Here, you'll be able to trace the impact of this young University and learn about the students, faculty, staff, alumni and community that have made the University's mission real. It's a story 50 years in the making that continues today. Visit regularly as new additions to our story are incorporated.
The 45-member Texas A&M International University Band makes its Laredo debut at the opening of the Laredo Philharmonic Orchestra symphonic concert at the Laredo Civic Center.
Dr. Todd T. Russell, TAMIU associate professor of psychology is selected as the "Scholar of the Year" for the University's College of Arts and Humanities.
Citing a desire to help nursing students at TAMIU secure their Bachelor’s degrees, The Canseco Foundation recently announced a scholarship endowment of $25,000 to the Dr. F. M. Canseco School of Nursing. Patti Canseco Bruce, president of the Canseco Foundation, said the gift would further underscore the family's support of the University. "Our family is honored to have helped to assure the construction of Dr. F. M. Canseco Hall through a gift in our father's memory, and now would like to further assist students who have chosen careers in nursing here. Their education will help to address this community's pressing need for nursing expertise and service in advanced critical care and trauma services," she explained.
Spring enrollment at Texas A&M International University grows 6.3% to 2,798, up from 2,630 the previous Spring.
TAMIU students, staff, and faculty form a first Intramural Basketball League featuring men’s, women's and co-ed divisions.
The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board gives unanimous approval to the addition of two new degrees at TAMIU: a Bachelor of arts degree in communication and a Master's degree in Spanish.
Outstanding TAMIU student organizations were recognized during the University Life Awards ceremony and reception held in the University's Great Room. Dr. Stephen Brown, dean of Student Affairs, gave welcoming remarks. Opening and closing remarks were by David VerMilyea, director of Student Development. Emcees were Gabriela Mendoza, associate director of Student Development, and Arturo Sanchez III, president of the Student Government Association.
The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board provides approval for the addition of a new Biology degree to the degree inventory, bringing the University's undergraduate degree inventory to 25 and 22 graduate degrees.
The Texas Board of Nurse Examiners (TBNE) provided its unanimous approval for a new Bachelor of Science in Nursing at TAMIU. Addressing a busload of community leaders, nursing professionals, students and others, TBNE president Kenneth Lowrance said he was impressed with the outstanding need assessment done by TAMIU and the emotional outpouring of community support. "We are astounded by the support of your community and commend you highly. Personally, this has been one of the highlights of my Board experience and my life. Many unmet healthcare needs will now be met," Lowrance said.
Surrounded by family and friends, 182 candidates for undergraduate and graduate degrees were honored at Spring Commencement Exercises at the TAMIU Kinesiology-Convocation Building. Keynote speaker was Anne Armstrong, member of The Texas A&M University System Board of Regents and former Cabinet advisor to Presidents Ford and Nixon.
Dr. Todd Russell, TAMIU associate professor of psychology is named University Scholar of the Year.
Dr. Khosrow Fatemi, long-time Dean of the TAMIU College of Business Administration, is selected as Dean of the Imperial Valley Campus of San Diego State University in Calexico, CA. Dr. Fatemi had been part of the TAMIU faculty since 1982.
The University’s College of Arts and Humanities Dean, Dr. Jerry Thompson announces the addition of 11 new faculty members to the College.
TAMIU students Carol Gomez, Leo Lozano, Mario Peña, and Tyffany Silva develop a computer program which will give TAMIU employees access to the University's computer work order system from virtually any computer in the world via the Internet. They did so as part of a course taught by Dr. Sridhar Nerur, TAMIU assistant professor of Information Systems.
TAMIU’s High Twisters Dance Team earned numerous ribbons and a trophy for their hard work and dedication at a San Marcos Dance Camp. TAMIU students competed with dance teams from across the State.
165 candidates for undergraduate and graduate degrees were honored at Summer Commencement Exercises at TAMIU’s Kinesiology-Convocation Building. Keynote speaker was Dr. Joaquin Cigarroa, member of the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board and local physician.
The Fall at TAMIU brings new degrees including a Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing, and a Bachelor’s of Science in Sports Fitness. Others additions this year have included biology, communications, and chemistry. New graduate degrees include political science, international logistics and Spanish. The number of undergraduate degrees has grown to 26 and graduate degrees to 22.
The goal of TAMIU’s first Annual Fund is financial support for student scholarships, faculty research and development and academic programs. Known as “Worlds of Opportunity: The Annual Fund for Texas A&M International University," the effort targets assistance from the University's more than 6,500 alumni, friends and the community at large.
Two TAMIU faculty members are named new co-coordinators of a new Women's and Gender Studies Minor Program. Dr. Kathleen R. Pletsch de García, assistant professor of English and Spanish, and Dr. Carol Waters, assistant professor of Political Science, lead the effort.
TAMIU initiates its first collaborative Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction with Texas A&M University.
History is made with the largest TAMIU Fall enrollment in its 30-year history with 3006 students. University president Charles Jennett was joined by State Senator Judith Zaffirini and State Representative Henry Cuellar for the historic announcement of a 6% increase in the University's Great Room. Jennett also introduced Cigarroa High School science teacher Esther Buckley, a University alumnus and current student, the University's 3000th student to enroll.
Dr. Jim Giermanski, TAMIU Professor Management, becomes the first TAMIU faculty member to be named one of seven State-wide recipients of The Texas A&M University System Board of Regents' 1997-1998 Regents Professor Service Awards.
TAMIU students, faculty, and staff gather for a Thanksgiving Celebration as the University's Student Government Association (SGA) hosts its third annual "Thanksgiving Feast" in the Great Room.
State Representative Henry Cuellar’s (MBA ’82) earning of a doctoral degree is celebrated in a community reception hosted by TAMIU in the Sue and Radcliffe Killam Library Great Room. Dr. Cuellar earned a Doctorate of Philosophy in Government at The University of Texas at Austin. Community leaders, colleagues and friends also surprised him with the announcement of an endowed scholarship in his name, the Dr. Henry Cuellar Endowed Scholarship in Political Science.
The first three members of TAMIU’s freshman class: Steven Moncivais, Maria Esther Gomez and Gladys Martinez graduate from TAMIU. Sue and Radcliffe Killam receive the University’s first honorary doctorates.
TAMIU launches a new community outreach initiative aimed at bringing the University’s message and mission home to Laredo’s neighborhoods at various recreation and community centers.
The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board approves construction of the University’s Center for the Study of Western Hemispheric Trade and authorized the addition of a Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science. It also provided approval for access and parking infrastructure and planning authority for new undergraduate degrees in fine/studio arts, dance and music. Graduate degrees approved for planning included Nursing, Biology, Psychology and Public Administration.
TAMIU hosts its first-ever city-wide Financial Aid Fair, “We’ll Show You the Money” to help community and area students and parents navigate the process of securing financial aid.
