College of Education and Human Services News

Rosalie and Frank Turner Establish Endowed Professorship for Race Education at TAMUC
Award-winning novelist Rosalie Turner and her husband, Texas A&M University-Commerce alumnus Frank Turner, are doing their part to end systemic racism in America through education.
The Turners, who live in Durham, North Carolina, have established the Rosalie and Frank Turner…

TAMUC Robot Living Lab to Partner with Invento Research
The School of Social Work at Texas A&M University-Commerce is excited to announce a new, collaborative partnership between its Robot Living Lab and Invento Research, Inc., a Delaware-based corporation.
Established in January 2020, the mission of the Robot Living Lab…

A&M-Commerce Introduces New Cultural Competency Course
Cultural competency among students, faculty and staff is a top priority for University President Mark Rudin.
This spring, A&M-Commerce launched its first offering of a new cultural competency course, which garnered a lot of interest from students and university employees.…

Governor Names TAMUC Alumna to State Board of Examiners of Marriage and Family Therapists
Texas Governor Greg Abbott recently appointed A&M-Commerce alumna Jodie Elder, Ph.D., to the Texas State Board of Examiners of Marriage and Family Therapists for a term set to expire in 2027. The board licenses and regulates Marriage and Family Therapists…

A&M-Commerce Alumna Making Big Plays in Professional Athlete Management
In her Dallas office, Brandy Runyan fondly recalls her time in the Health, Kinesiology and Sports Studies graduate program at Texas A&M University-Commerce.
These days, she's the owner and chief executive of Black Diamond PR & Sport Management Firm, an…

A&M-Commerce Nationally Ranked by U.S. News & World Report
U.S. News & World Report has ranked several programs at Texas A&M University-Commerce among the top in the nation for 2021.
Every year, U.S. News compares academic programs at A&M-Commerce with other programs across the United States. The highly anticipated…

TAMUC Partners with Revature for Technology Certification Opportunities
Texas A&M University-Commerce has entered into a partnership with tech career launchpad Revature to provide opportunities for upperclassmen to receive technology certifications.
Revature is the largest employer of entry-level technology talent in the United States, providing services to Fortune 500…

TAMUC Education Dean Set as Keynote Speaker for FWAABSE Leadership Institute
This event has been rescheduled for April 24.
Dr. Kimberly McLeod, dean of the College of Education and Human Services at A&M-Commerce, will be keynote speaker at IgNite II: Leading and Learning Through the Pandemic and Beyond, presented by the…

‘Project Complete’ Initiative Offers $300,000 in Grant Funds to Students
Texas A&M University-Commerce has partnered with five other Texas higher education institutions for “Project Complete,” an initiative that provides grant funds to students who want to return to school and complete their degree.
Through a competitive application process, the funds,…

Texas Senator Issues Resolution Recognizing A&M-Commerce Dean
The State Senator for District 13, Borris L. Miles, recently issued a resolution congratulating Dr. Kimberly McLeod on her appointment as dean of the College of Education and Human Services at Texas A&M University-Commerce. McLeod began her role as dean…

A&M-Commerce Professor of School Psychology Quoted in MLK Article
Dr. Erin A. Harper, assistant professor in the Department of Psychology and Special Education at A&M-Commerce, is quoted in a recent article from realsimple.com titled “How to Give Back on Martin Luther King Jr. Day.”
The article outlines the benefits…

TAMUC Sport and Recreation Management Program Releases Promotional Video
The A&M-Commerce Sport and Recreation Management program recently released a promotional video touting the purpose and benefit of its undergraduate degree offering.
“A lot of times, if we're doing our job correctly in sport and recreation, you never see us,”…

Harold Murphy Counseling Center Expands Services to Collin County
The Harold Murphy Counseling Center (HMCC) in McKinney, Texas, invites residents of Collin County and surrounding areas to elevate their mental health and empower their lives. As a partnership between the Department of Counseling at Texas A&M University-Commerce and McKinney…

