College of Education and Human Services News
Texas A&M System Honors Former A&M-Commerce Professor
The Texas A&M University System Board of Regents bestowed Dr. Martha Foote with the title Professor Emeritus of Curriculum and Instruction at a reception on Sept. 6. The Emeritus designation is the top honor granted to retired A&M System employees…
TAMUC Science and Engineering Dean Builds Bridges for STEM Success
As a young girl growing up in rural Lee County, South Carolina, Dr. Andrea Toney Graham had “big dreams of doing big things.” Since then, she has blazed a pioneering trail through the STEM field, making a lasting impact through…
Clark Middle School Selects A&M-Commerce Alum as Principal
Clark Middle School in Princeton, Texas, has selected A&M-Commerce alum Erica Anderson Haggard as their new principal. Haggard brings a rich educational background to her new role. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Sport and Recreation Management as well…
UNT Dallas Taps A&M-Commerce Doctoral Student as Assistant VP for Student Affairs
University of North Texas at Dallas has named A&M-Commerce doctoral student Jennifer Skinner as its new dean of students and assistant vice president for Student Affairs, according to the university's website. She has served in the role on an interim…
TAMUC Research Cited in Article Analyzing STAAR Test Results
A recent Fort Worth Star-Telegram article analyzing Fort Worth ISD's performance on the newly reformatted STAAR statewide test cites a 2019 study by researchers at A&M-Commerce.
The study—conducted by Dr. Becky Sinclair, a professor for the Department of Curriculum and…
A&M-Commerce Helping Fill School Leadership Pipeline in Texas
In a recent Dallas Morning News article, Tiffany Huitt, Dallas ISD's chief of school leadership, noted A&M-Commerce as one of four higher education institutions the district utilizes to bolster its local pipeline of principal candidates in preparation for expected school…
Mount Pleasant ISD Partners with A&M-Commerce for Alternative Teacher Certification
Officials with Mount Pleasant ISD (MPISD) and A&M-Commerce gathered on Aug. 14 as MPISD Superintendent Judd Marshall and A&M-Commerce President Mark Rudin signed an MOU affirming the district's commitment to the Pride Pathway alternative teacher certification program at A&M-Commerce.
Additionally,…
A&M-Commerce Researchers Publish Pioneering Cell Biology Article
Researchers from A&M-Commerce and Texas Woman's University (TWU) have uncovered new information about how G1P3/IFI6, a gene of the human immune system, promotes cancer cell growth.
The current study found that IFI6 increases the recruitment of certain cell parts, called…
A&M-Commerce Nursing Students Complete Pediatric Externships
Five A&M-Commerce nursing students recently completed summer externships with Children's Health hospital.
Spanning 300 hours, the externships provided students with invaluable experience in a high-fidelity simulation lab, various competency stations and multiple hospital departments.
Megan Ruhl: Psychiatry
Kelsey Points: Surgery,…
A&M-Commerce College of Science and Engineering Locks in Multiple Research Grants
From decoding the mysteries of the universe to engineering innovative solutions to real-world challenges, the College of Science and Engineering at Texas A&M University-Commerce is home to forward-thinking faculty dedicated to cutting-edge scientific exploration. Faculty members from the college secured…
U.S. Congressman Colin Allred Visits A&M-Commerce at Dallas
U.S. Congressman Colin Allred visited Texas A&M University-Commerce at Dallas on Tuesday, August 8, to commemorate the university's new Pride Pathway teacher certification program. A strong advocate for A&M-Commerce, Allred helped secure $516,614 in federal funds to establish the program…
A&M-Commerce Counseling Professor Earns Humanistic Teaching Award
A&M-Commerce faculty Dr. Ajitha Kumaran is the recipient of the 2023 Humanistic Educator/Supervisor of the Year award, presented by the Association for Humanistic Counseling, a division of the American Counseling Association.
The award honors a member who showcases a humanistic…
TAMUC Alum Selected as Principal for Joppa-Maple Grove Schools
According to an article on The Paducah Sun website, A&M-Commerce alum Wendy Wear is the new principal for Joppa-Maple Grove Unit 38 schools in Massac County, Illinois.
