Texas A&M University System Chancellor John Sharp and A&M-Central Texas Interim President Richard Rhodes.
Richard Rhodes, interim president at Texas A&M University-Central Texas in Killeen, has been named Austinite of the Year by the Austin Chamber of Commerce for his work leading to the explosive growth of the Austin Community College District. Rhodes was ACC’s longest serving chancellor before retiring this summer and being named interim president of Texas A&M University-Central Texas.
Beloved people, exciting scholars, community events, and "the most interesting man in Central Texas" were all part of our 10 most-read news stories of 2023, focusing on A&M-Central Texas' past, its present, and its exciting transition to the future.
Chief of Police Andrew Flores gives the oath of office to Officer Colin Christie.
The University Police Department at Texas A&M University–Central Texas officially added another police officer to its ranks Wednesday afternoon when Officer Colin Christie took the oath of office.
Commencement livestream begins approximately 15 minutes before the start of the ceremony.
The A&M-Central Texas Fall 2023 Commencement will be held at 3 p.m., Friday, Dec. 15, at the Cadence Bank Center (formerly known as the Bell County Expo Center). The ceremony will also be livestreamed, and information for friends and family is available on the University website at www.tamuct.edu.
Officials from the university’s registrar’s office said that the university expects to award 283 degrees, 222 baccalaureate and 61 graduate degrees, with the number of degrees awarded by A&M-Central Texas since 2009 increasing to 10,489.
Representatives from Texas A&M University–Central Texas’ Division of Research, Economic Development, and Innovation (REDI) recently attended the Texas A&M System-wide inaugural Research Alliance Colloquium at the RELLIS Academic Complex Monday, Nov. 13.
Fifteen Texas A&M University–Central Texas students from various disciplines will present their research during a “Student Research Symposium” in Bernie Beck Lecture Hall Friday, Dec. 8 from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. All are encouraged to attend or join virtually via Teams.
The fourth annual Forge University Research Park and Innovation District Summit — a conversation on the possibility of bringing more tech industry to the Killeen area — is scheduled to take place Jan. 9.
“The tipping opportunity is upon us,” said Richard Rhodes, interim president at Texas A&M University-Central Texas, which is hosting the annual summit. “The collective impact that we have to take advantage of the growing industry interest in Killeen and Central Texas, including semiconductors, data analytics, health care, cyber security and advanced manufacturing has never been more important.”
The seminar will run from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the campus, 1001 Leadership Place in south Killeen, and is open to the public. Researchers and industry professionals wishing to engage in the transfer and commercialization of innovation and divergent ideas should plan to attend.
One conversation with A&M–Central Texas employee, Shawn Kelley, 58, might just be enough to make any reasonable person wonder if – in addition to the title he has earned by virtue of his job – he might just deserve to be considered for another: The Most Interesting Man in the World – if only Central Texas had such a thing to give.
Kelley, a retired veteran of the U.S. Army and National Guard, Copperas Cove resident, and married father of three, has an easy way about him, and a self-effacing laugh, absent any trace of pretention. He doesn’t think of himself as a particularly interesting person – just someone doing a job he enjoys – but after just a few minutes of conversation, there is plenty of evidence to suggest he is quite, in fact, extraordinary...
Texas A&M University–Central Texas’ inducted 11 charter members to the Alpha Alpha Alpha (Tri-Alpha) honor society on Wednesday, Nov. 15, 2023. The first members of the newly formed chapter are: Falon Summers, Amanda Mchugh, Jaykumar Bhakata, Antonio Sandoval, Robinette Phillips, Lindsey Jackson, Roshunda Reagans, Shiara Velo, Noemi SaDiablo, Cheryl Scott and honorary inductee Dr. Anthony Fulmore.
Tri-Alpha is a nationally recognized first-generation honor society. A first-gen student is a student whose parents did not complete a four-year college or university degree, regardless of other family members’ level of education.
The Department of Social Work and the Title IV-E program at Texas A&M University–Central Texas hosted “Empowering The Youth Voice in Case Planning,” the 4th Annual Child Welfare Conference, Friday, Nov. 3, 2023.
Students, community partners, foster and adoptive families, current case and social workers, and other professionals attended the event and sat in on thoughtfully designed sessions regarding, preparing foster youth for post foster care life, human trafficking, court jurisdiction and venues in adoption petitions, and collaborative responses for child abuse.
For students like University of Mary Hardin Baylor social work student Windy Hernandez the exposure to a professional conference in her field of study was invaluable not only because of the information shared but because of the networking.
Dr. Babatunde Sawyerr, Texas A&M University–Central Texas’ inaugural Fulbright Scholar in-residence and artificial intelligence expert, shared his experience and future initiatives during a talk he gave Tuesday, Nov. 7 at the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor.
Sawyerr introduced his rich Yoruba tribe culture and spoke with great pride of his educational and professional journey. Giving insight as to how the collective of his upbringing has shaped his career, he made it a point to wear his fìlà gọ̀bì, a traditional Yoruba cap, in his high school colors, maroon, gold and blue,.
Even though Killeen shares the benefit of having a public, regional, transfer-level university with the entire Central Texas region, the fact that the City of Killeen is home to A&M-Central Texas helped to earn it a 9th place ranking in a recent national survey conducted by WalletHub.
According to personal finance company WalletHub, the survey evaluated 415 cities of various sizes that had a college or university population of at least 7,500 students. Several factors, they said, were used to rank the cities, including housing costs, monthly fitness club fees, the average price of pizza, burgers, movies, and bowling, and the cost of higher education.
The Military and Veterans Services office at Texas A&M University–Central Texas is hosting a Veterans Benefits Expo from 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 8. Vendors offering military-affiliated benefits will be set up in the Bill Yowell Conference Center in Warrior Hall.
The Benefits Expo is free and open to all veterans. Military and Veteran Services Assistant Director Joshua Jones said the goal is to help veterans take advantage of the support that is available to them. More about Veterans Benefits Expo.
Dr. Amy Mersiovsky pinning a graduate from A&M-Central Texas's nursing program.
Just west of Central Arkansas, in the verdant expanses of rolling green hillsides, lush countryside, and local creeks and rivers, Amy Mersiovsky, now 47, grew up the eldest daughter in a farming family of five.
