College of Innovation and Design News
Public Administration Instructor Justin Weiss Receives TCMA Statewide Award
Justin Weiss, instructor in public administration and city planning at East Texas A&M University, has been named the 2026 Academician of the Year.
New Partnership Studies Student Outcomes in Competency-Based Education
The College of Innovation and Design has entered into a research partnership with the American Institutes for Research as part of a study examining student outcomes in competency-based education programs.
National CBE Exchange Highlights ETAMU’s Role in Shaping Workforce-Ready Education
East Texas A&M University sent a cross-campus team of faculty, staff and academic leaders to the annual CBE Exchange in Phoenix, Arizona.
No Time for College? CBE Programs Give City Employees a Faster Path Forward
East Texas A&M expands flexible competency-based programs to help city employees earn degrees faster and advance their careers without leaving the workforce.
ETAMU Students Turn Data into Real-World Solutions at Alteryx Datathon
Students from across East Texas A&M University applied their analytical skills to real-world challenges during this fall’s Alteryx Datathon
$30,000 Grant Boosts Online Teacher Certification Program at ETAMU
The Texas Pioneer Foundation grant boosts Pride Pathway—East Texas A&M's innovative solution to the Texas teacher shortage.
East Texas A&M Alumnus Named Dean of TJC North
Adam Palacios, a graduate of East Texas A&M University, has been named dean of Tyler Junior College North (TJC North) in Lindale.
ETAMU Instructor Hired as First Police Chief of Central Texas Municipality
The City of Snook, Texas, recently announced the hiring of East Texas A&M University adjunct instructor Dr. Steven Huron as its first-ever police chief.
ETAMU’s Adult Learners Benefit from Professors’ Real-World Experiences
Several ETAMU faculty members in CID use their distinctive personal and professional competencies to help shape their programs into standout academic experiences.
East Texas A&M Alum Kraig Knight Named EVP of Global Data Center Operations at Goodman Group
Goodman Group owns, develops, and manages logistics properties and data centers in major international cities.
East Texas A&M: Leading the Charge in Competency-Based Education
East Texas A&M University is at the forefront of competency-based education (CBE), offering flexible, career-focused programs that empower busy adults to transform their careers.
East Texas A&M University Appoints Dr. April Sanders as Dean of the College of Innovation and Design
A proven leader, Dr. Sanders aims to drive innovation in her new role at ETAMU.
East Texas A&M Alum Named Terrell Police Chief
Chief Arley Sansom joins a growing network of East Texas A&M graduates who are leading the charge in law enforcement leadership across Texas and beyond.
Two East Texas A&M Alums Lead Major State Agencies
Both Martin and Kidd graduated from competency-based degree programs at East Texas A&M designed to help working professionals advance their careers.
Six Mount Pleasant ISD Employees Receive Scholarships for Pride Pathway at A&M-Commerce
The program addresses teacher shortages by assisting school district employees in earning their degree and teacher certification.
A&M-Commerce Offers Two New Competency-Based Degrees
The university will offer fully online bachelor’s degrees aimed at city planning and human resource development
From Aviation Dreams to Corporate Success: The Inspiring Journey of TAMUC Alumnus Richard Heitzman
Richard Heitzman’s journey from aspiring aviation professional to a leadership role at CAE, the world’s largest manufacturer of flight training devices, exemplifies the transformative power of education at Texas A&M University-Commerce.
Texas A&M-Commerce Alum Leading Digital Transformation at Midland College
A&M-Commerce alum Kevin Andrews ('10) is the new executive director of Digital and Workplace Transformation at Midland (TX) College. In this newly created role, Andrews leads the Project Management Office, enterprise systems and software development, process improvement and knowledge management.…
A&M-Commerce and Terrell Police Department Establish Preferred Pathway for Officers to Earn Their Bachelor’s Degree
Texas A&M-Commerce and the Terrell Police Department have established a preferred educational pathway for the city's police officers to earn a bachelor's degree in criminal justice with an emphasis in law enforcement leadership. The fully online, competency-based program is offered…
A&M-Commerce Criminal Justice Alum Elected as Guadalupe County Sheriff
Recent Texas A&M-Commerce alum Joshua Ray is sheriff-elect of Guadalupe County in Texas. Ray emerged victorious in the county's Republican primary and is unopposed in the November election. A United States Marine Corps veteran and retired Texas Ranger, he served…
Texas A&M-Commerce Alum Named Rockport Chief of Police
The City of Rockport, Texas, named recent A&M-Commerce graduate Nathan Anderson as its new Chief of Police.
Anderson—who joined the department in 2020 with 24 years of law enforcement experience—completed his bachelor's degree in criminal justice with an emphasis in…
A&M-Commerce Professional Development Series Helps Employees Grow, Thrive
This spring, Texas A&M University-Commerce embarked on the second semester of its transformative Investing in Us employee development program, which has met with high praise from faculty and staff across the university. The innovative program features eight-week courses designed to…
Texas A&M-Commerce Alumni Association Honors 2024 Alumni Ambassadors
The 38th annual Alumni Ambassador Forum celebrates successful A&M-Commerce alumni.
The Alumni Association of Texas A&M University-Commerce recognized 21 new Alumni Ambassadors at the 2024 Alumni Ambassador Forum on Tuesday, March 19. The 38th annual forum was held in the…
A&M-Commerce and Austin Police Department Establish Preferred Path to a Bachelor’s in Criminal Justice
The partnership provides automatic admission for eligible department employees to obtain a high-value degree with no out-of-pocket expense.