Wear earned her master's degree in training and development from A&M-Commerce in 2006.…
By Cops, For Cops: A&M-Commerce Competency-Based Criminal Justice Degree is Transforming Law Enforcement
Law enforcement officers in Texas and beyond are elevating their careers by earning their bachelor's degree fully online through Texas A&M University-Commerce.
The university's competency-based Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice degree program emphasizes law enforcement leadership and provides a…
A Lion’s Legacy: Sue McMichael McGown Elementary School Named in Honor of TAMUC Alum
Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District (CFISD) recognized Texas A&M University-Commerce alum Sue McGown in October 2022 for her contributions to the district by naming an elementary school in her honor. The district dedicated the new Sue McMichael McGown Elementary School on…
A&M-Commerce Well-Represented at Corsicana ISD Awards Ceremony
The Corsicana Independent School District recognized eight A&M-Commerce alumni and a current student at its year-end awards ceremony.
Five alumni received the Distinguished Teacher of the Year award:
Nina Arreola (‘16)
Hope Barton (‘16)
Crystal Jones ('11, ‘22)
Lora Ebadian…
A&M-Commerce’s Pearson Honored with TAMUS Veteran Support Award
A Texas A&M University-Commerce staff member was recently honored with an award celebrating his commitment to serving student veterans.
Dustin Pearson, veteran services manager at A&M-Commerce, received the 2022-23 Faculty/Staff Veteran Support Excellence Award from The Texas A&M University System.…
A&M-Commerce Wellness Efforts Earn Second Consecutive Silver Distinction
For the second year in a row, A&M-Commerce has earned a silver distinction from the Exercise is Medicine organization for efforts to create a culture of wellness on campus. Of the 149 universities and colleges honored by the organization worldwide,…
A&M-Commerce Student Vying to Become the Next Miss Texas USA
Texas A&M University-Commerce student Sarah Underwood, who hails from Winnsboro, Texas, has participated in beauty pageants since the age of two months. As the current Miss Northeast Texas USA, she hopes to earn her greatest title yet when she competes…
A&M-Commerce Alum Given Computer Science Teaching Honor
Texas A&M University-Commerce alum Christopher Evans was named as an honorable mention for the 2023 Computer Science Teachers Association CS Teaching Excellence Award. The honor is given to computer science teachers who demonstrate excellent work inspiring students to explore the…
A&M-Commerce Professor Appointed to ‘Kids Read Now’ Board
A&M-Commerce faculty Dr. Kamshia Childs is a recent appointee to the Kids Read Now (KRN) board of directors. The non-profit organization—which aims to help educators eliminate reading gaps among PK-5 students—delivers in-home reading programs encouraging students to read more frequently…
A&M-Commerce Conducts Elite Performance Research at Dallas Track and Field Event
The Department of Health and Human Performance at A&M-Commerce recently conducted performance testing with athletes competing at the John Green Texas Greatest Athletes Invitational from June 2-4 at the Greenhill School in Addison, Texas.
(An athlete competing in the high…
A&M-Commerce Student Profiled in Dallas Morning News Article on Mental Health Challenges
A&M-Commerce education student Abigail McGowan is featured in a recent Dallas Morning News article highlighting the growing mental health crisis among children and adolescents in Texas and beyond.
Noting the mental health challenges McGowan faced transitioning from high school to…
A&M-Commerce Hosts Area Special Olympics Athletes for Pickleball Challenge
A&M-Commerce hosted a Special Olympics pickleball skills challenge on May 11. More than 60 students attended the event from school districts including Commerce, Como-Pickton, Cooper, Farmersville, Quinlan and Wolfe City.
Commerce ISD teacher Alex Kirckof and Region 10 ESC Adapted…
Hydro Aluminum Helps A&M-Commerce Students Obtain Six Sigma Certifications
Thirteen A&M-Commerce industrial engineering students are earning their Lean Six Sigma Green Belt certification this summer, thanks to a generous donation from Hydro Aluminum in Commerce, Texas.
