IN THIS EDITION DR. PABLO ARENAZ, PRESIDENT PUBLISHER: ROSANNE PALACIOS EDITOR: STEVE HARMON ART DIRECTOR: ANA P. CLAMONT CLAMONT CONTRIBUTING DESIGN: GEORGINA ZAMUDIO CONTRIBUTING WRITERS: MIKA AKIKUNI STEVE HARMON CHRISTINE ROJAS PETER HUGUENIN PHOTOGRAPHY: ROLANDO SANTOS TAMIU STAFF PHOTOGRAPHERS CONTENT: MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT FROM THE PRESIDENT 3 THOUGHTS ON GIVING 5 UNIVERSITY NEWS 7 UNIVERSITY DONORS 13 UNIVERSITY FACULTY 17 TAMIU STUDENTS 21 UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS 25 UNIVERSITY OUTREACH 27 TAMIU ALUMNI 31 GIVING 35 BY THE NUMBERS 41 2023 ANNUAL REPORT TEAM STAY CONNECTED Visit us Online at tamiu.edu WANT MORE NEWS ABOUT TAMIU? SCAN HERE TO VIEW OUR TAMIU NEWSHUB. go.tamiu.edu/newshub
NEA-FUNDED “THE LIVING MURAL’ NOW AT HOME IN DOWNTOWN LAREDO “The Living Mural” is now a part of downtown Laredo. You might recall that TAMIU art faculty members Josias Figueirido and Emily Bayless were the recipients of a grant for the mural from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA). The colorful mural, created with student research associates, is located on the exterior wall surrounding the Border Heritage Museum, and depicts Laredo’s rich and vibrant culture and history. Watch a special documentary go.tamiu.edu/ pir-livingmural on the mural and its significance. Visit go.tamiu.edu/living-mural-news to learn more about the project and those who brought it to life. 2
MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT The theme for this year’s annual report is “Forging Legacies.” In these pages, you will be introduced to students, alumni, faculty, and donors who have forged or are forging lasting legacies through education, entrepreneurship, and philanthropy. At TAMIU, we change lives – for generations – and that is our legacy! As an example, I was at an event recently and a lady came up to me and told me that she was a Laredo State graduate, her daughter graduated from TAMIU, and her granddaughter was a current student – three generations attending TAMIU. Maybe you were the first in your family to get a post-secondary degree and opened the door for your siblings and cousins to go to college. Maybe you are FORGING LEGACIES IS OUR SHARED LEGACY a single mother who went back to school and inspired your daughter to attend college, or maybe you inspired your mother to go back to school. Maybe you are a grandparent who encouraged your grandson to go to college. We make a difference in the lives of those we love by being role models. AND we all leave a legacy. Let me tell you a little bit more about the legacy TAMIU is forging. Eighty-five percent of our students come from Laredo and Webb County. We consistently have the highest percentage of top 10% high school seniors enrolled among The Texas A&M University System regional universities. We have among the highest persistence rates of all regional universities in Texas. 3
Our six-year graduation rate is the highest among the A&M System regional universities and over 82% of our degrees are awarded to economically disadvantaged individuals. We have been recognized nationally for having one of the lowest student debt levels….and 77% of our graduates are gainfully employed within a year of graduating, well above the Statewide average of 72%. We also continue to be recognized as among the best western regional universities by U.S. News and World Report and are ranked among the top in Texas. Since moving to our northeast Laredo campus in 1995, we have graduated nearly 30,000 students. What has been the impact of all these degrees on Laredo? In 1990, 11% of Laredoans over 25 had a bachelor’s degree; in 2000, that number was 14%, and in 2021, 23%. By doubling the percentage of university graduates, Laredo has become a more educated community. We have been ranked among the Top Ten Universities nationally for both our return on investment and the upward mobility of our graduates. In 2000, 83% of our graduates identified themselves as the first in their families to graduate from college. Today, that number has dropped to 55%. Yes, we have had an impact on increasing the post-secondary educational level of Laredoans and their families and the quality of their lives. This is the shared impact that your legacy, whether as a student, faculty or staff member, or a generous donor of scholarships, has had on Laredo and the region. This is the transformational impact that TAMIU has on this community and beyond: lives changed, opportunities realized, and futures measurably brightened… metamorphosis at every level. By continuing to be affordable, accessible, and exceptional, TAMIU will extend this legacy for generations to come. Your continued investment in TAMIU will ensure that we continue to -- Go Beyond. Dr. Pablo Arenaz TAMIU President ‘BRAIN BAG’ INITIATIVE FOCUSES ON LEGACY OF READING Becoming a new parent can be overwhelming, but a new collaboration led by Laredo Learns and TAMIU’s College of Education believes it’s all in the “Brain Bag.” Laredo Learns, the College and its community partners created the Brain Bag as a resource filled with learning materials. Included are guidance, parenting tips, online child development insights and prompts, and more. It’s a tool to help new parents ensure their children meet critical growth and learning benchmarks. Guillermo “Memo” Treviño, a local businessman and philanthropist who has helped spearhead the effort with community-based partners, said the Laredo Learns goal is simple. “We want Laredo to be a Learning City. Just as we celebrate Laredo being the Number One Inland Port, we celebrate a commitment to learning that brightens our children’s futures. With the Brain Bag, we’re providing new parents with tools and resources to help them be the best parents possible, and meet benchmarks to succeed in school,” Treviño said. Key to the partnership was Jorge Leal, Laredo Medical Center’s (LMC) Chief Executive Officer, who helped ensure creation of 250 Brain Bags a month, beginning in August and ending in December for moms who gave birth at LMC. “We support Laredo Learns and are proud to take the lead with the implementation of the Brain Bag initiative because we know that reading begins with parents,” Leal observed. Celebrating the launch of the Laredo Learns “Brain Bag” Initiative were, left to right: Jimena Morales, Melissa Cigarroa, Dr. James O’Meara, Jorge González, Rosamaría Treviño and Mayor Victor Treviño, Jorge Leal, Erika Martínez, Guillermo “Memo” Treviño, and Priscilla Salinas. 4
THOUGHTS ON GIVING Every day, friends and partners of TAMIU are assuring, creating and encouraging legacies made real by supporting higher education. For some, this is part of a longstanding business or community investment, or perhaps a cherished family tradition. For some, it is a way to memorialize a beloved family member, friend or colleague. For others, this is a beginning and something they are eager to nurture. And for still others, giving at a larger scale is aspirational (for now!)… but as is wellknown, “ ’tis better to give…” Let’s meet some of the many who have, or continue to forge legacies at TAMIU. For over 10 years, Sabas Perez’s son Alfredo has been a monthly donor to TAMIU and granddaughter Yelitza Pérez Howard proudly serves the University as its dedicated director of career services. J. J. Haynes and his siblings honored their father’s athletic advocacy with a baseball field named after him at TAMIU – Jorge B. Haynes Field. He and his wife, Minnie Dora Bunn Haynes, an alum and former Alumni Association president, created an endowment to honor her daughter, now Minnie Dora Haynes Rodríguez. Radcliffe and Sue Killam and son David Killam helped make the University’s 300-acre home possible with their land donation and the Killams have created additional endowments to help advance students and programs. Radcliffe’s grandson Cliffe has created an endowment honoring his mother, worked as an adjunct professor and serves on many University committees. Former Mayor, the late J. C. Martin, Jr. served as a Trustee for the Lamar Bruni Vergara Trust, creating endowments and initiating an expansive cycle of funding for University programs and scholarships that exceeds $30 million to date. He was succeeded in 1997 by his late son, Joseph Claude Martin, III as Co-Trustee till his passing October 29, 2023. His grandson and great grandson now serve as Trustees. Longtime business owner and community advocate Peggy Newman created endowments, as have her children the late David T. Newman and widow Lulu and David’s sister Nancy and her husband Javier De Anda. The De Anda’s also support athletics through sponsorships. Dennis Nixon, as a trustee for the Matias De Llano Charitable Trust,has awarded TAMIU funds for scholarships and capital improvements including the KLRN-TAMIU campus and a lecture hall in the Academic Innovation Center. The University’s remarkable legacy gift of a seven-volume Heritage Edition of The Saint John’s Bible, a work of sacred art, was a gift from the Trust. Hank Sames and his wife Elizabeth created a college-bound mentorship program that pairs high school students with TAMIU faculty mentors throughout their high school experience. Upon completion of high school, it offers students a fouryear scholarship to TAMIU that supports tuition. The program is now in its 21st year. Antonio R. “Tony” Sanchez, Sr. was a staunch advocate for higher education and now his grand daughter Ana Lee Sanchez Jacobs and the Sanchez Family Foundation have created multiple endowments that provide critical support to programs for the School of Business that bears his name and engineering and nursing programs. Dr. Judith Zaffirini, our State Senator and higher education champion has dedicated legislation that has enabled the University to exist and excel. Her commitment to TAMIU is steadfast and has inspired her son Carlos Zaffirini to create an endowment that honors his mother and empowers student success. 5