Spring ’99 enrollment climbs 6% to 2,950, up from the previous Spring enrollment of 2,794.
Dr. John Kohl is appointed new Dean of the College of Business Administration after a nationwide search.
A commissioned portrait of Sue and Radcliffe Killam that captures the partnership that brought TAMIU home is unveiled in the Library that bears their name. Mr. Killam shared his thoughts on the special honor.
Dr. Juan Homero Hinjosa is appointed Dean of the University’s College of Science and Technology.
Dr. Xiaoming Zhang, Professor of History, is named University Scholar of the Year.
“A&M International Campus Partners,” a group launched to strengthen community partnerships that advance the University’s mission, is headed by community leaders Nancy and Randy Blair.
The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) approved a Master’s in Public Administration for TAMIU, the University’s 23rd graduate degree.
Former Lt. Gov. Bob Bullock, longtime University partner and namesake of Bob Bullock Hall, dies in Austin at age 69.
A collection of historical photographs of Guerrero Viejo, Mexico is donated to TAMIU by Dr. Raul and Mrs. Anne Vela and coordinated by Dr. Carlos Cuellar, assistant professor of History.
New Texas A&M University System Chancellor Dr. Howard Graves is Keynote Speaker at Summer Commencement Exercises.
Arturo Sánchez III (’99) becomes the first TAMIU grad to be admitted to graduate studies at the George Bush School of Government at Texas A&M University.
The THECB approves TAMIU’s addition of a Bachelor’s of Social Work to the undergraduate degree inventory.
161 TAMIU students receive over $81,000 in scholarships from the D. D. Hachar Charitable Trust Fund.
Albuquerque, New Mexico Mayor Jim Baca is the featured speaker for the 1999-2000 A. R. Sanchez, Sr. Distinguished Lecturer Series.
The University’s largest Fall Enrollment to date is 3,200 students, up 7.3% over the previous record Fall enrollment of 3001 students.
The Laredo Manufacturers Association presents a $10,000 student scholarship gift. The LMA had previously provided a $100,000 gift in 1996.
Gilbert Cardenas is the first student recipient of the Dr. Henry Cuellar Endowed Scholarship in Political Science.
The D. D. Hachar Honors Program at TAMIU is established and begins Fall of 2000 with 25 students and projected to grow to 100 students by Fall 2004.
Groundbreaking ceremonies, “Making Our Blueprints a Reality,” for Phase III of the campus mark the latest chapter in the University’s growth and will represent a $49.5 million expansion that will see campus facilities grow an additional 60%. It will include the Student Development Center, the Center for the Study of Western Hemispheric Trade and the Center for the Fine and Performing Arts.
The University ushers in the holidays with the Third Annual presentation of “Las Posadas” with performances by the Ballet Folklorico, Ballet Folklorico Juvenil and the University’s Mariachi Band.
The University launches “Prism,” a University Magazine designed to provide alumni an opportunity to reconnect, and its service community at large to learn about the development, growth and impact of Texas’ newest and fastest-growing University. Taking an “Annual Report” approach in its first edition, the Magazine shared the past year of accomplishments.
Dr. Eduardo Hinojosa, a longtime faculty member who served the University for 29 years and was an educator since 1959, is celebrated at a retirement reception. Alongside former professor Dr. Don Critchlow, he directed the University’s Reading Clinic, helping hundreds of young Laredoans to read or become better readers and trained teacher candidates for the challenges of their own classrooms.
Spring 2000 graduates of the University number 189 and join the ranks of 8,200 alumni around the world.
The University’s new Office for International Programs delivers on the University’s international name, coordinating Study Abroad experiences for TAMIU students and faculty members. The Office coordinates study agreements with 20+ higher education institutions around the world and serves as a contact point for the University’s growing number of international students.
Phase III construction can be monitored on the World Wide Web with a point and click to the University’s web page. A fixed camera doc, “Eye on A&M International,” documents the construction every 60 seconds.
The University begins its 30th Anniversary Celebration, “Dreams to Reality,” a year-long observation of milestones, including a Gala with the Laredo Philharmonic Orchestra, an historical exhibit at the Laredo Center for the Arts, a Dusty Fun Run, the A. R. Sanchez, Sr. Distinguished Lecture Series and a closing community barbeque. 30th Anniversary Committee Co-Chairs are sisters Dody and Susan Foster, ’74 alumni.
The University enthusiastically adopts the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board’s “Closing the Gaps by 2015” Plan, which targets the closing deficits in student participation, student success, and excellence in research. The Plan provides strategies to meet goals and an annual performance measuring system.
Erika Tenille Tijerina becomes the first student admitted in the University’s new four-year Honors Program, the D. D. Hachar Honors Program.
Hispanic Outlook in Higher Education ranks TAMIU in its Top 100 at 46th in the nation for its granting of Bachelor’s degrees and 35th in the nation for awarding of Masters degrees.
The University hosts its Dusty Fun Run and Walk on campus with a 5K Run, 10K Run and non-competitive 2-mile Fun Walk.
The $200,000 Endowed Maverick County Student Scholarship Fund is provided by Brian E. and Sandra O’Brien and A. R. Sanchez, Jr.
Dr. Charles Jennett, the University’s fourth president, announces his intent to retire, Aug. 31.
The Dr. F. M. Canseco School of Nursing holds its historic first pinning ceremony for graduating RN nurses. Clair Jordan, executive director of the Texas Nurses Association, congratulates them.
Dr. J. Charles Jennett packs up his trademark TAMIU cowboy boots and bids the University adieu after 35+ years of service to higher education, five of them at TAMIU. His leadership saw the University move from two to four-year status, the addition of 17 new degree programs (to 54 degrees possible), and enrollment grow over 13.6%. Private philanthropy raised $12.5 million and sponsored research increased 600% to over $ 7.6 million. In leaving, he praised the partnerships forged with the University’s legislative team of Senator Judith Zaffirini, and State Representatives Tracy King and Richard Raymond and former Representative Henry Cuellar, and the tremendous support provided by the University’s committed faculty. Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Dr. Ray Keck becomes TAMIU’s fifth president Sept. 1, 2001 and will serve as president through 2016.
The Guerrero Viejo Archives Preservation Project, preserving some 250 years of records, gets a home in the Sue and Radcliffe Killam Library. It is the result of painstaking research by TAMIU assist professor of History, Dr. Carlos E. Cuellar (’90).
Martha C. Miller-Pradeau of Seal Beach, Calif., announces the Guillermo Miller Endowed Chair in Chemistry at TAMIU. Her planned gift honors her late husband, Dr. Alberto Francisco Pradeau, originally of Guaymas, Sonora, Mexico. The couple had extended family in Laredo -- many also educators including Laredo State University alum Ruth Miller Mayers (’82).
