators from 2001 to 2002; recognition as an Alumni Ambassador at A&M-Commerce in 2000; and being named the Texas State Superintendent of the year in 1998 by the School Superintendents Association. His recent professional affiliations and memberships include the Texas Association of School Administrators, the Association of Supervision and Curriculum Development, and the Texas Association of Suburban Mid-Urban Schools. He also is a life member of the Texas State Teacher’s Association, among others. Leonard Merrell and his wife, Linda, met while attending the East Texas State University. They have two sons and 10 grandchildren, one of whom attends A&M-Commerce on a football scholarship. Fall 2016
KEN THRELKELD, class of 1960, is the owner of one of the largest full-service insurance agencies in East Texas. After serving in the Army, Threlkeld’s GI bill gave him the opportunity to earn his bachelor’s degree in business. Upon graduation, Threlkeld worked as an accountant and auditor for Squyres, Johnson and Squyres in Tyler. After a brief stint at State Farm Insurance, Threlkeld went to work for Clyde Prestidge as an agent and accountant. Within a year, he bought half interest in the agency and owned the agency by 1974. Threlkeld continued to build the business, merging with other companies, and was strictly on his own by 1982. Threlkeld’s civic accomplishments include achieving 50-year certification with the Masonic Lodge, The Scottish Rite, and the Shriners. Threlkeld has served as president, chairman, and board member of several Tyler and East Texas organizations, and the Texas Agricultural Lifetime Leadership program at Texas A&M University, the American Cancer Society, and the A&M-Commerce Foundation. Threlkeld is the founder and chair of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation for East Texas, which he started when he found out that one of his grandchildren was diagnosed with the disease. He is also passionate about the Annual Cattle Barons’ Gala, where he has gained notoriety for giving the annual chair persons a pair of custom-made boots – now something of a status symbol for the event. In 2008, Threlkeld received the Build East Texas Award of Excellence from the State of Texas House of Representatives. He also received the Bill and Mary Clements Memorial Award for Outstanding Leadership in Agriculture and the Cystic Fibrosis Breath of Life Award in 2010. P
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Noteworthy ACADEMIC AFFAIRS The Center for Faculty Excellence & Innovation (CFEI) announced the recipients of the 2016-2017 Faculty Fellowships for Teaching & Learning. The recipients are Dr. Frannie Miller of the Economics & Finance Department, whose project is “Lions Network Learning — GIS and Data Visualization,” and Dr. Jacqueline Riley of the Curriculum & Instruction Department, whose project is “Online Video Library of Effective Lesson Demonstrations.” The upcoming academic year marks the third one at Texas A&M UniversityCommerce for Faculty Fellowships and a Faculty Fellow Special Project. This competitive fellowship is available to fulltime faculty members at A&M-Commerce. Through the fellowship, CFEI hopes to encourage faculty scholarship, collegiality, collaboration, and productivity so that faculty members will continue to develop as teachers and scholars. The purpose of the fellowship is to bring together colleagues to implement faculty development, sustain dialogue on teaching and learning, encourage concepts and practices for effective teaching, and support scholarly and creative endeavors. At the end of each fellowship year, each Faculty Fellow’s project work is shared with the university community.
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Recipients of the 2015-2016 Faculty Fellowships for Teaching & Learning were awarded to Dr. Rebecca Dibbs for her proposal project, “Mindsets & Retention in EntryLevel Mathematics Courses,” and to Dr. Robynne Lock for her proposal project, “Development of Studio Mode in Physics.” The Faculty Fellow Special Project went to Dr. Brittany Holt to develop the Lion Institutes for Educators professional development program.
COLLEGE OF BUSINESS Dr. Srinivas Nippani, a professor in the Department of Economics and Finance, has been awarded the 2015 Regents Professor Award by The Texas A&M University System. He joined A&MCommerce in 2002 as an assistant professor of finance and was promoted in 2005 to associate professor with tenure. He then went on to become full professor in 2009. In 2012 he was awarded the H.M. Lafferty Distinguished Faculty Award for Scholarship and Creative Activity and won the university’s 2010 Provost Award for Full Professor for Research and Creative Activity in the College of Business. He was the first
director of the Master of Science in Finance Program and also chairs the Faculty Committee in the College of Business. His research has been published in many highlevel finance journals and the U.S. Congress and Government Accountability Office, and has been cited in The New York Times, The Washington Post, USA Today, and other print publications. Dr. Bo Han, assistant professor of business analytics at A&MCommerce, has partnered with Dr. Shih Yung Chou, assistant professor of management at the University of Texas of the Permian Basin, to create the “Dr. Shih Yung Chou and Dr. Bo Han Research Excellence Scholarship.” The scholarship will be available to students at both A&M-Commerce and the University of Texas of the Permian Basin, with the first round being awarded to students in 2017. All undergraduate and graduate students with a management, marketing, or business analytics major can apply for the scholarship within the university scholarship portal. The scholarship was created to encourage students at both schools to engage in academic research. The scholarship was funded by royalties that Chou and Han received from a case study published by Sage. “We wanted to use this money to do something meaningful, so Dr. Chou and I donated the money as scholarships for students at our respective universities,” Han said. “We want to support students who are interested in academic research to achieve a greater goal.”
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COLLEGE OF EDUCATION & HUMAN SERVICES Assistant professor Dr. Kriss KempGraham attended the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) seminar on measuring student achievement in May 2015 in Arlington, Virginia. She also was among 12 applicants selected to attend a three-day advanced seminar in June hosted by the National Center for Education Statistics to learn how to use the NAEP High School Transcript Study database for education research and policy analysis. NAEP provides results on subject matter achievement, instructional experiences, and school environment for students and groups within these populations. Early childhood education professor Dr. David Brown will be inducted into the Texas A&M System Chancellor’s Academy of Teacher Educators. Throughout his career, Brown has contributed to early childhood education through his service on various departmental, university, and national committees, including the Advisory Panel for the Education of North Texas Area Universities, the United Way of Greater Dallas Outcome Review Committee, and the National Head Start Association Red Researcher’s Team. He has also worked to improve early childhood education as a consultant to the Department of Education, Department of Health and Human Services, and the Texas Education Agency. Inductees are chosen by other
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academy members. The university’s faculty, staff, and students may nominate any fulltime faculty member who positively impacts teacher education. Ten new inductees, including Brown, were officially recognized at the Chancellor’s Century Council annual meeting in Austin in March 2016. The Texas Association of Black Personnel in Higher Education (TABPHE) hosted an awards ceremony in February 2016 to honor faculty members for accomplishments in teaching, service, and research. Jim Talbot, East Texas State University alumnus and president of J.P. Talbot Companies Inc., served as keynote speaker. The organization represents all levels of higher education and serves as a platform and voice for black faculty members, students, and administrators to ensure that a positive and successful educational system is provided for all. It also offers opportunities that improve and enrich the professional development of higher education personnel. TABPHE re-established a charter at A&M-Commerce in spring 2015. The A&M-Commerce committee consists of Dr. LaVelle Hendricks, Dr. Chuck Arize, Dr. Julia Ballenger, Dr. Kriss KempGraham, and Dr. Willie Edwards. The organization was founded by Ivory Moore, the first African-American administrator at East Texas State University
and TABPHE’s first president, along with Erma Johnson Hadley from Tarrant County College and Reby Cary from the University of Texas at Arlington.