Other have followed those who first built the University and started traditions of their own. Louis LaVaude is following a tradition first started by his uncle D.D. Hachar whose foundation has been awarding scholarships since 1980. In 1998 his aunt, Guadalupe H. Didieu honored her parents N. D. and Felisa Hachar with an endowment supporting nursing. His mother Olga H. LaVaude’s fund for the arts honors her father N. D. Hachar. Louis is building an endowment to support pre-law students. Gifts of time or treasure make lasting legacies at the University possible today… and for the future that’s just around the corner. We salute all those that forge legacies every day in many ways to further the University’s mission. In the pages ahead, learn how legacies are being forged with donor kindness and partnerships, including those highlighted in our Giving section. For another look at legacies made manifest, meet our TAMIU Trailblazers, who are honored on campus with our Trailblazer Tower. See page 15. Rosanne Palacios, TAMIU VP For Institutional Advancement WHAT’S YOUR LEGACY? Interested in forging a legacy of your own at Texas A&M International University? Call Rosanne Palacios at 956.326.2178, email rosanne.palacios@tamiu.edu or mail donations to TAMIU Office of Institutional Advancement 5201 University Boulevard, Laredo, TX 78041 These legacy donors gathered at the Strategic Planning Dinner last Spring. (l – r) Dr. Pablo Arenaz, TAMIU President, Louis P. LaVaude, Albert Martin, Joe C. Martin (†), Rita Peters, and Charlie Maynard. TAMIU Giving Day is our community's chance to support TAMIU students. During this year’s edition of Giving Day, we are so very grateful our University was able to receive over $29,000 from over 520 donors. The funds raised will support programs and initiatives such as Reading the Globe, Student Nurses’ Association, Ballet Folklórico, and more. Aside from raising over $3,000 for Penny Wars this year, the Student Philanthropy Council (SPC) also fundraises for their Dustdevil P.R.I.D.E. Endowment currently totaling over $82,000. This is a powerful example of students helping other students. GIVING HAS NO AGE, AND TAMIU STUDENTS ARE COMMITTED TO GIVING BACK Each year, students give gifts of time and treasure that enrich our campus and our community! 6
TAMIU ALUM DR. SAN MIGUEL NAMED PROVOST, VP FOR ACADEMIC AFFAIRS This summer, TAMIU named Dr. Claudia E. San Miguel (’97, ’99) as the University’s Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs. TAMIU President Dr. Pablo Arenaz said that after an exhaustive national search, the University had found its Provost close to home. “Our search committee conducted a nationwide search, attracting some very impressive candidates, but determined that our most qualified candidate was someone with an extensive knowledge of our campus, our culture, and our community. Dr. San Miguel will be our first female and first Hispanic Provost. She has already achieved a remarkable legacy of teaching, research, and service to the University, and we believe she is keenly positioned to continue that legacy as our new Provost,” Dr. Arenaz said. Dr. San Miguel said she is honored and eager to serve. “TAMIU is an amazing University and daily demonstrates an unwavering commitment to its students, staff, and faculty. Together, we serve as a beacon of higher education for all,” she said. San Miguel holds her Ph.D. in Criminal Justice from Sam Houston State University. Her M.S. and B.S., also in Criminal Justice, were earned at TAMIU. Before becoming Provost, she served as Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, Chair of the Department of Social Sciences, Director of the Criminal Justice Program, and Director of the Border Studies Institute/Texas Military Forces. Her research efforts have secured over $5.7 million in external grants. San Miguel is also the first female and Hispanic president of the Southwestern Association of Criminal Justice. At TAMIU she has earned the Senator Judith Zaffirini Scholarship and Leadership Award and the University’s Largest Sponsored Research Award. She leads the University’s federally funded Center for Countering Human Trafficking and has coauthored five books on criminal justice and related Constitutional issues. “As Provost, my top priority is advancing the success of our students, first through enabling affordable and accessible courses for them to pursue their dreams, and by actively supporting their academic path to timely graduation via effective student support services such as advising, mentoring, and tutoring.” Dr. Claudia San Miguel, TAMIU Provost UNIVERSITY NEWS 7