Raised there by parents, Mike and Sharon Turner, grandparents, Bill and Annette Martin, and a close-knit community, Mersiovsky remembers her girlhood tenderly, but with characteristic Midwest common sense and a deeply rooted sense of purpose.
Texas A&M University–Central Texas is holding an annual Child Welfare Conference on Friday, Nov. 3, in the Bill Yowell Conference Center. The full-day conference opens at 8 a.m. for registration and breakfast.
Hosted by the Department of Social Work, the free professional development opportunity is open to all foster and adoptive families, DFPS/CPS case workers, social workers, legal guardians and child advocates, students, faculty, agencies and anyone interested in child welfare. The conference will cover a variety of topics, including addressing child mistreatment, preparing youth for life after foster care, adoption and addressing human trafficking.
Lunch, furnished by Big Hoss BBQ, is included, and continuing education units are available. The conference will conclude at 5 p.m.
In university classrooms everywhere, students and professors engage with their chosen fields of study. Books are opened, computers powered up, ideas exchanged, and new skills are learned.
Of course, for many, the reasons for enrolling are as varied as the subjects they choose to study. Some seek upskilling for employment, some are completing a degree in the hopes of a career or promotion within employment they already have, and some are following their interests.
But for the students in Assistant Professor Ankita Singhvi’s data analytics course, there was an unexpected benefit: the opportunity to take what they were learning in the classroom and use it with and for local non-profit agencies like United Way of Central Texas and others including local schools and libraries, food pantries and fundraising entities, and even an animal rescue agency.
A&M-Central Texas received notification from the U.S. Department of Education confirming that the university has been selected to receive funding under the Strengthening Institutions Program in the amount of $450,000 for the first period between October 1, 2023 and September 30, 2024. It is anticipated that the grant will be for a total of five years and expected to total $2.2M.
The award is scheduled for final approval in November by the Texas A&M University System Board of Regents, allowing the university to build on current programs and initiate WarriorU – a new program designed to expand the university’s capacity to serve low-income students by focusing on increasing belonging, success, and completion.
A contingent of Texas A&M University–Central Texas employees and University Police Department personnel gathered in the amphitheater outside of Beck Family Heritage Hall on the A&M–Central Texas campus Monday morning to witness the swearing in of Police Officer Sean Matukewicz.
Texas A&M University–Central Texas is challenging its students, faculty and community members to write. Specifically, to write creatively.
On Oct. 19, National Day on Writing, the University Writing Center at A&M–Central Texas is hosting three contests to prompt individuals to think about writing in creative and meaningful ways.
The Phi Alpha Honor Society at Texas A&M University–Central Texas was named Outstanding Program of the Year by the National Phi Alpha organization for its recognition of its outstanding community service and commitment to social work. This national recognition is given each October to no more than four of the organization’s more than 450 university chapters. This was the 13th consecutive year the group has earned this recognition.
Michael Daley, Ph.D., chair of the Department of Social Work, said the recognition is a testament to the hard work of the A&M–Central Texas students.
Killeen resident, Mamoud Baimba Kamara, 29, was born in Sierra Leon, West Africa, on the edge of his country bordering the Atlantic Ocean, almost 5,765 miles from his current home in Central Texas.
He shares his story with a calm reserve, a perspective literally pounded out of the dusty earth. He has witnessed what many can only strain to imagine: a war-torn nation, great beauty and even greater poverty, and the stark realities of existence.
Florence resident Jade Monique Pinkowski, 25, is a military spouse, a contented pet parent of two cats and a dog, a recent A&M-Central Texas undergraduate degree recipient, a current graduate student, and a candidate in progress for the much-coveted CPA license. Her journey toward these big goals did not begin here. But, looking back, she recognizes that it was one of those “right place right time” situations.
Patrick Leech is a shining example of how a change in career paths can lead to a fulfilling and successful journey in academia. After dedicating over a decade of his life to the field of information technology, Patrick’s journey took a significant turn when he enrolled in the History graduate program at A&M–Central Texas in 2014.
The Military and Veteran Services office at Texas A&M University–Central Texas was recognized by the Texas Veterans Commission with the Bronze, Veterans Education Excellence Recognition Award (VEERA).
Established by the Texas State Legislature, the VEERA program recognizes public colleges and universities for excellence in providing education and related services to veterans and the military-connected community.
Texas A&M University–Central Texas President Dr. Marc Nigliazzo gets a standing ovation from university employees after his remarks at convocation Thursday morning. Nigliazzo is retiring after 13 years as the university’s first president.
Faculty, staff and administration gathered for convocation at Texas A&M University–Central Texas Thursday morning to celebrate the new academic year and bid farewell to the university’s inaugural president.
Marc Nigliazzo, Ph.D., A&M–Central Texas president since 2010, was a focal point of the morning meeting that centered around the state of the university as well as his retirement. Nigliazzo said his time at the university has been focused on the people.
Texas A&M University–Central Texas is gearing up for a Patriots’ Day Fun Run on Sept. 9 at 10 a.m. The event, hosted by the Military and Veteran Services office will benefit the veteran student organization on campus.
Registration for the color run is $10 and includes a t-shirt. Register online at https://commerce.cashnet.com/VETERAN?cname=VETERAN. Runners will gather at Warrior Hall on the A&M–Central Texas campus prior to the 10 a.m. start time.
Texas A&M University–Central Texas has been selected to host a Fulbright Scholar-in-Residence from Lagos, Nigeria, whose research in data analysis focuses on leveraging mathematical theory to solve real-world problems for businesses. He will remain with the university for the 2023-2024 academic year. Babatunde “Tunde” Sawyerr, Ph.D., an expert in mathematics and computer science at the University of Lagos, was selected for the Fulbright award by the Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board.
Texas A&M University–Central Texas celebrates an on-campus commencement on Friday, Aug. 11, at 10 a.m. in the Bill Yowell Conference Center in Warrior Hall.
Amelia Smith, Registrar Services Specialist-Graduation Coordinator, said that a total of 128 degree candidates are scheduled to attend the walk-through ceremony. This represents a total of 73 undergraduate and 55 graduate degrees, increasing the number of degrees awarded to a total of 10,209 since the university’s opening in 2009.
Filled with many of the familiar traditions of graduation, the on-campus location and the less formal walk-through format encourages friends and family to line up with their graduates and get an up-close view of them as they cross the stage.
