College of Education and Human Services News
TAMUC Faculty Senate, Staff Council and SGA Affirm Commitment to Inclusion
The Faculty Senate, Staff Council and Student Government Association (SGA) want to emphasize and reiterate the principles of Texas A&M University-Commerce and The Texas A&M University System. A&M-Commerce supports all people who work for and attend our university. As our…
A&M-Commerce Partners with Rural School Districts for $1.7 Million Grant
Texas A&M University-Commerce, in partnership with Corsicana ISD and nine school districts in the Freestone-Navarro Bi-County Co-op, will benefit from nearly $1.7 million in grant funding through the Texas Education Agency's Innovative Services for Students with Autism Grant Award Program.…
TAMUC Students Receive Scholarships from Texas Retired Teachers Foundation
A&M-Commerce students Jesseca Flanagan, Britni Sanchez and Gabriel Cunningham (pictured left to right) each received a $750 scholarship from the Texas Retired Teachers Foundation (TRTF) for the 2022-2023 school year. The funds are intended to reimburse students for certification tests…
TAMUC Alum Named Chancellor in Residence at Educate Texas
Educate Texas recently announced that Dr. Joe May will serve as the organization's new chancellor in residence. May previously served for eight years as chancellor of Dallas College. He holds a doctorate in education from A&M-Commerce.
Educate Texas is an…
TAMUC Alum Named Assistant Principal in Wylie ISD
A&M-Commerce alumna Crystal Harrelson was named assistant principal at Whitt Elementary in Wylie ISD for the 2022-2023 school year. Harrelson currently teaches fourth grade at Miss May Vernon Elementary in Royse City ISD. She serves on Royse City ISD's Superintendent's…
A&M-Commerce Personnel, Alumni Honored by Texas Association of Black Personnel in Higher Education
The Texas A&M University-Commerce chapter of the Texas Association of Black Personnel in Higher Education (TABPHE) honored several of the university's personnel and alumni at an awards ceremony on April 30 in the Rayburn Student Center on campus.
Awards and…
TAMUC Partnering with Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board to Inventory Student Success Programs
A&M-Commerce is teaming up with the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) to launch the Student Success Programs Inventory project.
According to a THECB press release, institutions across the state have developed programs to support undergraduate student success as well…
A&M-Commerce College of Business Signs Agreements with Pair of Bangladeshi Universities
The College of Business at Texas A&M University-Commerce signed agreements with two universities in Bangladesh which allows for the seamless transfer of credits for international students seeking an American education.
Memorandums of understanding were signed in April with BRAC University…
TAMUC Faculty Members Selected to Edit State Literacy Education Journal
A&M-Commerce curriculum and instruction faculty members Juan Araujo, Ph.D., Kamshia Childs, Ed.D., Tami Morton, Ph.D., and Laura Slay, Ph.D., are the incoming editors of the Texas Journal of Literacy Education (TJLE) beginning May 15.
The peer-reviewed, biannual publication is the…
TAMUC Counseling Professors Honored with Endowed Professorships
The Department of Counseling at Texas A&M University-Commerce recently appointed its first-ever endowed professorships.
Zaidy MohdZain, Ph.D., and LaVelle Hendricks, Ed.D., received the Chilcote Endowed Professorship and the Rosalie and Frank Turner Race and Reconciliation Endowed Professorship, respectively. Endowed professorships…
TAMUC Engineering and Technology Professor Receives Professional Excellence Award
Ayman Elzohairy, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Department of Engineering and Technology at A&M-Commerce, recently received the A&M-Commerce Faculty Senate Award for Professional Excellence in Research, Scholarship and Creative Activities—Unfettered Thought.
The professional excellence awards recognize faculty who distinguish themselves…
TAMUC Doctoral Candidate Interviewed on Kelly Clarkson Show
A&M-Commerce doctoral candidate Deon Johnson recently appeared on the Kelly Clarkson Show.