The donation covered students' registration costs. They can work at their own pace…
A&M-Commerce Counseling Professor Discusses Benefits of Master’s Degree
Dr. LaVelle Hendricks, professor and head of the Department of Counseling at A&M-Commerce, is featured in two Fortune.com articles discussing the merits of earning a master's degree in counseling.
In the article: “How much can you earn with a master's…
Honors College Student at A&M-Commerce Earns Study Abroad Grant
The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi recently awarded A&M-Commerce Honors College student Haley Turner a $1,000 grant to study abroad. Turner is one of only 125 national recipients.
The grant is designed to support undergraduate students at campuses with…
Mental Health Awareness Month: 5 Ways to Support Your Mental Health at A&M-Commerce
May is Mental Health Awareness Month. With physical health often taking center stage, it's a crucial reminder of the hidden struggles many face silently.
Adam Metts is the assistant director of training and supervision—and a licensed professional counselor-supervisor—for the Counseling…
Templeton Named Inaugural Presidential Faculty Fellow
A&M-Commerce Professor Nathan Templeton is the university's first Presidential Faculty Fellow.
Templeton will assist the university's leadership team with initiatives including enrollment strategies for Dallas College students at A&M-Commerce and management of Dallas ISD and Tyler ISD cohorts in the…
A&M-Commerce Graduate is “The Voice of Hunt County”
Texas A&M University-Commerce alum Carissa Carter has been singing for as long as she can remember. Her talent and determination were on full display as the inaugural winner of “The Voice of Hunt County,” a singing competition held April 14-15…
Texas A&M University-Commerce Addresses Concerns About ChatGPT in Ag Classroom
Several recent news articles have addressed allegations that seniors in an agriculture class at Texas A&M University-Commerce received a failing grade and were temporarily denied their diplomas due to questions about AI-generated assignments.
A&M-Commerce confirms that no students failed the…
A&M-Commerce Invests in Employees with New Professional Development Series
Amid post-pandemic trends in the workplace that focus on improving employee job satisfaction, a new professional development series at Texas A&M University-Commerce promises to empower employees and foster rewarding work experiences.
Dubbed “Investing in US,” the series of for-credit courses…
Three A&M-Commerce Students Receive Beginning Teacher Scholarship
The Texas Retired Teachers Foundation recently granted its Beginning Teacher Scholarship to three aspiring educators attending A&M-Commerce. The students received the awards at a May 9 ceremony at the university’s Alumni Center.
Grace Parsons (left), Angelica Basile (right) and Elizabeth…
A&M-Commerce Doctoral Alum Selected for Superintendent Post
The Sulphur Springs Independent School District Board of Trustees recently named A&M-Commerce alum Dr. Deana Steeber as the lone finalist to become its next superintendent.
Her 27 years of experience in education includes serving as principal at the elementary, middle…
A&M-Commerce Invites Mental Health Professionals to Attend Dallas Symposium
The Counseling Center at Texas A&M University-Commerce will host a Transforming Mental Health Symposium on Friday, May 19, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the university's Dallas site located at 8750 North Central Expressway. Professionals in the mental health…
Lewisville ISD Taps A&M-Commerce Alum as New Elementary Principal
Lewisville Independent School District has appointed A&M-Commerce alum Jennifer Driver as the new principal at its Indian Creek Elementary School campus. With 24 years in education, Driver brings with her more than 10 years of principal experience at the elementary…
A&M-Commerce Educational Leadership Professor Receives Distinguished Award
Dr. Nathan Templeton, professor for the Department of Educational Leadership at A&M-Commerce, has been selected by the International Council of Professors of Educational Leadership (ICPEL) as recipient of the 2023 Achilles-Hoyle Service Award.
According to its website, ICPEL is professional…
TAMUC Leads Quail Research and Collaborative Restoration Efforts
A&M-Commerce Associate Professor Kelly Reyna presented at the Texas House Sportsman’s Caucus in Austin on March 20 about the state’s declining quail population and the university’s ambitious Texas Quail Restoration Plan.
