tarleton state UNIVERSITY MAGAZINE SPRING/SUMMER 2021
SPRING/SUMMER 2021
TARLETON STATE UNIVERSITY MAGAZINE
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IN THIS ISSUE
Purple Way
Round Up
PAG E S 4 - 9
PAG E S 1 0 -1 1
CBD for Horses
Tarleton Rodeo
PAG E S 1 2 -1 3
PAG E S 1 6 - 2 1
Poo Centennial
Leigon Donation
PAG E S 2 2 - 2 8
PAG E S 3 0 -3 1
UPDATE YOUR MAILING ADDRESS
Building Boom
Athletics
Three ways to update
PAG E S 3 2 -3 5
PAG E S 3 8 - 4 5
Tarleton State University Magazine Spring/Summer 2021 | Volume 13 Number 1
President Dr. James Hurley Assistant Vice President, Marketing and Communications Cecilia Jacobs Director, Creative Services Robin DeMott Associate Editor, Photographer Kurt Mogonye, ’04 Associate Editor, Writer Phil Riddle, ’03 Contributor Harry Battson Designer Rosemary Gutierrez Videographer Joey McReynolds
DIVISION OF UNIVERSITY RELATIONS Box T-0415, Stephenville, TX 76402 | 254-968-9890 Vice President for University Relations/Chief of Staff Amanda Tollett, ’08 Tarleton State University Magazine is published by the Department of Marketing and Communications, Box T-0730, Stephenville, TX 76402.
Cover: Purple Poo members celebrate the naming of Purple Poo Way on the Stephenville campus.
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1) tarleton.edu/giving/updateinformation 2) ebouquet@tarleton.edu TARLETON STATE UNIVERSITY MAGAZINE 3) 254-968-9948
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A LETTER FROM PRESIDENT JAMES HURLEY
If spring 2021 is a precursor, Tarleton’s future is brighter than ever. We scored all-time-high enrollment for the third consecutive term, unveiled a 10-year blueprint as part of the SACSCOC (Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges) reaffirmation, partnered with two-year colleges to provide scholarships for transfer students, enjoyed game-changing philanthropic support and celebrated the centennial of the oldest spirit organization in Texas. This spring's enrollment beat spring 2020 by 6.46 percent. Fall 2020 beat the previous year by 6.42 percent, and summer 2020 saw 10.19 percent growth over 2019. Now summer 2021 enrollment is poised to exceed 7,000 — another record. Hasn’t happened in 122 years. Revealed in April, Tarleton Forward 2030: Our Future-Focused Strategic Plan is a bold framework for innovation, economic growth, an enhanced student experience and capitalizing on being NCAA Division I. The plan defines our core values — excellence, integrity, respect — and maps our course to become the premier comprehensive regional university in the nation. Beginning this fall, we’ll guarantee annual scholarships to transfer students from two-year colleges and enhance awards for those graduating from one of our nine Distinguished College Partners. Top-shelf, affordable education for those who otherwise might not have the opportunity: It’s what we do. This issue includes a story on the extraordinary generosity of retired Air Force Col. Charles Leigon and his passion for higher education. Col. Leigon’s bequest in support of the nursing program is the third largest cash donation in Tarleton history. You’ll read why “giving back”
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drives Rocky Hardin, President of the Tarleton State University Foundation, Inc., and how Dr. Lamar and Marilynn Johanson abundantly strengthen Tarleton Athletics. Catch the Purple Poo feature and experience the spirit and tradition that are 100-year Tarleton hallmarks. With members like Oren Ellis (the oldest living Poo), it’s no wonder the spirit group has been around so long. Enjoy your summer. Fall 2021 promises greatness. As always, bleed purple and roll, Texans!
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PAVING THE
PURPLE WAY TARLETON SHATTERS ENROLLMENT MARK … AGAIN This never gets old. Tarleton State University has scored all-time-high enrollment for the third consecutive term. While universities nationwide experience sharp declines, Tarleton continues making records on the other end of the scale. Current numbers are up 6.46 percent over spring 2020. Fall enrollment increased 6.42 percent from fall 2019, and summer saw a 10.19 percent growth over the previous year. Growth for the 2020-21 school year is the largest since 1995-96. “Consistently setting enrollment standards is an incredible achievement, but especially during a pandemic,” said university President James Hurley. “These gains speak to Tarleton’s reputation as a first-choice destination for the brightest minds in the region, and to the faculty and staff who foster their success.” Other records: More than 4,800 students report an ethnicity other than white — up 9.1 percent over last spring. More than 2,900 of them are Hispanic, bringing the university closer to its goal of official recognition as an Hispanic-serving institution. The number of African American students is up 6.47 percent from spring 2020. “Efforts to further diversify our student population will continue as we polish an environment where every Tarleton Texan feels welcomed, valued and connected,” Dr. Hurley said.
TARLETON GRAD NAMED FORT WORTH POLICE CHIEF Fort Worth’s new top cop is a Tarleton State University graduate. Deputy Police Chief Neil Noakes has been named Chief of Police, replacing Ed Kraus, who announced his retirement last summer. 4
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Noakes graduated cum laude from Tarleton with his bachelor’s degree in criminal justice in 2016. He joined the Fort Worth PD in 2000 and as Deputy Chief oversaw the central, east and south patrol divisions. “I think it’s safe to say, you’re looking at the happiest man in Fort Worth right now,” he said during a news conference following the announcement in January. “I am absolutely delighted, I am humbled and honored, and I can promise you this, all of us may not agree every day, but as long as we agree to keep coming back to the table, as long as we agree to keep collaborating, as long as we work together, I don’t see anything in the city of Fort Worth we can’t accomplish together.” Noakes was one of six finalists selected from more than 50 applicants from across the country.
TARLETON NAMES DEL CARMEN DIRECTOR OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE INSTITUTE Tarleton State Professor Dr. Alex del Carmen has been appointed Director of the newly established Institute for Predictive Analytics in Criminal Justice. IPAC was approved by The Texas A&M University System Board of Regents at its November 2020 meeting. Dr. del Carmen, who is Associate Dean of the College of Liberal and Fine Arts and heads its School of Criminology, Criminal Justice and Strategic Studies, will oversee IPAC daily operations plus planning for activities and funding. He also will represent the institute on state, national and international forums on the analysis of criminal justice data. The institute will support faculty and doctoral students’ research; conduct intelligence projects with law enforcement agencies; and facilitate research seminars and partnerships throughout the country. Leading the institute “is an honor and privilege,” Dr. del Carmen said, adding that its work will produce a better-informed public concerning patterns and practices in the criminal justice system. SPRING/SUMMER 2021
He will coordinate the work of researchers across The Texas A&M University System and beyond in conducting evidence-based research in predictive policing — the application of analytical quantitative techniques to help prevent crime. Initial steps will involve analyzing racial profiling.
RESEARCHER UNCOVERS FOSSIL OF NEW PLANT SPECIES Fort Worth Police Chief Neil Noakes
A previously unknown species of plant life has been discovered by Tarleton State University researcher Dr. Ryan Morgan and two former students.
Dr. Morgan and his team found a single fossilized leaf of the new species belonging to Cyclopteris, an extinct genus of seed ferns, in sandstone beds of the Placid Shale near Ranger in Eastland County, Texas. The plant fossil is characteristic of the late Paleozoic Era. An Associate Professor in the university’s Department of Chemistry, Geosciences and Physics, Dr. Morgan published the discovery of Cyclopteris chevronii in the International Journal of Paleobiology and Paleontology. Tarleton researcher Dr. Ryan Morgan
“Descriptions from fragmentary and partial fossil material are increasingly rare but are important to cataloging important sites and morphologies,” he wrote. “Many fossil plant genera and species are described from partial fossils, prompting further research and improvement of our understanding of plant taxonomy and evolution.”
NURSING PROFESSOR EARNS AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE Tarleton State University’s Dr. Chiquesha Davis has been named an Excellence in End-of-Life Nursing Education Consortium Award winner. Dr. Davis has been on the Tarleton faculty for more than a year. An Assistant Professor, she heads the Department of Post-Licensure Nursing. She earned her associate’s degree in nursing from Tarrant County College and her undergraduate, master’s and doctoral degrees from UT Tyler. “I feel very honored to be chosen for this prestigious award,” she said. “I have a passion for being sure nursing students and nurses are prepared to handle the emotional reactions of a patient dying. SPRING/SUMMER 2021
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“Being in a pandemic, end-of-life care is ever more needed for the healthcare profession, students, nurses and families. I am glad my research was noticed to improve nursing students’ stress, anxiety and attitude toward caring for the end-of-life patient.” Dr. Davis was recognized as a Texas Nursing Association Doctorate in Nursing Program Fellow in 2018, earned the 2014 Methodist Charlton Medical Center Nursing Excellence Award, and was listed in Who’s Who Among Students in American Junior Colleges in 2001.
TARLETON, FWISD INK HISTORIC, MULTIMILLION-DOLLAR PACT One of the fastest growing regional universities in the country and the state’s sixth largest independent school district cemented an agreement as a prototype to boost post-secondary education nationwide. Beginning with the 2021-22 school year, Tarleton will provide annual scholarships and guarantee admission to Fort Worth ISD seniors who graduate in the top 25 percent of their class. The icing on the cake is that Tarleton will select one FWISD graduating senior each year to receive a $10,000 annual scholarship, renewable for up to four years. The award will result in an annual commitment of $40,000 to the school district. As part of the Distinguished High School Partnership, created by Tarleton President James Hurley in 2019, the university will waive ACT and SAT requirements and application fees for qualifying FWISD seniors. Students graduating in the top 10 percent of their class can expect a minimum $3,000 award as part of the President’s Guaranteed Award Program (GAP). Those in the top 25 percent are guaranteed $1,500. Calling FWISD the backbone of Tarleton freshman enrollment, Dr. Hurley said the partnership “raises a high tide,” enhancing opportunity, access and financial assistance for all students who want a university degree.
“We can’t be more excited about this collaboration with Fort Worth ISD, Superintendent Kent Scribner and the entire Board of Trustees. This is a big win for us, our students and the region. We firmly believe that Fort Worth ISD graduates are prepared to succeed. We’re prepared to ensure they do.” FWISD serves almost 80,000 students, with more than 4,500 graduating annually from 21 high schools.
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TARLETON NAMES RUPA IYER VICE PRESIDENT FOR RESEARCH Following a rigorous national search, Dr. Rupa Iyer was appointed the first Vice President for Research, Innovation and Economic Development at Tarleton State University. A veteran higher education administrator and scholar, she will expand research opportunities while developing strategic partnerships to meet workforce demands and spur business activity statewide. “Dr. Iyer’s accomplishments as a scientist and forward-thinker make her the ideal leader to take Tarleton’s commitment to research and innovation to the next level,” said university President James Hurley. “We aspire to be the foremost university in faculty-led student research at the national level, and she has the experience to get us there.” Dr. Iyer heads the Center for Research, Innovation and Economic Development. As founding director of biotechnology programs at the University of Houston in 2005, she generated millions of dollars in state and federal funding to develop research and education programs and to design laboratories. She was selected one of eight rising national research leaders by the Association of Land Grant and Public Universities for 2019-21 and received the Outstanding Woman in Science Award from the Association of Women in Science in 2020 and the University of Houston’s Distinguished Leadership in Teaching award. She also served as program director for the National Science Foundation in Alexandria, Va., in 2017-19.