REP. CUELLAR HELPS CREATE NEW LEGACIES WITH $4.4+ MILLION IN FEDERAL FUNDING TAMIU was the recipient of over $4.4 million in federal funding this year announced by U.S. Congressman Henry Cuellar, which supports legacy opportunities for undergraduate and graduate Hispanic students including the improvement of a binational air quality system. In April, TAMIU received $2,910,420 to promote graduate-level opportunities for Hispanics through its Next Level Engineering Project. The Project will expand courses and institutional resources for Hispanic graduate-level students by developing a Master of Science in Systems Engineering and graduate certificates in Engineering fields. In August, Congressman Cuellar announced $1,399,532 in federal funding of which $1,199,532 is to be used to prepare 37 undergraduate TAMIU STEM students to be mathematics teachers at Laredo Independent School District and United Independent School District, thereby reducing teacher turnover and improving engagement for STEM studies. The remaining $200,000 will be used for TAMIU’s Track 1 Project, which is focused on improving undergraduate Engineering student retention through virtual learning and group activities. In addition, TAMIU and the Texas A&M Transportation Institute received $150,000 focused on the design and implementation of a binational air quality measurement system for the Laredo/Nuevo Laredo cross-border region. Provided by the North American Development Bank, the funding will be used to monitor air quality along heavy truck routes, including the World Trade Bridge and the Colombia Solidarity Bridge. RTG PROGRAM CELEBRATES 15TH ANNIVERSARY, PAST AMBASSADORS SHARE LEGACY EXPERIENCES In celebration of its 15th anniversary this year, TAMIU’s Reading the Globe (RTG) Program invited former RTG ambassadors to share their life-changing travel stories through recorded video testimonials. The videos were posted on the RTG Program website and RTG Instagram account at https://www. instagram.com/tamiureadingtheglobe/ and TAMIU’s Instagram account at https://www.instagram.com/ txamiu, as well as other University-affiliated social media channels. The videos answered questions such as the name of their common read, the country traveled to, a special trip memory, the legacy impact of their experience, and advice for current First-Year students hoping to travel abroad. The Fall Campus Common Read for University students also serves as the selected text for the Laredo Public Library’s One City, One Book selection as part of an ongoing community partnership. This year’s selection was Where the Dead Pause and the Japanese Say Goodbye by Marie Mutsuki Mockett. The author visited Laredo in October and met with students and the public. University students also applied to be RTG Ambassadors for an opportunity to travel to Japan in Spring 2024. Since 2008, the University’s RTG Program has offered First-Year students the opportunity to travel abroad to connect their common read to an international experience. The selected read offers opportunities for discourse on student-relevant issues while raising social awareness on both a local and global scale. University students have traveled the world, including Cambodia, Chile, China, Eastern Europe, Ghana, India, Poland, Russia, South Africa, and Turkey. 8
UNIVERSITY NEWS LONGTIME TAMIU ADMINISTRATOR’S PASSING LEAVES LASTING LEGACY The beginning of 2023 sadly marked the passing of longtime TAMIU administrator José “Joe” García, who served the University for 30 years. García passed away in San Antonio on January 10, 2023, surrounded by his family. Born on September 18, 1939, he was 83 years old. Many had the good fortune to work alongside Joe, or to have benefited from the many programs and systems he put in place at TAMIU and other A&M System campuses. “We are grateful for Joe García’s legacy and service here and will cherish his memory always,” said TAMIU president Dr. Pablo Arenaz. The Joe García STEM Scholarship honors his service and memory at TAMIU. Before joining then-Texas A&I University at Laredo, he completed more than 25 years in the U.S. Army, retiring with the rank of Major. He started the University’s ROTC program in 1973. He served in several leadership positions, including director of Physical Plant, vice president of Finance and Administration, and as interim president. He oversaw TAMIU’s primary Phase I – IV construction -- while leading the business office, human resources, campus police, physical plant, purchasing and support services, computer and telecommunications services, and payroll. Upon his retirement, the A&M System Board of Regents designated him Vice President Emeritus, Finance and