Ivory Moore
The NBCC Foundation, an affiliate of the National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC), recently selected Siobhan D. Flowers, of Fort Worth, Texas, for the National Board for Certified Counselors Minority Fellowship Program (NBCC MFP). As an MFP Fellow, Flowers will receive funding and training to support her education and facilitate her service to
From left to right: Dr. LaVelle Hendricks, Dr. Chuck Arize, Dr. Julia Ballenger, Dr. Kriss Kemp-Graham, and Dr. Wille Edwards
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Noteworthy underserved minority populations. The NBCC MFP is made possible by a grant first awarded to NBCC by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration in August 2012. The goal of the program is to strengthen the infrastructure that engages diverse individuals in counseling and increases the number of professional counselors providing effective, culturally competent services to underserved populations. The NBCC MFP will distribute $20,000 to Flowers and the 22 other doctoral counseling students selected to receive the fellowship award. Flowers is a graduate of the University of North Texas, in Denton, and of The University of Texas at Arlington, and is currently a doctoral student in the counseling program at A&MCommerce. This fellowship will allow her to expand her expertise and advocate for marginalized groups’ access to preventative mental health care services, especially in the K-12 public school setting.
COLLEGE OF HUMANITIES SOCIAL SCIENCES & ARTS Eight student journalists from The East Texan attended the Texas Intercollegiate Press Association’s state convention in April 2015. Chad Smith, an associate professor of photography and graduate program advisor for the Department of Art, spoke as a 2015 Regional Honored Educator at the Society for Photographic Education’s South Central Regional Conference in Oklahoma. This event took place in September 2015 at the Oklahoma City Museum of Art and The University of Oklahoma. Smith’s work was also featured at the MAINSITE Contemporary Art gallery in Norman,
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Oklahoma, where he held a gallery lecture. The conference highlighted major speakers, juried exhibitions, and portfolio reviews. Assistant professor of music theory Dr. David Davies was one of 13 composers selected nationally to participate in a New Works Symposium put on by Soprani Compagni. The two-day symposium is funded through a grant from the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities. It was held in November 2015 at Indiana Wesleyan University. The symposium was called Portals of Women in Contemporary Soprano Duet. Davies’ piece, “By Night While Others Soundly Slept,” is a work commissioned for Soprani Compagni for two sopranos and piano. The text for the piece is from early American poet Anne Bradstreet’s poem, written as a midnight prayer for her sleeping family. A&M-Commerce faculty members Dr. Christian F. Hempelmann and Dr. Unal Sakoglu worked with Dr. Varadraj Gurupur of the University of Central Florida and graduate student Seetaramaraju (Raju) Jampana on a paper that was accepted by the Expert Systems with Applications journal in 2015. Their paper, “An Entropy-Based Evaluation Method for Knowledge Bases of Medical Information Systems,” discusses a method to develop knowledge bases for medical-decision support systems, focused on evaluating those knowledge bases. This project has been ongoing with the Ontological Semantic Technology Lab, where Hempelmann is director.
The 2016 Hunt County Public Art project will install three major art pieces in the community by artists with A&M-Commerce ties. Hunt County Public Art is part of the Keep Greenville Beautiful Project and the Hunt Country Public Art organization. The three projects to be installed this year are by artists Brian Weaver, Bob Bird, and JJ Savage. Weaver, whose sculpture project is Be Seen, serves at A&M-Commerce as the coordinator of art facilities and summer activities and as an adjunct instructor. His project is a large steel sculpture that will appear on a small wall at the Renshaw, Davis & Ferguson law firm. The sculpture is double-sided and designed to let people photograph themselves within the frame of the piece itself. Bird is an alumnus of the A&MCommerce art program and is currently an adjunct professor for the Department of Art. His project, Find Your Match, will be incorporated on a Herald Banner’s cinderblock wall. It uses colors that allow viewers to play a matching game by locating color pairs. Savage is a former graduate student of the Department of Art, and his project, Bridge Crossing, will be installed in a sculpture park in Commerce near David Zvanut’s Eternal Carousel. Savage’s piece uses wooden bridge timbers that are sunk in the ground like dominoes to create an arch that gives the impression of forming a bridge over the ground. A&M-Commerce was awarded a grant in spring 2016 by the Spanish Film Club to host a cinematic event. Spanish Film Club is a program that offers a highly competitive grant biannually to help universities and high schools bring Spanish and Latin American
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cinema to campuses. The organization is sponsored by PRAGDA, a film distribution company specializing in the educational market. Fifteen countries were represented in these films, which renew every year and feature English subtitles. More than 100 universities have participated in this program so far, and winning campuses are allowed to select a minimum of five films from a catalogue to create a film festival on their campus. The films are selected by a committee of American and Spanish experts in Spanish language cinema. Dr. María FernándezLamarque, associate professor in the Department of Literature and Languages, applied for the grant.