PROFESSOR LEADS DAIRY RESEARCH PROJECT A team led by Tarleton researcher Dr. Eunsung Kan was selected to receive a 2020 Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG) national program award from USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service. The team’s three-year grant, totaling more than $1.4 million including matching funds and federal support, was awarded for the proposal “Biocarbon-Enhanced Dairy Manure Management Demonstration for Enhanced Water Quality.” The project is expected to demonstrate a biocarbon-assisted phytoremediation system for enhancing water quality during dairy manure application in three Texas counties and improve knowledge of field-applied surface-functionalized biochar and how it can enhance water quality during dairy manure application when used in conjunction with plants. SPRING/SUMMER 2021
Dr. Rupa Iyer
Dr. Eunsung Kan
Knowledge gained through the project will provide solutions to improve the sustainability of animal-based agricultural systems and food security, plus enhance environmental quality for future generations. Dr. Kan, principal investigator, will conduct the project in collaboration with the co-investigators, Drs. Jim Muir, Paul De Laune, Jennifer Spencer, Jeff Brady, Edward Osei, Barbara Jones, Kartik Venkataraman and Caitlyn Cooper, representing Texas A&M AgriLife Research, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension, Tarleton State University and Texas Tech University. Team members will use their own expertise in environmental engineering, plant/soil science, microbiology, dairy science, hydrology and economics.
PROFESSOR PUBLISHES WORK OUTLINING HISTORY OF MALAWI
He explores the factors behind the rise of insurgency, such as land alienation, high taxation, elements of forced labor, and denial of development opportunities. He also studies the counterinsurgency measures used by the state, including brutal force by police and other paramilitary groups, the codification of strict laws, and the offer of development opportunities. Through Malawi’s history, he provides an analysis of why citizens challenge state authority, how the state responds, and what methods the state uses to defeat insurgencies. Dr. Banda is an Assistant Professor of World History at Tarleton. He earned a Master of Arts in African social history from the University of Malawi in 2010 and a PhD in history from West Virginia University in 2019.
TARLETON DINING HALL JOINS PROGRAM OFFERING MEALS FOR STUDENT VETERANS
Tarleton professor Dr. Paul Banda has published a new book, The State, Counterinsurgency, and Political Policing in Colonial and Postcolonial Malawi, 1891-1994, that examines the history of the African nation. Malawi is a former British protectorate then known as Nyasaland.
With grant funds from the Texas Veterans Commission and the efforts of several Tarleton departments, the new Meals for Vets program provides eligible student veterans with a free hot meal daily on the Stephenville campus.
Dr. Banda analyzes the rise of insurgencies in Malawi and adopts the concept of counterinsurgency to address the reactions of the state to those who questioned it.
Meals for Vets, a project of Honor Veterans Now, aims to eliminate hunger in vulnerable military veterans with a focus on those under 60 living in Texas. While the Older
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Americans Act of 1965 provides funding for people 60 and over to receive meals, individuals under that age are turned away. An estimated two million veterans under 60 battle food insecurity, and 1.5 million veterans live in poverty. About 33 percent of the nation’s homeless population is composed of veterans. More than 700 veterans are enrolled at Tarleton. To be eligible for the program, household income must be less than $2,220 a month.
TARLETON HERBARIUM PART OF $1.49 MILLION BRIT PROJECT Tarleton State University is participating in a $1.49 million grant to digitize Texas herbarium collections received by the Botanical Research Institute of Texas. BRIT received funding from the National Science Foundation to digitize herbarium specimens gathered in Texas and Oklahoma. Peter Fritsch, Vice President of Research and Director of the BRIT Herbarium in Fort Worth, is the principal investigator for the project. “The project continues BRIT's and Tarleton’s collaboration in research and education, bringing knowledge of the regional flora to the forefront of our communities while helping address the global biodiversity crisis,” Fritsch said. The four-year project brings together 46 collaborating herbaria to mobilize the data from nearly two million plant specimens. The Tarleton Herbarium has been a member of the Texas Oklahoma Regional Consortium of Herbaria (TORCH) since its inception and moved its collection of 7,000 specimens to BRIT so they can be imaged and included in the project. Dr. Allan Nelson, Curator of the Tarleton Herbarium, is working with Tiana Rehman, BRIT’s Herbarium Collections Manager, to ship specimens. Rehman’s team is unpacking specimens delivered to BRIT, isolating them and treating for possible insect infestation, scanning images, adding data to the TORCH database, repacking the specimens, and shipping them back to Stephenville. “The Tarleton Herbarium has important research voucher specimens for Erath County, Padre Island National Seashore and numerous investigations of ecosystems in the Cross Timbers ecoregion,” Dr. Nelson said, adding: “The advent of data mobilization from biological specimens housed in U.S. institutions has profoundly enhanced the value of museum collections and has allowed scientific questions to be addressed in novel ways.”
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The project is expected to contribute to a globally competitive science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) workforce through workshops and lectures for its technicians and practical training for undergraduate interns.
TARLETON UPD RECEIVES PRESTIGIOUS LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY AWARD The Tarleton State University Police Department has earned “recognized” status from the Texas Police Chiefs Association, making it the 165th agency in the state to receive the honor since 2006. Part of the association’s Law Enforcement Recognition Program, the award follows a critical two-year self-review of department policies, procedures, facilities and operations, plus an on-site review by state police chiefs. Fewer than 200 of the state’s more than 2,000 police departments have earned TPCA recognition. Former Fort Worth Police Chief Ed Kraus, a graduate of Tarleton’s Master of Criminal Justice program, presented the award last fall during ceremonies on the Stephenville campus. “Achieving this honor places the University Police Department among the state’s top law enforcement agencies,” he said. “Tarleton can be assured that its police department is following best practices for the safety of students, employees and the Stephenville community.”
TPCA’s recognition program evaluates compliance with nearly 170 best practices for law enforcement operations, including property and evidence management, patrol and investigative protocols, and the protection of individual rights. Tarleton began national and state safe-campus reports four years ago; it ranked No. 18 among America’s top 50 safest large colleges and universities in 2016 and No. 1 in Texas last year. In 2017 the department celebrated its 50th anniversary with the move to a 4,300-square-foot headquarters on the southeast corner of Frey and Harbin streets.
TARLETON RAISES MORE THAN $300K ON FIFTH ANNUAL GIVING DAY Tarleton State University raised $301,461 from 746 donors on its fifth annual Giving Day, April 13, in support of its mission to boost research, student learning and scholarships.
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Giving Day at Tarleton continues to gain traction among alumni and friends. The partnership with hundreds of individuals, foundations and corporations has united Texans to support causes that enhance regional quality of life. Since the 24-hour online fundraising challenge started four years ago, university alumni, faculty, staff and friends have given more than $1.56 million to Tarleton colleges, programs, scholarships and activities.
TARLETON’S DISTINGUISHED COLLEGE PARTNERSHIP BACKS TRANSFER STUDENTS
Seth Hamby with an example of a prairie clover to be digitized at the Tarleton Herbarium.
As part of efforts to boost educational opportunities for transfer students who graduate from two-year schools, Tarleton State University is offering top community colleges in Texas an opportunity to become Distinguished College Partners. The partnership provides annual scholarships, from $500 to $2,000, to transfer students with a minimum 3.0 GPA. Awards will be divided between fall and spring semesters based on enrollment and will be renewable up to three years with satisfactory academic progress. Long-standing program-specific pathways between Tarleton and two-year schools are making it easier for transfer students to fulfill their educational dreams while saving dollars and class hours. There are pathways for nursing, business, education, criminal justice and psychology.
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Former Fort Worth Police Chief Ed Kraus, Tarleton Chief of Police Matt Welch and university President Dr. James Hurley
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Dual admission, joint advising, reverse transfer and financial aid consortiums also hallmark Tarleton’s collaborative initiatives with two-year institutions — all helping the university become a first-choice destination for transfer students. Tarleton’s number of spring 2021 transfer students, from 75 Texas colleges and universities, is up 8.6 percent from just five years ago. And the graduation rate for students who transfer to Tarleton with 30 or more credit hours — near 70 percent — tops the state average by almost eight points. Tarleton’s Distinguished College Partnership complements the President’s Transfer Guaranteed Award Program. T-GAP assures scholarships ranging from $250 to $1,500 per year for students admitted from two-year colleges. Award amounts are enhanced for students graduating from one of Tarleton’s Distinguished College Partners.
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Tarleton student volunteer Brylee Beall
LIGHTING A FIRE Student volunteers push up sleeves to pull off Round Up By Phil Riddle
Brylee Beall says she tries to live her life according to a quote from film director and screenwriter Jennifer Lee: “Be fearless in the pursuit of what sets your soul on fire.” That is exactly why she applied to head the university’s annual community service project, Round Up. Brylee, a public relations and event management major from Muleshoe, leads the event’s executive team.
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Tarleton Round Up coordinates the humanitarian activity with the city of Stephenville and the Keep Stephenville Beautiful initiative. After a year off in 2020, Round Up returned with fresh fervor this spring. “This year was different,” said Brylee, a three-year veteran of the event. “Tarleton Texans really stepped up.”
Serving others checks all of Brylee’s boxes.
Almost 700 volunteers (300 had been expected) worked at 51 sites in the area.
“When we talk about the reward that comes from giving back,” she said, “I would say that it would be the relationships we build with the residents of Stephenville, the relationships we get to build with each other as the leadership of Tarleton Round Up, and just being able to help out.”
“The leadership team went through an extensive process to get the event approved,” said Dr. Kelli C. Styron, Tarleton Vice President for Student Affairs. “They modeled their entire setup after a vaccine clinic. It was a drive-up situation where they had their temperature checked, got their
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assignment, got their lunches and their tools, and they never left their cars.
to give back to the community that has given us so much gives me chills.”
“I was very proud of our students for thinking through the logistics. They wanted to conduct this more than anything. I think it showed a lot about their resilience, but also their compassion for people in the community.”
Besides the service aspect of Round Up, Brylee found other lessons.
In a normal year, Round Up draws around 1,400 student volunteers to tackle more than 100 tasks requested by residents near the campus as well as in the university’s outreach communities. This year Stephenville students only participated in outdoor projects . “We were raking leaves, cleaning gutters, picking up brush, tree trimming. Anything we could do outside,” Brylee said. “I saw several students at a cemetery near campus where they planted flowers in a Tarleton block-T symbol.” The Diplomats Chapter on Tarleton’s Waco campus helped The Shepherd’s Heart Food Pantry. Student volunteers organized products on shelves and sorted donated goods. “This year wasn’t what we were used to, but we made the most of it,” Brylee said. “The coolest thing that weekend was looking around the parking lot and seeing all these vehicles and college students come through. To have the opportunity
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“I learned so much,” she said. “How to lead, not only the 20-something students on the team but, in my time at Tarleton, to lead thousands of students in a service project like this. You definitely learn to fill in all the little outs and ins, the little things you might miss, like going out to the storage building and counting rakes. “I also learned the value of friendship. I have met some incredible people from our leadership team and from the residents we serve. People I will always remember, always cherish.” Like all good things, Brylee’s Round Up career has come to an end. “It’s probably one of my hardest chapters closed,” she said. “I got involved when I was a freshman. We went to a lady’s house and I loved every minute of it — visiting with her, listening to her stories, telling her our stories. Sharing that relationship.” Always in pursuit of doing things that set the soul on fire.
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ANIMAL SCIENCE Prof Dreams of Helping Horses with Stress, Health Issues By Harry Battson
A reputation as a dreamer. A product with a reputation. A goal to improve the lives of horses and other animals.
Mix the ingredients and you have the latest research of Dr. Kimberly Guay and her team in the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences. Her research focuses on improving animal welfare, reducing stress and measuring the potential benefits of CBD. The 2018 Farm Bill legalized industrial hemp, from which CBD is derived. CBD supplements have become popular among horse owners, who believe it calms stress as well as eases chronic pain and joint inflammation, including arthritis. Even so many associations, including the Equestrian Federation, which governs many horse competitions, prohibit its use.
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“We have a ton of very positive anecdotal evidence from horse people,” notes Dr. Guay, an Associate Professor of Animal Science and Veterinary Technology. “But humans sometimes see what we want to see. We need to know the science.
The rabbit study could impact CBD use with production livestock. The advantage of using rabbits is the short gestation period compared to larger animals. Dr. Guay hopes to follow up with research using pigs, which tend to have undesirable behaviors in intense confinement housing.