The College of Innovation and Design at Texas A&M University-Commerce and the City of Austin, Texas, have partnered to establish a preferred…
Blinn College and Texas A&M University-Commerce Forge New Bachelor’s Degree Pathway for Safety and Health Students
Through the partnership, students can earn their AAS in Fire Safety and Health and their BAAS in Safety and Health
By Blinn College District
BRYAN, TEXAS: The Blinn College District and Texas A&M University-Commerce have established a new transfer agreement…
TAMUC Alumna Named Director of Operations for Veterans Pardners
A&M-Commerce alumna Donna Richardson has been named director of operations for Veterans Pardners, according to a recent article in The Lakelander newspaper in Whitney, Texas. Veterans Pardners is a non-profit organization that helps veterans in rural Hill County access resources.…
A&M-Commerce: A Gateway to the Fastest-Growing Careers
A recent U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics report reveals remarkable growth in the U.S. job market in the fields of health, math and computer science. In fact, 15 of the top 20 fastest-growing careers land in these three fields. As…
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,…
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…
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…
TAMUC Alum Named Frisco Fire Chief
A&M-Commerce alumnus Lee Glover was recently named fire chief in Frisco, Texas. According to a Dallas Morning News article, Glover began his career with Frisco Fire Department in 1991. Working his way up the ladder, Glover served as lieutenant, captain…
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…
TAMUC Names 2023 Alumni Ambassadors
The Texas A&M University-Commerce Alumni Association honored 16 new Alumni Ambassadors at the 2023 Alumni Ambassador Forum and Luncheon held Tuesday, March 7 on the university campus.
An Alumni Ambassador is the highest honor an academic department may bestow upon…
A&M-Commerce Faculty, Staff Share Expertise at Renowned Competency-Based Education Conference
Representatives from Texas A&M University-Commerce attended the CBExchange conference hosted by the Competency-Based Education Network in Amelia Island, Florida, from Oct. 18-21. The annual event is touted as the foremost conference on competency-based education.
“As founding members of the Competency-Based…
TAMUC College of Innovation and Design Dean Featured in Interview
Yvonne Villanueva-Russell, Ph.D., who serves as founding dean of the College of Innovation and Design at A&M-Commerce, is featured in an interview with The EvoLLLution, an online newspaper published by Modern Campus.
In the interview, Villanueva-Russell provides insight into paradigm…
Lion’s Lecture Speaker Series Returns at A&M-Commerce
A&M-Commerce faculty, staff and students gathered on Sept. 29 to welcome the return of the Lion's Lecture Series presented by the Graduate School and First-Year TRAC. Drs. Matt Wood and Sharonda Pruitt entertained the audience with two 20-minute presentations in…
TAMUC Pride Pathway Program Helps Address Teacher Shortage
An article at HoustonPublicMedia.org highlights the Pride Pathway program at A&M-Commerce as an option for replenishing the teacher preparation pipeline in Texas.
“One of the huge areas that have been a focus is the fact that the pipeline to education…
A&M-Commerce Announces First Health Services Administration Graduates
The College of Innovation and Design at Texas A&M University-Commerce has produced the first graduates of its new health services administration program.
Patty Macias, Danielle Mahan, Alysa Moss, Kaci Powers, Kardelia Smith and Kisha Wofford received their Bachelor of Applied…
TAMUC Competency-Based Education Program Touted for Industry Engagement 
An article recently published at workingnation.com highlights the competency-based Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice, Law Enforcement Leadership degree program at A&M-Commerce as a beacon for merging classroom theory with real-world application.
The article “What is not causing the skills…
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…
Signature Courses at A&M-Commerce Set the Stage for Student Success
The College of Innovation and Design at Texas A&M University-Commerce has announced its new slate of signature course offerings for the upcoming fall and spring semesters.
With an emphasis on student engagement and retention, signature courses are about more than…
TAMUC Partners with Mount Pleasant ISD to Offer Employee Scholarships
Texas A&M University-Commerce and Mount Pleasant ISD in Mount Pleasant, Texas, have partnered to provide scholarships that will help Mount Pleasant ISD employees attain a degree at A&M-Commerce. At the district's annual end-of-year breakfast on May 20, scholarships were awarded…
TAMUC First-Year Leadership Class Raises Money for Local Animal Shelter
Students in the First-Year Leadership Class (FLC) at Texas A&M University-Commerce put in many hours of hard work planning and executing a fundraising campaign to benefit the Commerce Animal Shelter.
The FLC is a credited, two-semester course available to first-year…
A&M-Commerce Student Changing Lives with Youth Football Team
A student at Texas A&M University-Commerce is helping to develop tomorrow's leaders both on and off the football field with his very own youth football team.
Calbert “CJ” Cannon is a senior student at A&M-Commerce on track to graduate this…
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…
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 Career Development Staff Members Honored at Regional Conference
Two staff members from the Office of Career Development at Texas A&M University-Commerce earned prestigious awards at the recent Southern Association of Colleges and Employers (SoACE) annual conference.
Amy Horton, career coach for special populations, was awarded the Champion of…
A&M-Commerce Alum Appointed Plano City Fire Chief
A&M-Commerce alum Chris Biggerstaff has been selected as the new fire chief for the city of Plano, Texas. Biggerstaff began his career by joining the Garland Fire Department in 1991. Shortly after, he joined the Plano Fire Department, earning Rookie…
A&M-Commerce Representatives Lead the Way at National Competency-Based Education Conference
The Institute for Competency-Based Education (ICBE) at Texas A&M University-Commerce recently sponsored 25 university personnel to attend CBExchange, an annual conference hosted by the Competency-Based Education Network (CBEN).
The event is the foremost conference on competency-based education, where leaders from…
A&M-Commerce Introduces Competency-Based Health Services Administration Degree Program
With its new Bachelor of Arts and Sciences in Health Services Administration degree, the College of Innovation and Design at Texas A&M University-Commerce is furthering its mission to empower working professionals through competency-based education.
David Deggs, Ph.D., is associate director…