Administration. Always up for a challenge, he would go on to serve as Special Assistant for Academic Affairs at Texas A&M University-San Antonio-- while also serving as interim vice president for Finance and Administration at Texas A&M University-Kingsville. He is survived by his wife Gloria, and son Joseph (Toni) and grandchildren Sebastian MacMahon and Mia García; son Philip (Emily) and grandchildren Nicolas and Alex García, and daughter Verónica (Eddie). García was a strong advocate for the addition of Starbucks to campus life and collegiality with the coffeehouse opening in 2008. Mr. García joins students and campus leaders for groundbreaking for University Village, the first housing complex, which opened in 1997. 9
It doesn’t seem so long ago that Juan Gilberto García, Jr. was a wide-eyed freshman from Roma, TX, carefully balancing his time in TAMIU classrooms with his exploits as a Dustdevil Soccer team member. But today, the ball is on another pitch. That freshman of two decades ago is now a TAMIU Vice President, leading the Division of Enrollment Management. He believes his education and career trajectory at TAMIU mirrors the University’s transformative power. “Today, I tell students: ‘I was in your shoes, contemplating the pivotal decision of where to embark on my higher education journey. The very reasons that guided me to TAMIU then are the same reasons that guide my belief in the transformative power of TAMIU now,’ ” he shared. His dedication, energy, and enthusiasm are contagious and this Fall helped TAMIU enroll the largest freshman class in its history (1,382) students, a 6% increase over Fall 2022, with an 8% increase in transfers to TAMIU. The total enrollment this Fall was 8,507 students, and shows both growth and recovery, he believes. García has had the rare experience of working in or helping guide some of the University’s largest student touch points over the years with proximity to Recruitment, Registrar’s, Student Success, Advising, Strategic Plan creation, budget development and implementation, and enrollment management. While he still tries his hand on the pitch with the occasional alumni soccer team event, García believes he has also become quite good at another sport: cheerleading for TAMIU. “It’s hard not to be a cheerleader,” he observed,” we’re one of the nation’s top degree producers for Hispanic-Serving Institutions, the highest-ranked regional university in The Texas A&M University System among Regional Universities West by U.S. News and World Report, our 2022 graduates have the State’s highest employment rate after graduation at 81.3%, and we have an aggressive commitment to always being Affordable, Accessible, and Exceptional. We’ve just launched our Proyecto Amigos initiative, which targets student engagement and elevating the sense of campus community here. Finally, this Fall alone, we disbursed over $50 million in financial aid for our students. That’s a lot to cheer about.” Read more about García’s journey and the future at TAMIU here: go.tamiu.edu/garcia-transformative TRANSFORMATIVE POWER OF UNIVERSITY HELPS ALUM CREATE NEW TAMIU LEGACY 10
UNIVERSITY NEWS STUDENTS TRAVEL THE WORLD, LEARN WITH STUDY ABROAD PROGRAMS TAMIU students traveled to eight countries in the world this summer while strengthening the knowledge they gained in their classrooms through study abroad programs. All told, TAMIU students’ travels took them to France, Belgium, Chile, Germany, The Netherlands, Singapore, Spain and México. One group traveled to France as part of the course, “Public Relations and Special Issues in Culture,” led by Dr. Daniel De La Miyar, University College instructional assistant professor. Also, a group of 14 undergraduate students participated in an immersive study abroad program in Belgium, France, Germany, and The Netherlands to explore their cultures and cinema histories, led by Dr. José Carlos Lozano, professor of Communication and chair of the College of Arts and Sciences department of Psychology and Communication. Five undergraduate students studying Ballet Folklórico traveled to Mexico City to undergo a series of dance master classes at the Escuela de Ballet Folklórico de México de Amalia Hernández, led by Nayeli López, adjunct faculty of Dance and advisor of the TAMIU Ballet Folklórico Club. Traveling to Singapore were students in the Reading the Globe Program led by Dr. Jonathan Martínez, University College instructional assistant professor, Dr. Daniel De la Miyar, and former TAMIU College of Education faculty member, Dr. Barbara Hong. Other faculty members who led study abroad programs this summer included Dr. Lola Norris, Interim Dean of the Graduate School, Dr. James Norris, associate professor of Political Science, as well as Dr. Melody Carriere, and Dr. Julien Carriere, instructional associate professors in the Department of Humanities. Scholarships from the Guadalupe and Lilia Martínez Trust support student travel experiences. 11