COLLEGE OF SCIENCE & ENGINEERING Dr. Ben Jang was among 10 professors from seven universities in The Texas A&M University System to receive a 2015 Regents Professor Award. Dr. Jang serves as department head of chemistry, is the chair of various symposia at American Chemical Society national meetings, and is guest editor of Energy & Environmental Sciences, Green Chemistry, and Catalysis Today journals. He received the H.M. Lafferty Distinguished Faculty Award for scholarship and creative activity in 2007, and has contributed much of his time serving as adviser of the Chinese
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Student Association, International Fellowship Association, and Taiwanese Student Association. His membership includes the Academy-Regents’ Initiative of A&M-Commerce, the International Student Committee, the Graduate Council, the Faculty Senate, the Budget Committee, the University Strategic Planning Committee, and the Facilities Advisory Committee. He said his goal is to educate and pass on his life experiences while having fun. He is the 189th recipient of the Regents Professor Award. Dr. Rebecca Dibbs of the Department of Mathematics was admitted as a Service, Teaching, and Research (STaR) Fellow of the Association of Mathematics Teacher Educators for 2015-2016 and has earned a Texas NeXT fellowship. STaR fellows have the opportunity to discuss ideas, methods, and issues of teaching early in their careers. The network additionally provides STaR fellows with mentoring and training. The fellowship is awarded annually to 30 new faculty members in their first or second year of a tenure-track academic appointment as a mathematics educator at a U.S. institution of higher education. The Texas NeXT fellowship is the early-career fellowship of the Mathematical Association of America and provides networking, training, and conference travel to four conferences in the state. Professor of physics Dr. Grady Price Blount and assistant professor of political science Dr. Robert Rodriguez presented their study, “Hispanics in Texas Higher Education: An Assessment of the State ‘Closing the Gaps’ Initiative,” at the First Pan-American Interdisciplinary
Conference in Buenos Aires, Argentina, in summer 2015. The conference included scholars from India, Holland, Argentina, and Saudi Arabia. The location of the conference allowed Rodriguez to visit his country of heritage, Argentina, and Blount to visit the A&M-Commerce robotic telescope located at the Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory in Chile. “By representing A&M-Commerce in venues such as this, we are enhancing our university’s international reputation and bringing awareness of some of the research activities conducted by our faculty to a global audience,” Rodriguez said. “This in turn contributes to the globalization Quality Enhancement Plan adopted by our university.” The Jacobus Kapteyn Telescope (JKT), inactive for the last decade, got a new lease on life under remote control operation. The revitalization was made possible by an agreement between Southeastern Association for Research in Astronomy (SARA) – a consortium of U.S. universities that includes A&M-Commerce – and the Institudo de Astrofisica de Canaries (IAC). The telescope was originally commissioned more than 30 years ago by the United Kingdom, Ireland, and the Netherlands. The reopening ceremony of this historic telescope in the Roque de Muchachos Observatory on the Spanish island of La Palma took place in October 2015. The funding for the refurbishment of the SARA-JKT was made possible by a $500,000 grant to A&M-Commerce by the National Science Foundation.
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Noteworthy A U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory Awards Fellowship went to Department of Computer Science assistant professor Dr. Unal “Zak” Sakoglu in 2016 for his proposal, “Application of IR Sensor Technology: Nonuniformity Correction Algorithms for IR Pupil Imager.” The fellowship allowed Sakoglu to spend 12 weeks at the Air Force Research Laboratory in Albuquerque, New Mexico, the main research center for directed energy and optical technologies for the U.S. Air Force. The research completed by him and his collaborators was presented and published at the Proceedings of SPIE Optics+Photonics Conference, “Volume Infrared Sensors, Devices, and Applications,” in San Diego, California. SPIE is a not-for-profit society dedicated to advancing the application of light by taking an interdisciplinary approach to science. Sakoglu said the grant could also support qualified graduate students who study with him in the near future. Assistant professor of computer science Dr. Mingon Kang began a project in 2016 to revolutionize digital signage with co-principal investigator Dr. Sang Suh, professor and head of the Department of Computer Science & Information Systems. These interactive intelligent systems will collect statistical information about people viewing the digital signs. The collected information allows the signs to adjust according to the approximate age and gender of the viewers through “deep learning,” a branch of machine learning related to creating artificial intelligence within the device. With this advanced interactive signage, advertisers will be able to tailor messages to more specific audiences. The digital signage devices may
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be able to track the movements of viewers, then predict the consumer’s behavior and communicate that prediction with another digital signage device. The metadata developed from the big data will help the signs function properly and provide valuable scientific information for further research in economics and business. The sixth cohort of the Texas A&M University-Commerce Honors College has graduated, with many of its members continuing their education in renowned programs. For instance, Bailey Philips, a future Texas A&M University chemistry doctoral candidate, was accepted into eight other fully funded chemistry doctoral programs; and Laura Heron, originally from Hampshire, England, is now a doctoral candidate in industrial/organizational psychology at Florida International University.
DIVISION OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION Chief Information Officer Tim Murphy, Director of Infrastructure Services Jeff Faunce, and Information Security Officer David Maxwell were featured in an EdTech article in 2015 entitled, “Higher Education Turns to Endpoint Security.” The article focuses in part on the Center for IT Excellence installation of a next-generation firewall to bolster endpoint security on the A&MCommerce network — a precautionary measure aimed at eliminating malicious software downloads.
FRATERNITY AND SORORITY LIFE Fraternity and Sorority Life at A&M-Commerce grew in 2015 with increased membership and more staff members, including Dr. Zachary Shirley, who was named director of fraternity and sorority life. The growth of the program has allowed resulted in Greek life becoming its own department, and its staff has doubled with the addition of one professional staff member and a part-time administrative assistant. Fraternity and sorority members serve as orientation staff, residential assistants, Student Government Association senators, and leaders in other campus organizations.
NURSING Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing has expanded its Iota Nu Chapter to include A&M-Commerce as of November 2015. Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing was started by six nursing students in 1922. It has grown to more than 135,000 active members in more than 90 countries with about 500 chapters worldwide. The Iota Nu Chapter has become a chapter at-large to include A&MCommerce and East Texas Baptist University. The Iota Nu Chapter was established in 1985 and chartered in 1988 at The University of Texas at Tyler. The chapter has more than 325 members. There are two ways to be inducted into Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing. Nursing students must either maintain a GPA of greater than 3.0 and be in the top 35 percent of their graduating class, or have proven their leadership and met the criteria set by Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing.