“There is no reason that people shouldn’t be able to use these products to ease the stress of training and create better, calmer horses for competition. Avenues that help lower the number of ‘unwanted horses’ that often discourage people from owning horses or entering competitions with horses should be a priority of most stakeholders in the equine industry.”
“We’ll want to see what the potential benefits could be, including in transporting animals. Consumers today want to know that the animals are living as stress free as possible.”
Owners say using CBD products aids with soreness and reduces horse stress from being loaded into a trailer or being alone in a stall. Curtailing troublesome behaviors, such as cribbing — biting on a gate or fence — also has been reported. CBD has not been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for use in livestock. “Before the FDA will approve the use of CBD, they want to know the effects,” Dr. Guay said. “There are so many questions to be answered.” Using horses from the Tarleton Equine Center herd, Dr. Guay and her colleagues have observed and measured heart rates, joint inflammation, appetite, thirst and levels of cortisol, a hormone that animals produce under stress. The animals are carefully controlled, since other environmental factors could affect them and the effect CBD has on them. Support for the research comes from corporate sponsors that manufacture CBD products. “They believe in their products and want to get proof of impact,” Dr. Guay said. Dr. Guay seeks an FDA grant to expand the research to swine, cattle and companion animals, like dogs. She and Dr. Trinette Jones, Associate Professor of Animal Science with a specialization in nutrition, will soon begin a study using rabbits, with the assistance of Dr. Brandon Smith, Assistant Professor of Animal Science and Veterinary Technology. “Rabbits can work as a model for other species, including people,” Dr. Guay said. “Since it’s easier to control a rabbit’s environment, we can more easily ascertain how the CBD affects the animal.” Drs. Guay and Jones will use pregnant rabbits, providing a CBD dose daily through the birth, nursing and weaning stages. They will observe behaviors, record average daily weight and activity, and conduct cognitive tests.
A native of West Texas, Dr. Guay grew up around animals — horses, goats, sheep, cows. Empathy drew her to agriculture; she earned her bachelor’s degree at Angelo State University and her doctorate from Texas Tech. “The welfare of animals has always been a strong priority for me,” she says, and that includes the family’s horses, especially with daughters Maci, 17, and Mya, 12, competing in rodeo. The horses are like athletes, Dr. Guay said. “You have to keep them on top of their game. You don’t want them to be stressed, and if they get hurt you want to rehab them in the best ways.” Dr. Guay notes that horses, when startled or in cramped conditions, can behave in ways that harm them and the people around them. CBD products may help reduce any unpredictable actions. Her first early data is encouraging. Horses given a daily dose of CBD “pawed less and showed less aggression toward their neighbor” than horses not given CBD. Dr. Guay expects soon to receive more comprehensive results. “The products currently on the market really vary,” she said. “There’s no standardization, and other components in the product may affect how an animal’s system may respond. We have so many questions to answer, and we have such a wonderful group working on this. “It’s cool to bring our different specialties together to create a synergistic effort. I really appreciate working with everyone.” Seeking answers together. Improving the lives of animals. A dreamer’s quest.
“Weaning, for instance, is typically very stressful,” Dr. Guay said, “so we’ll be looking to see if there’s an increase in stress or changes in their feeding or drinking behaviors, or other potential factors.” SPRING/SUMMER 2021
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ALUMNI LIFE
Alumna Secures Grant Toward School Loans By Harry Battson
Michelle Reid didn’t give herself much time. One day, in fact. But it’s all she needed to craft a winning video application for $50,000 to pay off student loans and continue advancing toward her goal of becoming a Breast Cancer Navigator, a certification of the National Consortium of Breast Centers. “The deadline was the next day, so I just decided to go for it,” recounts the 2009 alumna, BS in biomedical science and ’11 MS in human resource management. The video told her story — daughter of immigrants who became naturalized citizens now provides healthcare seven days a week in one of Texas’ most impoverished counties. Michelle was one of five healthcare professionals to receive the 2020 FIGS Icon Grant, an initiative started by the healthcare garment manufacturing firm. Proceeds go toward school loans and tuition so recipients can “focus on what matters most — changing the future of healthcare.” A certified physician’s assistant (PA-C), Michelle spends her weekdays in the Department of Surgery at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley in Harlingen and her weekends screening patients for U.S. Customs and Border Patrol. She says: “It’s imperative that every person, despite their nationality or socioeconomic background, has access to medicine.” As a PA-C, Michelle can diagnose medical issues, write prescriptions and perform other tasks similar to a nurse practitioner. Working in both positions, she sees hundreds of patients dealing with COVID-19, tuberculosis, dehydration, skin diseases and injuries. Most are poor and Spanish speaking. “We do the best we can for them,” she said. “Problems are prevalent, even requiring intensive care or surgery.” Growing up, Michelle knew she wanted to pursue healthcare, following an older sister, Gail, who entered the infectious diseases field. Michelle’s father, Lennox Reid, came to the United States in the 1960s from Belize and found a career in the U.S. Army, obtaining a degree from the University of Maryland and eventually retiring at Fort Hood. Her mother, Marian, 14
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followed Lennox to America, and they became citizens. “Watching them both work so hard actually prompted me to apply for the position with U.S. Customs and Border Patrol,” said Michelle, who now has her own family in husband Bradley Sjule and sons Colin, 11 and in sixth grade; Atticus, 5 and in pre-kindergarten; and Lincoln, 1. Originally Michelle planned her professional progression to begin at Texas A&M, but she detoured. She and a friend had agreed to accompany each other on their college visits. Michelle came along to check out Tarleton. “I fell in love with Tarleton the minute I walked on campus,” she said. “Everyone was so friendly, it seemed like family. It had a small-town feel, like home.” Enrolling at Tarleton, she spent two years in ROTC, joined Phi Mu and the Panhellenic Council, tutored in chemistry and volunteered at Stephenville HOPE (Helping Other People Effectively), which provides comprehensive medical and limited financial assistance for poverty-level Erath County residents. She also spent three years as a residence hall leader. “That was such a memorable experience. You make such strong connections with other students; you have to be a real people person.” In addition to keeping up with friends from her Tarleton experience, Michelle stays in touch with Jason Jacks, Program Coordinator in the College of Science and Technology. “Jason is wonderful. He helped me integrate into campus, always had an open door and a shoulder to cry on, and he helped me both professionally and socially.” Now she’s on the path to become a Breast Cancer Navigator. She hopes to finish her certification by the end of the year. “My goal is to guide women, and men, through the process of breast cancer treatment,” she said, “to provide support through every stage, from mammograms to surgery to reconstruction and beyond. “If I can give even one patient more time with their loved ones, another five, 10 or 15 years of life through prevention or treatment, I can accomplish my goal.” View Michelle’s video and learn more about the grant.
hello.wearfigs.com/new-icons-grant-winners
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Look alive, Texan Nation! Relish these memories and get ready for Homecoming 2021.
OCTOBER 17-23, 2021
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WEARING THE PURPLE VEST
Rodeo program is as noteworthy as ever! By Phil Riddle
Elite. It’s one of a variety of positive adjectives used about Tarleton’s rodeo program. Who could argue? In a history that stretches back to 1947, Tarleton rodeo boasts seven national team titles and 28 individual CNFR champs, including one in each of the last three years. Tarleton rodeo coach Mark Eakin helmed two of those team titles. “If you think of all the students who have come through the rodeo program at Tarleton, they’ve set a standard like no other program across the nation,” he said. “They gave us something to strive for — the tradition of winning — and helped create the support that Tarleton has for our program.” While this year and last have been difficult for riders and ropers at all levels, Tarleton still manages to shine. This February the university’s Rodeo Hall of Fame inducted a half-dozen new members, all part of the 2005 national championship team. That came on the heels of the PRCA National Finals Rodeo, held in December in Arlington, that had a competitor with Tarleton ties in every event, one of whom claimed a world crown. That same month, university officials announced the acquisition of a new facility that will house the rodeo program, and last spring both rodeo teams and 10 individual competitors qualified for the College National Finals Rodeo in Casper, Wyo., though the annual event was ultimately called off due to the pandemic. SPRING/SUMMER 2021
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HALL OF FAME INDUCTS SIX The six newest members of the Tarleton Rodeo Hall of Fame, all part of the 2005 national championship men’s team, were inducted in Feb. 19 ceremonies. Cody Horwedel, Clayton Jackson, Bray Armes, Blake Teixeira, Ryan Watkins and York Gill were honored at the annual dinner and fundraising auction. The Rodeo Hall of Fame made its first inductions in 2012 and features 48 high-achieving student-athletes and others instrumental in the success of the university rodeo program.
Timber Moore; team roping heelers Shay Dixon Carroll and Paden Bray; breakaway ropers Jackie Hobbs-Crawford, Kirby Eppert and J.J. Hampton; steer wrestler Jace Melvin; and barrel racer Cheyenne Wimberley. All are university graduates, except for Paden, who’s still a student and rodeo team competitor. Tarleton was also in the spotlight as the presenting sponsor for one of the NFR performances in Arlington. Additionally, the university showcased students and staff both at the FanZone activation area and at a booth in the Cowtown Christmas Exposition in the Fort Worth Stockyards during the entire 10-day NFR run in December
HOBBS-CRAWFORD LEADS NFR DELEGATION Jackie Hobbs-Crawford made history at the NFBR world championship at Globe Life Field, taking the event’s inaugural title. “It was nerve-racking because obviously what a big thing this is and will go down in history,” she said. “Of course, you have nerves, but if you can turn those nerves into positive energy and use them in the right direction, it is a good thing.” Her title was the Stephenville resident’s 20th world championship and her third in breakaway roping, and it happened with her carrying an extra rider. Jackie was six months pregnant.
Breakaway roper Jackie Hobbs-Crawford
In all, 14 riders and ropers with Tarleton ties qualified for the NFR in 2020, including bareback riders Richmond Champion and Leighton Berry; saddle bronc riders Brody Cress, Jacobs Crawley and Isaac Diaz; tie-down ropers Haven Meged and
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MEN, WOMEN CLAIM ’20 REGIONAL TITLES Both the men’s and women’s squads claimed National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association Southwest Regional titles in 2020 before the season was ended in February due to the coronavirus outbreak that halted all college spring sports. Individual qualifiers were saddle bronc riders Brody Cress and Jake Barnes; bull rider Colton Kelly; steer wrestlers Kyler Dick and Brett Stuart; team roping heeler Paden Bray; barrel racers Timber Allenbrand and Caroline Kelly; and breakaway ropers Taylor Schmidt and Makayla Boisioli.
Saddle bronc rider Brody Cress
Brody, a three-time qualifier to the 2020 CNFR, earned the Southwest Regional title, Jake took third, and Colton finished the abbreviated season in third place.
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The Tarleton State University rodeo team celebrated the unveiling of new practice facilities at the former Downunder Horsemanship Ranch near Stephenville during grand opening ceremonies in December 2020.
Kyler, who captured the regional event crown, and teammate Brett, who was reserve champion, combined for three firsts, two runner-up finishes and a fourth in the six stops that made up the 2020 season. Paden's season highlight was a first-place finish at Texas Tech, which helped him take third in the region in his event. Taylor was the regional champion breakaway roper, and Makayla qualified for the CNFR by taking third in the final regional standings. The women qualifiers also featured Timber, the reserve champion barrel racer, and Caroline, who finished one spot behind.