On the Texas A&M University-Central Texas campus in Killeen, there is no shortage of credentialed and intelligent faculty and staff. The vast majority of the faculty, by definition of their profession, have earned doctorates as required by university standards and regional accreditation bodies.
Russ Porter, vice president for research, economic development, and innovation and professor of business and distinguished graduate faculty, is no exception.
With waves of a paddle and responses from a quick-tongued auctioneer, the numbers continued to rise at the inaugural Treasure War$: Collegiate Edition auction and fundraiser hosted by Central Texas College and Texas A&M University–Central Texas. When the final paddle laid at rest, the event raised more than $35,000 for scholarships.
Guest auctioneers Ricky and Bubba Smith from the A&E television series Storage Wars Texas brought their down-home humor and style to the A&M–Central Texas campus, where approximately 160 people gathered to bid on items such as concert tickets to hear Lainey Wilson, tickets to attend Magnolia’s Silobration in Waco, and much more. Proceeds from the auction went to the Eagle Warrior Scholarship that pays a student’s costs not covered by other grants or scholarships for up to two years at both CTC and A&M–Central Texas. Students on the Eagle Warrior Scholarship can earn a bachelor’s degree with very little out-of-pocket expense.
Not all that long ago, Temple resident, Gaylene Nunn, 67, was immersed in the world of business. She was the vice president of finance and administration at A&M-Central Texas, a graduate of Tarleton State University in Stephenville, and had three decades of experience in a profession she loved, and over the years, had been promoted into increasingly responsible positions. In 2017, Nunn was named vice president emeritus upon her retirement, but she has remained as active in retirement as she was when she was working full time.
She rose up the ladder in her chosen profession at a time when women were scarcely represented in leadership, but she does not dwell on that. In fact, she credits her success to a solid work ethic, a long and loving marriage and a supportive husband, and a wry sense of humor as ever present as her keen business acumen.
Austin Community College Chancellor Richard Rhodes has been selected to serve as interim president at Texas A&M University-Central Texas.
Rhodes — who led the unprecedented growth of ACC over the past 12 years — starts his new job Oct. 1, pending approval by the Texas A&M University System Board of Regents. He will be taking over for A&M-Central Texas’ longtime inaugural president, Marc Nigliazzo, who announced his retirement June 21.
Nearly 50 A&M–Central Texas faculty and staff have received one or more nationally recognized teaching credentials from the Association of College and University Educators (ACUE) for completing an individualized series of training focused on Effective Teaching Practices or a microcredential in Fostering a Culture of Belonging.
Lisa Bunkowski, Ph.D., co-director of the Center for Faculty Engagement and associate professor in the university’s Higher Education Leadership Program, applauded the faculty and staff for their continuous commitment to student learning.
Texas A&M University–Central Texas’ Department of Social Work Chair Michael R. Daley, Ph.D, was named a Regent’s Professor for 2022-2023 by the Texas A&M University System Regents.
The award program was established in 1996 to recognize faculty and employees who have made extraordinary contributions to their university, or agency, as well as to the people of Texas. According to the A&M System Board of Regents “The honorees come from a broad range of disciplines throughout our universities, and state agencies. They share a common thread: they are at the top of their professions and are dedicated to finding ways to better the lives of their fellow Texans and citizens of the world.”
...“Here’s the thing,” she began, allowing her stoic facial expressions to gradually ease into an authentic smile as wide as the horizon. “I had been passed over at the other agencies where I was already working, so I can’t say that I went into that interview over-confident,” she confessed. “But I knew by the time I had finished that I had hit that ball out of the park.”
...The newest additions to the ever-growing list of auction items now includes an evening with Chip and Joanna Gaines at an upcoming Silobration in Waco sponsored by American Veterans Mission and two pairs of box seats sponsored by iHeartMedia to see Lainey Wilson in concert on Friday, September 22 at the Round Rock Amphitheater, and each includes an autographed CD of Wilson’s newest CD, “Bell Bottom Country.”
The Eagle Warrior Scholarship, a joint effort between A&M-Central Texas and Central Texas College more than 10 years ago, funds tuition, and fees for eligible full-time students demonstrating financial need and following an established transfer pathway between the two schools.
Killeen resident and Texas A&M-Central Texas University student Richard James Fletcher, 31, is much too humble to describe himself as exceptional, but his actions suggest that there is more to him than his mild-mannered temperament, his half hesitant smile, or his everyday life.
Fletcher uses the word “average” a few times when he is asked to describe himself, but even as he repeats the word, it sounds somehow inaccurate. He is soft-spoken, but deliberate, grounded, and purposeful, but still brave enough to avoid apathy. As his words attest, he is many things: a son, a brother, a student, a neighbor, and an advocate. And last but not least, he loves growing things in the dirt.
He was a curious child, he says, fascinated with science, mostly dinosaurs and rocks. Even then, he had the patience for understanding big concepts: the constant subtle movement of tectonic plates and the principles of geology, the role of evolution, and the interrelationships between those complex subjects.
Chastity Gaddy, 32, is at the age where she is reaping the rewards of a life spent accumulating wisdom. Newly hired as the access and accommodations coordinator with student affairs at A&M-Central Texas, she has the look of a person who is exactly where she was meant to be, and her words are her testament to that truth.
“Being able to serve our students with disabilities and see them flourish and bring all of their innate talents forward to their dreams of a degree is so fulfilling,” she said. “When I think about what I get to do on a day-to-day basis, and who I get to do it with and for, I’m filled with purpose.”
Texas A&M University–Central Texas’ Division of Student Affairs has appointed Keisha Holman as the director of Career and Professional Development.
Holman’s familiarity with the community and higher education can be attributed to her time at Central Texas College in various capacities including student support and teaching roles. She ended her tenure at CTC as Director of Career Services.
Enrollment at Texas A&M University-Central Texas is up 11% this summer in both graduate and undergraduate degree programs, according to the Office of Institutional Research.
The university’s inaugural president, Nigliazzo was appointed to lead A&M-Central Texas by The Texas A&M University Board of Regents in April 2010. Nigliazzo grew the state’s first and only upper-level university into a recognized leader as the 10th of the 11 regional universities in the Texas A&M University System.
Dr. Marc Nigliazzo, president at Texas A&M University-Central Texas, announced today he will retire August 31.