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STUDENT ACCESS & SUCCESS The U.S. Department of Education selected A&M-Commerce to receive a grant under the Trio Student Support Services (SSS) program, which will provide $481,656 each year for the next five years to the Trio SSS office. “This funding will provide the support services necessary to help many deserving students achieve their dream of degree attainment,” said Dr. Mary Hendrix, vice president of student access and success. A&M-Commerce Salesforce Administrator Kari Bryan claimed a spot on the Salesforce Foundation Higher Education Advisory Council in October 2015 after being nominated by several university constituents. Currently, Bryan is responsible for setup and configuration of the Salesforce customer relationship management tool and provides a basic introduction to Salesforce for the university through video and presentations on the site. In her new role on the Higher Education Advisory Council, she will assist other higher education institutions with their implementations and sessions with the Salesforce Foundation and partnerships in identifying and exploring higher education needs and solutions.
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A&M-Commerce hired Christopher Hensley as the new coordinator of new student orientation and prospective student experience. Hensley served as the National Orientation Directors Association (NODA) intern for the A&M-Commerce Orientation Team during summer 2014, when he earned the title of Outstanding NODA Intern. In October 2014, he began working as a success coach with University College while finishing his master’s degree in higher education at the University of North Texas. A&M-Commerce named alumna LeWanna Hobbs as the director of Direct Student Access in fall 2015. Hobbs began her journey on campus as a student in the Honors College. After she graduated, she worked on her master’s degree, finishing in 2011. Her job experience includes working with the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships, the Office of the Registrar, and the university switchboard. She also serves as the coadviser to the college NAACP chapter and the adviser of the Mu Zeta chapter of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc. The university’s Quality Enhancement Plan sent four political science graduate students to present research on United StatesUkraine relations at a conference in Ukraine in April 2016. Dr. Robert Rodriguez, assistant professor of political science, led the four students – Sarah Hays, Tyler Henderson, Ricardo Garcia, and Ashley Cotton – on a trip to Kharkiv to give two presentations at the conference, held at the Kharkiv National Automobile and Highway University.
Dr. Rodriguez also took the students to significant historical, political, and cultural locations in Kyiv and Kharkiv. The students started their research last September when they began meeting to discuss their findings. They first presented their research in February in Buenos Aires, Argentina, at the Second Pan-American Interdisciplinary Conference before presenting their updated research in April in Ukraine. The students’ research focuses on how the United States has interacted diplomatically with Ukraine throughout history, with a look at how Russia also has been involved in the mix. Nick Patras (MS ’00), assistant director of the A&M-Commerce Counseling Center, was quoted in a recent cover story of Counseling Today, “Coping with College.” He was one of six counselors to be featured in the article, which discussed the importance of counseling college students and how it can help them in their personal lives and academic careers. Counseling Today reaches an audience of over 56,000 American Counseling Association members and other online readers. Sarah Northam, head of research and instruction services at James G. Gee Library, served as project director for the “Latino Americans: 500 Years of History” grant. P
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Class Notes .1950s. Jerry Lee Irons (BS ’56, MS ’58, PhD ’67), retired professor, taught a total of 56 years in locations that included Mesquite, Texas, Stephen F. Austin State University, and University of Dallas. Roger C. Samuels (BS ’59) played for the Lions in 1957-59 and was inducted into the Coalgate High School Athletic Hall of Fame in Oklahoma. He and his wife are retired and live in Mesquite, Texas.
Darrell Mack Loyless (MS ’68) was recently appointed president of the Texas United Methodist College Association.
.1960s. John Bryd (BS ’69) was named a Gold Blazer of A&M-Commerce in April 2016. Sara Ann Hart (MS ’64) retired as professor emeritus after 40 years of teaching.
Captain Joe Reid Scott (BS ’56) retired from serving as Hopkins County veterans affairs officer after 19 years. It was his third retirement; he also served in the U.S. Navy and as a real estate broker in Hopkins County. George Williams “Bill” Whitt (BA ’56, MEd ’63, EdD ’78) earned degrees from the college when it was East Texas State Teacher’s College, East Texas State College, and East Texas State University.
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E.C. Larkin, Jr. (BS ’66) was named a Distinguished Alumna of A&MCommerce in April 2016.
Bill O’Neal (BA ’64, MA ’69, Honorary DLit ’13) was presented the A.C. Greene Literary Award at the West Texas Book Festival in Abilene, Texas, in September 2015. O’Neal is in his second term as Texas State Historian and is the author of more than 40 books. Dr. Billy Parkhill Jr. (BS ’68) was recognized as an Alumni Ambassador in the 33rd Annual Alumni Ambassador Forum held in February 2016.
Harold Jack Lassiter (BBA ’68, MS ’69, EDD ’78) was named a Distinguished Alumna of A&MCommerce in April 2016.
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boards in Dallas after having held a career in sales and marketing. She is president of the Douglass Alumni Association-Dallas Chapter. She graduated with high honors. Ted Ray Crim (BS ’70, MS ’71) attended Forum Arts Program while at East Texas State University, which allowed him to meet notable campus visitors, including John Scopes of the Scopes Monkey Trial (Evolution vs. Creationism), Dr. Joyce Brothers, Hal Holbrook, and others.
.1970s. Julia Nell Ballenger (BS ’70, MS ’73, PhD ’96) was the first president and charter member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority while in college, and was a member of the Black Student Organization while in school. She is currently a professor of educational leadership at A&M-Commerce. Glenda Ann Baylor (BS ’71) is with Education Consulting in Wayne County Community College District (Detroit, Michigan), which includes instructional and training support, student services, community engagement, and outreach. Martin (Marty) Q. Berryman (BS ’73) taught school and coached tennis in the Terrell and Plano independent school districts, and has been collegiate tennis coach at Collin College in Plano since 1989. He has coached several National Junior College Athletic Association national championship teams. Ruth Linwood Burton (BS ’75, MBA ’76) is currently a speaker for business and church groups and serves on a number of
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Zenetta Drew (BBA ’74) was recognized as an Alumni Ambassador in the 33rd Annual Alumni Ambassador Forum held in February 2016 and was named a Distinguished Alumna of A&M-Commerce in April 2016. Michael Wayne Giarraputo (BS ’76) was elected president of the Combined Law Enforcement Associations of Texas Retiree Association, which provides legal services and other benefits to retired law enforcement officers. He retired after 32 years with the Mesquite Police Department.