220 candidates for graduation take to the stage for Fall Commencement Exercises at the Kinesiology-Convocation Building.
The University’s first president, Dr. Billy F. Cowart, returns to TAMIU, joining 2002 graduates for the dedication of Dr. Billy F. Cowart Hall. President Ray Keck said “this is the most fitting way of recognizing Dr. Cowart’s service to this University and his part in guiding the University to the successes we see today.” Cowart’s legendary 15-year tenure started with planning the University’s future from a study carrel in the Yeary Library on the former Laredo Junior College campus.
An on-campus Child Development Center is made possible with a four-year US Dept. of Education grant. It provides TAMIU students with children campus-based childcare services. College of Education chair of the Department of Special Populations Dr. Linda Medearis directs the pilot initiative.
TAMIU students are welcomed to a new $17 million “living room” of their own…the new Student Center. The near 100,000 square foot facility houses food, career and student services, a bookstore, theatre, a ballroom and more.
The University plans a phased-in athletics program offer that will include Men’s and Women’s Soccer and Women’s Volleyball. It will be a member of the National Association for Intercollegiate Athletics and participate in the Red River Athletics Conference. Athletics Director is Steve Garippa.
The University reaches its highest enrollment in its 33-year history: 3,726 students, a 10.5% growth in headcount and a 13% increase in semester credit hours. Since the Fall of 2000, the University has grown a phenomenal 22.6%.
TAMIU selects Dr. Dan Jones of Houston as its new Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs after a national search and 50 candidates. He comes to TAMIU after serving as Dean of University College at the University of Houston-Downtown.
The University launches a multiprong promotional campaign focused on recruiting new students to Texas’ newest University from an expanded recruitment zone including San Antonio, the Rio Grande Valley and points in-between. Its core element asks “What Do You Want Out of Life?” and includes a radio and TV, jingle produced jointly with a Dallas agency, The Axcess Group, Maverick Video and San Antonio’s KSAT-TV. It includes extensive TV spots, billboards and print ads.
Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlán performs in a benefit concert for TAMIU student scholarships attended by over 6000 fans. The fundraising event generates $40,000 in additional scholarship funds.
Groundbreaking for the University’s Phase IV is presided over by Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst. Phase IV will include a Science building housing 30 labs, a lecture hall and offices for faculty and administration. It will also be highlighted by a glass pyramid housing a Planetarium. Phase V, also funded in the 78th Legislative Session, will include a support services facility, completion of utility service and infrastructure loop improvements and athletics facilities enhancements.
Ground is broken for the new 424-bed student residential community on campus.
The opening of the TAMIU Center for the Fine and Performing Arts fulfills the promise of a campus home for the arts at TAMIU. The $22 million facility draws rave reviews and includes the Sharkey Corrigan Pipe Organ anchoring the Recital Hall, a Gallery, art and music studios and rehearsal rooms, an experimental, intimate theatre and a full-sized theatre. A full-throttle faculty expansion accompanies the Center’s opening.
Janet Eager Krueger, associate professor of Art, is selected as the University’s 2002-2003 Scholar of the Year. She notes, “I view it as a reflection of the good job done by both the administration and the faculty in recognizing the arts as an integral part of the University.”
Readers of the University’s Magazine, Prism, learn that Phases IV and V are on the horizon for TAMIU despite the State’s cautious economic outlook and budgetary reductions. President Keck, noting that delay of construction would have delayed campus completion, said “To have delayed our campus’ completion this Session would have had dire ramifications for our University and we are glad that the Legislature shares in our vision for a first-class regional University of choice here,” Keck said.
TAMIU students can hit the high notes with the approval of three music degree offerings by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. The new degrees boost the University’s degree inventory to 55.
Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, Dr. Dan Jones, announces that the University’s first Ph.D. in International Business is up for final consideration at the October meeting of the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. After approval, courses will begin offer in Fall 2004. The University is also moving forward with collaborative Ph.D. degrees in Hispanic Studies and Curriculum with A&M System sister campuses.
Brothers and proud Texas A&M University graduates Peter (’53) and Carlos (’55) Arguindegui, owners of Laredo’s Arguindegui Oil Company, fund the Arguindegui Oil Company Endowed Scholarship and support the Jim Parrish Memorial Scholarship and the scholarship fundraising Dusty Golf Tournament.
The campus’ Lamar Bruni Vergara Memorial Garden becomes a destination for both classes and contemplative walks on campus. While it borrows from the classic English tradition of a symmetrical garden room boxed with edges defining an interior garden, the “rooms” are populated with plants native to the area that flourish in an often harsh environment…and aren’t tasty to the campus’ native white tail deer population.
As part of the University’s 2003-2004 A. R. Sanchez Sr. Distinguished Lecture Series, former Gov. Ann Richards offers her lecture, “Texas Politics in the 21st Century” to a packed room.
Defying a national trend of slowing growth in international students attending US colleges and universities post-2001 terrorist attacks, TAMIU sees a 17 percent increase in international students to a total of 226 students on campus.
TAMIU student Miriam Arellano’s original artwork, “Sunset Over TAMIU,” based on a linoleum cut, becomes the University’s holiday card sent to University friends and partners worldwide. Arellano is a Math major minoring in Art.
The Lamar Bruni Vergara Science Center, under construction, will also include a glass pyramid housing a Planetarium that will honor the late Lamar Bruni Vergara. The Trustees of the Lamar Bruni Vergara Trust have long shared their legacy of giving with the University, funding construction, programs and student scholarships.
Grants awarded in 2002-2003 to the University to fund programs, research or services total over $5.4 million.
A new BA in Arts degree, approved by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board at its December meeting, provides students a two track opportunity to study Art at TAMIU. Students can major in Art or major in Art with All-Level Certification to teach Art.
Less than two years since its inception, TAMIU Athletics is competing at a high level in the Red River Athletic Conference and the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics with nine sports.
Dr. Tom Corti, vice president of Student Affairs, predicts that the availability the following fall of additional on-campus student housing will triple TAMIU's on-campus population from 237 to 678 students.
For the first time, The Texas A&M University System’s Chancellor’s Century Council Meeting is held in Laredo at TAMIU. The philanthropic group meets annually and helps drive support for the A&M System and initiatives by the Chancellor.
Dr. Michael Patrick, director of the University’s Teas Center for Border Economic and Enterprise Development, produces an impressive summary of the economic impact of TAMIU on the Laredo-Webb County Area. Dr. Patrick demonstrates that the campus provides 1,271 jobs, generates wages and salaries of $42.7 million and helps drive Laredo/Webb County area sales of $62.9 million.
In evidence of the changing pace and teaching delivery of classroom education, some 2,700 TAMIU students are enrolled in at least one class that was supported by some form of educational technology. In Spring 2005, the University plans to offer its first degree conducted entirely online…a Masters in Criminal Justice.