NEW DIGS FOR THE RODEO PROGRAM Tarleton rodeo is unequivocally elite, and as of December the team has a new home befitting its status. The storied program is now headquartered on the former Downunder Horsemanship Ranch, just a stone’s throw from the university’s Stephenville campus. Longtime Tarleton supporters Brad and Nancy Allen bought a portion of the iconic ranch last fall after world-renowned horse trainer Clinton Anderson switched his focus to training and showing performance horses in Arkansas. “We are fortunate to have such strong supporters as Brad and Nancy Allen,” said Tarleton President James Hurley. “Opportunities of this level are a solid vote of confidence in
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our institution and our commitment to provide the best academic and sporting programs possible. “From the barns and arenas to the wash racks and stalls, the ranch is a best-in-class facility and the perfect complement to the top rodeo program in the country. Simply put, this is a game changer for the university.” Tarleton will lease a portion of the ranch — 47 of the 80 acres — acquired by the Allens, with hopes to buy the property pending approval by The Texas A&M University System Board of Regents and the outcome of a successful fundraising campaign. “Dr. Hurley heard our rodeo student-athletes and alums loud and clear when they talked about the need for a better facility and one that is indicative of the top program in the country,” said Dr. Gabe Cagwin, Vice President for Institutional Advancement. “When the opportunity to lease a portion of the ranch — and possibly own it — was presented, he jumped on it, knowing we could provide them with a world-class facility and an enhanced experience.” Tarleton’s rodeo tradition puts it in the conversation with other dominant sports programs in the nation. “Talk about Duke in college basketball, Alabama in college football, that kind of success spreads,” said former coach and Hall of Fame member Bob Doty. “You get to be known as a rodeo school like Alabama is known as a football school.” Now that’s elite.
Learn more about Tarleton rodeo's new home.
tarletonstate.us/rodeohome
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From left, York Gill, Ryan Watkins, former rodeo coach Bob Doty, Cody Horwedel and Clayton Jackson. Not pictured are Bray Armes and Blake Teixeira.
Best of the Best Tarleton Rodeo Hall of Fame welcomes newest inductees By Phil Riddle
Tarleton State University’s Rodeo Hall of Fame celebrated the induction of six new members, all part of the national championship team of 2005, during Feb. 19 ceremonies. The Hall of Fame, initiated in 2012, features 48 former student-athletes as well as others integral to the winning tradition of Tarleton rodeo. Cody Horwedel, Clayton Jackson, Bray Armes, Blake Teixeira, Ryan Watkins and York Gill were honored for their roles in helping Tarleton take the 2005 CNFR men's team crown. Cody Horwedel grew up on the Central Coast of California in the small town of Parkfield where he competed at junior rodeos with his brother Jake. Cody began riding bucking horses at the age of 13 and after high school moved to Texas on a rodeo scholarship. He competed on the Tarleton rodeo team in 2004 and 2005. His accomplishments in college and professional rodeo were highlighted by winning the saddle bronc riding crown and 20
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being a part of the national title men’s team in 2005. Since retiring from competition, Cody has worked as a ranching cowboy and invested in real estate with his wife, Jessee. They have two boys, Colt, 4, and 11-month-old Cooper. Clayton Jackson grew up in Wichita Falls and graduated from Holliday High School in 2001. A first-generation college student, getting an education was his priority. He had roped with his dad, Clay, but didn’t compete in high school and was not recruited to the collegiate level. Though he didn’t rodeo his first year at Tarleton, he met members of the team through his agribusiness classes and earned his purple vest his sophomore year, 2003. Graduating from Tarleton with a BS in agribusiness in 2005, Clayton extended his education and earned a master’s degree, enabling him to represent Tarleton in his third consecutive trip to the 2006 College Finals.
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Today, he farms and ranches around Wichita Falls while maintaining a feed store business and helping his wife run a livestock auction in Vernon. He provides steers to youth and 4-H programs and is active in the roping community through jackpots that are geared toward all levels of ropers. He continues to rope as often as possible and creates practice opportunities for local ropers. He has provided practice cattle to colleges and universities in the area and supports college rodeo through sponsorships. Bray Armes was raised in Gruver, Texas, where he played football and basketball before graduating in 2000. He attended college on a rodeo scholarship at Howard College in Big Spring before transferring to Tarleton.
In 2005 he qualified for the College National Finals in team roping with York Gill. The duo won three go-rounds, set the arena record and finished third at the College National Finals Rodeo while his Tarleton team captured the national crown. After graduating from Tarleton with a degree in ag service and development, Blake moved back to California to rodeo and sell insurance. Recently, he and wife Brooke moved to Reno, Nev., to be near her family. He spends his time rodeoing, training horses and giving lessons. Ryan Watkins topped his collegiate rodeo career by winning back-to-back CNFR roping titles in 2004, when he also claimed the all-around championship buckle, and as part of Tarleton’s team championship in 2005. He was previously inducted into the Tarleton Rodeo Hall of Fame in 2014.
He is one of the few to qualify for the College National Finals Rodeo all four years of his eligibility. He was a steer wrestler on Tarleton’s 2005 national championship team. He has competed professionally since 2003 and in 2004 was the PRCA Texas Circuit steer wrestling champion.
The Alliance, Neb., native began his professional rodeo career in 2007, taking first place at the Colorado State Fair and Rodeo in Pueblo, the Rusk County PRCA event in Henderson, Texas, and the Colby, Kan., Thomas County Rodeo.
Bray married former Tarleton teammate and 2020 Hall of Fame inductee Neelley Riley in 2006, and the pair welcomed daughter Breely a year later.
One of his best seasons was 2015 when he won rodeos in Sikeston, Mo.; Liberal, Kan.; Coffeyville, Kan.; Wichita Falls, Texas; Mesquite, Texas; and Window Rock, Ariz.
After taking a five-year break from rodeo, Bray competed in his first pro event since semiretirment in January 2012, finishing second in Odessa.
He and his wife, Denver, whom he met while they were both at Tarleton, have two children, Clay and Maggie. Ryan works for the Houston-based oil and gas company Shorthorn Resources and in his spare time enjoys playing golf and racquetball.
Back on the scene, he qualified for his first Wrangler National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas, winning over $85,000 in 10 days and bumping up to sixth in the World Standings. He rode that momentum into 2013, again earning a spot in the NFR and taking the steer wrestling average title with more than $100,000 in winnings. His success continued with a 2014 NFR qualification and the Elite Rodeo Association world crown in 2016 before retiring for good from rodeo. He now runs a farming and cattle operation in Gruver, where he hauls his kids around to sporting events and stock shows. Blake Teixeira was raised in Tres Pinos, Calif., where he grew up in a roping and ranching family. He competed in junior rodeos and frequented local team roping jackpots with his grandpa. He competed in high school rodeo and in 2001 qualified for the National High School Finals. After graduation he moved halfway across the country to Stephenville to attend Tarleton on a rodeo scholarship.
York Gill grew up in Memphis, Tenn., where he began playing polo, roping and competing in Little Britches and high school rodeos. He went on to compete with teammate Blake Teixeira, winning three out of four rounds at the 2005 CNFR, finishing third in the average. The duo set a CNFR arena record of 4.7 seconds in Tarleton’s national championship season. He was the Texas Circuit champion heeler and a Wrangler NFR finalist in 2011. He placed second at the George Strait Team Roping in 2013 and qualified for The American in 2020 after coming back from injuries suffered in a 2015 plane crash. He graduated from Tarleton in 2007 with a degree in business with a finance emphasis. He sells commercial and ranch real estate in Texas and Tennessee.
Learn more about Tarleton Rodeo Hall of Fame inductees.
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tarletonstate.us/rodeoHOF
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ONE HU POO CENTENNIAL
YEARS OF PURPLE POO 1921 –2021 1923–2023 Spirit organization celebrates a century on campus By Phil Riddle
You know they’re the most recognizable students at campus events, but that’s all you know. Anonymity is the No. 1 requirement for Tarleton’s Purple Poo, the oldest spirit organization in Texas. It turned 100 this year. Members regularly appear in public disguised in masks and purple costumes and speaking in squeaky voices to conceal their identity. 1994 Tarleton graduate Tim Wells, President of the Purple Poo Alumni Association, says maintaining his
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secret identity was a difficult part of being a member. “Staying anonymous is a challenge, I’ll put it that way,” he said. “You can’t use your real voice, you have to always be in disguise. You tell a lot of stories about where you are and what you’re doing at certain times when others don’t realize you’ll be doing the same things they’re doing.” The reason for hiding behind their masks is simple. “It’s not about me,” he said, “it’s about raising spirit for Tarleton. It’s
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UNDRED POO CENTENNIAL
about Oscar P. It’s a student-oriented club, but it’s not about the students, it’s about Tarleton.” Oscar P. was the legendary pet duck of university founder John Tarleton. Texas A&M University System Chancellor John Sharp vividly remembers the first time he encountered the Poo. "They were sitting together, cooing like a bunch of pigeons, then talking in high-pitched voices. I had absolutely no idea what this was,” he said. “But after exposure to these guys,
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I decided it was one of the best spirit organizations in the entire country. They set a great tone for students at Tarleton, they do great work on campus. I just wish I knew who they are.” Ten male and 10 female members take on the Poo mission of promoting spirit each semester. Formed when Tarleton was a junior college, the Ten Tarleton Peppers (TTP) and Ten Tarleton Sisters (TTS) are the oldest organizations on campus, dating to 1921 and 1923, respectively. They became collectively known
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POO CENTENNIAL as the Purple Poo after a glob of paint splattered on a sign being painted. In the beginning, the two groups met late Monday nights in the attic in the old recreation hall, now the Administration Annex, and prepared canvas “Poo Say” signs promoting upcoming athletic events. The iconic signs, which still appear every Tuesday morning, occasionally comment on campus political life and student life. Originally painted on long sheets of canvas, the signs were stretched between trees. “A lot of times it was current events,” Ed Knoll, a Poo in 1972-74, said of the signs’ subject matter. “They may or may not have been political, and some were just out-and-out lame-brained jokes.” Desmond Robinson, a member in 2012-2015, said the sign painting is still a big deal. “To see that the little spark from 1921 has lasted for 100 years and really ignited spirit on campus is a very special thing.” Knoll said that by the mid-’70s the group had graduated from making canvas signs to using more readily available poster board. And the members wore individual hoods instead of today’s masks, making height their only distinguishing characteristic in public. Indeed, the Poo are darned obsessive about their secrecy. Wells refused to reveal the criteria for membership. Hopeful Poo — that would be poo-spects — have long been sent on fruitless treks to various campus offices for membership paperwork. “We would tell people they had to apply when they’re freshmen,” Wells said. “There were offices on campus where former Poo worked. We would send them there to fill out applications, even though that had no bearing at all on membership. You don’t sign up. You’re asked to be in.” No one outside the organization is supposed to know who its members are or how they’re chosen. Poo senior members are revealed at Heritage Park Bandstand in April or in the Grassburr, the university yearbook. In the past, senior members stood facing the camera while others faced away or otherwise hid their identities. Jennifer McGregor, a Poo in 1992-95 and the group’s adviser in 2004, saw those wannabe Poo directed to her office. “I was one of those who came to Tarleton with a desire to be part of the Poo,” she said. “Once I was in, I was kind of
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POO CENTENNIAL star-struck, to actually be part of the group. It was really fun to go out to events. It was super cool.” At games and rallies, the Poo summon the spirit of Oscar P. by kneeling and pounding the ground and calling the duck’s name. Purple-clad members originally brandished the “sacred broom,” which represented sportsmanship and encouraged exuberant yelling. The organization has continued to introduce its own customs. During the administration of Dr. Barry B. Thompson in the 1980s, members assigned a graduating Poo to hand the president a small purple pig as the student accepted his or her diploma. All of the accumulated pigs are displayed on the first floor of the Thompson Student Center. “I love the Poo,” said Tarleton President James Hurley. “People love the uniqueness of the Poo. How they carry themselves, the costumes. They have so much energy and passion for people.” The significance of the centennial celebration is not just a milestone. Dr. Hurley says it’s also a building block. “Any time you can celebrate being 100 years old and still be able to sustain the ebbs and flows at a university, it’s impressive. They have done that and are building the next 100 years of the Purple Poo. It’s beyond a student organization. They embody diversity and inclusion — they love one another and our students.” Donna Strohmeyer, Executive Director of Student Affairs Programs and Projects, has been at Tarleton 30 years. She calls the Poo “rock stars,” maybe because their founding is just as mysterious as their identities. Stories told to her say a hand-picked cross-section of the student body received special permission to be out late on campus. Regardless, “they always bring happiness to wherever they are,” she said. “They’re fun, uplifting and great ambassadors of Tarleton.” Former members say the current version is busier than previous groups, whose activities centered around making signs and attending football games. Modern-day Poo contribute at least 20 hours a week. “As an undergraduate student with a job, a class schedule and the responsibility to go to events and travel as much as you can, you really have to carve out time from your schedule,” Robinson said.