CELEBRATED NOVELIST SANDRA CISNEROS VISITS TAMIU Members of the TAMIU community welcomed iconic author Sandra Cisneros to campus this fall including a reading shared by Cisneros, a Q&A session and book signing in the Center for the Fine and Performing Arts Recital Hall. Presented by the College of Arts and Sciences, Department of Humanities, this event was offered free of charge and was open to the public. Cisneros, the celebrated author of the beloved best-selling novel The House on Mango Street, a coming-ofage classic, read from her new poetry collection, Woman Without Shame. Woman Without Shame has been hailed as a moving collection of songs, elegies, and declarations chronicling the author’s pilgrimage toward rebirth and recognition of her prerogative as a woman artist. Honest and humorous and full of meditations on desire, love, memory, and self-awareness, Woman Without Shame is considered the culmination of Cisneros’ search for home – in the México of her ancestors, and in her heart. Cisneros is a poet, short story writer, novelist, and essayist whose work explores the lives of the working-class. Her numerous awards include NEA fellowships in both poetry and fiction, the Texas Medal of the Arts, a MacArthur Fellowship, the PEN/Nabokov Award for International Literature, the National Medal of Arts, the Ruth Lilly Poetry Prize, and the Ambassador Richard C. Holbrooke Distinguished Achievement Award from the Dayton Literary Peace Prize Foundation. Her novel The House on Mango Street has sold over seven million copies, has been translated into over 25 languages, and is required reading in elementary, high school, and universities across the nation. Martita, I Remember You/Martita, te recuerdo, a story in English and Spanish, was published in 2021. Woman Without Shame, published by Knopf in the Fall of 2022, is Cisneros’s first book of poetry in 28 years. Cisneros signs copies of her new poetry collection Woman without Shame. Cisneros lectures before a full-house. 12
UNIVERSITY DONORS 2023 Sames Scholars were introduced at a gathering at TAMIU. Accompanying the students was Sames Scholars Program Founder Elizabeth Sames, first row, center. This Fall, TAMIU welcomed its newest high school Sames Scholars Cohort. The Sames Scholarship Program is a collegebound mentorship program that pairs high school students with TAMIU faculty mentors throughout their high school experience. Upon completion of high school, it offers students a four-year scholarship to the University. Founders Hank and Elizabeth Sames are celebrating the 21st year of their unique scholarship program providing funds, mentors and support for first-generation and high-risk college-bound high school students. Founded in 2002, it pairs United Independent School District high school students with TAMIU faculty. To be eligible, high school freshman students must meet the economically disadvantaged State criteria, be first-generation college-bound in their family, meet monthly with their designated TAMIU mentor, maintain a 90 percent GPA, and maintain 95 percent attendance while in high school. The new high school cohort includes: United South High School – Janie Magayanes, United High School - José Carlos Guzmán, Celine Guzmán, Alexander High School – Amanda Cortez, Kathleen Vidaurri, and Lyndon Baines Johnson High School – Alejandro Peña, Marely Mejía, and Kiara Castillo. The cohort also includes: United South High School - Cynthia Mata, Julia Paredes, Britney Hernández, and Dana Rios; Alexander High School - Diego Hernández and Shannon Morales and Lyndon Baines Johnson High School - Jorge A. Jaime, Julieta Castañeda, Yadhira Tellez, Darlene Sepúlveda, and Dahiana Vasquez. Currently, there are 21 Sames Scholars in high school being mentored by 12 TAMIU professors and 17 TAMIU scholars. NEWEST SAMES SCHOLARS NAMED AT CEREMONY 13
INNOVADOR AWARD RECIPIENTS SHARED LOVE LEGACY FOR LAREDO A shared lifetime of loving their Laredo community and impacting education was recognized with the awarding of the 2023 Texas A&M International University Innovador Award to Evelyn Summers and her husband, the late Carroll E. Summers, Jr. at TAMIU’s Fall Convocation Ceremony. TAMIU’s Innovador Award was created in 2018 to recognize individuals or organizations making a lasting impact on education, particularly higher education, in Laredo and the South Texas region. It is presented annually alongside Faculty Awards and the State of the University address. Dr. Pablo Arenaz, TAMIU President, said the selection of this year’s Innovador Award honorees truly affirms the values the Award espouses. “This year’s honorees, Evelyn and Carroll E. Summers, created scholarship endowments at both TAMIU