TAMIU exceeds the State’s target enrollments every year since the “Closing the Gaps” plan started in 2000. Minita Ramirez (’83), executive director of Enrollment Services, credits public awareness about the importance and benefits of higher education, strong and early outreach to students and regular opportunities to engage with the community in initiatives that can drive enrollment.
The University launches a fourth collaborative Ph.D. with Texas A&M University as lead partner. The new degree is in English.
State Senator Judith Zaffirini is presented with a special recognition by TAMIU students at their Ninth Annual University Life Awards Ceremony. Student Government Association president Carlos Ramos, remarks “throughout her nearly 18 years in the Legislature, she has authored and passed the majority of legislation that has helped TAMIU. She has been able to secure $324 million for TAMIU.”
The University’s wireless network expands to the Student Center from the Sue and Radcliffe Killam Library. The University also converts to an online registration system, LASSO.
Twenty freshmen students become the first members of an elite group known as the Sanchez Scholars, benefitting from a $400,000 scholarship gift from The Sanchez Family Foundation. The students each receive an Antonio and María G. Sanchez Family Scholarship providing books, fees and tuition for their four-year degree completion.
TAMIU now offers 58 undergraduate, graduate or doctoral degrees…and 16 of the new degrees have been offered in the last five years.
Zapata banker and philanthropist Renato Ramírez pledges a gift of $1 million in support of student scholarships, establishing Renato and Patricia Ramírez Scholars. The Texas A&M (’61) graduate said he wanted to help “new generations of students whose lives will be bettered by attending TAMIU.”
The University’s Texas Center for Border Economics and Enterprise Development leads a survey conducted by TAMIU students, Laredo Speaks/Habla Laredo: A Community Survey. The survey coincides with the City’s 250th Anniversary.
A new Master’s of Science in Nursing is approved by the State Board of Nurse Examiners for TAMIU’s Dr. M. Canseco School of Nursing. The University’s degree count is now 75.
The University replaces old-style University ID cards with the TAMIU OneCard, which targets convenience, excellent record-tracking and the ability to have a pre-paid, stored value account that holds “Dusty Dollars.”
The 424-bed Residential Learning Community welcomes its first undergraduate residents on campus. The University’s approach positions the RLC as an extension of the learning continuum, part of a dynamic environment for living and learning.
Lola Orellano-Pérez, TAMIU’s first student to earn a Master of Arts in Spanish from TAMIU, joins Lisa Flores, director of the Office of Student Activities and Conchita Hickey, executive director of the Office of TAMIU’s Programs for Academic Support and Enrichment, are part of an exclusive group. They are part of the first cohort in TAMIU’s collaborative offering of a Ph.D. in Hispanic Studies, also the first in Texas.
TAMIU shows there’s a new, redesigned way to go home…with a new University homepage. Offering an open and browser friendly design with a revised navigation system, search, calendar, news, digital postcards and integrated marketing theme, the new homepage is “home” to 28,000 plus pages. Since 2002, it’s been visited 72 million times by people from all around the world…and just around the corner.
The Ninth Annual Dusty Fun Run benefiting student scholarships is chaired by Dr. George Garcia. First Place winners are Kibet Cherot of Kenya for Men and Liza Hunter from New Zealand for Women. 2003-2004 Alumni Association officers are President Mariangela Z. Holliday (’73); Vice President Imelda Navarro (’81), Secretary Bertha Barrientos (’98) and Treasurer Mario Mejia, (’92).
Six percent of TAMIU’s student-athletes are international, coming to the campus from countries including the Bahamas, England, Ireland, Kenya and more. Virtually each of the University’s nine athletic teams include an international student.
TAMIU alum Dr. Henry Cuellar (MBA, ’82) is now Congressman Henry Cuellar and represents the 28th Congressional District. First order of business? Meeting with higher education leaders at TAMIU to discuss the impact of proposed federal higher education cuts to local education.
The Dr. F. M. Canseco School of Nursing celebrated its 10th Anniversary, growing from 32 RN/BSN students to 253 RN and MSN students. The MSN program, launched in the Fall, has admitted 19 students.
A smiling TAMIU graduate giving a thumbs up is featured on the University’s full-wrap bus marketing campaign zipping around town. She’s 2000 BBA in Marketing graduate, Claudia Flores-Aguirre. “I’m really proud to represent the University. It changed my life and I’m glad to encourage others to do the same!,” she says.
TAMIU announces its Regents II initiative a collaborative effort geared to produce more teachers with 16 schools from Laredo ISD, United ISD, and Mirando City, Zapata ISDs. The $2.3 million project is completely funded by the Texas Education Agency.
The Lamar Bruni Vergara Planetarium opens its doors, bringing the heavens closer to TAMIU. Featuring an 81-seat immersion dome viewing experience, the Planetarium provides a unique destination experience for students and visitors. The Planetarium is part of the Lamar Bruni Vergara Science Center. It’s 77,920 gross square feet in size and features 30 labs, all the better to accommodate the University’s 225 students who are declaring a major in Biology.
TAMIU employees led the 38 state agencies in charitable giving to the Annual State Employee Charitable Campaign. TAMU associate vice president for administration Elizabeth Martinez summed up the University’s commitment: “We live here. We give here.”
The University enters its landmark 35th Anniversary year with a keen eye to the future by revising its Master Plan to “help the University grow gracefully in its place, serving its region and beyond, for many generations to come,” write Plan authors, Ford, Powell and Carson, Architects and Planners. The University’s next construction project is improvement and additions to its Kinesiology facilities.
Two of the nation’s most prolific Spanish Literature scholars, Dr. Willard F. King and Dr. Edmund L. King, respectively of Bryn Mawr College and Princeton University, donate their literary collection of some 5000+ books to the University’s Sue and Radcliffe Killam Library. The Kings are longtime friends with TAMIU President Dr. Ray Keck, a former Princeton University student.
Writing in the 35th Anniversary-focused edition of Prism Magazine, State Senator Judith Zaffirini shares her thoughts on the University’s 35 years to date and what she hopes the future will bring. The Fall edition also includes a bound in 2004-2005 Annual Report with each College or School’s accomplishments featured. It closes with the University’s Strategic Plan 2005-2010 University Goals.
Thousands join the TAMIU Alumni Association for the first AutMus Fest, a scholarship fundraiser and outdoor concert featuring two stages, arts and crafts food and beverages and performances by Plastilina Mosh and Grupo Fantasma and 10 other bands. AutMus Fest officially kicks off the University’s 35th Anniversary Celebration Year.
Alumni outreach meetings are held with alums in New York, South Carolina, Dallas, and even Cotulla. The University’s alumni are worldwide and growing.