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“It was a dream come true. It’s surreal that you may be talking to someone and they have no idea who you are.”
“It was definitely the craziest time of our lives,” added Megan Heard, known as Sister Rocket in her Poo days (2018-19). “It was a dream come true. It’s surreal that you may be talking to someone and they have no idea who you are. “It’s incredible to be one in 20 of 13,000 people. You’re representing Tarleton, the student body and their opinions. It’s a heavy load to carry, but it’s amazing to be a part of.” And former members are dedicated to continuing the mission. “We’re very prejudiced about our organization,” Wells said. “Very proud of it, very passionate about how we look at the Poo. It’s an honor to be in.”
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To help make sure the future stays bright for the chosen Poo few, fundraising is underway for an endowed scholarship, with a goal of $100,000 by Homecoming 2023. Donors may access the account at donate.tarleton.edu under TTP TTS Gifts. “Family is the best way to describe how close we are,” Wells said. “It’s a family inside the Tarleton family. Besides being married and having kids, it’s probably the best experience I’ve ever had. One of my greatest accomplishments.” Just don’t tell anybody.
Catch a glimpse of Tarleton Poo over the last 100 years.
tarletonstate.us/poo100
Purple Poo alumni (2000-2010) gather for the official naming of Purple Poo Way on the Stephenville campus. SPRING/SUMMER 2021 The event coincided with the spirit group’s 100th anniversary.
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TTP President Oren Ellis, far right, and fellow TTP officers paint signs for an athletic event. (Grassburr 1952)
Seven Decades a Poo Distinguished Alumnus thought to be oldest living spirit squad member By Phil Riddle
Tarleton’s Purple Poo celebrates their 100th anniversary this year. Dr. Oren Ellis, believed to be the oldest living member, has had campus ties for almost 70 of those years. He turned 89 in March.
Oren Ellis, senior year (Grassburr 1952)
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A Stephenville native, Ellis grew up with his family a block west of the First United Methodist Church. He chose to begin his higher education at Tarleton in order to live at home while he studied and saved his parents money.
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“My second year, 1952, I was selected as cadet colonel and had to live in the dorm,” he said. “We were all in ROTC in those days.” As a Purple Poo in the early 1950s, his duties mostly involved the legendary sign painting and anonymously rooting for Tarleton athletes in competition. “We would go out after lights-out on Mondays and secretly meet to paint signs to urge on the athletic teams,” he said. “We would usually work until about 2 a.m. on the signs. “It’s dim in my memory, but I remember going, at least on occasion, to Jake and Dorothy’s Café for a cup of coffee afterward.” Even then, anonymity was key to being a Poo. “We never let on about being members,” Ellis said. “We were good about keeping the secret. We were really in the shadows.” A student during the tenure of Dean of Men Cecil Ballow, Ellis enrolled to study business, but a weakness in accounting drove him to other opportunities. “I knew I had a psychological block when it came to accounting. My dad had an insurance company on the square. He was a very competitive guy, and I realized I could not compete with him, though he wanted me to go into the business with him. “I took an aptitude test and was rated high in science, so I switched to pre-med. I know that’s what God wanted me to do.”
After two years at Tarleton, Ellis left for the University of Texas, earned his undergraduate degree in 1954 and went to medical school at UT Southwestern in Dallas.
“I preferred orthopedic surgery when I rotated through that specialty,” he said. “Being able to take care of patients all the way from congenital club feet to an old person with heart disease and a broken hip — that was what I was meant to do.” He practiced for 30 years in El Paso and retired to Santa Fe, N.M., where he and wife Mary Dare lived for 24 years. He volunteered at the Indian Health Services hospital there for two years, then worked part time in Santa Fe and Las Vegas. He retired for good back in El Paso. He remains active, playing tennis twice a week. He and Mary Dare, married 51 years, enjoy traveling and recently made a trek to the Grand Canyon. “We are blessed daily,” he said, “in uncountable ways.” His travels include occasional trips to Tarleton’s Stephenville campus, where he was honored as a Distinguished Alumnus in 2005. “It’s an honor to be a member of the Purple Poo,” he said. “Whenever people have been honored by something, they want to keep it going. Then they want to get their friends or others involved who are academically or socially deserving. “It’s a tradition that is food for the soul. You want to be a member of a group with a good focus on what they’re doing. Those things seem to be the reasons for perpetuity.” With members like Oren Ellis, no wonder the Purple Poo have been around so long.
During his time there, he served a year as a straight medicine intern, followed by a year of research in internal medicine before finding his true calling.
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A TARLETON TRADITION SPRING/SUMMER 2021
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SERVING THROUGH GENEROSITY Tarleton Nursing Program Benefits from Leigon Donation By Phil Riddle
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Retired Air Force Col. Charles Leigon served his country in uniform for 31 years. Then his generosity toward Tarleton State University’s nursing program proved he wasn’t finished serving when his military career ended. Last semester the final steps were taken in making his legacy a reality as Tarleton received a gift of $1.5 million from his estate. The cash donation was in addition to property in Morgan Mill, valued around $500,000, made in concert with the 40th anniversary of Tarleton’s nursing program in 2016. The bequest is the third largest cash donation in university history. SPRING/SUMMER 2021
“It’s not every day you get to be part of a transformational gift like this,” said Dr. Gabe Cagwin, Vice President for Institutional Advancement at Tarleton. “The impact Col. Leigon and his family are making on our students cannot be overstated. It is a testament to how special a place Tarleton is. “What an exciting opportunity for Col. Leigon and his family to leave a legacy that our students will benefit from for generations to come.” The pandemic has highlighted the need for qualified healthcare professionals, a need Leigon recognized years ago. Tarleton President James Hurley reports getting frequent calls from hospitals and health centers statewide asking when more students will be graduating.
He worked his way through school, graduating with an associate’s degree from Tarleton in 1939. He enlisted and fought in the Pacific theater during World War II, the start of a three-decade military career that eventually took him to Vietnam, where he commanded a fighter wing base. He retired in 1973, having twice been awarded the Legion of Merit. During visits back for alumni reunions, Col. Leigon took a special interest in the school’s nursing program and the vision of university leaders to help meet North Texas’ need for highly qualified registered nurses. “Col. Leigon was a longtime supporter of Tarleton State University, and it is a great honor to recognize his remarkable contributions to higher education in Texas,” Dr. Hurley said.
Celebrating a “transformational” donation from the estate of retired Air Force Col. Charles Leigon are, from left, Janice Horak, Executive Director of Development; Tarleton President James Hurley and First Lady Kindall Hurley; Sharon and Russell Leigon; and Dr. Gabe Cagwin, Vice President for Institutional Advancement.
“We’ve got to step up and make sure we’re meeting those comprehensive needs,” he said, “and certainly right now, the most comprehensive need is allied health and nursing on the front lines.”
“He and his family are valued partners in our shared passion for making higher education accessible and turning out graduates who are not only ‘job ready’ but well prepared to lead in their professions and communities.”
Leigon, who passed away in 2019 at the age of 100, lived through hard times of his own.
Col. Leigon earned Tarleton’s 2018 Civility with Integrity Award for “significant contributions to the betterment of society through character, forthrightness, honorable actions and commitment to the well-being of others.”
His father died unexpectedly during the Great Depression and his mother moved from the family farm into Stephenville, buying a 12-bedroom, two-story house on McIlhaney Street and turning it into a boarding house for students. “My father remembered those difficult years,” Russell Leigon said. “He had a lot of memories of the students who rented rooms at the boarding house — students from rural Texas who had to work hard to pay for a college education — and he remembered his own financial struggle to earn a degree.” SPRING/SUMMER 2021
“He believed the program at Tarleton offers some of the best education and training in the state,” Russell Leigon said. “This endowment not only benefits nursing students but helps meet a critical need for healthcare professionals. “It’s the kind of win-win that does my father proud.”
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Building Boom Construction projects energize Tarleton campuses By Phil Riddle
TARLETON MAGAZINE 32 Football fieldSTATE houseUNIVERSITY ribbon cutting
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Proof that Tarleton is evolving can be seen not only in recently completed campus construction, but in the plans for even more exciting changes. Recently upgraded spaces include a renovated field house at venerable Memorial Stadium and updated digs at the Agricultural Center.
The new football dressing rooms at renovated Memorial Stadium
The multimillion-dollar stadium work features a dramatic updating of the locker room area, unveiled earlier this year. “I’ve been part of a lot of great memories at Tarleton State University, and today is right up there with some of the very best,” head football coach Todd Whitten said at the facility’s unveiling in January. “I’m so thankful to Dr. Hurley for his leadership in seeing this project through, as well as (Vice President for Athletics) Lonn Reisman and everyone who was involved in making this facility one of the first-class locker rooms in the entire country at the FCS level.” The renovation began with a complete redo on the south end of the stadium. Space increased to 16,000 square feet, highlighted by a unified locker room with 100 new lockers. A Bluetooth sound system complements four gaming stations and a player lounge. “We’re building the facilities that we need to build for this program to win national championships,” Tarleton President James Hurley said when addressing the team before the locker room reveal. “We’re going to win conference championships, and we’re going to win national championships.”
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Grand opening of the Animal and Plant Sciences Center
The new field house expanded its training room to 1,500 square feet with a hydrotherapy room, an equipment space, coaches’ offices, a new coaches’ locker room and a conference room. “It’s been a long time coming to provide a field house of this caliber for the program,” Reisman said. “The players deserve it, the coaching staff deserves it, and it’s now a place our football team can be proud to call home.” The recent addition to Tarleton’s Agricultural Center — the Animal and Plant Sciences Center — significantly improved the university’s ag programs and was even recognized for its design. Engineering News-Record named the college farm modernization the best project under $10 million in the publication’s Texas-Louisiana Region. The highlight of the project, a multipurpose complex along College Farm Road (County Road 518), opened in 2019. The Animal and Plant Sciences Center is part of improvements and modernization of structures damaged in a 2016 tornado.
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Dr. Steve Damron, Dean of the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, said the center places several programs at one location and thereby enhances course development. “Texas agriculture’s economic impact exceeds $115 billion annually, and one out of seven Texans works in an agriculture-related job,” he noted. “So it makes sense to increase Tarleton’s program options and provide expanded opportunities for students to work faculty-directed research. This new facility makes that possible.” The center features seven state-of-the-art laboratories for teaching animal and plant sciences, with individual teaching labs for anatomy and physiology, genetics, nutrition, horticulture and crop science, soils and entomology, plus a retail marketing space for Ag Center products (The Purple Tractor).
The Purple Tractor inside the Animal and Plant Sciences Center
Back at the core of the campus, Tarleton added student housing by purchasing the Bosque Crossing Apartments. Approved by The Texas A&M University System Board of Regents earlier this year, the 173-unit one- and two-bedroom complex with covered parking increases options for graduate students as well as students with families, those who need to remain on campus throughout their academic experience, and those with specific medical needs. “Purchase of the Bosque Crossing Apartments is critical to improving our housing options,” Dr. Hurley said. “As enrollment continues to grow and more Texans call
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Stephenville home, more housing is needed. This is a great opportunity.” Apartment-style living makes up only 10 percent of Tarleton’s housing inventory, with less than 1 percent being oneand two-bedroom units. A 6 percent growth in fall 2020 enrollment forced the university to lease off-campus bed spaces and explore hotel room rentals. Commanding almost three acres, Bosque Crossing was built in 2005 and renovated in 2018. The complex includes fitness and business centers, a clubhouse and pool, and a courtyard. Current occupancy is 95 percent. Other projects continue to change the face of the university — the almost $12 million Aquatics Center on the Stephenville campus, a pedestrian quad for the College of Business and a second building for the burgeoning Fort Worth campus.