Through his non-profit organization, Urban Dreams Music and Arts Program, Johnson provides free music and dance lessons for youth in Dallas. The program also provides academic support and…
TAMUC Law Enforcement Cadets Participate in Research Study
Cadets in the Hunt County Sheriff's Office Law Enforcement Academy located at A&M-Commerce recently participated in a research study to determine how fitness parameters change for academy cadets over the course of their training.
The study was conducted by Michael…
A&M-Commerce Counseling Professor Honored by Faculty Senate
Edith Gonzalez, Ph.D., received the Paul W. Barrus Distinguished Faculty Award for Teaching at the A&M-Commerce Faculty Senate Awards Ceremony on April 20. The annual award recognizes faculty who have performed in an outstanding manner in teaching. Gonzalez is an…
TAMUC Alum Launches Career with Dallas Mavericks
Bri Mathis, a 2020 graduate of the sport and recreation management program at A&M-Commerce, has accepted a position with the Dallas Mavericks as an event specialist. Most recently, she worked for the NFL Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio.
Dr.…
TAMUC Alumna Named Teacher of the Year at Cedar Hill Campus
A&M-Commerce alumna Tiffany Anderson was named 2021-2022 Bray Elementary Teacher of the Year in her first year at the Cedar Hill ISD campus. A Cedar Hill ISD press release quoted Anderson:
“I am shocked that I was chosen, but the…
A&M-Commerce Students Place Highly at Physics Meeting
A&M-Commerce physics students presented at the spring meeting for the Texas sections of the American Physical Society and the American Association of Physics Teachers. The meeting took place March 10-12 at Abilene Christian University.
Graduate student Amber Stinson received joint…
TAMUC Doctoral Student Named Executive Director at Ector County ISD
A&M-Commerce doctoral student Cindy Retana has been a teacher, counselor and principal during her more than 25 years in education.
She joined Ector County ISD in October 2021 as an executive director of leadership and principal supervisor. She discussed her…
A&M-Commerce Team Places Fifth at Math Bowl Competition
A team of A&M-Commerce students including Hailey Bartula, Sarah Gross and Dawson Knight placed fifth out of 16 teams at the Math Bowl competition hosted by the Mathematical Association of America at its annual Texas Section conference held March 31-April…
TAMUC Mathematics Professor Honored with Distinguished Award
A&M-Commerce Associate Professor Mehmet Celik, Ph.D., received the Award for Distinguished College or University Teaching of Mathematics from the Mathematical Association of America during its annual Texas Section conference held March 31-April 2 at the University of North Texas in…
A&M-Commerce Alum Named Interim President at SFA
Stephen F. Austin State University (SFA) named A&M-Commerce alum Steve Westbrook, Ed.D., as interim president of the university.
After joining SFA in 1981, Westbrook served as vice president for university affairs from 2007 to 2020 and filled the role of…
Gatlings’ Gifts Inspire New Generation of Alumni Donors
Christopher and Dr. Breanna Gatling are among the youngest donors in Texas A&M University-Commerce history. Their recent gifts set a precedent for a new generation of alumni to support their alma mater earlier in their careers.
The Gatlings introduced two…
TAMUC Faculty Member Selected to Co-Edit Literacy Journal
Literacy Research and Instruction, the official journal of the Association of Literacy Educators & Researchers, selected A&M-Commerce faculty member Juan Araujo, Ph.D., to serve on its four-member team of editors.
Araujo is an assistant dean and associate professor in the…
A&M-Commerce Earns Silver Distinction for Campus Wellness Efforts
A&M-Commerce is one of only 156 universities and colleges around the world to be honored by the Exercise is Medicine program for its efforts to create a culture of wellness on campus. The university's Exercise is Medicine on Campus (EIM-OC)…
A&M-Commerce Curriculum and Instruction Professor Elected to National Board
Members of the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) recently elected A&M-Commerce faculty member Toni Sturdivant, Ph.D., to the organization's governing board.
