Division of Philanthropy and Engagement News
East Texas A&M Celebrates Topping Out of Rene’ Griffin Event Center
East Texas A&M University marked a significant milestone on Tuesday, February 17, with a topping out ceremony for the new Rene' Griffin Event Center.
East Texas A&M Receives $8 Million Gift from Rene’ Griffin, Largest in University History
East Texas A&M University is proud to announce a historic $8 million gift from alumnus Rene’ Griffin, marking the largest single philanthropic contribution in the history of ETAMU.
Built on Belonging: The Life and Legacy Behind the Rene’ Griffin Event Center at East Texas A&M University
At their core, Rene' Griffin's story and the story of ET's new event center are about creating places where people belong.
Celebrate our Past, Embrace our Future: An Open Letter to the ETAMU Community and Friends
Our future depends on the power of our community—alumni, friends, faculty, staff and partners—who believe in and support our students and our university.
The Lions Reserve: A Premier Fundraising Event for Student Success
The Lions' Reserve proved to be more than an evening of fine wine and hors d'oeuvres. The event hosted by East Texas A&M University raised more than $30,000 to support student scholarships and university programs.
A Lambskin Legacy: What a 19th-Century Diploma Reveals About East Texas A&M’s Early Days
An alumnus recently discovered a rare diploma from 1897 and brought it back to East Texas A&M. The artifact provides a fascinating glimpse into the earliest days of our university.
From Gas Station to Golden Arches: The Inspiring Journey of Anand and Susana Kumar
Anand and Susana Kumar own 17 McDonald's stores across Northeast Texas. Now, they're helping boost East Texas A&M students to success.
East Texas A&M Launches Lucky’s Reading Program With Support From Signature Solar
With a goal to promote reading among elementary school youth across Northeast Texas, East Texas A&M University launched Lucky's Reading Program earlier this fall with support from Signature Solar.
Mental Health Support Expanded for East Texas A&M Students
The Jeremy and Molly Fernandes Fellowship in Clinical Case Management aims to enhance mental health support for East Texas A&M students.
A Year of Growth: Alumni Support Makes a Big Impact at TAMUC
A&M-Commerce has seen a remarkable year in alumni engagement and fundraising, driven by generous donors and a passionate Lion community.
Atmos Energy Invests $25,000 to Empower First-Year Teachers and Enhance Early Childhood Education Programs at A&M-Commerce
The Dream Classroom Fund helps new teachers furnish their classrooms to promote literacy and learning.
A&M-Commerce Hosts Luncheon to Celebrate Lyon Center for Gamebird Research
Texas A&M University-Commerce hosted a luncheon at the Hilton hotel in Rockwall, Texas, on Tuesday, April 16, to celebrate the university's planned Ted and Donna Lyon Center for Gamebird Research.
A poster commemorates the Lyon Center project. Photo by Matt…
The Great Connector: The Influence of Derryl Peace
The retired director of Alumni Engagement at TAMUC built relationships with Lions across generations. A new endowment will continue his legacy.
For Derryle Peace, the word “connection” embodies a central theme that resonates across his years at Texas A&M University-Commerce.…
‘Just Get Involved’: The Story of a Pioneering Computer Programmer Who Gives Back
Alumnus Scott Stahl and his wife, Margaret, from Sulphur Springs, Texas, have recently presented a $100,000 gift to Texas A&M University-Commerce. The Scott W. Stahl and Margaret Stahl Gift Agreement will provide matching gift opportunities that champion the Greatest Need…
Lions Feeding Lions: Match Challenge Brings Big Support to the Lion Food Pantry
Alumni Freddy and Margaret (Muffy) O’Pry presented the Lion Food Pantry with a $30,000 check on February 13 at the pantry’s grand reopening in the university’s Performing Arts Center. The funds were raised, in part, through the O'Pry Family Match…
A&M-Commerce Students Gain Skills for Healthy, Affordable Cooking
The Department of Health and Human Performance at A&M-Commerce, in conjunction with the Lions Coalition for Accessible Needs, recently hosted a seminar on healthy meal preparation in the testing kitchen within the Nursing and Health Sciences building on campus.