Kenneth Joe King (BA ’75) was editor of several newspapers and in public relations for Texas Instruments for 25 years. He has worked for Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service/Emergency Services Training Institute for the past 19 years and is currently regional training manager for 36 counties. Stan McKee (BS ’78, MS ’90) was named a Gold Blazer of A&M-Commerce in April 2016.
Charles Ronald (Ron) Meek (BS ’70, MEd ’71, EdD ’75) retired after serving as Pueblo Community College president as well as Oklahoma Panhandle State University president. Debra Kay Nelson (BS ’78, MEd ’80, EdD ’83) retired in August 2013 from Frisco Independent School District after 38 years in Texas education. Named in recognition of her 18 years of commitment to Frisco ISD, Dr. Debra Nelson Middle School in Frisco ISD opened in August 2016.
Claudius L. Higginbotham Jr. (BM ’74) served as assistant band director at Ennis High School in Ennis, Texas, in 1998. From 1978-87, he served in the U.S. Army, and since November 1987, he has been a U.S. Army civilian employee at Redstone Arsenal, Alabama. He currently serves as the product manager for TOW Weapon Systems in the Close Combat Weapon Systems Project Office. Marian Dee Jackson (BS ’76) just started her 24th year as a librarian at Tyler Junior College and her 12th year as director of library services.
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Class Notes Jo Allison Cochran (BS ’87) is in her 28th year as an educator. She has taught kindergarten through eighth grades using virtual/blended learning. Currently, she teaches Disciplinary Alternative Education Program students in the sixth through eighth grades in 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.
Earl Nottingham (BS ’78) just celebrated his 20-year anniversary as chief photographer for Texas Parks & Wildlife Department. Roddy (Mike) Michael Reid (BS ’73) is president of Reid Homes LLC, in Rockwall, Texas, which helped to renovate several homes damaged by the tornado in Rowlett and Garland, Texas. Jimmy Talley (BBA ’74) worked for the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, played football for the San Francisco 49ers, and has been a CPA in Dallas, Texas, for over 40 years. He owns Talley & Associates CPAs, CFE and Professional Consultants and serves on many nonprofit boards. His daughter, Jennifer Leigh, born while he was attending East Texas State University in 1972, is a successful lawyer in Dallas.
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Treva Franklin (BS ’83, EdD ’12) has been promoted to assistant superintendent of instructional services in Mesquite Independent School District. She has spent 28 of her 32 years in education with Mesquite ISD, serving as a classroom teacher, elementary counselor, assistant principal, and principal at Moss and McWhorter elementary schools. For the past five years, she has served as administrative officer of curriculum, overseeing the curriculum in prekindergarten through 12th grades, the district’s gifted-and-talented program, and federal Title programs.
.1980s. Carlos Amaral (MS ’88) was recognized as an Alumni Ambassador in the 33rd Annual Alumni Ambassador Forum held in February 2016. Mike Callahan (BS ’84) was named a Gold Blazer of A&M-Commerce in April 2016. Bart Cleveland (BS ’80) was recognized as an Alumni Ambassador in the 33rd Annual Alumni Ambassador Forum held in February 2016.
Sandy Kay Gorman (BS ’80, MEd ’83, MS ’95), a contributor to John Maxwell’s book, “Everyone Communicates; Few Connect,” received the Teacher of The Year Dallas ISD and the Top 8 in District Teacher of the Year Elementary Dallas ISD awards. Jeffery Lynn Hayes (BS ’81) completed a Master of Public Health degree from Texas A&M University Health Science Center School of Public Health in 2013. He is employed as the chief of staff for the Office of the Medical Director with Austin/Travis County Emergency Medical System. Thomas Haygood (BM ’82) was recognized as an Alumni Ambassador in the 33rd Annual Alumni Ambassador Forum held in February 2016.
Fall 2016
Don Huff (BS ’82) is a successful freelance designer and illustrator specializing in museum exhibits, maps, and infographics. He recently illustrated and published his first children’s book, “I Am a Sidewalk,” Ann Hustead (BM ’82) is currently in her 22nd year as a board-certified music therapist. She is a widow, cancer survivor, and proud grandmother of seven grandchildren. Stanton Evan Kellam (BS ’82) and his wife recently welcomed the arrival of their new daughter, Harper Leigh Kellam, born Christmas Eve 2015. They think she is going to be a Lion, because she is already learning to roar! James Phillip Kerr (BS ’84) served as mayor of Point, Texas, and on the executive committee of the East Texas Council of Governments for several years. He recently relocated to Washington, District of Columbia. Gentry “Ace” Little (BS ’87) called his 1,200th game on Feb. 4, 2016. It was a meeting between Howard College and Western Texas College in Big Spring, Texas. This is a tiny drop in the 34 years
of radio experience that Little has accumulated from time spent in Oklahoma and Dallas, Weatherford, Mineral Wells, Cleburne, and Commerce, Texas. Little graduated from East Texas State University with a degree in radio and television broadcasting and promptly launched his career at KETR. He is also an Eagle Scout. Carabeth Luckey (BA ’80) is owner of the Luckey Law Firm in Omaha, Texas, and chair of the Morris County Republican Party. Rhona Meads (BS ’82) was named the Tyler Independent School District 2016 Secondary Teacher of the Year at a banquet held at the Harvey Convention Center. She was awarded a plaque, an Amazon Echo, a Google G Watch, and a cash award. Meads was selected in 2012 by the Tyler Independent School District as the Austin Elementary School Teacher of the Year.
Gentry “Ace” Little
Fall 2016
Photo: WD Sports
Distinguished Alumnus Mike Moses (EdD ’80) was recognized at the 11th Annual Friend of the Year Gala, held at McLane Stadium in Waco, Texas, in December 2015. The event was hosted by Friends of Texas Public Schools. Moses currently serves as the senior educational advisor for Raise Your Hand Texas and the Center for Reform of School Systems. He was honored for the work he has done for more than 30 years as a Texas educator and leader. John Norman (BS ’88) was named a Distinguished Alumna of A&MCommerce in April 2016.