The Lamar Bruni Vergara Planetarium announces a new slate of shows at the Planetarium for all ages and interests. Topics explores in the six new shows include a look at Earth in the future, the human body within, performances from the Rock Hall of Fame, the fury of hurricanes and two special holiday feature films. The Planetarium has become a popular destination for children and families.
Athletics Director Dr. Steven Garippa announces that TAMIU will sponsor baseball as a varsity sport beginning with the 2006-2007 academic year and a search for head coach is underway.
The Commission on Colleges Southern Association of Colleges and Schools notifies TAMIU of its successful reaffirmation of accreditation. The University’s bid for reaffirmation takes place every 10 years.
Elizabeth Newman Martínez, TAMIU associate vice president for administration, is featured in the January edition of Business Officer, the magazine of the National Association of Colleges and University Business Officers. A life member of the TAMIU Alumni Association, she served as its president in 1991.
TAMIU’s Office of Public Relations, Marketing and Information Services inaugurates its offering of the University’s podcast, iTAMIU. The weekly podcast offers a convenient way to follow TAMIU news and information from smartphone or desktop.
Broadway and TV actor Charles Holt performs his one-man show, “Black Boy,” at the Center for the Fine and Performing Arts Recital Hall as part of the University’s observation of Black History Month.
The United States Air Force Band’s Ceremonial Brass Quintet performs and offers Master Classes at TAMIU’ Center for the Fine and Performing Arts. Dr. Frank Grzych, chair of TAMIU’s department of fine and performing arts, said he remembered the Quintet’s Norway-Sweden performances because he served as the group's conductor during that time and traveled with them. Dr. Grzych was the associate conductor of the United States Air Force Band in Washington, D.C., for 10 years.
As part of its observance of Financial Aid Awareness Month, the University hosts a City-wide Financial Aid Fair. In 2005, TAMIU awarded over $20 million in financial aid, including grants, work-study jobs and college loans.
Official enrollment figures reported to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board for the Spring Semester 2006 at Texas A&M international University show a 4.23% increase in enrollment and a 7.77% increase in semester credit hours (SCH). Total combined undergraduate and graduate enrollment is 4,380, up from last Spring's 4,202. SCH is 43,985, up from last Spring's 40,810.
The 2006 A.R. Sánchez Sr. Distinguished Lecture Series presented by Texas A&M International University’s College of Arts and Sciences features writer Cecilia Balli. Her lecture title is “Nuevo Laredo and Juárez Women’s Murders.”
Three Texas A&M International University freshmen travel to Weber State University’s 20th Annual National Undergraduate Literature Conference in Ogden, Utah. Essays by Carina González, Cristina J. Hernández and Óscar Widales were “among the finest that were submitted from every state in the nation” and qualified them to attend.
One of the nation’s top thinkers on immigration reform who has also served as the first US-born member of Mexico President Fox’ cabinet, lectures at TAMIU. Dr. Juan Hernández, founder of the Center of US-Mexico Studies at The University of Texas at Dallas, lectures on Immigration Reform and his book, The New American Pioneers: Why Are We Afraid of Mexican Immigrants? (Pneuma Life Publishing).
In a historic move from an old friend and new Laredo corporate citizen, Laredo National Bank-BBVA Group presented TAMIU with an Endowed Professorship in International Finance for the College of Business Administration through a $1 million. Dr. Ray Keck, TAMIU president, said the gift accelerates the College’s reputation as a business school of choice.
The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board has approved the addition of a new degree to Texas A&M International University’s graduate inventory. Beginning Sept. 1, 2006, TAMIU will be able to offer a Master of Science degree with a major in Mathematics. This boosts TAMIU’s degree inventory of undergraduate, graduate or doctoral degrees to 79.
For the first time, online registration for Summer and Fall 2006 is available.
The Texas A&M International University Lamar Bruni Vergara Planetarium celebrates its one-year anniversary. Since opening, about 35,000 people have visited the Planetarium.
The Texas A&M International University Students In Free Enterprise (SIFE) Team competed last week at the Dallas, Texas SIFE USA Regional Competition, and won first runner-up honors and the regional competition in the Individual Topic Competition in the Success Skills category.
A federal grant of $942,400 secured by Congressman Henry Bonilla, enables Dr. Billy F. Cowart Hall and Dr. F.M. Canseco Hall to be renovated, making it possible for many student services to be clustered together and other academic programs to be expanded.
Texas A&M International University visiting assistant professor of communication Marcela Moran is a winner. Her film, “Casa del Migrante,” receives the “Best Documentary” Award at the New York City Downtown Short Film Festival. It includes first-hand accounts of the migrants' plights as they travel to the US-México border and was shot entirely in Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas, México.
Texas A&M International University employees walked a total of 7,934.5 miles as part of their participation in the six-week Walk Across Texas program. The University’s physical plant team racked up the most mileage of 15 teams with 682.32 miles.
Combined federal funding awards of $331,126 in support of Texas A&M International University student and faculty development initiatives are announced by Congressman Henry Cuéllar (’82) in ceremonies in the University's Student Center. Title VI grants from the US Department of Education are two years in duration.
Some 440-plus candidates for graduation at Texas A&M International University receive undergraduate or graduate degrees at outdoor Spring Commencement Exercises on the interior campus green in front of the Sue and Radcliffe Killam Library.
Renewing library materials and creating holds and recalls online becomes more convenient for TAMIU’s Sue and Radcliffe Killam Library patrons using the Rio Online Catalog. “Patrons can now go online to renew materials, place holds or recall an item,” explained Matthew W. Loving, reference/access services librarian.
The 12 newest members of Texas A&M International University's select Sames Scholars Program were introduced at a recent reception at the University's Student Center. The college-bound mentorship program pairs high school students with University faculty mentors throughout their high school experience, it offers students completing the program a four-year scholarship to TAMIU that includes tuition, books and fees. This is the fifth class selected.
TAMIU is ranked in Hispanic Outlook in Higher Education Magazine’s Top 50 of educational institutions awarding bachelor’s and master’s degrees to Hispanic students. TAMIU ranked 32nd on the list of national universities awarding bachelor’s degrees. Of institutions awarding master’s degrees, TAMIU was 47th.
Texas A&M International University students have an opportunity to study abroad thanks to a generous $150,000 gift from the Guadalupe and Lilia Martinez Foundation. Shirley Gonzalez, Foundation Board member, explained the gift of the late Guadalupe Martinez would offer Webb and Zapata County residents attending TAMIU a remarkable opportunity to see and study the world and bring back their learnings for the benefit of the local communities.”
The CEOs of Laredo’s four hospitals announce a combined Gift to TAMIU to University’s Dr. F. M. Canseco School of Nursing. The $93,000 commitment comes from Doctors Hospital of Laredo, Laredo Medical Center, Laredo Specialty Hospital and Providence Surgical and Medical Hospital. It provides faculty salary support and will help the Canseco School of Nursing increase the number of nurses in the community, said School of Nursing director Dr. Susan Walker.