The university’s inaugural president, Nigliazzo was appointed to lead A&M-Central Texas by The Texas A&M University Board of Regents in April 2010. Nigliazzo grew the state’s first and only upper-level university into a recognized leader as the 10th of the 11 regional universities in the Texas A&M University System.
Chancellor John Sharp praised Nigliazzo for his accomplishments, noting that educational opportunities have expanded significantly for residents in Central Texas, statewide and nationally because of the careful growth and nurturing of both undergraduate and graduate degree programs — many of which are offered both on campus and online.
The undergraduate teacher preparation program at A&M-Central Texas has been recognized by the National Council on Teacher Quality (NCTQ) for its rigorous preparation of future teachers in how to teach reading, earning an “A” grade in NCTQ’s new report, Teacher Prep Review: Strengthening Elementary Reading Instruction.
The program is among just 23% nationwide to earn an “A” from NCTQ for meeting standards set by literacy experts for coverage of the most effective methods of reading instruction—often called the “science of reading.”
Jasmine Mason, a Salado, Texas resident and Texas A&M University–Central Texas senior, is paving her way with her research regarding college friendships, shyness, and well-being.
A simple email from Associate Professor of Psychology Dr. Madelynn Shell informing her students of research internships prompted Mason to quickly respond and begin her research journey as one of Shells’ interns.
In the year of his birth, Sang Woo Han, 29, was one of many thousand babies born in Seoul, South Korea. The youngest of two children raised by his father, Il-Soo Han, and grandmother, Soojin Kim, he grew up in the Gwanak-gu District on the southern border of Anyang and Gyeonggi Province.
He smiles as he shares photos of his neighborhood, known as Silim-dong, adding that it was an idyllic place for families. Nestled in the middle of a mountain, it was a sprawling juxtaposition of modern high-rise buildings, business and industry, art museums, schools, hospitals, and acres of nature trails, forestry, streams, and wildlife.
And then, almost as if he had momentarily overlooked the most important thing, he quickly adds, “Oh, yes. Airplanes. Lots of airplanes.”
Phi Alpha Social Work Students Win National Service Award
Three students who are members of the Pi Rho Chapter of Phi Alpha, the international social work honor society, had the opportunity to go to the Council on Social Work Education Annual Program Meeting in Anaheim, California, to receive an award for the community service the Phi Alpha chapter at TAMUCT does throughout the year. The students – Nora Smeltzer, Jemima Blackwell, and Onicka Gibbons – gave a presentation about all the community service projects their group had carried out all year, and they received a plaque and $500 to assist with future community projects that they could bring back to their Phi Alpha chapter.
Greater Killeen Young Professionals Present TAMUCT with Scholarship Check
Greater Killeen Young Professionals (GKYP) presented Texas A&M University–Central Texas’ Foundation with a $2,659.33 check for scholarships raised during Rock the Foundation, a scholarship fundraiser benefitting the university.
GKYP has been hosting Rock the Foundation since 2010, generating more than $150,000 in scholarship funding.
Above: “Storage Wars: Texas” celebrities Ricky and Bubba Smith.
Local “Storage Wars: Texas” celebrities Ricky and Bubba Smith will host “Treasure War$: Collegiate Edition” Saturday, July 15, from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. at Texas A&M University – Central Texas’ Bill Yowell Conference Center.
In 2020, Schoeneman, her husband and their daughter made the move from Bethlehem, Pennsylvania to Killeen, after her husband received a new duty assignment. “We had just had our daughter and gotten married mid pandemic. We were stationed down here and drove 21-plus hours with a two-week old. That was tough. And during the first year down here I was a stay-at-home mom,” she said.
Left: Dr. Denita Hadziabdic Guerry, Fulbright U.S. Scholar Alumni Ambassador. Right: Jasmine Mason was presented the Outstanding Undergraduate Student Scholarship Award by Associate Provost Dr. Kellie Cude
Research and innovative scholarship were celebrated, and students, staff, and faculty were honored for their achievements at the 11th Annual Outstanding University Research and Innovation Banquet, Thursday, May 11, at Texas A&M University–Central Texas.
Texas A&M University–Central Texas is joining the National Partnership for Student Success (NPSS) and the U.S. Department of Education to support student success in school-aged children and youth.
A&M–Central Texas is one of the first higher education institutions answering the call to address K-12 learning loss by encouraging its students to participate as tutors, mentors, and student success coaches.
Rylei “The Ghost” Brown, a student at Texas A&M University-Central Texas, exemplifies the phrase “It’s never too late to start something new”. His drive and ambition are a testament to how the style of breakdance coincides with his path to a higher education.
His rigorous routine consists of leaving Round Rock early in the morning to attend class at A&M-Central Texas, student teach at a local middle school, and then drives back to Austin to teach evening breakdance classes. He does this twice a week to ensure he gains real-world experience in an actual classroom.
Texas A&M University-Central Texas celebrates commencement on Saturday, May 13 at 3 p.m. at the Bell County Expo Center. University Registrar Hannah McDonald said that a total of 329 students have applied for graduation.
Dr. Marc Nigliazzo, University president, said that while all graduations are very special occasions for both the students and their families, this graduation heralds a landmark as A&M-Central Texas will now have more than 10,000 former students.
Texas A&M University-Central Texas will celebrate the commissioning of 26 new U.S. Army second lieutenants in a Commissioning Ceremony, Friday, May 12, at 10 a.m. at the Killeen Civic Center.
Maj. Gen. Christopher G. Beck is the Deputy Commanding General of Maneuver for the III Armored Corps and is the keynote speaker.
LinkedIn Learning is now available for students, faculty, and staff at Texas A&M University–Central Texas. Courses ranging from topics like business, technology, and computer programming to creative skills like design, website development, user experience, and digital marketing are available.
The e-learning platform contains engaging trainings, complete with practice modules and assessments to build a variety of skills. The LinkedIn Learning library includes over 16,000 expertly produced, online, and consistently updated courses across 7 languages.
Texas A&M University-Central Texas will honor 23 students, staff, and faculty at the 11th Annual Outstanding Research and Innovation Awards Banquet on Thursday, May 11.
Jacquay Jackson, 29, wakes up every morning busier than the average university student. Not only is he a husband to wife, Talia, but he is also a proud stepdad to Niomi, 13, and Jamal, 15, and a company commander of the Army ROTC program at Texas A&M University-Central Texas in Killeen.