Reyna and university representatives—including President Mark Rudin, College of…
A&M-Commerce Alum Named Teacher of the Year at East Side Elementary
Magnolia (AR) School District selected A&M-Commerce alum Connie Browning as Teacher of the Year for its East Side Elementary School campus.
Browning earned a master's degree in library science at A&M-Commerce in 2008. She has taught kindergarten at East Side…
A&M-Commerce Alum Selected for Rising Presidents Fellowship
The Aspen Institute has selected A&M-Commerce alum Dr. Jerry Thomas to participate in its Rising Presidents Fellowship program. The intensive fellowship aims to reduce turnover in community college presidency by recruiting diverse leaders to drive change and contribute to student…
A&M-Commerce Alum: “They Call Me an Office on Wheels”
A&M-Commerce alum Dr. Samuel Ogbonna is featured in a recent profile published by Focus Daily News in Dallas, Texas, highlighting his 39-year career in education.
Born and raised in Nigeria, Ogbonna moved to the U.S. at age 21 to attend…
A&M-Commerce Professor Co-Authors Research on Supporting Women and People of Color in Physics
Dr. Robynne Lock, associate professor of physics and astronomy at A&M-Commerce, is co-author of a paper focusing on the effectiveness of interventions designed to inspire high school students—particularly women and minoritized groups—to pursue physics-related careers. Lock is a founding member…
TAMUC Alum Hoover One of TIME’s 100 Most Influential People of 2023
TIME Magazine has named A&M-Commerce alum Colleen Hoover to its list of the 100 Most Influential People of 2023. Jenna Bush Hager penned Hoover's entry in the Artist category.
The Sulphur Springs native is a New York Times best-selling author.…
Three A&M-Commerce Undergrads Earn Aspiring Educator Grants
The Alpha State Texas Educational Foundation (ASTEF) awarded three A&M-Commerce undergraduate students with individual $1,000 grants for the 2023-2024 school year.
Breanna Newton
Jennifer Stephenson
Kayla Taylor
ASTEF is the Texas State Organization of Delta Kappa Gamma, the international society…
A&M-Commerce Alum Earns Second Teacher of the Year Award
Cedar Hill ISD (CHISD) recently named A&M-Commerce alum Kellie Burchfield the 2022-2023 Collegiate Academy Teacher of the Year. Burchfield also earned the Collegiate Prep Elementary Teacher of the Year award in 2020-2021. She is only the second CHISD educator to…
TAMUC Professor Emeritus Weighs in on Pythagorean Theorem Proof
A&M-Commerce Professor Emeritus of Mathematics Dr. Stuart Anderson was interviewed recently for an article published by Scientific American. In the article, Anderson discusses a recent proof of the Pythagorean Theorem by two high school students in Louisiana.
Anderson hopes the…
A&M-Commerce Professors Team Up for New Children’s Book
Drs. Dimitra J. Smith and LaVelle Hendricks have teamed up again to co-author and illustrate their latest children's book, “Domestic Violence: Smiling Faces Don't Always Tell the Truth.”
Released by First Service Publishers and available through Amazon, the book tells…
A&M-Commerce Partners with United Way of Hunt County for Poverty Simulation
The A&M-Commerce Department of Nursing recently partnered with United Way of Hunt County to host a Community Action Poverty Simulator to better understand the challenges faced by low-income families.
More than 60 participants attended the simulation event to roleplay the…
A&M-Commerce Chooses New Deans for Two Colleges
Dr. Andrea Graham and Dr. Raymond Green were recently chosen as the new deans of the College of Science and Engineering (COSE) and the College of Education and Human Services (COEHS), respectively, at Texas A&M University-Commerce.
Both were serving as…
A&M-Commerce Future Educators Attend State Conference
The A&M-Commerce chapter of Texas Association of Future Educators (TAFE) attended the TAFE Teach Tomorrow Summit in Round Rock, Texas, March 2-4. TAFE is a statewide co-curricular career and technical student organization allowing future educators to explore the teaching profession.…