Top Ten Moments: December 2023

We’re so honored and excited that the Commission on Presidential Debates chose TXST as the site of the first presidential debate in 2024. This is the first time a presidential debate has been held in the great state of Texas — at the only Texas university with an alumnus who became POTUS, Lyndon Baines Johnson. This is a monumental opportunity for TXST, and we’re looking forward to September 16, 2024!

It was a remarkable afternoon dedicating a student lounge in the LBJ Student Center to Shirley Harris, the first Black student to graduate from TXST. Her brother Dwight, the first Black track student-athlete, was there to celebrate with us. Shirley was a dedicated elementary school educator and taught in San Antonio for 42 years.

Our Bobcat football team had an amazing year, finishing 7-5 and set to play Rice at the SERVPRO First Responder Bowl on December 26. And, I got to meet Victoria at the last game of the season! She was the ball girl and has the coolest TXST scarf I’ve ever seen. I can’t wait to welcome her to campus as a freshman!

A fulfilling day at the Round Rock Campus was capped off by charging the new Run to 10K Commission. We are developing a plan for increasing enrollment (with a goal of 10,000 new Round Rock students), programming, and partnerships in north Austin. We got a jump start earlier that morning when we held a signing ceremony with Saleen Performance for our students to participate in apprenticeships with them.

I traveled down I-10 to Beaumont for a great Texas State University System Board of Regents meeting. I’m grateful for the leadership of Chancellor McCall and our regents (including Regent Charlie Amato pictured with me here). It’s always nice hanging out with our Student Government students and alumni as well!

We had a huge turnout for our annual holiday open house in the LBJ Student Center Grand Ballroom! So many leaders from the San Marcos community joined us to celebrate all the great things happening at TXST and our recent accomplishments.

I’m so thankful for all the TXST staff and faculty members who volunteered along with Chartwells staff to serve our students at Late Night Breakfast. I know preparing for finals can be a stressful time, but we couldn’t tell with all the smiling faces who joined us before study day.

Sights & Sounds of Christmas in San Marcos is such a special event that Beth and I adore, and I was thrilled to co-host it for a second time. TXST Cheer was excited to be there with me. I enjoyed hanging out with Santa and so many alumni who’ve worked on this event for several years.

The Engineering Senior Design Team competition award ceremony has become one of my favorite student events to attend. Congratulations to all our students and their peers, professors, and mentors for their accomplishments this semester.

Over 600 high school students and aspiring teachers attended the Texas Association of Future Educators conference at TXST. Teaching is an incredibly important profession, and I loved welcoming and encouraging them as they take their next steps. These students gave me so much hope!