He is responsible for more than 50 fellow cadets in the program.
His countenance would suggest that he is built for the military. Almost 6 feet tall, sturdy, and broad shouldered, he would appear to be blessed with athletic ability, but there is more to him than that.
Seated, from left, Dawn Harris, Johnnie Porter, Stacie Gilyard, Jacqueline Rodriguez, Peyton Cook, Christine Acevedo, Omayra Pintado-Roman and Joeliqua Williams participate in a meeting recently.
Lisa Hopkins, Texas A&M University-Central Texas associate librarian and assistant dean, is unlikely to be found patrolling the stacks of books at the University Library, or raising a silent single index finger to her lips when she hears a pin drop of conversation, or glancing sternly over the brim of reading glasses, or pulling her hair back with a pencil.
She is one of a well-organized team of librarians whose everyday jobs are both simultaneously routine and unapologetically innovative. This, she admits, makes her job — and hopefully theirs — pretty close to perfect.
There is, she says, one aspect of her work that she looks forward to every year: planning and preparing the semi-annual book club.
For many people, the day of their graduation is the stuff of which memories are made. Invitations are sent, special outfits are planned, families are gathered, and coursework, including finals, are blissfully concluded.
Kathleen McDonald, 60, knew very well the significance of commencements. She had been a student at Central Texas College and had earned her associate degree there, and, as a staff member, she spent decades encouraging students toward degree completion.
But, on this warm May evening almost one year ago, she was not working at graduation. She was attending her own.
She had seen enough graduations to know the order of things: graduates arrive, assemble, march in the processional, cross the stage, and, for those receiving their graduate degrees, they are ‘hooded’ when an academic stole is lowered over their head and around their shoulders by a chosen member of the faculty.
Texas A&M University – Central Texas held a ceremonial ribbon cutting Thursday afternoon to name its fast-growing computer information systems department after local technology savant and entrepreneur Abdul B. Subhani.
Over 100 attendees celebrated the renaming and recognized Subhani’s commitment to the community. The Subhani Foundation set up an endowment fund in honor of its founder Abdul B. Subhani for the naming of the Department of Computer Information Systems.
Texas A&M University–Central Texas’ Office of Student Financial Assistance launched Scholarship Universe March 27.
Scholarship Universe presents students with over 17,000 internal and external scholarships, updated frequently, matches students with scholarships based on a series of questions, and saves time by eliminating the need for endless searches.
In the push and pull of everyday life, the things that exist for the sole purpose of vying for our attention are everywhere. Our cars’ safety and notification systems blink with cautionary warnings if tires or gasoline gets low, the devices we rely upon for convenience ping with pop up alerts or texts, and even the refrigerator in the kitchen offers consultation about its contents and what needs replenishing.
Amidst these distractions there are, however, other sounds that offer a more subtle soundtrack. University campuses are no exception.
Warrior Week at Texas A&M University – Central Texas returns March 27-31 with new and traditional events for students. The annual event is designed to bring students together to celebrate the Warrior spirit and the commitment of the Warrior community supporting others.
Students can prepare for Spirit Day by tie dying a shirt Thursday, March 23 at 10 a.m. in the Beck Family Heritage Hall lobby.
Texas A&M University–Central Texas students are answering the call to service by volunteering with United Way of Central Texas’ Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program. VITA provides free tax preparation for qualified households.
Assistant Professor of accounting Dr. Ran Li is leading the VITA initiative for the university. She emphasizes that service learning in general benefits the community.
“Our area needs competent general accountants and tax accountants. With the IRS VITA program, our students can step in and help the community, while gaining real-world experience,” she said.
The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) announced last week that A&M-Central Texas has earned international accreditation for its College of Business Administration. Founded in 1916, AACSB is the longest-serving global accrediting body for business schools, and the largest business education network connecting learners, educators, and businesses worldwide.
Assistant Professor of Accounting Dr. Anthony Fulmore’s educational path is like that of many of his students. Fulmore, a military veteran, used his military benefits to pursue his education locally. He earned his associate’s degree at Central Texas College, his bachelor’s and first master’s degrees at Tarleton State University, Central Texas, which then became Texas A&M University – Central Texas in 2009. This is one of the many reasons he can connect with his students so well.
“O Captain! my Captain! our fearful trip is done…” begins Walt Whitman’s poem about the death of Abraham Lincoln. Arguably one of Whitman’s most popular poems holds little mystery about its subject or its author. Which is not the case in all prominent art that honors America’s 16th president.
One couldn’t have predicted that over 150 years later Whitman’s interest in Lincoln would set off a chain of events leading Dr. Stefan Schöberlein to his Lincoln portrait research, discovering key facts about a mysterious painter and an overlooked portrait of the president preceded by fantastical stories.
Dr. Michael Daley, Regents Professor and Chair of the Department of Social Work at Texas A&M University – Central Texas in Killeen received a prestigious national award from the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) at its recent 68th Annual Program Meeting in Anaheim, California. Dr. Daley was recognized for Distinguished Recent Contributions to Social Work Education by CSWE. This is an award given to one person annually for exemplary achievements in the last 10 years in at least two areas including: research and scholarship, pedagogy and curriculum development, and organizational leadership. The Council on Social Work Education is the national association for professional social work education and accreditation of social work educational programs.
Shuyang Gu, 41, was born humbly, but securely, to parents, Fang Che and Ming Hua Gu in the Northern Chinese Province of Heibei. And, while neither parent could have known it then, their only child – a girl – would grow up to walk in the shoes of her maternal grandfather and fulfill the educational goals unavailable to her parents.
Her father, an engineer, and her mother, a kindergarten teacher, grew up during the cultural revolution, she explained, completing only a high school education, and assigned their respective careers by government officials.
The fact that they may have wanted more was irrelevant. Still, their innate talents and passions would not be extinguished. From an early age, Gu says, both parents shared their love of learning: her father introducing his daughter to physics and science as early as her fifth year, and her mother sharing her love for art and geography.
Enrollment in the A&M-Central Texas Graduate School and its programs has grown by double digits in the Spring 2023 Semester. Associate Provost and Dean of the Graduate School, Dr. Kellie Cude, believes that it may be the result of changes to the application process.