Aquatics Center rendering
Tarleton unveiled Aquatics Center plans following regents’ approval in 2020. Construction began last fall with completion set for fall 2021. Students voted in 2015 to increase fees to cover the construction as well as enhancements for university tennis courts and intramural fields. The tennis courts and field improvements are complete. Part of Tarleton’s Department of Campus Recreation, the Aquatics Center will feature an NCAA Division I indoor pool with eight 25-yard lanes and bleacher seating, an outdoor multifunctional pool for use by Tarleton students
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and the community, and a first aid office, locker and dressing rooms, family changing rooms, storage areas and wet training lab for kinesiology students. Tarleton’s existing pool, an addition to Wisdom Gym in 1970, is the only public indoor facility in the area for swim lessons, water aerobics, lap swimming and lifeguard training. “This state-of-the-art Aquatics Center will provide new opportunities for students interested in competitive and recreational swimming and lifeguarding,” Dr. Hurley said. “And the updated space for kinesiology classes will increase hands-on learning opportunities. We are excited to keep the commitment we made to our students.” In keeping with the theme of campus changes, Tarleton’s College of Business got a new look. A pedestrian quad links the southwest portion of the Stephenville campus with the rest of the school.
The College of Business pedestrian quad
In addition to throughways, the quad features two pergolas large enough for student gatherings and occasional outdoor classes when the weather is too nice to be indoors. Tarleton planted two oak trees for each one removed, and the green spaces and plaza areas enhance aesthetics. Approved by The Texas A&M University System in 2018, the project is part of a three-phase College of Business enhancement financed by the Permanent University Fund. Phases two and three will add learning and conference space to the existing building and enhance classroom and lab areas inside the facility.
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Shifting focus to Fort Worth, construction is well underway on the second building at Tarleton’s campus. Chancellor John Sharp called the structure “a testament to the continued commitment of the A&M System and Tarleton to provide an accessible, affordable higher education to students throughout Fort Worth, Tarrant County and North Texas.” The building will frame formal and informal quads and provide space for programs offered by Tarleton’s College of Health Sciences and Human Services and College of Education. State-of-the-art classrooms and computer labs will enhance Tarleton’s ability to deliver innovative instruction in healthcare and education. Included in the plans are specialized labs and activity spaces for kinesiology programs, general science labs, labs for health sciences, and academic office and program support areas, all crafted with a student-centered approach to interior and exterior design.
Building 1 of the Fort Worth campus
The campus is projected to serve 9,000 students by 2030. Another project, not so easily seen, begins in the summer as $13 million in university infrastructure is to be upgraded. The updates include lighting, infrastructure and water upgrades throughout 35 buildings on the Stephenville campus. The improvements will conserve energy and save more than $826,000 annually in operational costs while increasing capacity for growth. Substantial completion is expected by September 2022.
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ROCKY HARDIN Foundation president leads in Tarleton, student support By Harry Battson
Giving back. It’s what drives Rocky Hardin as President of the Tarleton State University Foundation, Inc. “I’ve never forgotten that one of my accounting professors, Steve Steed, helped me get my first job to begin my career,” says the 1981 BBA graduate in accounting and finance. That first step propelled Hardin into highly rewarding work, currently as President and Chief Financial Officer of the Embree Capital Markets Group and CFO and Executive Vice President of the Embree Construction Group and Embree Development. Hardin joined the Embree Group in 1986 and is responsible for all Embree financial reporting and tax compliance. He oversees the capital markets team in fundraising and capital sourcing, investment review, underwriting and the acquisition and disposition of assets. His career success led to funding the Rocky and Tracey Hardin Endowed Scholarship for Tarleton business majors, with special consideration for students from the Hardins’ hometown of De Leon and from Georgetown, their home for the past 36 years. They continue adding to the endowment.
The Hardins actually support a variety of Tarleton causes, including the President’s Circle, which enables university President James Hurley to finance priority programs and activities, and the Reserve Officer Training Corps. They are lifetime members of the Tarleton Alumni Association. Recently, they purchased a suite at the football stadium and gave half of the tickets to the university to invite guests and potential donors.
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Hardin spent two years on the Tarleton Foundation’s volunteer Board of Directors, then was elected President in January 2020. One of his first initiatives was to restructure the committees, providing more opportunities for board member participation and sharing more responsibility. The Foundation exists solely to support the university’s mission and goals. It benefits students through scholarships and project support, and provides assistance for special departmental and university needs. To accomplish that mission, it solicits donations and manages the funds to generate capital for university priorities. A new initiative involves reaching out to other large nonprofit foundations across the country in supporting Tarleton. Moving to Division I ignited the need for a new basketball arena, and additional funds could strengthen faculty and student initiatives in academic areas. The Foundation has enjoyed substantial investment growth in the last few years. It currently manages more than 145 endowments with a fair market value exceeding $25 million. “The stock market has done really well the past couple of years,” Hardin noted, “and we’ve been able to increase our assistance to the university through scholarships, aid for students affected by COVID-19 and other priorities.” As Foundation President, Hardin enjoys meeting people and building relationships. He’s working with board members to create opportunities in relationship building and fundraising. “Soon we’ll make changes that will increase board members’ involvement in meeting university needs,” he said. “We have a group of very strong board members. They’re hungry to support the university in every possible way. We all collaborate on what we can do that will be best for Tarleton.” The board works closely with university President Hurley, in Hardin’s words “a real go-getter with great plans for the university’s growth and development.” Hardin also has been a member of the College of Business Advisory Board. “We talk about what we as business leaders need students to know about our fields and the skills they need to have.” While a business student at Tarleton and working 60 hours a week, Hardin received help from federal grants. At the end of his freshman year, he and Tracey married, and she worked and took classes as well. They raised two sons, Justin and Matthew, who have gone into residential development and construction. Justin and his wife, Kristy, have provided them with three little "grandperfects." “Tracey and I love Tarleton,” Hardin says. “I was a first-generation student, from humble beginnings, and I know there are a lot of students like me who need a little extra help. If we can provide that, maybe in the future they’ll be the ones who give back and help even more students.”
Giving back: It’s his life’s work.
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SEASON OF FIRSTS Spring football, new classification mean two-for-one 2021 By Phil Riddle
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Unprecedented. It’s a word too easily overused. But it fits Tarleton football. Consider: The Texans’ fall 2020 schedule, their first competing at the Division I Football Championship Series level, was postponed. Instead of the weather getting cooler as the season cruised into November, the campaign started during an historic cold snap and finished with an April Fool’s Day game. The Texans played their fall 2020 season over three spring months. There will be another 11-game slate this fall. “It was really odd for all of us involved,” said Tarleton head football coach Todd Whitten. “Right after winter break, we were back on the second of January and preparing for a season, our first as a D-I team.” Tarleton became the ninth full-time member of the Western Athletic Conference in July but was one of just three teams to play football for the 2021 spring campaign. A D-II powerhouse the last few seasons, Tarleton went 23-2 since 2018. The Texans’ first season as a member of D-I FCS, they tallied 5-3 with an abbreviated eight-game schedule. Besides their first spring season, their first D-I season and the first year with two seasons in a calendar year, the Texans recorded other firsts. Their first Division I game at renovated Memorial Stadium was a 40-37 double-overtime loss to McNeese State in February. Adrian Guzman scored Tarleton’s first D-I points on a 38-yard field goal. The team‘s first touchdown at its new classification was a four-yard rush by Ryheem Skinner. The first score through the air came on a 13-yard Steven Duncan to Tariq Bitson pass. Tarleton’s first D-I victory happened a week later when the Texans blasted New Mexico State 43-17 at the Sun Bowl in El Paso. The first FCS home win, a 39-14 rout of Mississippi College, came March 6, highlighting Family Weekend. And the Texans’ first Homecoming as a D-1 team resulted in a 33-21 win over former Lone Star Conference rival Midwestern State.
a tie with Texas A&M and giving the Texans their 27th win with two games left in the schedule. “All in all, we won more than we lost and we won an FBS game, which was really big for us,” Whitten said. “There’s a lot to work on, and those things will be fresh on our mind as we finish the spring and head into the summer. “It was difficult to get everybody up and running at a time of year when we’re not used to it, but I think all the difficulties we had to encounter were good for us. Most difficult situations make you better when you get through them, and that was the case for us.” The WAC returns as a football conference in the fall with Abilene Christian University, Lamar University, Sam Houston State University and Stephen F. Austin State University joining Tarleton and Dixie State. Southern Utah University joins beginning with the 2022 season. A daunting conference schedule awaits. “That’s what we signed up for, but I like our chances,” Whitten said. “The upcoming season should be interesting. It’ll be hands down the toughest schedule Tarleton has ever experienced.” Adding to the competitive difficulty is the compressed time line for returning to the field. “It’s crunch time,” Whitten said. “We have to be efficient about the way we handle everything from here on out.” Players begin eight weeks of five-day-a-week workouts in early June, then report in August to begin preparing for the season, set to kick off Sept. 4 against Stephen F. Austin. At the same time, coaches will start early scouting reports on opponents. “We’ve got a lot of things to do,” Whitten said. “We’ll have some fundraising, we’ll do some camps, and we’ll have recruits on campus this summer. We have not been with a recruit in over a year.” The anticipated return to normal has the Texans’ coach optimistic. “Our future is bright. We’re going to do well. We have to put ourselves in a position to win games every week. “My expectations are really high.”
With that, Tarleton became the winningest scholarship NCAA program (Division I, II) in the state since 2018, breaking
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And that’s not unprecedented.
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ALUMNI LIFE
VARIETY SPICES SEAN DECKER’S DAYS AT RANGERS SPORTS AND ENTERTAINMENT GROUP By Harry Battson
“I love coming to work every day,” says Tarleton alumnus Sean Decker, the Texas Rangers’ Executive Vice President for Sports and Entertainment. “Every day is so incredibly different.” Decker leads the organization’s Events Division and Authentics Department. He also oversees the two minor league teams the Rangers own in North Carolina and their development efforts both in Arlington and around the country. “My focus is on generating revenue, largely through the use of our facilities for major events outside of the 81 home Rangers games,” Decker said, listing the National Finals Rodeo, concerts like Paul McCartney and NCAA championships among such events. His division includes a group that sells and sets up for the performances, creating the stage, flooring, sound and lights. The work includes extensive travel. “We just went over my schedule and I’m on the road seven of the next nine weeks, chasing some of the biggest events in the world. But I love the challenges. There are very few repeat events, so we’re creating a new mouse trap every time out. “I’m proudest of the people I get to work with, the team we’ve been able to build. I’ve grown in my position, and I get to see and help grow those working with me.” Corporate growth has been rapid, too, with revenues in Decker’s area growing more than 8,000 percent since 2012. As for his personal growth, Tarleton played a key role. “Tarleton was a big plus for me,” he said. “It’s such a great place to grow up and mature and see the world differently.” 40
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Decker (’07 BS, exercise and sports studies) won’t deny that the woman who would become his wife, Renni Gawrys, drew him to Tarleton. With family in Tolar, Renni (’09 BA, education) had always planned to attend Tarleton. She and Sean had dated since their high school sophomore year, so he came, too. While Renni became a member of the Texan Stars dance team, sports provided Sean’s comfort zone. He and baseball coach Trey Felan had robust talks about “baseball and a lot more.” But personal growth came outside sports as well, particularly in classes with Dr. Hank Jones, his freshman English professor. “His style and the way he taught provoked different ways of thinking about things.” Decker spent two years as a professional baseball umpire. His umpiring commitments prevented his returning to Tarleton on time to start a fall semester, and to this day he appreciates that his Tarleton professors excused his missing the first week of classes. As an exercise and sports studies major, Decker benefited from the knowledge and contacts of faculty like Dr. Kayla Peak (“she’s the best”) and Dr. Joe Priest. Priest helped Decker land an internship with a California hospital, a huge place where Decker would do fitness training and therapy. “It was a tremendous experience, working with patients, including athletes, and I kept gravitating back to my love of sports.” SPRING/SUMMER 2021
ALUMNI LIFE When he graduated, Decker applied to more than 90 professional teams. Only three responded. He became the operations assistant for the Colorado Springs Sky Sox in baseball’s Pacific Coast League, a commission-based position. “I cashed in all my savings to take that job. I remember ordering meals for the team and packing one into the refrigerator for my next lunch in order to save money.”