Two TAMIU faculty members will represent Laredo and TAMIU abroad in July as they delight audiences in Honduras and Taiwan with their performances and enlighten students with their knowledge. Susan Berdahl, associate professor of music, will direct the Third International Flute Festival for Central Americans in Tegucigalpa, Honduras. Dr. Yu-Mei Huang, assistant professor of music will perform in Taipei, Taiwan and teach a master class in violin.
Dr. Ray M. Keck III, TAMIU president, and Dr. Rumaldo Z. Juárez, president of Texas A&M University-Kingsville sign an intrasystem cooperative agreement regarding communication sciences and disorders programs. The two universities will work together to strengthen their programs to enhance the inclusion of both faculty and students in education and research.
In anticipation of the inaugural recital of the Sharkey Corrigan Pipe Organ, a micro website is launched that features a special time-lapse construction video of the Organ and also provides intriguing insight about the Organ, donor E. H. Corrigan, and the debut recital scheduled July 23, 2006.
Texas Governor Rick Perry brought a remarkable gift to Texas A&M International University. Gov. Perry held a ceremonial signing of House Bill 153, which will provide $1.9 billion in Tuition Revenue Bond funding to 48 universities and colleges statewide. TAMIU will receive $37.5 million. Perry lauded the University’s growth and leadership, noting that TAMIU’s enrollment growth last year was five times higher than the State average.
TAMIU researchers note that most incoming inquiries to the University and its programs are Internet-based. Appropriately, the University dedicates resources to a Web Services group that marries efforts from its Office of Public Relations, Marketing and Information Services with its Office of Information Technology. Together, they work to build a robust and relevant Web site to anticipate and respond to visitor needs and build relationships of use and exchange with diverse audiences.
For the past 25 years, the Laredo Philharmonic Chorale (LPC) operated as an independent organization/ With a new collaborative agreement its joins TAMIU as a collaborator and the University is also proving the LPC a new home. México, and with the Laredo Philharmonic Orchestra (LPO). It may now add Texas A&M International University, not only to its list of collaborators, but also as its new permanent home, enhancing the University’s choral program.
TAMIU is again included in U.S. News and World Reports' annual publication “America's Best Colleges.” The publication includes TAMIU in its Western Region, Best Universities-Masters, Third Tier. Best Universities-Masters are institutions like TAMIU that provide a full range of undergraduate and graduate programs and a few doctoral programs. The group includes 537 universities around the country.
The National Institutes for Health funds a program created by Laredo Community College and TAMIU to provide a “baccalaureate bridge” between the two for under-represented minority students to obtain degrees in the biomedical sciences. “PUENTES” (Promoting Undergraduate Education Now Through Experimental Science) receives NIH funding of $413,774 for a three-year program.
A national nursing magazine features a community outreach program by Texas A&M International University’s Dr. F. M. Canseco School of Nursing. NurseWeek, features the Canseco School of Nursing in an article entitled “Opening Doors: Nursing Schools Reach Out to Hispanic Students.” It notes the Canseco School’s summer camp program for Laredo-area high school students that exposes them to the University, the School of Nursing and the nursing profession.
TAMIU 2006 graduate Liz Sandoval knows that one person can make a difference. She credits that one person with helping her to succeed at TAMIU, and in her new career with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in Washington, D.C. That one person is Dr. Carlos E. Cuéllar, director of the University’s D. D. Hachar Honors Program that Sandoval completed as an undergraduate.
Fall 2006 enrollment growth at TAMIU is up a whopping 14.4% over last Fall’s enrollment. Semester Credit Hours upon which state funding is based, is also up an impressive 13.5% over Fall 2005. Fall 2006 enrollment has climbed to 4,917, up from last Fall’s 4,298. Dr. Ray Keck, TAMIU president, said that the increase clearly shows more students are making TAMIU their regional University of choice. He credits strong recruitment and marketing efforts for the increase.
10 bands including Ozomatli of Los Angeles participate in the Second Annual AutMus Fest, a fundraiser that supports student scholarships. The outdoor concert event has proven popular for audiences of all ages.
TAMIU’s College of Business Administration has once again been named an outstanding business school in The Princeton Review’s “Best 282 Business Schools,” 2007 Edition, and was ranked third in the nation for the category: “Greatest Opportunity for Minority Students.” The rank is based on the Review’s surveys of 18,000 students attending the 282 business schools profiled, and on institutional data from the schools.
TAMIU is named the recipient of a $500,000 grant from the National Science Foundation for its “Mathematics and Engineering Best” (ME-Best) Program. The award is from the Scholarships in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (S-STEM) Program.
TAMIU College of Business Administration’s Dr. Ned Kock, associate professor of Information Systems, is identified as one of the top Information Systems (IS) researchers in the world in an article published in the journal Communication of the Association for Information Systems.
A Memorandum of Understanding by TAMIU, the University of Texas at San Antonio, Texas A&M Engineering and the University of Texas at El Paso forms the Texas Homeland Security Group, creating a proactive multi-institutional team to train, educate, respond and deliver products to address important issues in homeland and border security.
The 10th Annual Las Posadas at Texas A&M International University, hosted by the TAMIU Ballet Folklórico continues to preserve the traditional Mexican posada and regional Mexican dances. Target sponsors the event
A group of five TAMIU students participate in the annual Pathways to the Ph.D. Research Symposium Conference hosted by Prairie View A&M University, with one student, Da Huo, receiving first prize. Other TAMIU doctoral students presenting their research at the Conference were Paul Komiak, Prasad Vemala, Michael Imhof, and Vanessa Garza.
TAMIU’s Distinguished Professor of International Business Administration and director of the University’s Ph.D. Program in International Business, Dr. Tagi Sagafi-nejad, presents the United Nations’ World Investment Report 2006 in Mexico City. The report’s findings were offered in the world-wide release of the UN’s annual report on foreign investment presented to the world press.
The Texas State Library and Archives Commission approves TAMIU’s petition to be designated as a Regional Historical Resource Depository. “TAMIU’s Sue and Radcliffe Killam Library will serve as the depository for a six-county region including the counties of Dimmit, La Salle, Maverick, Webb, Zapata and Zavala,” explains Rodney M. Webb, Killam Library director.
One of TAMIU’s most popular graduate programs, the Master of Public Administration, adds an additional track in Health Administration, of great interest to those interested in careers in the booming public health sector.
The TAMIU “Fighting Dustdevil” Marching Band participates in the 24th Annual Candlelight Posada Holiday Lighted Parade, a regional competition in McAllen, TX, and earns a first place award for Creativity and a second place award for Originality for their “Christmas Medley” marching show.
