Alumni Success
Plainview ISD Superintendent Receives Contract Extension
H.T. Sanchez, superintendent of Plainview ISD, was recently granted a 1-year contract extension by Plainview ISD's board of trustees. The unanimous vote extends his contract to 2025. When Sanchez was hired as superintendent in May 2018, he signed a three-year…
Urbanski and Hayes Preserve a Piece of Greenville History
Two A&M-Commerce alums are preserving history in Greenville, Texas. Robbie Urbanski and Travis Hayes, both educators, purchased the historic Pfaeffle Circle House on Park Street in Greenville in 2017. The home was built around 1905 by local jewelry store owner…
A&M-Commerce Alum Opens Educational Center in Navarro County
A&M-Commerce alum Deb Tamez designed and built the new Eagle's Nest childhood center in Navarro County. The facility will feature an after-school program that teaches science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics to children from five to ten years old. The…
A&M-Commerce alumna featured by Dallas Observer
Christina Moreland, a Texas A&M University-Commerce alumna, was recently featured by the Dallas Observer. Moreland uses cartoon-styled artwork in her series “Daily Tips for a Better Quality of Life,” which, according to the article, “interrupt the incessant flow of negativity…
A&M-Commerce Alumna Steps into Superintendent Role
A&M-Commerce alumna, Linda Ellis, has been named superintendent of the Grand Prairie (TX) Independent School District. Ellis has served as interim superintendent since July 2019, following the death of her longtime mentor and colleague, former superintendent Susan Simpson Hull. Ellis…
A&M-C alum teams up with university to donate laptops to students
Texas A&M University-Commerce alum Eric Hale teamed up with this alma mater to donate 16 laptops to his students so they can continue to learn through the summer. Hale teaches first grade at David Burnet Elementary School in Dallas. He…
A&M-Commerce Graduate Student has Artwork Featured on Fort Worth Billboard
Katie Ritchie, who graduated in May 2020 with her Master of Fine Arts from Texas A&M University-Commerce, was chosen to have her work featured on a billboard as part of the Modern Art Museum of Forth Worth’s “Modern Billings” campaign.…
Panola College Art Professor Featured in Shreveport Exhibition
Amanda Clements' artwork is featured at R.W. Norton Art Gallery in Shreveport as part of “BLOOM! 2020,” a juried exhibition. Her work was one of only 48 pieces selected for the exhibit out of 193 submissions. Clements is an art…
A&M-Commerce Alum Named as Finalist for The American Prize in Conducting
Professor Eddie W. Airheart, Tyler Junior College assistant director of bands and professor of woodwinds, has been named one of 14 finalists nationwide — and the only finalist from Texas — for The American Prize in Conducting. Since 2009, The…
A&M-Commerce Alum Named Chief Operating Officer at Midland ISD
Kellie Spencer recently accepted a position as chief operating officer for Midland ISD, one of the largest school districts in West Texas. For the past 23 years, Spencer has served at Cedar Hill ISD, most recently as assistant superintendent. She…
A&M-Commerce Alum Competes in NPR’s Tiny Desk Song Contest
A&M-Commerce alum Tim York is a contestant in National Public Radio's 2020 Tiny Desk Song Contest. His entry, “Homage de la Old Age,” is a whimsical ode to aging. York graduated from ETSU in 1970 with a degree in psychology.…
A&M-Commerce Alum to Lead Percussion Ensemble at Prestigious Conference
The North Forney (Texas) High School Percussion Ensemble, led by A&M-Commerce alum Jim Gist, has been invited to perform at the 74th Midwest Clinic in Chicago, one of the largest band and orchestra conferences in the country. The conference is…
Jason Johnson Named Assistant Superintendent of HR for Allen ISD
Allen High School principal Jason Johnson accepted a new role as assistant superintendent of human resources for Allen ISD. Johnston earned his doctoral and master's degrees from A&M-Commerce. Read the full article in the Allen American.…
Summer Carlton to Lead Federal Programs and Student Performance at Franklin Special School District
Summer Carlton will become the supervisor of Federal Programs and Student Performance for Franklin Special School District in Franklin, Tennessee. Carlton holds a Master of Education in Educational Administration from A&M-Commerce, and a Bachelor of Environmental Design in Architectural Studies…
Cami Patzkowski Named Principal of Stillwater Elementary
Cami Patzkowski was named Sangre Ridge Elementary principal in Stillwater, Oklahoma, on May 21. Patzkowski has been an educator for 22 years. She holds a bachelor's degree in early childhood education from Oklahoma State University and a master's degree in…
A&M-Commerce Alum Named Principal in Katy ISD
Shannon Smith was recently named principal of Shafer Elementary in Katy Independent School District. Smith received her bachelor's degree from Texas Tech University and her master's degree from A&M-Commerce.…
First Graduates of A&M-Commerce Electrical Engineering Program Announced
A&M-Commerce alums Charlie Didear and Craig Anderson made history this month as the university's first two electrical engineering graduates.
Dr. Andrea Graham, head of the Department of Engineering and Technology, and faculty member Patrick Carter recently presented them with commemorative…
ETSU Alum Publishes Article in Shared Governance in Higher Education
Dr. Cliff L. Wood, president emeritus of Rockland Community College in Suffern, New York, recently published an essay in the journal Shared Governance in Higher Education, a publication by The State University of New York Press.
The article, “Shared Governance:…
A&M-Commerce Alumnus Leads Texas’ Emergency Response to COVID-19
Distinguished Texas A&M University-Commerce alumnus Chief W. Nim Kidd is a leader in Texas' response to COVID-19. As chief of the Texas Division of Emergency Management (TDEM), Kidd serves as one of Governor Greg Abbott's closest advisors in the fight…
Former Lion Football Student-Athlete Endows Scholarship
Texas A&M University-Commerce and Lion Athletics are proud to announce the establishment of a new endowed scholarship supporting Lion student-athletes.
The scholarship was endowed with a leadership gift to the A&M-Commerce Foundation. This endowed scholarship will benefit student-athletes in good…