Distinguished Alumnus Carl Richie Jr. (BS ’81) was recently sworn in as senior vice president of the National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials (NAHRO). NAHRO is the largest affordable
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Class Notes housing and community development organization in the nation. Its membership provides housing for over 7.9 million lowincome people. Before this appointment, Richie served on the national Board of Governors for NAHRO, led conferences and workshops on ethics, agency operations, and management, and served as the national board’s parliamentarian. Deborah Denise Robinson (BS ’84) was recognized by the university as an outstanding high school coach after her team won the Class 1A Girls State Basketball and Track & Field Championship in 1998 at her former high school in Karnack, Texas. Her team won the State Track Championship again in 2000 and in 2001. Dr. Jane Rowe (PhD ’81) was recognized as an Alumni Ambassador in the 33rd Annual Alumni Ambassador Forum held in February 2016. The cover of TIME magazine featured a photograph by alumnus Mark Seliger (BS ’81). The photograph is of former U.S. presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush. Kevin Slimp (BS ’85) is currently writing a fictional column called “The Good Folks of Lennox Valley,” found in 200 newspapers across the country. He has nearly two million readers each week and has become one of the most widely read columnists in America. Michael Andrew Smith (BA ’88) has completed a marathon in less than four hours in all 50 states and has completed a total of 94 marathons, including the Ironman Triathlon six times. He has been employed at the Boy Scouts of America National Office for 20 years. Michael C. Smith (BA ’86), a trial lawyer in the Marshall, Texas, office of Siebman, Burg, Phillips & Smith, LLP, was recently honored with the 2016 Sam B. Hall Civic Service Award by East Texas Baptist University. Smith, who graduated from East Texas State
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University with a Bachelor of Arts, received the award in recognition of his years of civic and community service. Steve Thurman (BS ’81) was named a Distinguished Alumna of A&MCommerce in April 2016.
James Michael Whalen (BBA ’81) graduated in the top 15 percent from South Texas College of Law with a Juris Doctor. Presently he works for Lockheed Martin in Fort Worth and has been serving the city of Wichita Falls, Texas, as an associate municipal court judge since 1994. Denny Whitley (MEd ’83) recently completed his 45th year as a high school band director with 27 years of service in Whitehouse Independent School District. His band director at East Texas State University was Dr. Neill Humfeld, and his saxophone professor was Dr. James Deaton. Whitley gives both men much credit for helping develop him into the teacher he is today.
Don Allen Wilks (BBA ’83) is the founder and president of The Global Community for Education, a small nonprofit that has built four schools in rural Nepal. He recently announced the commencement of a fund drive to rebuild one of the schools destroyed by the April 2015 earthquake. Douglas Hampton Wintermute (BS ’84), the Rev. Wintermute, was appointed as pastor of First United Methodist Church of Jacksonville, Texas, in January 2015. Debra K. Zimmermann (BS ’87, MEd ’95) taught kindergarten for 26 years and retired from Dallas Independent School District in 2013. She received a national board certification as an early childhood generalist in November 2012.
.1990s. Alumnus Dr. Larry Acker (BS ’92) was appointed to a newly created position as director of university marketing at Southeastern Oklahoma State University. Acker graduated from A&M-Commerce with a bachelor’s degree in public relations/ journalism, attended Langston University
Fall 2016
for his Master of Education degree, and went to Lamar University for his doctorate in educational leadership. Since earning his degrees, he has held various assistant director and director of public relations posts. Daniel Bandi (MBA ’90) was recognized as an Alumni Ambassador in the 33rd Annual Alumni Ambassador Forum held in February 2016. Michael Burkett (BS ’99) was recognized as an Alumni Ambassador in the 33rd Annual Alumni Ambassador Forum held in February 2016. Colin Charlton (BA ’94 MA ’00), an associate professor of writing and language studies at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley and English at the University of Texas-Pan American, received the 2015 Outstanding Teaching Award, the highest honor of The University of Texas System Board of Regents. These awards are offered annually to recognize faculty members who have demonstrated extraordinary classroom performance and innovation in undergraduate instruction at the UT System’s eight academic and six health institutions. Jay Champion (BS ’90, MBA ’99) and Dianna McFarland Champion (BSIS ’92, MS ’94, MEd ’97) live in Niwot, Colorado. He is the chief operating officer at Elevations Credit Union in Boulder, a $1.6 billion community credit union serving the Front Range of Colorado. He serves on the Niwot Local Improvement District advisory board and on the board of the Elevations Foundation, and as an MBA mentor at the University of Colorado. She served as an elementary principal in the Terrell Independent School District before relocating to Colorado. Both are previous Alumni Ambassadors for the university.
attorneys.” In 2014, he and his business partner started building the VENUE program, a platform intended to promote industry best practices. Fernando Gray Sr. (BSCJ ’95) was recognized as an Alumni Ambassador in the 33rd Annual Alumni Ambassador Forum held in February 2016. Kelly Jenkins (BS ’99, MS ’01) was recognized as an Alumni Ambassador in the 33rd Annual Alumni Ambassador Forum held in February 2016. Jan Dwight Kennedy (MS ’98) retired in 2014 as school superintendent for McKinney Independent School District after serving as an educator for 40 years. Dr. Gwendolyn Kines-McLeod (BS ’99, MS ’01) was recognized as an Alumni Ambassador in the 33rd Annual Alumni Ambassador Forum held in February 2016. Cyndi Matthews (MS ’96, PhD ’12) is the clinic director and a counseling lecturer at University of North Texas at Dallas, and is in private practice in Garland, Texas. She conducts research, presents, and writes about counseling lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender clients, as well as clients
who were born and raised in cults. Dr. Marcus Nelson (EdD ’98) was recognized as an Alumni Ambassador in the 33rd Annual Alumni Ambassador Forum held in February 2016. Dwayne John Ory (BBA ’93) was recently sworn in as the mayor of Terrell after serving five years as councilman for his district. He is a CPA and internal auditor for American National Bank of Texas. His wife, Chandra (Channy) Ory (BS ’94), is employed by PricewaterhouseCoopers and is a Terrell Independent School District school board trustee. Richard Shane Summers (BA ’91) is beginning his 18th year with K. Hovnanian Homes, a national homebuilder publically traded on the New York Stock Exchange. He has served as the controller and the vice president of accounting and finance, and currently works as a project manager overseeing nine communities in the Flower Mound/ Southlake area of Dallas-Fort Worth. Mark Von Schwarz (BS ’90) was recognized as an Alumni Ambassador in the 33rd Annual Alumni Ambassador Forum held in February 2016.