Over 5000 attend TAMIU’s Fall Commencement Exercises for the University’s largest graduating class to date -- 528 candidates for graduation. The Keynote Address is provided by State Senator Stephen E. Ogden. The Distinguished Student Scholar address was by Marisela Cantú Reyes. The first program graduates in the Master of Science in Nursing, Family Nurse Practitioner program, are Manuel Flores, Norma García, Graciela Gonzalez, Rita Haber, Marissa Jimenez, Julio Lujano, Alejandro Madrigal, Barbara Matelski, Claudio Ruiz, Griselda Salas, Sandra Santos, Martha Salinas, Yolanda Seibert and Alfredo Vela.
For 2007, it’s 78 degrees year-round at TAMIU. Students can now select from 78 undergraduate, graduate or doctoral degrees. The University’s growing academic inventory is directed by three colleges: the College of Arts and Sciences, College of Business Administration, College of Education and the Dr. F. M. Canseco School of Nursing.
The second offering in the new Sharkey-Corrigan Organ Recital Series features guest artist Dr. Timothy Albrecht. Dr. Albrecht, Emory University organist, professor of church music in the Chandler School of Theology and professor of music in the department of music, heads the graduate organ department there and spends summers teaching in Vienna and performing in Europe.
Some 3,684 students have registered early for the Spring semester and by doing so, have already tapped into some $4.8 million in federal, state and donor-provided financial aid disbursed.
“The Tejano Project” art exhibit by award-winning photographer Penny De Los Santos opens in the Center for the Fine and Performing Arts Gallery. The Laredo native’s work is a series of photographs on the Texas border, including images of the Martha Washington Celebration Ball debutantes. Her body of work on Latinos developed into a feature story for National Geographic Magazine published in November.
After two successful years, KLRN, in partnership with TAMIU, hold its Third Annual Women’s Health Conference at TAMIU. It is designed to empower women with knowledge to help them make informed choices about their health, family, career, finances, connections and success. Chairperson for the event is Frances Salinas and honorary chairperson is Diane Gates.
Sarah Jenkins, a TAMIU junior, is honored with an award for research she presented at the Annual Biomedical Research Conference for Minority Students in Anaheim, Calif. Jenkins was recognized for her research into efficient methods for blueberry infusion. She is president of the TAMIU Biology Club and has played with the Dustdevils Volleyball team for the past three years.
TAMIU has a downtown presence with the acquiring of Casa Ortiz at 915 Zaragoza through an innovative agreement with Webb County Commissioners Court to provide the fully restored and recognized historical landmark to TAMIU and the Webb County Heritage Foundation for a joint setting for cultural awareness, preservation, economic development, and education.
Official enrollment figures reported to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board show TAMIU Spring enrollment at 4,672…up 6.7%. Semester Credit Hours also grow 5% to 46,171.
TAMIU’s baseball program launches its inaugural season of competition by playing four games over a four-day period, beginning with a three-game series at Tarleton State University over the weekend. It plays its first home game in school history against Schreiner University.
Dr. Jacky So, dean of TAMIU’s College of Business Administration, is named the first Laredo National Bank/BBVA Group Distinguished Professor of International Finance. Dr. Dan Jones, TAMIU provost and vice president for academic affairs, praised Dr. So. “Dr. So is a marvelous combination of administrative acumen and scholarly achievement. His background in international banking and finance adds an invaluable dimension to the College of Business Administration, and his visionary perspectives on business education make him the right business dean at the right time for TAMIU.”
A first-ever student performance of a Mozart opera is offered by the TAMIU Opera Workshop and Combined College Orchestra. They perform The Count's Revenge: An Abridged Version of Mozart's The Marriage of Figaro under the direction of voice instructor and stage director Dana Crabtree.
More than 4000 visitors to campus enjoy “Our Journeys, Our Stories: Portraits of Latino Achievement,” a three month-long exhibition at the TAMIU Student Center that was developed by the Smithsonian Latino Center. The exhibit also included a separate exhibit, TAMIU Portraits of Alumni Achievement featuring University alumni who have impacted the world with their contributions to American life. The Ford Motor Company Fund made the exhibit possible.
A special lecture and ribbon-cutting is held to highlight Latino contributions for the “Latino Literary Greats” lecture featuring Dr. Nicolás Kanellos at the Sue and Radcliffe Killam Library. It is a celebration event of “Our Journeys/Our Stories: Portraits of Latino Achievement” at the TAMIU Student Center. Dr. Kanellos is Brown Foundation Professor Spanish at the University of Houston and founding publisher of the Hispanic literary journal The Americas Review (formally Revista Chicano-Riqueña) and the nation’s oldest Hispanic publishing house, Arte Público Press.
Simplemente Lara, a one-man show starring José Rubén De León, bows at the Center for the Fine and Performing Arts Recital Hall. It depicts the life and music by one of México’s most famous songwriters and composers.
A week-long observation of Latin American Studies at TAMIU is hosted by the Latin American Studies Program, sponsored by the University’s Undergraduate International Studies and Foreign Language DOE Title VI Grant with additional assistance from the Ford Motor Company Fund.
The American Cancer Society hosts its ‘Relay for Life’ at TAMIU with Dr. Ray Keck, TAMIU president and cancer survivor, serving as the event’s honorary chair. “As an educator, I’ve been telling stories of learning all my life. This story is my story. While I want to share it, I don’t want it to be shared as I did. I want to make sure that people take my story to heart and get themselves educated about cancer, test as indicated and follow their doctor’s advice. If even one person hears that story, I’ve taught my greatest lesson,” he noted.
TAMIU hosts its first “La Vie En France French Film Series” weekly throughout May. It is part of the Tournées Festival and made possible with the generous support of the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Centre National de la Cinématographie, the Grand Marnier Foundation, the Florence Gould Foundation and the Franco-American Cultural Fund. Language and literature associate professor, Dr. Annette Olsen-Fazi coordinates the Festival.
Three of the University’s longest serving faculty and administrators leave the University, leaving robust records of accomplishment. Dr. Michael Patrick, Regent Professor of Economics, focused on economic development and research for over 13 years and will move to New Mexico State University. Dr. Jeffrey Cass, Associate Provost and Professor of English, who served TAMIU for over 17 years, will become Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Louisiana-Monroe. Dr. Susan Walker, who led the Dr. F. M. Canseco School of Nursing’s creation and emergence as one of the preeminent programs in the state, retires after 12 years of service.
French native Christine Bernadas completes an historic journey as she crosses the stage at Spring Commencement Exercises at the Kinesiology-Convocation Building. She becomes the first TAMIU student to earn the University’s first Ph.D. in International Business Administration. She also holds an MBA from University Laval, Canada; a Master of Data Processing Methods Applied to Enterprise Management and a B.S. in Mathematics and Physics, both from the University of Aix-Marseille III in Aix-en-Provence, France. She observes, “It’s been a real journey, but I have enjoyed it thoroughly.”
