A group of college students sitting with a large eagle mascot statue on a college campus.

Students Gain Valuable Insights at Statewide Leadership Conference

Seven East Texas A&M University students from various majors attended the Texas Leadership Scholars 2025 Summer Conference. The University of North Texas hosted the event, and attendees came away with experiences that helped them hone their skills as leaders.

Texas Leadership Scholars (TLS) is a statewide program, a partnership between the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board and several public universities, that brings together top students from across Texas and helps them grow into future leaders. East Texas A&M was one of the original members of the cohort of 18 institutions that joined the program in 2022.

East Texas A&M currently boasts 19 students in its TLS program, with 11 more joining for the Fall 2025 semester. The program includes workshops, mentoring, and hands-on experiences that build leadership skills and prepare students for life after college. In addition, participating students receive a scholarship that covers tuition, fees, housing and meals for four years.

The following students attended the recent TLS conference:

  • Angie Ochoa
  • H'Lyia Kennedy
  • Katlyn Frazier
  • Kathia Garcia
  • Katelyn Hargrove
  • Mirella Garcia Guel
  • Madison Hall

One of the students, Katlyn Frazier, stressed how beneficial attending the conference was for her future.

“[The Conference] has not only made me a little more outgoing, getting me out of my shell to meet new people, but being able to also present at the conference provided me with a huge boost in my leadership skills,” Frazier said.

Student Angie Ochoa echoed those sentiments, stating, “This experience has helped me grow as a leader because I have learned new things that will help me be more confident. “

Student attendees also presented at the conference. The presenters were either freshmen or sophomores at East Texas A&M. Their group presentations were titled “Outsmarting Time; A survival strategy using backwards goal setting” and “Emotional Intelligence.”

Featured Photo: Seven ETAMU students came away with key insights from the 2025 Texas Leadership Scholars Summer Conference | Photo courtesy of the Office of Student Transition and Support.