TAMUC’s Brumley Elected to State’s Behavioral Health Executive Council
The Texas State Board of Social Worker Examiners recently elected A&M-Commerce employee, Brian Brumley, to the Texas Behavioral Health Executive Council (BHEC). The council is charged with oversight of Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists, Licensed Professional Counselors, Psychologists and Social…

TAMUC Society of Physics Students Named Distinguished Chapter
The A&M-Commerce chapter of the Society of Physics Students (SPS) has been chosen as a Distinguished Chapter for the 2019-2020 academic year. The honor marks the sixth consecutive year the group has received the designation. SPS is an organization of…

TAMUC’s Kimbrough Selected as TAHPERD President-Elect
The Texas Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (TAHPERD) recently selected Dr. Sandy Kimbrough, professor in the Department of Health and Human Performance at Texas A&M University-Commerce, as president-elect for 2021. The professional group is one of the…

TAMUC’s Ballenger Named Texas A&M System Regents Professor
Dr. Julia Ballenger, professor in the Department of Educational Leadership at Texas A&M University-Commerce, has been selected by The Texas A&M University System Board of Regents as a 2019-2020 recipient of the Regents Professor Award. Ballenger is among a select…

A&M-Commerce Offering New Degree in Sustainable Agriculture
In 2020, Texas A&M University-Commerce received approval from the Texas A&M University System and the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board to begin offering a Bachelor of Science in Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems.
This makes A&M-Commerce only the second university…

TAMUC Professor Co-Authors Innovative Literacy and Bilingual Education Book
A&M-Commerce Assistant Professor Alexandra Babino, Ph.D., recently published a new book, “Radicalizing Literacies and Languaging: A Framework toward Dismantling the Mono-Mainstream Assumption.” Babino co-authored the book with Dr. Mary Amanda Stewart, associate professor of literacy at Texas Woman's University in…

Governor Names TAMUC Alumna to State Board of Examiners of Psychologists
Texas Governor Greg Abbott recently appointed A&M-Commerce alumna, Sanjeeta Singg, Ph.D., to the Texas State Board of Examiners of Psychologists for a term set to expire in 2025. The board regulates the practice of psychology in the state of Texas.…

A&M-Commerce Faculty to Receive AAHHE Early Career Award
The American Association of Hispanics in Higher Education (AAHHE) selected Dr. Sarah Rodriguez to receive the 2021 AAHHE Early Career Award. The award recognizes faculty and staff members who demonstrate commitment and promise in their scholarship and service to the…

Governor Names TAMUC’s Brumley Chair of State Board of Social Worker Examiners
Texas Governor Greg Abbott recently appointed Brian Brumley, an employee and alum of Texas A&M University-Commerce, as chair of the Texas State Board of Social Worker Examiners. Brumley has served on the board—which regulates the practice of social work in…

Naizer Receives SSMA Distinguished Service Award
Dr. Gil Naizer, professor in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction at Texas A&M University-Commerce, received the George G. Mallinson Distinguished Service Award, presented by the School Science and Mathematics Association (SSMA). The award recognizes notable service to the organization,…

TAMUC Students Represent University at American Physical Society Meeting
Undergraduate students representing the Department of Physics and Astronomy at Texas A&M University-Commerce recently delivered talks at a virtual meeting of the Texas section of the American Physical Society hosted by the University of Texas at Arlington November 12-14.
Flint…

A&M-Commerce Partners with IDRA for Groundbreaking Collaboration
Texas A&M University-Commerce and the Intercultural Development Research Association (IDRA) are partnering to create a trailblazing collaboration to increase access to higher education and provide students with insight into influencing educational policy and legislation.
Based in San Antonio, Texas, IDRA…

Meadows Law Conference Addresses Special Education Issues
The Meadows Principal Leadership Institute presented the Meadows Law Conference on October 28 at the McKinney ISD Community Event Center. Dr. Nathan Templeton, associate professor in the Department of Educational Leadership at A&M-Commerce, serves as director of the institute. The…