Dr. Stephen E. Lunce, 59, who served on the TAMIU faculty for 11+years, dies in a tragic auto accident in Wichita Falls, TX. His wife, former TAMIU Registrar, Barbara Lunce, and son Stephen of Arlington survive him. Dr. Lunce has been a tireless advocate of TAMIU students, had reenergized the Faculty Senate and helped the School of Business on its path to AACSB accreditation. With students, he had led the development of the University’s first website, tamiu.edu, and was a strong supporter of the Alumni Association’s Golf Tournament and an early (and vocal) fan of the Laredo Bucks Hockey Team.
The College of Education awards the Dr. Billy F. Cowart Award to its alums: José Cross (’03); Ramiro Ramirez (’76); Mayra Peña (’05), Linda E. Mora Zardenetta (’75) and Manuel Enrique Juarez (’98).
Dr. Annette Olsen-Fazi, TAMIU associate professor of English and French, is awarded a Fulbright Scholar grant to lecture/research at the University of Sousse in Tunisia during the 2007-2008 academic year.
Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, Dr. Dan Jones, writes about TAMIU looking within to look out for its future in the summer edition of Prism. He notes the University now has 78 Bachelors, Masters or Doctoral degrees. He observes that the University’s growing pains require the University’s prudent review of its guidelines and criteria to be used in the review of all academic programs. “This will be done to ensure the University is making the wisest possible use of resources to deliver the highest quality education for our students,” he concludes.
The stunning King Collection of Spanish Literature finds a special home in the Sue and Radcliffe Killam Library. The King Room overlooks the University’s Plaza and holds critical elements of the 800-volume Collection bequeathed by the late Bryn Mar and Princeton University Spanish professors Dr. Willard F. King and Dr. Edmund R. King.
Writing in the summer edition of Prism, State Senator Judith Zaffirini reports on her success in securing an 18.4% increase ($14 million) for TAMIU from the Legislature. Of a veto of $5 million for Student Success Programs by Gov. Ricky Perry, she writes that she is “exceedingly disappointed.”
In its inaugural season of competition, Dustdevil Baseball posts an 8 – 7 records against Conference opponents; sees two players earn second team All-Conference Honors: Ryan Flynn and Angel Encinas. Dustdevil Athletics have moved to the NCAA Division II Heartland Conference and are now led by TAMIU Athletics Director Dr. Debbie Snell. To celebrate their move and growth, they ready to launch a dedicated athletics website: GoDustdevils.com.
TAMIU’s Campus Sustainability Initiative, an effort to expand on green practices already in place to render a campus that’s more energy efficient and environmentally sensitive, earns kudos from The Texas A&M University System’s Energy Systems Laboratory Team who note “TAMIU’s Green Campus Initiative is without parallel in the A&M System and serves as an outstanding example for counterparts to follow.” TAMIU President Dr. Ray Keck observes, “By thinking green now, we can live green for generations to come.”
The A. R. Sanchez, Sr. Distinguished Lecture Series celebrates its 10th Anniversary at TAMIU. The four Anniversary lectures celebrate an engaged mind and bring distinguished lecturers to campus including Dr. Martin J. Sherwin, author of Robert Oppenheimer and the Manhattan Project; Dr. Alan Lightman, physicist and author of Einstein in the 21st Century; digital pioneer and engineer Dr. Natalie Jeremijenko on the intersection of art, science and engineering, and Dr. Jerry D. Thompson, TAMIU Regents Professor, on “Defending the Mexican Name in Texas: The Incredible Life of Juan Cortina.”
TAMIU D. D. Hachar Honors Program student Sandra Contreras is the first TAMIU student selected to participate in The Scholar Ship, a remarkable 16-week academic Study Abroad Program that saw some 600 students board the MV Oceanic II in Priaeus, Greece for travel to Portugal, Panama, Ecuador, Tahiti, New Zealand, Australia and China, with travel concluding in Singapore.
A state-of-the-art room equipped with computers and a Bloomberg terminal at TAMIU brings the world’s financial markets to the University and facilitates their study. The Value-Investing Trading Room and Technology Center is renovated thanks to a generous donation from the “Tony” and María J. Sánchez Family Foundation. It is an extension of the University’s Business Technology Center and provides a progressive application of e-learning principles to finance education.
The Sames Scholars celebrates its sixth year of existence. Started by Hank and Elizabeth Sames, the unique mentorship program pairs TAMIU professors as faculty mentors to high school freshmen. The Sames also help with awarding of scholarships to 75 high school seniors as part of the 2007 Ford Salute to Education.
TAMIU makes history by topping 5,000 students for the first time. Fall 2007 enrollment is 5,188, up 5.51% over last Fall’s enrollment of 4,917. Semester Credit Hours grow 6.59% to 52,176 over last Fall’s 48,951. Selma Lopez, a graduate student from Bruni is the University’s 5000th student. She and president Ray Keck cut a celebratory cake bearing “5000” for students and guests.
Congressman Henry Cuéllar (’82), and officials from TAMIU and LCC announce the awarding of a federal grant in the amount of $3.5 million. The Title V grant was awarded to LCC and its partner TAMIU, to improve the academic recruitment and retention of Hispanic students and other low income individuals.
The Second Ford AutMus Fest is held at TAMIU benefitting student scholarships. More than 8,000 attend and $150,000 is raised. 14 Music acts included A Flock of Seagulls, Pocos Pero Locos, Losa Palinos and Girl in a Coma
There is no more darkness for TAMIU Soccer games. Field lights shine bright thanks to an “illuminating” gift from local philanthropists Shashi and Priya Vaswani that scores a real “hit” with audiences. Vaswani Soccer Ventures, parent company of the Laredo HEAT Soccer Team entered into a collaborative agreement with TAMIU to provide the University with much-needed permanent lighting for its soccer game field and practice field through a lease agreement. In turn, the University makes its fields available year-round for practice and game play by the HEAT.
College of Business Administration renamed A. R. Sanchez, Jr. School of Business. The University is the recipient of a $10 million gift from the A. R. “Tony” and Maria J. Sanchez Family Foundation and a $10 million matching challenge grant is issued. In recognition of the magnitude of the gift, the University names the College in Mr. Sanchez’ honor. The gifts will be used to establish an endowment fund for the Sanchez School of Business for its support, programming, activities and improvements. President Ray Keck notes “All young universities like TAMIU dream of such a partner and we are fortunate that they share and affirm our vision of higher education for South Texas.” The first Trust to respond to the Sanchez Family Matching Challenge Grant is the Fernando A. Salinas Charitable Trust that pledges $1 million.
TAMIU’s Fall 2007 Commencement takes place in the Laredo Entertainment Center with 555 candidates for graduation. Commencement guest speaker is Diane Auer Jones, assistant secretary for Postsecondary Education, US Department of Education.