NAEYC is the world's largest organization of early childhood professionals and is considered a thought-leader…
A&M-Commerce to Host Early Childhood Expert at Two Guest Lecture Events
The Department of Curriculum and Instruction at A&M-Commerce is set to host two opportunities to attend a guest lecture by nationally renowned early childhood expert Sandra Duncan, Ed.D.
Duncan will present, “Teaching Playful Learning: The Experience” on April 18 at…
TAMUC Curriculum and Instruction Faculty Member Discusses Teacher Retention on Radio Program
A&M-Commerce Assistant Professor Sarah Guthery, Ph.D., is featured on a recent episode of the “All Sides with Ann Fisher” talk program on 89.7 FM NPR News in Ohio.
The episode discusses frustration and burnout among American teachers. Host Ann Fisher…
Lion Athletes Named to 2022 Lone Star Conference All-Academic Teams
The Lone Star Conference (LSC) recently announced its 2022 all-academic teams for men's and women's indoor track and field. Four A&M-Commerce student-athletes from the Department of Health and Human Performance made the list.
Iniuto Ukpong is the women's 2022 Academic…
TAMUC Faculty Member Elected as President-Elect for Academy of Human Resource Development
The Academy of Human Resource Development (AHRD) elected A&M-Commerce faculty member Seung Won Yoon, Ph.D., to the position of president-elect for the term 2022-2024. He will serve a two-year term as president-elect, followed by two years as president and two…
A&M-Commerce Math Students Receive Top Distinction at Modeling Challenge
A&M-Commerce students Hyungkwan Park, Sena Park and James Hirons earned top marks representing the Department of Mathematics at the 2021 SIMIODE Challenge Using Differential Equation Modeling (SCUDEM) VI.
SCUDEM is a modeling challenge where student teams choose a challenge problem…
TAMUC Students Finish Strong at Pathways Research Symposium
A group of 26 A&M-Commerce students presented research at the 17th annual Texas A&M University System (TAMUS) Pathways Student Research Symposium held March 3-4 in College Station, with five students earning top marks at the event.
The symposium is a…
A&M-Commerce Counseling Student Presents at Pathways Research Symposium
A&M-Commerce student Su Gordh presented her research, “How to help couples who are covert narcissists,” at the 17th annual Texas A&M University System Pathways Student Research Symposium held March 3-4 in College Station.
Gordh is a first-year graduate student in…
TAMUC Alum Named Dean at Bemidji State University
Texas A&M University-Commerce alum Jeffrey Bell, Ph.D., was recently named dean of the College of Individual and Community Health at Bemidji State University. Located in Bemidji, Minnesota, BSU is a public university that serves more than 5,000 students in a…
TAMUC Psychology Professor Honored by School Psychologists Organization
The Trainers of School Psychologists organization selected Erin Harper, Ph.D., as a Black Leader in School Psychology as part of the Honoring Diverse Leaders in School Psychology Project.
Harper is an assistant professor in the Department of Psychology and Special…
A&M-Commerce Alum Named Finalist for Plano ISD Superintendent Position
An alumna of Texas A&M University-Commerce was recently named as the sole finalist to take over the position of superintendent of the Plano Independent School District in Plano, Texas. Theresa Williams, Ed.D, was announced as the finalist by the Plano…
TAMUC Faculty Member Co-Authors Article About Teacher Longevity
Sarah Guthery, Ph.D., an assistant professor in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction at A&M-Commerce, is co-author of a recent website article titled “How teachers enter the profession affects how long they stay on the job.”
The article discusses how…
A&M-Commerce Faculty Member Co-Authors Article of the Year
The Journal of Educational and Psychological Consultation has selected a research article co-authored by A&M-Commerce faculty member Erin Harper, Ph.D., as the journal's article of the year. The honor was announced at the National Association of School Psychologists annual convention…
A&M-Commerce to Establish National Writing Project of Northeast Texas
Texas A&M University-Commerce is partnering with the National Writing Project (NWP) to establish the National Writing Project of Northeast Texas.