A&M-Commerce Alumna Named Rookie Science Teacher of the Year
The Science Teachers Association of Texas (STAT) recently named Cheyenne Hunter as its Rookie Science Teacher of the Year. Hunter earned her bachelor's degree from Texas A&M University-Commerce, specializing in mathematics and science.
Hunter teaches sixth-grade science at O. Henry…

TAMUC Student Receives Prestigious State Department Teaching Fellowship
Texas A&M University-Commerce doctoral student Pearlie Lubin was recently selected for a fellowship project by the United States Department of State. She will be teaching English in Costa Rica. In a press release, it was announced that Lubin is one…

A&M-Commerce Named One of Nation’s Top Teacher Prep Programs by NCTQ
The undergraduate elementary teacher preparation program at A&M-Commerce has been named among the top in the country by the National Council on Teacher Quality (NCTQ), a nonpartisan, not-for-profit research and policy organization that advocates for teacher training in classroom management…

A&M-Commerce College of Business Receives Prestigious Recognition with IMA Endorsement
Texas A&M University-Commerce's Department of Accounting and Finance received prestigious recognition after its course offerings were endorsed by the Institute of Management Accountants (IMA) as an IMA endorsed program.
The IMA is an international association of management accountants and financial…
A&M-Commerce Doctoral Student Guides Lake Ridge Elementary Through COVID-19 Pandemic
A&M-Commerce doctoral student Marquita McCullum was featured in a recent article in the Dallas-based publication, Focus Daily News. The article highlights McCullum's exemplary leadership during COVID-19 as principal of Lake Ridge Elementary School in Cedar Hill, Texas.
In the article,…

Mesquite ISD Teacher Awarded One-Year Scholarship Toward Doctorate
Rocio Almanza, a teacher at Mesquite Independent School District, recently received a one-year scholarship from the district toward her doctorate at Texas A&M University-Commerce.
Almanza is pursuing a doctorate in curriculum and instruction through the Excellence in Teaching Incentive Program…

A&M-Commerce Educational Leadership Professor to be Honored by ICPEL
Dr. Julia Ballenger, professor of educational leadership at Texas A&M University-Commerce.
The International Council of Professors of Educational Leadership (ICPEL) recently named Dr. Julia Ballenger, professor of educational leadership at Texas A&M University-Commerce, as recipient of the ICPEL 2021 Living…

A&M-Commerce’s ‘Testing Kitchen’ Live Series Bringing Something New to the Table
The College of Innovation and Design and the Department of Health and Human Performance at Texas A&M University-Commerce are teaming up to provide cooking expertise to college students with the new “Testing Kitchen” live series.
On the third Tuesday of…

A&M-Commerce Alum Named Texas Teacher of the Year
Texas A&M University-Commerce alum Eric Hale made history after being named Texas Teacher of the Year by the Texas Association of School Administrators (TASA) and Texas Association of School Boards (TASB).
The announcement came September 30 during the annual TASA/TASB…

Poverty Simulation Provides Insight for A&M-Commerce Students and Educators
In fall 2018, the Department of Nursing at Texas A&M University-Commerce purchased a poverty simulation developed by the Missouri Association for Community Action, Inc. The simulation is a three to four-hour activity designed to help participants understand daily challenges faced…

A&M-Commerce Hosts Virtual Signing Day for Partnership with Multiple Organizations
Texas A&M University-Commerce hosted a virtual signing day on October 29 to commemorate partnerships with some of the most impactful professional organizations in Texas. The various agreements are part of the university's efforts to make college more accessible to underserved…

Jane Cowley Memorial Endowment Provides Scholarships to Future Library Science Professionals
The Jane Cowley Memorial Endowment honors the late Lou “Jane” Cowley, a respected A&M-Commerce alumna and committed educator. Ms. Cowley’s husband, alumnus Jessie “Harold” Cowley of Sulphur Springs, Texas, established the endowment to recognize and memorialize Jane’s impactful 35-year career…