More…
Trego Family Pledges $400,000 to TAMUC Electrical Engineering
Lion alumni Bruce and Barbara Trego have generously pledged $400,000 to benefit the Department of Engineering and Technology at Texas A&M University-Commerce. The Trego Family Engineering and Technology Endowment makes history as one of the most substantial planned gifts from…
Oncor Power Lab for Electrical Engineering Opens at A&M-Commerce
The College of Science and Engineering Power Lab at Texas A&M University-Commerce received a brand-new name this month: the Oncor Power Lab. The designation honors a 70-year partnership between Oncor Electric—Texas’s largest energy delivery company—and A&M-Commerce.
Building on the longstanding…
Ted and Donna Lyon Center for Gamebird Research Planned for Texas A&M University-Commerce
Texas A&M University-Commerce will soon be home to an innovative gamebird research and education facility, thanks to a historic gift from alumnus Ted B. Lyon and his wife, Donna. Construction of the Ted and Donna Lyon Center for Gamebird Research…
In a Philanthropic State of Mind: Tatiana Chamorro and Carlos Rivers Share Their Story, Their Life Philosophy and a New Scholarship
Carlos Rivers and Tatiana Chamorro live by an inspiring philosophy: “Philanthropy is a state of mind, not a stage of life.” With this mindset, the young Lion alums recently created the Rivers and Chamorro Scholarship for business majors who are…
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…
The Giving Team: TAMUC Welcomes New Philanthropy and Engagement Staff
The Division of Philanthropy and Engagement is pleased to introduce six new team members. Each staff member is a talented professional with a wealth of experience in philanthropy and alumni relations. The expanded philanthropy team is excited to deepen its…
A&M-Commerce to Host Rural Mental Health Forum in Greenville
The Counseling Center and the Department of Health and Human Performance at Texas A&M University-Commerce are partnering to host a free rural mental health forum at Fletcher Warren Civic Center in Greenville, Texas, on March 21.
Dr. Nick Patras, executive…
A&M-Commerce Student Group Collects Holiday Cards for Troops
The A&M-Commerce chapter of the Texas Association of Future Educators hosted a table at the Rayburn Student Center on Nov. 17-18 to collect holiday wishes for troops deployed abroad.
The group collected 101 cards from students, faculty and staff, which…
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 Announces New Vice President for Philanthropy and Engagement
Texas A&M University-Commerce welcomes Devin Girod as the university's new Vice President for Philanthropy and Engagement. Mr. Girod was selected following a national search.
Girod comes to A&M-Commerce from the Trust for Public Land (TPL), a U.S. non-profit organization. He…
TAMUC Alum Named State Fair of Texas Volunteer of the Year
A&M-Commerce Foundation Board member, donor and alumnus Robert Rhoads was recently named State Fair of Texas Volunteer of the Year. Rhoads has served as a long-time volunteer and board member for the state fair's scholarship program. He graduated from East…
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…
Chapman Scholarship Supports First-Generation Hopkins County Students
The Ken Chapman Scholarship provides a new opportunity for first-generation students from Hopkins County to pursue agriculture studies at Texas A&M University-Commerce.
Starting this fall, the scholarship will be awarded annually to a student pursuing a major in the College…
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 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…
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’s First African American Female Graduate of Accounting Establishes Scholarship Endowment
Distinguished Alumna Zenetta Strong Drew made history in 1974 as the first African American female accounting graduate from East Texas State University (now Texas A&M University-Commerce). At the end of last year, she extended her legacy through the Zenetta S.…
Atmos Energy Presents $35,000 Gift to Launch Community Gardens Program at TAMUC
Atmos Energy and Texas A&M University-Commerce are digging into an exciting new gardening program to benefit Northeast Texas schools and communities. Atmos Energy presented a $35,000 check to university representatives on February 11 to kick-start the initiative.
