From the Boardroom to the Bus Route, ETAMU’s Stan McKee Never Stops Giving Back
After decades of leadership, Stan McKee still finds joy in helping students and giving back to the university that shaped him.
On any given Tuesday or Thursday evening, with the Texas sun vanquished for one more day, students can be seen gathering at the bus stop situated between the Rayburn Student Center and the Fine Arts Building. Bound for classes at the Dallas campus, students boarding the bus are greeted with a warm, friendly smile from a familiar face—that of Stan McKee, their driver for the evening.
McKee enjoys his job transporting students from one campus to another and back again, and he never wastes a chance to talk with his passengers when the opportunity arises. To a naive onlooker, McKee may seem to be a man who simply found his place in life, doing the job he'd always wanted to do and loving every second of it.
But there is a lot such onlookers might not know about this particular East Texas A&M bus driver.
A Voice For Patients
For one, Stan McKee is a longtime community advocate and East Texas A&M University alumnus, who was recently re-elected to the National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC) Board of Directors, where the discussions he has and decisions he makes come with potentially national implications. His appointment at the NACHC continues a career dedicated to service, leadership and giving back.
McKee chairs the board of directors for Carevide, a nonprofit community health center based in Greenville that provides affordable medical, dental and behavioral health services across Northeast Texas. His new term on the NACHC board extends his voice on national policy, representing patients and community boards that guide 1,500 federally qualified health centers serving more than 34 million Americans.
“Community health centers exist to meet people where they are, and it's an honor to represent the patients and boards who guide that mission at the national level,” McKee said.
A Career Sparked by Chance
Before becoming a national advocate for community health, McKee built a four-decade career with Oncor, an electric delivery company, beginning with a chance encounter that changed the direction of his life. As a senior at what was then East Texas State University, he was offered a last-minute interview slot with Texas Power and Light, one of Oncor's predecessor companies.
“I was about to graduate and needed a job, and Mike Clay from the placement office at the university told me an interview slot had opened up,” McKee recalled. “They didn't even have to interview me because I wasn't on the list, but they did, and a few weeks later, I got an offer. Forty years later, I was still there.”
McKee retired from Oncor as a senior manager.
While working in the power industry, McKee stayed connected to his community through involvement with civic groups such as the Commerce Chamber of Commerce and Kiwanis Club. That service led to his introduction to Carevide's former CEO, who encouraged him to join the board.
“I started seeing how they were helping people in our community who otherwise had nowhere to go for healthcare,” McKee said. “I didn't know much about healthcare at the time, but I saw it was a pretty nice place to be in terms of helping and being involved.”
McKee has now served Carevide for more than 25 years, helping connect Northeast Texas communities to decisions made in Washington, D.C. through his time on the board of the NACHC. His leadership emphasizes patient access, advocacy and sustainability for rural healthcare.
An Opportunity to Give Back
A proud graduate of East Texas A&M, McKee earned a Bachelor of Science in Construction Engineering in 1978 and later a master's in industrial engineering technology. He remains deeply tied to the university, having served as president of the Alumni Association and as a member of the ETAMU Foundation Board. His dedication earned him the Gold Blazer Award in 2016, one of the highest honors the university bestows on alumni for outstanding service.
Even in retirement, McKee has found new ways to stay close to his alma mater and its students. A few years ago, he accepted a part-time job driving one of the university's shuttle buses, transporting students between the Commerce and Dallas campuses.
“I wanted to be back on campus doing things with young people,” he said. “Driving the bus lets me engage them, talk with them and maybe inspire them a little if they'll let me.”
Students are often surprised to learn that the man behind the wheel once led the Alumni Association, holds two degrees from ETAMU and represents thousands of patients at the national level. For McKee, that reaction is a teaching moment.
“It teaches us not to be so quick to make assumptions,” he said. “People helped me when I was a student here. I wasn't a great student, but others pulled for me and wanted me to succeed. That's the kind of campus this is, and I want to keep giving that back.”
McKee's story, from a public-housing project in Dallas as a child to leadership on a national health board, reflects a lifelong commitment to education, perseverance and service. His continued involvement with East Texas A&M underscores the power of alumni engagement and the impact of giving back to future generations.
“As much as I've been able to accomplish, it all started here,” McKee said. “East Texas gave me the opportunity to succeed, and I'll always be thankful for that.”
Each Tuesday and Thursday night as he drives the bus, McKee carries more than just students; he also carries forward the spirit of giving back, the power of inspiration and the proof that transforming lives is possible at East Texas A&M.