Also last year he had an opportunity to return to the Tarleton campus in Stephenville. “I was blown away by all the construction and the changes. The university is doing well, and I’m delighted to see it.” The Deckers now have two children, Rhett, 3, and Reed, 1. After having taught for several years, Renni is staying home to educate the boys. As for Decker's future, he’s focused on “being a great husband and father” and on his career.
Sean Decker
Success there led to opportunities as Assistant Director of Baseball Operations for the major leagues’ Arizona Fall League and as Corporate Marketing Manager for the Texas League’s Frisco RoughRiders. In 2010 he joined the Rangers, initially as a Senior Account Executive, then as Sales Director and Assistant Vice President, Rangers Enterprises. In 2017 he rose to Senior Vice President, Operations and Events. Last year he gained his current position.
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“I had this opportunity early in life, and I want to continue to develop my role and our group as a super entrepreneurial organization.” He’s targeting rapid growth while making sure “that we have vertical integration with our smaller business units” to maximize effectiveness. “It’s not just aspiring to get bigger,” he says. “It’s about building great things.”
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DR. LAMAR JOHANSON By Kurt Mogonye
The Tarleton Texans are blessed with loyal fans, but few can claim witness to the rise of the university’s athletics program like Dr. Lamar and Marilynn Johanson.
Dr. Lamar and Marilynn Johanson
No bandwagon jumper, the retired Professor and former Dean is the definition of diehard. He has put heart, soul and checkbook into Tarleton sports for six decades since arriving on campus as a biology instructor in fall 1961 — right when students voted to change the spirit name from Plowboys to Texans. Despite never competing for the purple and white or attending Tarleton as a student, Dr. Lamar Johanson became a loyal supporter as the small junior college transitioned to a senior college. “From the fall of 1961 and for the next 40 years, what happened at Tarleton I was either a part of or not too far removed, and had a unique perspective,” he said. His front-row seat to Tarleton athletics started rough as Texan football suffered through seven straight losing seasons. During that period, Dr. Johanson took a brief sabbatical to earn his PhD from Texas A&M, but he returned in 1967. He
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vividly recalls magical quarterback J.D. McMahon leading a 19-13 come-from-behind win over Sam Houston State in Huntsville. It was just one of many milestone victories Dr. Johanson says fueled the Texan faithful. “We didn’t enjoy much success in those days. Everybody was beating us easily, and we didn’t have the resources to compete well,” he said. Facing deficits in the athletic budget and trailing its peer institutions in the win-loss column, President W.O. Trogdon positioned Tarleton out of the Lone Star Conference (LSC) and into the non-scholarship Texas Intercollegiate Athletic Association. Dr. Johanson still likes the decision. It paid off handsomely. Over the next 15 years, Tarleton took six TIAA titles with back-to-back football crowns in 1977 and 1978, 1986 and 1987, and again in 1989 and 1990. Dr. Johanson became faculty athletic representative in 1980, a position he held until his retirement at the end of the century.
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In 1986-90 the Texans would go 45-11-1 and reached the NAIA quarterfinals in 1987, 1989 and 1990. Because of its domination, Dr. Johanson said the smaller, private TIAA schools asked Tarleton to leave the conference and become an independent. President Dennis McCabe initiated the exit, and in 1994 the Texans rejoined the LSC as an NCAA Division II school. Dr. Johanson fondly recalls Tarleton’s gridiron successes during the transition and its rise to a basketball powerhouse, starting with Lonn Reisman’s arrival in 1988. He enjoyed almost instant success. “I can remember Coach Reisman had been on board just a little while when we won our first conference championship in basketball. That was against Howard Payne in Brownwood. The students were so elated. The entire student body and the fans were excited, and that started our rise to prominence in the TIAA,” Dr. Johanson said. “Again, the euphoria of triumph was just fantastic. That all goes to the building of school spirit, and I think athletics is about the only thing, the only activity you can have, to build that interaction and spirit on a college campus, and I think it’s all very positive.” With athletics gaining a stronghold and teams claiming championships, Dr. Johanson and others, notably booster Perry Elliott, coordinated with Reisman to establish in 1994 the Texan Club — devoted individuals and businesses that would generate additional resources. “David Tomlinson was our first president, and we had a board of directors of some 20 people who went about the business of promoting Tarleton and raising money to support intercollegiate athletics. Prior to that we only had small committees that handled things, and we didn’t have a board or officers.” Under Dr. Johanson’s leadership, the Texan Club created the Plowboy Shootout, a golf tournament that continues to generate substantial dollars for athletics. “Individual memberships and corporate sponsorships go a long way to support Tarleton athletics to the tune of several hundred thousand yearly,” he said. “Money was now available to help finance recruiting, secure better uniforms, provide the scholarships needed, and on and on.” The Texan Club got people involved in athletics, and their involvement caused them to begin attending games. Dr. Johanson said that’s more important than the amount of money raised. “Fans became dedicated to the teams, followed the players on road games, and it generally raised interest in Tarleton sports. When we were first members in the LSC, we were
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in the cellar. I’ve experienced both good times and bad times, and I can assure you the good times are a whole lot better!” Dr. Johanson has served on the Texan Club Board of Directors since its inception and continues to chair the Tarleton Athletics Hall of Fame committee. Each year he takes pride in pinning each inductee at the annual HOF banquet when former student-athletes and honorees cross the stage. His unmatched loyalty has earned him every accolade available. “Dr. Jo is a Hall of Famer himself, and he’s one of the first recipients of the President’s All-Purple Award," said Reisman, now Tarleton’s Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics. “There’s not an award he hasn’t received. He has done it all, seen it all and participated in it all. “As a faculty representative he made difficult decisions while I’ve worked with him across 33 years. To this day, I work with him in all facets of the athletic department. He’s a sincere leader and never wanted the publicity for himself, only for the student-athlete and the athletics department. Lamar has been a driving force for many years. He truly bleeds purple.” Reisman admires Dr. Johanson for following Tarleton teams to Evansville, Ind.; Seattle and Bellingham, Wa.; Springfield, Mass.; Orlando, Fla.; and California. “Dr. Jo has been on the go.” “He’s been everywhere! He's traveled so many miles — people say hundreds. No, he’s traveled thousands of miles and has seen some of the most significant victories in Tarleton athletics history. This gentleman is literally a walking encyclopedia of Tarleton sports.” And everywhere he goes, his wife goes, too. Marilynn Johanson, it is said, cares as much about Tarleton athletics and student-athletes as anybody. “They are a tremendous team,” Reisman said. “If you look up in the stands, there they are together. I can’t think of bigger role models of what two people mean to each other and to our program.” Without a doubt, the Johansons, like many Texan Nation faithful, are optimistic as Tarleton begins a new era as an NCAA Division I member of the Western Athletic Conference. They’re confident the move will raise the university’s national profile and increase the value of a Tarleton degree. Though they admittedly see Tarleton sports through purple-tinted glasses, their optimism is nonetheless based on experience. After six decades in the bleachers, they have seen it all.
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FAST OUT OF THE CHUTE Tarleton cowboy building on solid start to 2021 By Phil Riddle
Paden Bray has to love the last couple of years. In 2019 the rodeo team standout from Huckabay was named Resistol Rookie of the Year as a team roping heeler by the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association and finished just out of the standings for the National Finals Rodeo. In 2020 he nailed 11th place in the world and earned his first spot in the NFR, which for the first time was held in Arlington. Paden, a senior business major, held second position in the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association’s Southwest Region when competition was called off in February 2020 due to the pandemic. He earned a spot in the College National Finals Rodeo for his efforts in the abbreviated season, but ultimately the CNFR was canceled. With the college rodeo season on hiatus, Paden concentrated on professional rodeo. Teaming with former world champion header Erich Rogers for the second year, he finished atop the leader board at PRCA events in Cody, Wyo.; Guymon, Okla.; and Miles City, Mont. After winning the average at the 2020 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo at Globe Life Field in Arlington in December, Paden and Erich cashed in March 7 across the street at AT&T Stadium during RFD-TV’s The American, winning the event and catapulting the Tarleton rodeo star into the top spot in the PRCA world standings. And he started fast in 2021. 44
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Question: Rodeo venues and participants are still dealing with the pandemic. Is 2021 going to be easier for you? Answer: This year has been good. We got a really good start. We’ve done well at the PRCA rodeos we’ve gone to, then won The American. In the rodeo world, any time you can get ahead, it really helps.
Q: You grew up in the Stephenville area. How did that play into your becoming a world-class roper? A: Stephenville caters to the best cowboys in the world. It’s a hot spot for rodeo athletes. So many events held in a relatively small area allows you to compete against the best in the world day in and day out. I think that keeps everybody sharp. If anyone thinks they’re pretty good, they come to Stephenville to figure out just how good they are. If you’re going to be here, you’ve got to be the best.
Q: You’ve done very well in events close to home — the NFR and The American. Is there a particular reason? A: I guess I like Arlington a lot. It’s been pretty good to me. It’s not just a coincidence. I’ve got a great team, a great horse and a great partner, so the stars kind of lined up for me when we’ve been there close to home.
Q: We’ve already discussed that 2020 was a tough year for rodeo. What did you learn from that experience? A: To make every steer count, make every run count. Last year there were limited opportunities and a limited amount of money to win. When you had to drive eight hours for a rodeo, you dang sure had on your mind that this was an important steer you were roping.
Q: How has being on the Tarleton rodeo team helped your career? A: My coach, Mark Eakin, does a great job. He is outstanding at facilitating all the kids. He picks the very best and likes to have a stacked team. He’s the very best at what he does. Now they have a beautiful facility for the rodeo team. They’re doing everything they can to make us the best rodeo team in the nation. They’re right on point for that, and it’s pretty gratifying for me.
Q: As a veteran of one of the most competitive regions in college rodeo, what’s your advice for younger rodeo athletes wanting to excel at this level?
with
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A: I don’t think you can work hard enough or practice enough if you want to be the best. Tiger Woods and Michael Jordan are the best at what they do, not just because of their talent but because they put in lots of hard work to go with their natural talent. That’s what made them great. Around here, against the best in the world, it demands the best of everybody. Let the work get you ready for competition.
Q: You have earned PRCA Rookie of the Year honors, been to the CNFR and now the NFR. After achieving so much, do you have more goals? A: I’d like to win the CNFR, be a CNFR champion, win another average title and a gold buckle at the NFR. That’s kind of my priority list. The thing about rodeo is no matter what you accomplished last year or the year before that, January comes around, it’s a new slate, and you have to prove yourself again. You can’t get too high when things are good, and you can’t get too low when they’re not. You need to just stay right there in the middle.
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CLASS NOTES BY DECADE Each of us can play an important role in the continued success of Tarleton State University. Remember, big accomplishments begin with small acts. The Tarleton Alumni Association encourages all former students and friends of the university to join in this tradition of promoting excellence.
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BARRY CAVITT, ’85 BS, ’86 MS in agricultural teacher education, has been named national Sales Manager for Holstein Association USA. Barry has been with the company since 2016, previously as a regional Sales Representative for members in Texas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama. After graduation he served as the collegiate dairy judging coach and an adjunct instructor at Tarleton, where he developed curriculum and taught dairy cattle evaluation courses.