The program, dubbed…
Continuing the Legacy: Ernest Hawkins’ Daughter Makes Planned Gift
Texas A&M University-Commerce is more than a beloved alma mater to Kathy Hawkins Campbell. It is her childhood home and the site of her father's legendary career. These strong ties inspired Kathy to establish a planned gift to preserve her…
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…
Sandra and Gary Fernandes Gift $1 Million to TAMUC
Texas A&M University-Commerce alumni Sandra Lyday Fernandes and Gary Fernandes of Dallas and Honey Grove, Texas, made Lion history this month as the university’s first donors with a cumulative lifetime giving amount over $1 million.
The couple's most recent gift,…
Paris Regional Medical Center Honors TAMUC Engineering and Technology Department at Appreciation Luncheon
Representatives from the Department of Engineering and Technology at A&M-Commerce attended a Dec. 15 luncheon at Paris Regional Medical Center (PRMC), where the department was recognized for providing personal protective equipment during the COVID-19 pandemic.
A&M-Commerce attendees included Brent Donham,…
TAMUC Employees Build Bridges to Student Success
Nearly a quarter of Texas A&M University-Commerce employees are Bridge Builders, a term referring to current faculty and staff who give financial gifts to the university. The Philanthropy and Engagement team at A&M-Commerce is hoping to boost that percentage over…
Paying it Forward to Support Aspiring Writers and Educators
Joe and Nancy Owens of Santa Monica, California, recently established a planned gift—a bequest intention through their will—in support of the William A. Owens Memorial Endowment at Texas A&M University-Commerce.
The endowment, which the couple created in 2005, honors Joe's…
From the White House to TAMUC: Alumnus Makes “Historic” Gift
As a White House liaison for the U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights, Ted Crim was privileged to watch American history unfold from a front-row seat. Now, the Lion alumnus will share his impactful life and career with…
TAMUC Alum McWhirter’s Estate Establishes Graduate Fellowships
Two new graduate fellowships will be available next year to students in the College of Education and Human Services at A&M-Commerce, thanks to the estate of alumna EdWinnie Brown McWhirter.
Assistant dean Juan Araujo, Ph.D., said the college will begin…
College of Business Alumnus Provides Gift to Establish Funderburk Scholarship
Professor Emeritus Dale Funderburk created a legacy of excellence in the College of Business at Texas A&M University-Commerce during his 52-year teaching career. A new scholarship in his name will memorialize his impact.
The Dr. Dale Funderburk Honorary Scholarship will…
Endowment Honors Turners’ Impact on TAMUC and Texas Education
Professor Emeritus Lynn Turner holds an important place in Texas A&M University-Commerce history. As one of the original faculty members in the Department of Educational Leadership, his contributions helped build the department into a leading producer of principals and superintendents…
A&M-Commerce Fraternity Donates $9,000 to Area Food Bank
The Theta Xi chapter of the Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity on the campus of Texas A&M University-Commerce recently donated $9,000 to the North Texas Food Bank. The proceeds were raised during the fraternity's 24th annual Crawfish Festival, held at “Pikeland”…
A&M-Commerce Endowment Promises to “Lift a Lion” to Graduation
The Texas A&M University-Commerce Lift a Lion initiative received a significant boost in February from the new Janis and Ralph Stroope Lift a Lion Endowment.
Lift a Lion provides financial assistance to undergraduate students at A&M-Commerce who face financial hardships.…
Alumna Leaves $1.47 Million to A&M-Commerce
Texas A&M University-Commerce students will benefit from a generous $1.47 million gift from the late Lanelle E. Southerland.
The substantial gift will support A&M-Commerce students by providing two annual scholarships: The Lanelle E. Southerland and Joe E. Phillips Endowed Scholarship,…
Scholarship for Future Educators Established to Honor the Legacy of Dr. Mary Jane Vance
The family of the late Dr. Mary Jane Vance has established a scholarship to honor her lifelong commitment to education. This scholarship will benefit A&M-Commerce students who are pursuing teaching careers.
“The family has always known of her passion for…
TAMUC Nursing Students Assist With Vaccination Efforts
Students with the Department of Nursing at A&M-Commerce are helping administer COVID-19 vaccinations at multiple locations across Northeast Texas.
More than 20 students have helped inoculate area residents at CHRISTUS Mother Francis Hospital-Sulphur Springs, Hunt Regional Healthcare, Wesley United Methodist…
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…