“We made changes that made it easier for our undergraduate students to continue here for their graduate education,” Cude said. “And for those not currently enrolled as one of our students, we designed an admissions option that allows them to apply for admission on a ‘test-optional’ basis.”
February is nationally dedicated as Black History Month. The month was established to focus attention on and celebrate the contributions and accomplishments of African Americans in the United States.
Texas A&M University – Central Texas’ Black Student Union (BSU) will be hosting a talent showcase, “Shine On Us” at 6 p.m., Friday, Feb. 24, on campus. The event will celebrate Black History Month in a way the university has never experienced.
Just six months ago, Laura Dooley, 40, Ft. Hood resident, military spouse, and mom, packed her family SUV and took a trip she never imagined she would have the chance to take.
On an average workday, the majority of her travel consisted of going in between the military housing at Fort Hood and A&M-Central Texas where she was both an undergraduate student and a research assistant in the Division of Research, Economic Development, and Innovation.
Staff Enrichment Award award winner Anna Kefauver.
February 7, 2023
A&M-Central Texas recognized 12 University employees at 2023 Spring Convocation.
The awards, designated for Staff Enrichment and Distinguished Supervisors, were made possible by generous donations from the Beck Family and the Yowell Family, allowing the University to recognize their achievement with a plaque and modest monetary award.
Tina Flores-Nevarez, Executive Director of Human Resources and Payroll, applauded the awardees for their recognition, noting that each had made significant professional contributions to the University and its students.
Two A&M-Central Texas online programs were ranked in the Top 100 in The 2023 U.S. News & World Report’s Best Online Programs:
#39 for the Best Online Master’s in Criminal Justice Programs
#98 for the Best Online Bachelor’s in Business Programs
U.S. News and World Report, one of the most respected and in-depth evaluations of U.S. based degree-granting programs, both online and traditional, uses a variety of indicators to determine program rankings including affordability, student engagement, faculty credentials, peer assessment, service and technology, and student excellence.
Killeen resident Frantzy Mesadieu, 43, was born on a slender finger of land almost 3,000 miles from his home in Central Texas, but he still remembers its beauty and its people, and how this place – and his eventual transition to both U.S. citizenship and a Texan – framed both his past and his future.
His hometown, Jacmel, Haiti, is on the southwest coast of the Caribbean and is known for a long history of economic instability, poverty, and natural disasters.
None of these things were evident to a young Mesadieu, the second born child of an extended family of six.
Texas A&M University–Central Texas’ Student Government Association (SGA) welcomed local high school organizations to campus for Carter BloodCare’s Great Leaders Initiative on Wednesday, Jan. 25.
The day-long conference focused on strengthening leadership skills, community engagement, and team building.
Community and business leaders gathered at Texas A&M University–Central Texas for the third annual Forge University Research Park and Innovation District Summit Wednesday, Jan. 11.
Attendees heard from A&M–Central Texas leadership, president and CEO of the Greater Killeen Chamber of Commerce Scott Connell, principal at architect and urban design firm Perkins&WIll Stephen Coulston, and keynote Dr. Saurabh Biswas, executive director for Commercialization and Entrepreneurship at Texas A&M Engineering Experiment Station.
Greater Texas Foundation (GTF) awarded $1.56 million to Texas A&M University—Central Texas to benefit Early College High School students who transition to the university to complete their bachelor’s degree.
The grant will fund the GTF Warrior Scholar’s Program scheduled to launch in the fall of 2023 with a goal of 40 ECHS students enrolled in the first five cohorts. Students qualifying for the program will receive scholarship assistance of at least $2,000 per year for up to three years. The grant is part of GTF’s initiative to increase the number of high school graduates who persist to a college degree or post-secondary credential. Scholars will also be included in learning communities where they benefit from relationships with other students and take part in special workshops designed specifically for them. The workshops will focus on student success initiatives such as leadership development, financial literacy, and more.
New students were welcomed to Texas A&M University–Central Texas during New Student Orientation on Friday. Attendees received a swag bag and information about resources, university culture, and financial aid.
University staff informed students of all the services and resources available to them and gave them helpful tips to prepare them for a successful first semester.
As an upper-level university, A&&M–Central Texas understands the challenges non-traditional and transfer students face and that not everyone’s academic journey is the same.
From left: John Morgan III, Senior Partner of IBM Consulting; Scott Connell, president, and CEO of the Greater Killeen Chamber of Commerce; Stephen Coulston, architect and urban designer from Perkins&Will.
In partnership with U.S. Army Operational Test Command (USAOTC) and the Greater Killeen Chamber of Commerce, Texas A&MUniversity – Central Texas is hosting the third annual Forge University Research Park and Innovation District Summit Wednesday, Jan. 11 on campus.
Supported by the Texas A&MUniversity System and the U.S. Department of Defense, the development of a research park at A&M–Central Texas aims to leverage partnerships with Fort Hood, USAOTC, defense, and technology industries, as well as facilitate a need for collaboration and the expansion of research opportunities.
Texas A&M University–Central Texas will welcome new students to campus for Spring Orientation on Friday, Jan. 6, from 8:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., in Bill Yowell Conference Center in Warrior Hall.
Students can expect to learn about student success resources, work study and student organization opportunities, and campus culture. They will also have the opportunity to connect with other students, faculty, and staff.
Killeen resident Joeliqua Williams is only 23 years old, and she is already well on her way in a career that she loves as a Police Officer I with the A&M-Central Texas University Police Department.
She is slightly built, standing at 5’5, but there is nothing slight about her countenance. A former athlete, Williams is justifiably proud of her capacity for meeting both the physical and intellectual aspects of her current profession – and even she admits it has been a whirlwind of goal setting, next steps, and, finally, achievement.
Andrew Cadran, 23, Copperas Cove resident, son, and brother, became an alumnus of A&M-Central Texas less than 10 days ago when he crossed the stage at commencement. Even before that momentous occasion, he already knew that another long-awaited goal would add another title: full-time Trideum employee and junior software developer.
It wasn’t that long ago, he says, when he had a very different kind of job. He wasn’t coding software, analyzing database files, or managing complex IT systems. But he was earning $16 per hour, and that, he says, was paying for his tuition and giving him the chance to learn some real-world life lessons – even if it meant working at the deli counter and not behind a computer.