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DIRK LINDSEY, ’91 BBA, is the new CEO of the Coastal Growers, LLC shelling facility in Arkansas. He has 29 years experience in the peanut industry, more than 15 as a plant manager. Most recently, he was chief operating officer of Delta Peanut’s production facility. Dirk also has experience in peanut warehousing and procurement, with stops in Alabama; at Golden Peanut and Tree Nuts in Fairhope; and at Golden Peanut’s facility in Headland. MARK WASHINGTON, ’93 BBA, has been appointed to the Michigan Municipal League Board of Trustees. Mark has served as Grand Rapids city manager since 2018 and has worked in local government for 26 years, including as assistant city manager for Austin, Texas, where he helped oversee a workforce of 14,000 employees and a $4.1 billion budget. Prior to that, he was director of human resources and civil service; he led efforts that resulted in Austin being recognized among the nation’s top 10 employers by Forbes magazine. He also previously served as the city of Fort Worth's assistant director of human resources. ROBERTO ARREDONDO JR., ’96 BA in criminal justice, has been named Victoria, Texas, police chief. Previously, he was a major in the Dallas Police Department. An Army veteran with more than 23 years in law enforcement, he joined the Dallas PD in 1996 as a patrol officer and rose through the ranks, becoming detective and sergeant in the Homicide Unit and Robbery Unit. He also served as a gang enforcement officer. 46
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MELANIE LAROSE, ’97 BBA, has been promoted to Brownwood finance director. She has worked for the city for 20 years, starting in February 2001 as chief accountant. In 2016 she became assistant director of finance. She is an investment officer with the city and has served on the Fireman’s Relief and Retirement Fund board since 2017 and the Internal Audit Committee since 2007.
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MELISSA BOYLE, ’06 BS in business and accounting, is the finance director and city secretary for the city of Corsicana. She supervises the financial operation and reporting of all municipal funds, including budget, audit, cash management, debt management and utility rate structure. She comes to Corsicana from Hillsboro, where she was finance director for five years. REGAN JOHNSON, ’06 BA in business, is the mayor of Mineral Wells, running unopposed in the November election. She was elected to the Mineral Wells City Council, at-large Place 2, in 2017. SHANNA CAMERON, ’09 BBA, ’10 MBA, has been appointed chief financial officer for Seton Medical Center Harker Heights. She comes to the position from Brownwood Regional Medical Center, where she served as CFO since May 2019 and oversaw the financial and strategic operations of the 188-bed acute-care hospital. Previously, she was assistant CFO of Cedar Park Regional Medical Center in 2016-2019 and finance manager for the Baylor Scott & White Memorial Campus in Temple in 2012-2016.
C O N TA C T U S Send your alumni and class updates to Tarleton State University Box T-0730, Stephenville, TX 76402 media@tarleton.edu | 254-968-9460
SPRING/SUMMER 2021
SilverTaps Ceremony The Silver Taps Ceremony is a tribute to honor our faculty, staff, students, alumni and supportive friends who passed away during the previous year. Thursday, April 15, 2021 James Adams Robert Joseph Adams Christian Kelly Aguilar Diane Allen John Wayne Allen Jennifer Jean Askew Larry Wayne Askew Jeffrey Bailey Robert Williamson Baker Diana Lynn Ballard Connie Sorrells Banks Michael Bartosh Robert William Bates Ernest Charles Bauman III Bruce Beals Joe Lowell Beck Earl Wesley Behrens Billy Luke Bell Truman Bell Thomas Andrew Bergendahl Rosalie Mitchell Beverly Jinger Kathleen Bibbee Britt Dixon Bishop Beverly Blagg Royce Lee Bodiford George Wayne Boyd George William Boyd Jr. Mary Louise Brown Carolyn Elise Bruner Dwain Bruner Walter Dean Bryan Fred Henry Buchanan Donald Ray Burden Louise Goodrich Burton Mary Lee Butts Lonnie Lee Caddell Thomas William Caldwell William Earl Canady Al Bernard Carroll Edgar Franklin Carter Gene Casselberry Rodney Lee Cate Donna Brazell Chapman Ozell Morris Claborn Harvey Ray Clanton Gloria Reeves Clark Raymond Earl Clark Wynona Clark W.R. Clemans Robyn Sue Cochran Anneta Conway Adelaide Hargrove Cook Ryan Gregory Cook Wynona Dee Cook Bill Mac Cooksey Sabino Cortez Willie Cortez Steven William Cosper Kenneth Cottle John David Cowsar John David Cox Michael Craddick Lucy Helen Craig Janice Ann Crawford Joe Crisp Richard Roy Crockett Wilmer Preston Crum Leslie Rene’ Curry Sharon Beth Dalton Dorothy May Daniels Charles Ercil Davis Euda Pete Dean 2021 SPRING/SUMMER
Shirley Temple Deeter August Mack Deets Karen Crowley DeFranchi John Preston Denton Joel David Dickison Jane Dickson Jerry Wayne Dickson Trent Curtis Dietiker Jane Dillon Lowell Thomas Dix Gary Joseph Dorsey Wilma Jean Dover Francis Dreiss Allen Driskill James Truman Dudley Robert Lee Dunbar Barbara Pruitt Dyer Melvin Edgar Eaker Evonne Rue Eddins Michael Roy Eddington Peggy Edwards Perry Elliott Nancy Linda Ervin Craig Fariss Kimberly Ann Favors Leta Francis Ficklin Aubrey Fife Johnafaye Dryman Flippen Tommy Flood Laura Cheree Floyd Leonard Lawrence Fluitt Frankie Lynn Ford Jack Fox Margaret Pearce Francks Barbara Elaine Franks Christy Jo Franks-McGuire Jeffrey Lee French John Friberg Betty Fulcher Mary Sue Fuquay Fred Gamble Wayne Gant Sandra Dennie Garrett Floyd Edgar Geer Evelyn Bransom Gilliland Robert Thomas Gillespie Barbara Gwen Gilliam Leta Clarkson Glazier Sammy Joe Gleaves Cade Thomas Goodwin Doris Alene Gray David Edward Greer Curtis Scott Gunn Heather Amy Haile Tommy Lee Hailey David Charles Hale Ellen June Hamilton Sandra Kay Hamilton Jim Bob Harris Brian Hezekiah Harvey Tom Marsh Hastings Billie Mae Havis Gwen Rose Hearn Gloria DiJulio Hedges Brett Karl Heilman Robert Henderson Milton Dewey Henson Victor Ray Hillman Bobby Glen Hodge Exa Fay Hooten Joseph Hotz Donald Ray Howe
Helen Howle Billy Roger Huber Patsy Hudson Millie Elizabeth Hughes-Fulford Bret Everett Hull Darrell Wilson Humphries Virginia Norman Humphries Joseph Inay Charles Anderson Inge Jonathan O’Keith Jackson Dennis Gary James Jenna Leah Johnston Jerry David Johnston Angel Gay Joiner Randell Gene Joiner Joe Kermit Jones Lynn LaRoque Jones Martha Jane Jones Richard Carlton Jones Jennifer Jordan William Karr Gary Wayne Kauitzsch Jeane Wheat Keas Dawn Shafer Kennedy Cynthia Jo Kile Jeffrey Craig Kloster Gary Lange Richard Wright Lange Mike Lara Luke Evan Lawson Olson Lefevre Jonathan Leonard John Leseman Bonnie Alexander Lesley Cara Allison Lewis Betty Yarbrough Lindsey Marcus Loader Bryson Cody Long Dalton Reese Lopez Richard Lee Lott Charlotte Louise Mabery Edward Mach Maurice Magee Betty Bradley Mahaney Jimmy Lynn Malone Catherine Rose Mangham Gaylan Mann Patsy Ruth Mapes Chelsea Lynn Marlow Lynda Darnell Mathis Walter Richard Mathis David Lynn Matus Kenneth Leon McCleskey Sr. John McClesky Carroll Winfred McCoy Courtney Brooke McCracken Bobbie McCullough Pearl McDaniel Michael Henry McFarland Daniel McGarrigle Irma Rowe McGowen Brenda Battles McGregor Christy Jo McGuire Mickey McGuire Lou Ann McKenzie Randall Wayne McKittrick Karan Bunnell McLarty Cindy Tate McManus Doug Craig Meier Karyn Haga Menzies Gwynn Buntin Meyers
Donna Marie Middleton Dean Patrick Mikeska Lou Ellen Mills Randall Clayton Mitchell Jacquelyn Christine Moore Margaret Ann Moore Russell Moore Janyce Lobban Morgan Thomas Milton Morgan Betty Keith Morris John Tim Moser James Franklin Moss Kaleigh Rhea Moss Tawnya Moss Gwynn Butin Myers Shirley Ann Mynatt Lynda Clayton Myrick Denise Goodrich Nabors Othel Neely Hugh Duane Nixon Anson Joe Oden Dorothy Jo Osborn Fancy Ruth Pace Joe Day Pair Joyce LaNelle Palmer Faynell Brown Parker Gerald Parker Richard Kirk Person Jerrold Peters Gail Petsick Linda Phillips Floyd Pierce Connie Kling Pippin Thomas Doyle Pittman Lisa Prince Theresa Scott Pritchard Johnny Bryan Putty Monica Kristine Quinene Frank Quinn Steven Wayne Ragsdale Leondas Roy Rambo Jack Ramsey Harley Redin Patsy Moore Reese Kayls Nicole Rice Martha Eulene Rice Phillip Rivera Sr. Peggy Jean Roberson Belinda Carrol Robinson Dona Marie Robinson Roark Samuel Rohe Jo Ann Rose Larry Rose Brad Rumfield Jack Cody Russell William Albert Rutherford Charles Albert Sachsenmeyer Diane Roberts Savage Earl Joseph Schenk Sr. Todd Lee Schonar Wilbert William Schrank Mollie Jean Schulze Judith Lynn Scott Walter Wayne Scott Gregory Shambaugh Sidney Shields Lott Lewis Shell Jack Earl Sheppard Michael Don Sherman Kenneth Shotts James Albert Smajstrla Jeanie Smith
Myrna Loy Smith Robert Smith Roy Morrow Smith Glyndol Snodgrass Carlos Soliz Louis Thomas Solomon Linda Ogle Sorenson Connie Sorrels-Banks Charles Ray Sparks Paul Allen Spindor Donald Staffon Martin Luther Standfield Josephine Inez Steed Michael Steinke Kordell Stiggers Tami Vick Stone Lisa Carolyn Streckert Betty Mae Strickland Joni Ray Stubbs Lennis Summers Jr. Kenneth Ranbdall Sundberg Joseph Van Swain Anna Lee Swan Troy Sweatman Joe Fowler Tarpley Brent Mabry Taylor Janice Irene Taylor Jodee Lambert Tennyson Teri Ann Theriault Clara Stafford Thompson Charlene Walker Thurman Kelly Don Tidwell Tyan Titus Stanley Toeppich Gerald Wayne Tong Luis Antonio Trevino Tommy Trimble Dion William Turner Larissa Hill Turner Robert Calvin Turner John Mark Underwood Eddie Valencia Dick Vanhoose Gary Dwayne Vick Sean Michael View Mary Elizabeth Walsh Sara Elizabeth Walton Susan Ward Jeanette Corley Waters Ethel Mae Watson Jerry Weatherby John Mack Weaver Myrna Musick Wells Desiree Ann Welsh Kurt Colton Wendeborn Sr. Adam Weyand Guy White Joe Bob Williams Weita Rose Williamson Jeff Willis Lurine Youngblood Wilson Matthew Craig Wilson Timothy Alan Wilson Bonnie Lucile Wood Carl Wood Bobby Royce Wright John Davis Yancey Guy Arthur Yarbrough Toby Yeager
Box T-0570 Stephenville, TX 76402
254-968-9000
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Circa 1920s
2021
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TARLETON STATE UNIVERSITY MAGAZINE
SPRING/SUMMER 2021