Alumnus Jim Chester (BS ’94) was featured in Attorney At Law Magazine. Chester describes himself as an “attorney for entrepreneurs and an entrepreneur for Fall 2016
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Class Notes Sharron Wetzel (BS ’96) owns Wetzel’s Heat & Air, LLC, in Winnsboro, Texas. She is using her education to run the financial side of the business. She and her husband are involved in the local chamber of commerce and serve as the assistant pastor and pastor’s wife for their church, New Life, located in Mineola, Texas.
Timothy James Rae (BS ’02) is vice president at Wells Fargo. Linda Kristi Rickman (BS ’00, MS ’03) is associate dean for student life and orientation at Florida SouthWestern State College in Fort Myers, Florida. She formerly served as coordinator of student services at Texas State University in San Marcos, Texas.
.2000s.
Doreen Rue (MSW ’07) was recognized as an Alumni Ambassador in the 33rd Annual Alumni Ambassador Forum held in February 2016.
Tara Lynn Broadus (BS ’04, MEd ’08) was named Dallas Independent School District’s Elementary Teacher of the Year.
John Weatherford (BS ’00) was recognized as an Alumni Ambassador in the 33rd Annual Alumni Ambassador Forum held in February 2016.
Craig Driggers (BAAS ’07) was recognized as an Alumni Ambassador in the 33rd Annual Alumni Ambassador Forum held in February 2016. Brian L. English (BBA ’06, MBA ’08) received his doctorate in educational leadership and policy studies from the University of Texas at Arlington. He is currently employed by the University of Texas at Austin as the director for UT Outreach-Dallas and interim director of the Dallas Admissions Center. Both programs are dedicated to helping high school students have access to and success in college. Jason Gann (MS ’04) was recognized as an Alumni Ambassador in the 33rd Annual Alumni Ambassador Forum held in February 2016. Jordan Harper (MBA ’04) was recognized as an Alumni Ambassador in the 33rd Annual Alumni Ambassador Forum held in February 2016. Jared Harrison (BS ’02) is a member of the Hall of Fame 1990 football team. Heather Jones (BS ’05) recently graduated with her MBA from Texas Christian University and will be moving to Seattle, Washington, to work for Amazon.
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Dr. Charlotte Larkin (MS ’00, MS ’10, EdD ’07) was recognized as an Alumni Ambassador in the 33rd Annual Alumni Ambassador Forum held in February 2016. Joshua Paul Monthie (BPA ’08) has worked in the private and public sectors, beginning as an inventory analyst at KimberlyClark, and then working for the federal government as a Department of Defense auditor. He is now a senior auditor. Dr. Katherine Pang (PhD ’08) is a licensed psychologist. Pang received her Master of Divinity and Master of Theology degrees from Talbot School of Theology. She also has two law degrees, an MBA, and over 25 years of experience in business and education. Pang is a certified Christian counselor and has served as a postdoctoral resident in Houston. Fernando Yitzack Pavon (BS ’03) currently lives in Jamaica and works with the Inter-American Development Bank. He specializes in labor market policy for Latin America and the Caribbean.
.2010s. Tracy Adkins (MS ’11) was recognized as an Alumni Ambassador in the 33rd Annual Alumni Ambassador Forum held in February 2016. Ngozi Agu (BAAS ’10) currently works for Baylor Scott & White as a clinical application specialist II and is a Mary Kay independent beauty consultant. She is certified in Epic Bridges, Onbase Administrator, and Onbase Workflow. Suzanne Alex (BSIS ’12) currently works as a special education teacher. She is the founder of a nonprofit organization that provides care for adults with special needs. Meagan Alexander (BS ’15) was accepted into the prestigious Kentucky Equine Management Internship. The program is dedicated to improving opportunities for college students wishing to pursue a career in the field of equine management.
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Mary Ann Banos (BGS ’11) in March 2013 published her first book, “Uplifting One Life at a Time: The Power of Encouragement.” She has also begun doing motivational speaking. Haley Case (BSIS ’15) has traveled on a mission trip to Ecuador and is a seventhand eighth-grade math teacher in Wylie, Texas. She is currently working on a shoe donation project for the orphan children of Quito, Ecuador. Kevin Michael Clark (MS ’10) was recently promoted to captain over the Special Services Division of the Denton County Sheriff’s Office. Jessica Craig (BA ’10) is currently serving as a captain in the U.S. Air Force and stationed at Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Washington. She recently graduated from Squadron Officer School. A&M-Commerce hired Dr. Fernando “Fred” Fuentes Jr. (EdD ’13) as the assistant dean of enrollment management for Hispanic Outreach and Retention. Throughout his career at A&M-Commerce, Fuentes has worked successfully as a therapist and co-created the international travel abroad program, Sophomore Year Experience. He began his career serving as a U.S. Army soldier in various military battalions throughout the U.S. and in international bases. He also worked as a USAID/Global Health Fellows Program fellow with Mercy Corps International in Guatemala and Honduras, where he provided HIV/AIDS education and empowerment of post-conflict, rural, indigenous youth. He moved to East Texas after working in Washington, D.C., as a senior inclusion and diversity officer. Donna M. Gosbee (BS ’10, MS ’14) is currently working on a doctorate at the University of Texas at Dallas. Her first
Fall 2016
book was published in April 2016. It is entitled “Women and Genocide: Gendered Experiences of Violence, Survival and Resistance,” and is co-edited by Dr. JoAnn DiGeorgio-Lutz and Gosbee. Juan Hernandez (BFA ’15) graduated from the visual communication program at A&M-Commerce. He is currently working as a web designer in the fashion industry. Apryl Nicole Lewis (MA ’15) received a scholarship from the Silver Leos, and received the James Byrd Graduate Scholarship and the Graduate Rollover Scholarship. She is currently working on a doctorate in English. Chris Ramos (BM ’14) completed his Master of Music degree in conducting. He and his wife, Heather Ramos (BFA ’11, MS ’14), accepted teaching positions at Dalat International School in Penang, Malaysia. He will be the high school and middle school band director, and she serves as a science curriculum director. Michael John Ruiz (MS ’15) is a Dallas Independent School District Teacher of the Year winner for 2015-2016. Barbie Termini (BSN ’14) was recognized as an Alumni Ambassador in the 33rd Annual Alumni Ambassador Forum held in February 2016. Chief Brand Officer and founding partner of PICKUP, Raul Varela (MFA ’10), recently attracted several million dollars from an investment fund co-created by Ross Perot Jr. and received state and national news coverage by The Dallas Morning News and USA Today. Founded in 2015, PICKUP is a service for consumers and retailers that transports
anything that can fit into the bed of a pick-up truck. Varela, who teaches creative innovation and promotional marketing in the MFA program at Universities Center in downtown Dallas, has been in the business of design for over 20 years. He got involved with the service after he transformed his business from graphic design only to more of an accelerator/incubator model that invests in burgeoning startups. PICKUP is one of many startups trying to compete with Amazon.com’s fast delivery options. Shanthi Kumar Vanama (MS ’15) currently works as a TIBCO developer in Washington. Dr. Dawn Weatherford (MS ’11, PhD ’13) was recognized as an Alumni Ambassador in the 33rd Annual Alumni Ambassador Forum held in February 2016. Todd Wynne (BS ’12) was recognized as an Alumni Ambassador in the 33rd Annual Alumni Ambassador Forum held in February 2016. P
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Un iversit y Fu n ding:
Perception vs. Reality This year marks the 20th anniversary of East Texas State University joining The Texas A&M University System as Texas A&M University-Commerce. And still today, misconceptions about the university’s relationship to the Texas A&M System and to its flagship institution (Texas A&M University) continue to exist. To foster understanding, PRIDE magazine attempts to dispel the most common misconceptions. Perception: Texas A&M University in College Station controls every other university in the A&M System, including A&M-Commerce. Reality: Though the system chancellor’s office is located in College Station near the Texas A&M University campus, A&M-Commerce and other members are overseen by the A&M System, not by Texas A&M University, and are academically and financially independent of each other.