A&M-Commerce will join a network of 170 NWP sites spanning all 50 states, Washington D.C., Puerto Rico and the U.S.…
A&M-Commerce Social Work Professor Co-Authors Research Article
Gracie Brownell, Ph.D., assistant professor and director of the master's program for the School of Social Work at A&M-Commerce, is one of five co-authors of a recently published research article in the peer-reviewed journal Sustainability.
The article, “Economic Drivers of…
TAMUC Doctoral Student Recognized by School Counselor Association
The Texas School Counselor Association voted to select A&M-Commerce doctoral student Cheryl Loving as the 2022 Counselor Supervisor of the Year. Loving was recognized at the association's annual conference on Feb. 13.
Loving is a second-year student in the Counselor…
Governor Reappoints A&M-Commerce Alum to State Crime Victims Council
Governor Greg Abbott recently reappointed A&M-Commerce alum Jeffrey “JD” Robertson to serve on the Texas Crime Victims' Institute Advisory Council for a term ending January 31, 2024. The council analyzes the impact of crime on victims and close relatives, and…
TAMUC Alum Hired to Address Health Disparities in Arkansas
The Arkansas Pharmacists Association recently named A&M-Commerce alum Marlene Battle, Pharm.D., as its new health equity coordinator. The organization created the position to tackle health disparities in the state exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Battle earned a Master of Science…
A&M-Commerce Set to Co-Sponsor State Literacy Conference
A&M-Commerce and Texas Woman's University (TWU) will serve as co-sponsors for the 2022 Texas Association for Literacy Education (TALE) Annual Conference on March 4-5 at the Plano Event Center in Plano, Texas.
Juan Araujo, Ph.D., serves as an assistant dean…
A&M-Commerce Department of Counseling Presents at International Conference
Representatives from the Department of Counseling at A&M-Commerce delivered two presentations at the International Association of Marriage and Family Counselors World Conference held in New Orleans, Louisiana, from Jan. 27 through 29.
Professors LaVelle Hendricks, Ph.D., and Zaidy MohdZain, Ph.D.,…
A&M-Commerce Alum to Lead National Statistics and Data Science Committee
A&M-Commerce alum Tom Faulkenberry, Ph.D., is the new chair of the Joint Committee on Undergraduate Statistics and Data Science Education. The committee is co-sponsored by the American Statistical Association and the Mathematical Association of America.
The two-year appointment will see…
A&M-Commerce Student Commended for Assisting Accident Victim
A&M-Commerce student Maigyne Ishman and others recently received the Extra Mile Award from Greenville ISD for their role in assisting a GISD student involved in a motor vehicle accident in Greenville.
Ishman, a student in the Organizational Leadership program at…
Dr. Kimberly McLeod Helps Increase Inclusivity at Carrollton-Farmers Branch ISD
A recent article in the Carrollton Leader said Carrollton-Farmers Branch ISD is working to increase inclusivity within the district. Dr. Kimberly McLeod, dean of the College of Education and Human Services at A&M-Commerce, is helping the district implement positive changes.…
A&M-Commerce Awarded $1.23 Million Grant to Serve Disadvantaged Rural Students in Texas
Texas A&M University-Commerce is the recipient of a $1.23 million Rural Postsecondary and Economic Development (RPED) grant earmarked to benefit disadvantaged students by improving rates of college enrollment, determination and completion among rural students.
The RPED grant program is designed…
TAMUC Law Enforcement Academy Cadets Raise Money for Charity
Cadets in the Hunt County Sheriff's Office Law Enforcement Academy located at A&M-Commerce participated in No-Shave November in 2021 as a fundraiser for Texas Oncology. The cadets recently presented a check for $1,000 during a ceremony at the Hunt County…
A&M-Commerce Sport and Recreation Management Students Assist with Nationally Televised NCAA Football Games
Several students in the Sport and Recreation Management program at Texas A&M University-Commerce volunteered at two NCAA football games in 2021, the NCAA DII Football Championship game and the Armed Forces Bowl.
Clay Bolton, Ed.D., associate professor and program director,…