Alumni Success
TAMUC Alum Hired as Assistant Professor of Psychology at Northwestern Oklahoma State
A recent article in the Alva Review-Courier reported that A&M-Commerce alumna Leigh Kirby, Ph.D., was recently hired as an assistant professor of psychology at Northwestern Oklahoma State University, beginning in the Fall 2022 semester. Northwestern Oklahoma State is located in…
TAMUC Alum Cesar Quezada Hired by SMU as Inaugural Director of Mustang Scholars and the First-Generation Initiative
Southern Methodist University (SMU) recently hired A&M-Commerce alumnus Cesar Quezada as its inaugural director of Mustang Scholars and the First-Generation Initiative. The Mustang Scholars initiative provides financial and academic support to qualified students while the First-Generation Initiative (FGI) ensures academic…
TAMUC Alum Retires as President of Trinity Valley Community College
A&M-Commerce alumnus Jerry King, Ed.D., announced his retirement as president of Trinity Valley Community College (TVCC) in Athens, Texas. He will retire in May 2023 after 45 years of service to the institution.
King joined TVCC in 1975, serving as…
TAMUC Alum Named Executive Director at SystemsGo Aerospace Education Program
An article in the Fredericksburg Standard reported that A&M-Commerce alumna Rebekah Hyatt was recently named executive director at SystemsGo, based in Fredericksburg, Texas. According to SystemsGo.org, the program “is an innovative high school rocketry/aerospace curriculum that uses project-based learning to…
TAMUC Alumnus Establishes Accounting Scholarship for First-Generation Students
The new James Earl Estes Endowed Scholarship in Accounting offers financial support to first-generation students who major in accounting at Texas A&M University-Commerce. Mr. Estes, a graduate of East Texas State University (ETSU), generously provided the funds for the endowment.…
TAMUC Alumna Hired as Executive Director of Curriculum and Instruction for Gregory-Portland ISD
A&M-Commerce alumna Cynthia Woody, Ed.D., was recently hired to serve as the executive director of Curriculum and Instruction for Gregory-Portland ISD. G-PISD is located in Southeast Texas, near Corpus Christi. According to an article in The News of San Patricio,…
TAMUC Alum and Film Producer Releases “The Lady Makers”
A&M-Commerce alumnus Tony Hollins recently released a new film titled “The Lady Makers.” Hollins, known professionally as “Tony Tite,” is a writer, director and producer. He is the founder of Tite Creations, a film, television and animation production company in…
A&M-Commerce Alum Named Interim Police Chief in Rockwall
A two-time graduate of Texas A&M University-Commerce was recently named interim chief of the Rockwall, Texas Police Department. Edward Fowler has more than three decades of law enforcement experience, having served with Rockwall PD since 1990 in a number of…
ETSU Alum Named Newest Las Vegas Fire Chief
A graduate of East Texas State University (now Texas A&M University-Commerce) was recently hired by the Las Vegas, Nevada City Council as the city's newest fire department chief. Alum Fernando Gray, Sr. is a career firefighter, beginning his time in…
TAMUC Alum Selected to Attend Harvard’s Principal’s Center
A&M-Commerce alumna Aretha Jackson was selected to attend Harvard University's Principal's Center where she joined other school principals from around the U.S. to receive leadership and management training from Ivy League instructors. The opportunity was funded through the Charles Butt…
TAMUC Alum Named to Endowed Chair at OU College of Law
A&M-Commerce alumna Carla Pratt was selected by the University of Oklahoma (OU) College of Law as the first Ada Lois Sipuel Fisher Chair in Civil Rights, Race and Justice in Law. Pratt currently serves as dean of the School of…
TAMUC Music Grad Featured on NBC 5
NBC 5 news recently aired a segment about A&M-Commerce graduate Ashley Cox of Forney, Texas. During the pandemic, Cox lost her father to COVID-19, along with other family members. Yet, she persevered through hardship and achieved her dream, graduating with…
Alum Arthur McClearin Receives Maynard Jackson Award
TAMUC Alumnus Arthur McClearin received the Maynard Jackson Award at the 2022 Annual Financial Services Conference in Chicago. The award honors individuals who have made significant achievements and contributed richly to the financial services industry.
McClearin serves as senior managing…
Alumna Rita Ransdell Retires from American Airlines Center
Alumna Rita Ransdell recently retired after serving for 19 years as vice president of Human Resources for Center Operating Company, L.P. at the American Airlines Center in Dallas. As a member of the American Airlines Center team, Ransdell was instrumental…
A&M-Commerce Alum Named VP of Academic Affairs at Navarro College
The Navarro County Gazette reports that A&M-Commerce alum Jeanetta Johnson, Ed.D., is the new vice president of academic affairs at Navarro College.
Johnson earned three degrees from A&M-Commerce, including a bachelor's degree in interdisciplinary studies, a master's degree in elementary…
A&M-Commerce Alum Named to Senior Leadership Position at Origin Bank
Texas A&M University-Commerce alum Ryan Frahm was recently promoted to senior vice president of Origin Bank. In this capacity, Frahm will serve as a regional production manager, as well as head Origin's Texas loan officers. In addition, he will continue…
A&M-Commerce Alum Elected Mayor of Northeast Texas City
Recent Texas A&M University-Commerce graduate Justin Florence was elected to the office of Mayor of Palestine, Texas in a special runoff election held June 18, 2022. Florence received 56.22 percent of the vote during the runoff and will serve a…
TAMUC Alumna Georgia King Retires After 53 Years in Education
A&M-Commerce alumna Georgia King, Ed.D., recently retired from Beckville ISD after serving in the field of education for 53 years. King was the assistant superintendent of curriculum for the district. She earned her bachelor’s degree from East Texas State University…
TAMUC Alum and Renowned Radio Personality Reflects on His Career
A&M-Commerce alumnus Donovan Lewis is a professional radio personality on SportsRadio 96.7/1310 (“The Ticket”), the top-rated radio station in Dallas-Fort Worth. In a recent interview with Barrett Sports Media, Donovan talked about his beginnings in radio, challenges he's faced on…
TAMUC Alum Named Principal in Corsicana ISD
Texas A&M University-Commerce alumnus Paul Toal was recently named principal at Collins Intermediate School in Corsicana, Texas. Toal has been in education for 13 years, starting as a math teacher. He most recently served as assistant principal at Waxahachie High…