Donovan and Jerevon Torres have always had the same goal: to make their mother proud. They saw her persevere as a single mother, be the first in her family to attend college, and move her entire family from Saipan to the United States for a better life.
The Torres Twins, as many on campus kindly call them, say they are on their way to achieving that goal and so much more.
The close-knit family comprised of the twins, their younger sister, and their mother have considered Texas home for the past eight years. The twins and their sister are so close in fact, two weeks in the year the three of them are the same age. Donovan mentions that he is the eldest – by one minute over his twin.
Texas A&M University – Central Texas has appointed Alba Cook as the director of recruitment. She brings with her more than 12 years of experience in higher education, holding positions with the Texas Association of College Registrars and Admissions Officers, Texas Association for College and University Student Personnel Administrators, and the Texas Association of College Admission Counselors.
Cook joins TAMUCT from Vanderbilt University, where she served as the program coordinator for the Bass Military Scholars Program. Prior to joining Vanderbilt, she served as the director of Admissions and Special Programs in the School of Health Professions at UT Health San Antonio.
Killeen resident Joshua Missouri, 40, is a recently-appointed director of The Ted & Diane Connell Center for Military and Veterans Services at A&M-Central Texas. And, given his considerable record of service in both the armed forces and higher education, it is easy to see how well he fits into his new position.
It has been sixteen years since his service in the U.S. Navy concluded, and still, both his demeanor and physical appearance suggests that the discipline and the athleticism once required of him in service is more than what may have been developed while there.
For more than two decades, Angie Griffin, 61, lived another life — a full and accomplished life — as an experiential counselor, a corporate team builder, a charter school guidance counselor, and a university administrator before her career took an unexpected and dramatic turn.
Today, she is known as “Grangie” by her three grandchildren, but this woman is hardly the typical grandmother, if indeed such a thing even exists. A member of the Female Helicopter Pilots Association, known as The Whirly Girls, Griffin is the newest member of the faculty in the Texas A&M University-Central Texas Aviation Program.
Together with Carson Pearce, associate lecturer, and coordinator, the two of them are shepherding more than 100 undergraduate students through to completion as the program grows by leaps and bounds.
Locals with any military affiliation are encouraged to attend the Veterans Appreciation and Benefits Expo Wednesday, November 9, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. in Bill Yowell Conference Center, Warrior Hall, on Texas A&M University-Central Texas’ campus.
Attendees can expect to learn about educational benefits and services, connect with veteran service organizations to help with disability claims, veterans' healthcare, and network with others over lunch. The expo is hosted by the Ted and Diane Connell Veteran Affairs Center and VetSuccess on Campus.
To those around her, Killeen resident Stephanie Legree-Roberts, 53, is a vibrant, intelligent, composed woman. Well educated and professional, Roberts recently became the executive director of the Warrior Center for Student Success, Equity, and Inclusion at Texas A&M University-Central Texas.
Before coming to the university, Roberts had made a career at Central Texas College, spending almost two decades as a counselor, an international student coordinator, a grant manager, a director of student success and persistence, and a dean of institutional accountability.
Her story, however, is much, much more than what she has done professionally or even what she has personally endured. The greatness of her story lies in the indefatigable spirit of a girl child, unwilling to give up on herself and embrace her own belief that she was more than the circumstances she was born into.
“It is 100% true that education saved my life,” she began, outlining the way she came to be where she is now.
The Texas A&M University–Central Texas chapter of the Texas Association of Future Educators (TAFE) is easing the transition from high school to college by inviting Copperas Cove High School and Killeen ISD TAFE chapters to campus.
“TAFE is a cocurricular student organization that we integrate to our training and education program. TAFE is the Texas Association of Future Educators and is the largest future teacher organization in the country,” said Theresa Morgan, Education and Training Pathway Teachers at Copperas Cove High School.
Allyssa Michelle Avila, 32, is composed, articulate, and insightful, speaking deliberately about what motivated her most recent creative endeavor.
Her project, she says, did not happen the way some inspired events do; it was not a ‘big idea’ or even an academic assignment. It was, she says, something more routine than that. And it is a good feeling, she says, to think that inspired things can spring forth out of her everyday life as a student.
“I received an email from Sandra Desjardins, an A&M-Central Texas Hispanic Heritage Month Lecture Series Coordinator and also a librarian specialist,” Avila explained. “They were reaching out to everyone to ask if anyone had an idea that they could share during the University’s Hispanic Heritage Month.
Chancellor John Sharp of The Texas A&M University System is coming to living rooms all around the state.
Around Texas with Chancellor John Sharp will appear in 18 media markets across Texas (and one in Louisiana) when Season Three of the show premieres in the first full week in October. Last year, the show aired in eight Texas markets.
From left: Assistant Director of Counseling and Psychology LaToscha Sherman, Admissions counselor Christina Acevedo, and Associate Director of Instructional Technology Service Sara Dierk.
Texas A&M University–Central Texas prides itself in being the only upper-level university in the state, offering high quality, affordable, and innovative higher education programs. Staff members play in integral role facilitating the university mission.
Killeen, Texas – The summer weather has not yet yielded to the long-awaited cooler temperatures of the fall, but that hasn’t stopped A&M-Central Texas Student Government and the Office of Student Affairs from getting ready for a ‘spook-tacular’ event coming up next month.
Event organizers are hoping for a “fang-tastic” turnout for the 2022 Trunk or Treat, Friday, Oct. 28, from 6-8 p.m.
“Trunk or Treat is an event for the whole community,” said Paul York, associate dean of student affairs. “Last year, there were more than 300 people walking through the event and 40 cars all decorated in ‘eerie-sistable’ Halloween themes and quite a few of the cars’ owners got in the “spirit,” dressing up in their “boo-tique inspired costumes.”
Jared Foster, 40, former Killeen city councilman at-large, and one-time Greater Killeen Young Professionals board member is now the Director of Development at A&M-Central Texas.
Foster’s many ties to the Central Texas community and his years of experience in leadership positions make him an ideal addition to the University following the retirement of former Development Director, Lana Carey, says A&M-Central Texas President, Dr. Marc Nigliazzo.
The streets of downtown Pelham, Georgia, are lined with statuesque pecan trees, manicured neighborhood lawns, historic buildings, a chamber of commerce, a Piggly Wiggly, a half dozen or so restaurants, a pharmacy, and, because no town is complete without at least one, a honkytonk named Sylvia’s Bar, and a café aptly called Southern Sass.
