Top Ten Moments: January 2024

Joining everyone who made the new Bobcat Trail possible at the ribbon cutting ceremony was a blast. We now have a straight pathway from the western most reaches of campus through to Old Main. It’s also now the go-to photo spot with our new TXST statue on campus, especially with Old Main in the background. Be sure to check it out when you’re on campus.

We have several ongoing building construction projects that complement all the beautiful architecture on campus, like a new outdoor covered pavilion at Elliot Hall Building C. I also caught up with the project manager and a supervisor of the team completing renovation work in JCK. We all appreciate their hard work!

We welcomed Congressman Pete Sessions to campus so he could see firsthand all of the innovative things we are accomplishing here. I’m grateful for his continued support, leadership, and insight.

Inspired by the words in our alma mater, we began our Deeds of Valor monthly recognition program for faculty and staff members this year. Our first winners are UPD Officer Kendra Marsteller and Pawfficer Brady! Congrats team!

I was in awe watching TXST Cheer perform their competition routines to get ready for the UCA College Nationals in Florida. All that practice and hard work turned into success when they placed 7th in the nation! Congratulations to them for having a coed team compete for the first time in 13 years.

What a tremendous season for our Bobcat Football Team! Our first bowl game appearance also resulted in a great win for Coach Kinne and the team. Thank you to all the fans who showed up to games and supported this team. Eat ‘Em Up, Cats!

We had another informative, productive NCAA D1 Board of Directors meeting in Phoenix this month. In addition to serving on the board, I enjoyed meeting up with several student athletes.

Meeting six TXST freshmen from Nepal over the span of two days was inspiring. More than 1,000 international students chose to attend TXST this spring – a new enrollment record.

This year marks the 40th anniversary of the first MLK Day Celebration on our TXST campus, which was two years before the nation officially began observing MLK’s birthday. I’m so thankful for the staff members and students who organize this annual event and for those who performed.

I was pleased to nominate the late Emmett and Miriam McCoy for the Texas Higher Education Distinguished Service Award. It’s impossible to imagine what TXST and the McCoy College of Business would be without their vision, leadership, and generosity.