Perception: The A&M System receives substantial funding from the state that it can use to support all of its members, including A&M-Commerce. Reality: Legislative funding for members does not pass through Texas A&M System but is allocated directly to each university. Being part of the A&M System has many benefits. Two important ones are: 1.) It reduces operational costs by providing services shared by all members, with each member paying a portion of that cost. 2.) The universities that comprise the A&M System can make a joint effort to request funding from the Legislature in accordance with the priorities of the system chancellor. Nonetheless, each member of Texas A&M System is separately funded by the Legislature.
Perception: The reason the A&M-Commerce campus is so beautiful is because it shares in oil and gas industry revenue that parts of the A&M System receive from the state’s Permanent University Fund. Reality: A&M-Commerce is not among the few universities that receive funding from the Permanent University Fund.
A&M-Commerce does receive part of its operational funding from the Texas Higher Education Fund according to formula funding. However, in the past 20 years, only two of its current structures on campus have been funded by legislative action; a third building project was recently approved by the Legislature, and the rest were funded mainly by student fees.
Perception: When East Texas State University became Texas A&M University-Commerce, its revenue sources changed. Reality: Despite changes in name and governance, the university has had only three primary sources of revenue since it was purchased by the state of Texas in 1917: 1) student tuition and fees, 2) state legislative funding, 3) and charitable donations.
Perception: Donations to the Texas A&M UniversityCommerce Foundation go into a bigger pot of money that all the A&M System universities can enjoy. Reality: When people donate to the Texas A&M UniversityCommerce Foundation, their gift benefits A&M-Commerce students. Preserving Professor William Leonidas Mayo’s founding mission of cultivating an environment in which inspiration, dreams, and ambition give way to rich prospects is made possible through the ongoing support from alumni and friends. Help A&M-Commerce continue the long-standing tradition of providing exceptional educational opportunities to students. Give today. For information, contact University Advancement at 903.468.8680 or visit tamuc.edu/give. P
How Is Our University Funded?
East Texas Normal College
School Year
1889
Oversight
Private College
1923
1957
Texas State Teachers College System
1965 1969
1996
ETSU Independent Board of Regents
2016
Texas A&M System
Since becoming a state institution, our funding sources have remained consistent: Students, the Texas Legislature, and Benevolence.
Funding
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East Texas State Normal College 1917
East Texas State College
East Texas State Teachers College
Texas A&M UniversityCommerce
East Texas State University
PRIDE The Alumni Magazine
Fall 2016
Dear Alumni and Friends,
I
t is my hope that you enjoyed and were enlightened by this issue of PRIDE magazine. A portion of it is dedicated to our 11th president, Dr. Dan R. Jones. Through his vision and service, we have seen the university’s amazing growth and transformation. He will be dearly missed by all of us and will always remain in our hearts. We are pleased and honored to welcome Dr. Ray M. Keck and his wife, Patricia Keck, to the Lion family. We anticipate much success during his tenure and look forward to developing opportunities for you to get acquainted with him. Throughout this issue, we have shared with you some of the highlights and significant contributions of the College of Education and Human Services (COEHS). The programs offered through this particular college have much to do with our university’s beginning. It was founded more than a century ago by William Leonidas Mayo as what was known then as a “normal school” – a school created for training high school graduates
to become teachers. We have stayed true to Mayo’s mission of providing quality education. The college has produced scores of graduates who have succeeded in their careers while helping to change the lives of others. It has produced social workers, educators, educational administrators, college professors, entrepreneurs, and a myriad of other professionals. Many studies have illustrated the value of a college education over one’s life span. As a graduate of the university and COEHS, I can personally attest to the significance that a college degree has played in my life. A degree from this university holds dual value. First, the overall quality and affordability of Texas A&M University-Commerce make it one of the most attractive institutions in our state and country. Second, its familial atmosphere makes every student feel like part of a larger family, as indeed they are. We have always been Lions, and much like members of the Lion kingdom, we work to protect, respect, and support each other. I wish you all the best! Peace and blessings,
Derryle G. Peace Director of Alumni Relations
An Impression that Lasts a Lifetime You are invited to leave a permanent impression on campus and in the lives of future students. The Alumni Association of Texas A&M University-Commerce is proud to develop the Brick Garden Project – a pathway between the Alumni Center and the walking mall. The pathway will create a symbolic connection from the past to the future. The $125 investment for one customengraved, 4-by-8-inch brick will not only help build this connection but also build educational opportunities for future generations of Lions. When you purchase an engraved brick, a portion of the proceeds provides support to the Alumni Legacy Scholarship. Make your impression today at: tamuc.edu/brickproject
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