Further out of town, the countryside resembles an endless agricultural quilt laid out on top the earth, as acres and acres of rows of crops crisscross the countryside like seams plowed into the earth.
Lauren West, 23, grew up in this place, one of five children in a blended family, raised on the family farm with as many animal friends as human ones.
Henry “Hank” Mayes, 59, Temple resident, first experienced the compassionate affection of a teacher more than five decades ago. His memories of their many acts of kindness remain with him, all these years later, undiminished by the passage of time.
The University Writing Center (UWC) at Texas A&M University-Central Texas is a resource available to all students who need help with their writing. There, they can receive one-on-one or group tutoring at any stage of the writing process and at any level, undergraduate or graduate.
Skilled peer-tutors can act as a test audience, go over instructors’ feedback on papers, brainstorm topics, and much more. Phyllis Wheeler, a UWC tutor and faculty member at A&M-Central Texas, spoke about some of the things they offer.
Texas A&M University-Central Texas hosted Bell County superintendents’ first in-person, collaborative meeting of the school year.
The meeting allows local Independent School Districts, ranging in size from hundreds of students to thousands, to discuss trends, brainstorm solutions and talk shop.
The exchange of invaluable information has proven useful, especially in the wake of current issues like school safety and the COVID-19 pandemic.
Samantha Roberts, 31, is a military spouse, a mother of two children under seven, a full-time employee with a financial institution, a recent graduate from A&M-Central Texas, and a brand-new graduate student at the University of Texas at Arlington. But she is still very much a part of the University’s social work program.
Just two months have passed since she received her bachelor’s degree in social work at the University’s 2022 Summer Commencement, yet she routinely returns to campus. It is not because she has an errand in the business office, an overdue assignment, a parking ticket to pay, or a book to return to the library. Learn more about the award.
At an awards breakfast sponsored by the A&M-Central Texas Foundation, six A&M-Central Texas faculty were honored for their excellence in teaching, service, and scholarship.
Originally funded in 2019 by endowed gifts made by two prominent local families, the Beck Family and the Yowell Family, respectively, the awards honor faculty who have demonstrated a record of excellence in teaching, service, and scholarship.
The 2022 Beck Family Senior Faculty Award recipients are Hao-Min Chen, associate professor, College of Education and Human Development; Lucas Loafman, associate professor, College of Business Administration; and Mienie Roberts, associate professor, College of Arts and Sciences. Read more about the award winners
Vené Baggett, 43, is one of the many educators returning to the classroom this fall, but for her, the moment has significance beyond just the start of another school year.
Recently hired as an assistant lecturer and field coordinator in the Social Work program at A&M-Central Texas, Baggett already knows the campus, its classrooms, and her colleagues because she is returning to the very place her journey as a social worker began.
“I graduated from A&M-Central Texas with my undergraduate degree in social work in 2012,” she said, flashing a 100-kilowatt smile. “So, it is very special not just to return to the place that helped make my career, but to be able to do that for the social work students who are here to pursue the same career that I chose more than a decade ago.”Read More
Texas A&M University-Central Texas has selected Dr. Allen Redmon as the next Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences.
Beginning in the Fall 2022 semester, Redmon will serve as the academic and administrative leader for the college and will be responsible for the strategic and academic direction of its operations. As dean he will work with department chairs, faculty and staff to achieve the goals of the college and the university through shared governance, collaborative and consultative processes and consensus-building. Read More
In the summer of 2022, Officer Phyllis Shaffer assumed her new role as Communications Officer at the Texas A&M University-Central Texas University Police Department (UPD). She has moved quickly through their ranks, all while studying at A&M-Central Texas to earn her bachelor’s degree in criminal justice.
When she first thought about working with the UPD, Shaffer was drawn in by the strong emphasis officers put on building relationships on-campus. After shadowing others in the department as an intern, she found that to be true. Read More
When she was just a little girl in Gatesville, Texas, KayLeigh Tennison, now 22, played her first game of T-ball.
And while the little ponytailed girl in a helmet and uniform spent youthful seasons learning to swing for the fences while family and friends cheered her on, the woman she is today has not forgotten what she loves about the game.
“I played little league forever,” she said. “I was the catcher on the girl’s softball team throughout high school, and even played on the traveling softball team in Hamilton.”
Recently, she said, a coach for the team, The Rattlers, invited her to take on a spot as assistant coach which she happily accepted. Read More
A&M-Central Texas Professors Michael Daley and Claudia Rappaport never imagined that they would be celebrating their 2019 Pioneer Award from the National Association of Social Workers in 2022. The designation, rarely awarded to more than one scholar in the same university, took both of them by surprise. Read More
This fall students at Texas A&M University-Central Texas will have new options to focus on specific interests in psychological sciences with an online Master of Science in Applied Psychology degree. Read More
Texas A&M University-Central Texas will be attending EAA AirVenture 2022 in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, held July 25-31. Led by Carson Pearce, associate lecturer of aviation science, a team of four faculty and staff members will represent the university at the largest air show in North America. Read More
Two officers were sworn in, and another promoted during an official ceremony conducted by the Texas A&M-Central Texas University Police Department Monday afternoon in the Bernie Beck Lecture Hall on the A&M-Central Texas campus.Read More
Texas A&M University-Central Texas has announced the appointment of Dr. Sam Fiala to assistant provost and assistant vice president of Academic Affairs, effective June 1, 2022.
In this role, he will be involved with long-range and strategic academic planning, student success initiatives, support of undergraduate programs and academic program review. He will also work closely with Dr. Kellie Cude, associate provost and senior associate vice president for Academic Affairs, on accreditation efforts.
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Staff Enrichment Award award winner Anna Kefauver.
Texas A&M University-Central Texas hosted Bell County superintendents’ first in-person, collaborative meeting of the school year.
Samantha Roberts, 31, is a military spouse, a mother of two children under seven, a full-time employee with a financial institution, a recent graduate from A&M-Central Texas, and a brand-new graduate student at the University of Texas at Arlington. But she is still very much a part of the University’s social work program.
Vené Baggett, 43, is one of the many educators returning to the classroom this fall, but for her, the moment has significance beyond just the start of another school year.