A&M-Commerce Department of Nursing Welcomes New Leadership
In August, the Department of Nursing at Texas A&M University-Commerce welcomed Dr. Denise Neill as the new department head. Prior to joining A&M-Commerce, Neill served as director of the School of Nursing at Sam Houston State University in Huntsville, Texas.…

A&M-Commerce Department of Nursing Awarded Innovation Grant
The Department of Nursing at Texas A&M University-Commerce has been selected for a Nursing Innovation Grant Program award under the 2020-2022 RFA, “Supporting Clinical Learning Experiences to Mitigate Impediments due to COVID-19.”
The award program was established by the Texas…

A&M-Commerce, Mesquite ISD Partner to Increase Educator Mastery and Retention
Dr. Susan Williams, director of the Mesquite ISD/TAMUC Partnership at Texas A&M University-Commerce, recently shared information about the Excellence in Teaching Incentive Program (ETIP), a collaboration between Texas A&M University-Commerce and Mesquite Independent School District (MISD).
ETIP encourages the district's…

A&M-Commerce Educational Leadership Professor Named Researcher of the Year
Dr. Nate Templeton, associate professor in the Department of Educational Leadership at A&M-Commerce, has been selected as the 2020 Texas Council of Professors of Educational Administration (TCPEA) Researcher of the Year based on his contributions to the field of educational…

A&M-Commerce Alum Appointed to State Council Position
Texas A&M University-Commerce alum Erin “Amanda” Bowdoin was recently appointed to the Rehabilitation Council of Texas by Governor Greg Abbott, along with three others. The Rehabilitation Council works under the Texas Workforce Commission to advocate for Texans with disabilities in…

A&M-Commerce Department of Educational Leadership Gains Funding for Region 10 Partnership
Dr. Teresa Farler, assistant professor of educational leadership at A&M-Commerce, recently secured additional funding for the university's partnership with Region 10 Educational Service Center.
Dr. Pam Winn, head of the Department of Educational Leadership at A&M-Commerce, reports corporate sponsorships for…

A&M-Commerce Alum Appointed to Texas State Independent Living Council
Melva Henderson, a graduate of Texas A&M University-Commerce, was recently appointed by Texas Governor Greg Abbott to the State Independent Living Council. The council, founded in 1989, is tasked with partnering, developing and monitoring a comprehensive state plan that develops…

A&M-Commerce Planetarium Reopening After Renovations
The Planetarium at Texas A&M University-Commerce is reopening with new seats and a few new requirements. Reservations are now available for shows beginning November 13 and running through December 18. Seating is limited.
The feature presentation will be Mystery of…
A&M-Commerce Symposium Speech Discussed in The Dallas Examiner
“What Truth Sounds Like,” a recent online symposium hosted by the College of Education and Human Services at A&M-Commerce, addressed systemic racism, trauma in the Black American community and the call for equity. Professor Donna Ford of Ohio State University…

A&M-Commerce Nursing Program Receives Sizeable Grant
The Department of Nursing at Texas A&M University-Commerce recently received a grant totaling $98,960 from the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) Nursing Shortage Reduction Program. The program provides grants to professional nursing programs at public and private higher education…

Buildings Lit Up in Blue at All 11 Texas A&M University System Campuses for World Teachers’ Day
BRYAN-COLLEGE STATION, Texas — Blue lights will shine bright on Texas A&M University System campuses across Texas on Monday in recognition of World Teachers' Day. The 11 universities in the A&M System will illuminate a total of 27 iconic buildings…
A&M-Commerce Alum Joins Counseling Center Staff
Matthew Richardson, a graduate of Texas A&M University-Commerce, has joined the campus Counseling Center as a physician assistant. He is a part of the interdisciplinary team that provides compassionate and caring mental health services to A&M-Commerce students. Richardson began working…