and Laredo College, in addition to scholarships with the Laredo Area Community Foundation and the Webb Soil and Water Conservation District. This combined giving provided hundreds of students with educational opportunities they would not have. “Over 141 currently enrolled students benefit from Summers-created scholarships. This love of community and support of higher education has created a lasting, transformational legacy in Laredo, which their son Robert Summers is proudly carrying forward,” Dr. Arenaz observed. Last year’s Innovador Award recipient was the late Frank Staggs. Previous recipients have included Guadalupe and Lilia Martínez Foundation Trustees Bob and Shirley González and State Senator Judith Zaffirini. Find out more at go.tamiu.edu/fall23-convocation LÓPEZ FOUNDATION FORGES NEW STUDENT DESTINIES, LEGACIES AT TAMIU A first-of-its kind $1 million grant is forging new destinies and legacies for 15 TAMIU students. The Hector and Gloria López Foundation (HGLF) has provided an innovative grant offering full tuition assistance for 15 first-generation students at TAMIU — creating pathways to educational attainment and a pipeline to a successful career. López Scholars receive support for tuition and fees, as well as other resources including mentorship, tutoring, housing, study abroad programs, paid internships, leadership development, and more. “It’s so important that young students see themselves represented in academia and can learn from individuals who have insight into their lived experiences,” said Sergio Rodríguez, Foundation CEO and nephew of Hector and Gloria López, “We’re proud to partner with TAMIU because of their 50-year history of serving students from the South Texas region.” “This is much more than a grant,” said TAMIU president Dr. Pablo Arenaz, “this is a visionary investment in the future of our students and their communities. It will act as a catalyst for brighter legacies for our graduates. In turn, their careers will positively impact the communities they call home. The University is honored to share the López Foundation’s partnership and vision -- and to further it by continuing to provide TAMIU students with the resources they deserve and need to succeed,” Dr. Arenaz said. Hector and Gloria López left their estate to the Austin-based Foundation in 2021. Their legacy is represented in the Foundation’s commitment to helping remove traditional barriers to resources and supporting the academic success of first-generation college students in need of financial assistance across Texas. Find out more at go.tamiu.edu/lopez-foundation-grant Board members of The Hector and Gloria López Foundation presented a $1M grant for TAMIU first-generation students. 14
UNIVERSITY DONORS GENEROUS GONTOR ENDOWMENT FORGES LEGACY SUPPORTING HIGHER EDUCATION González Torres y Compañía (GONTOR), a renowned leader in the Mexican international trade services sector, has donated a generous Endowment of $25,000 to TAMIU. The Endowment will support TAMIU’s mission and also benefit the children of GONTOR employees who attend TAMIU. Founded in 1945 by Francisco González Torres and Elia Norma Treviño, GONTOR is a family business renowned for its dedication and personalized service in the international trade services sector. The company’s legacy is carried forward by CEO Francisco Julio González, Elia Norma Barrera, and Mexican Custom Broker Carlos Javier González. The family’s legacy continues with the third generation of the González family contributing to the company’s growth and success: Elia Margaret O’Brien (Endowment Administrator), Francisco Javier González (Logistics), Alejandro González (COO), and Hector Alonso González (U.S. Custom Broker). TAMIU President Dr. Pablo Arenaz shared TAMIU’s gratitude for the generous Endowment. “We are deeply honored by GONTOR’s commitment to education and community,” said Dr. Arenaz, “This Endowment will strengthen our ability to provide high-quality academic programs, facilitate research endeavors, and offer scholarships to deserving students.” The partnership between TAMIU and GONTOR reflects the power of collaboration between academia and industry, said GONTOR CEO Francisco González Treviño. “Education is the best legacy we can pass on to our children,” Treviño affirmed. HONORING OUR TRAILBLAZERS Countless Laredoans played leadership and supportive roles in passing legislation and securing funding for a four-year University in Laredo. Listed are persons who played significant roles in working cooperatively and with legislators and State leaders as trailblazers whose work cumulatively resulted in passage of Senate Bill 6 by Senator Judith Zaffirini and Representative Henry Cuellar, establishing Texas A&M International University. TAMIU’s impressive Trailblazer Tower honors these remarkable individuals for their shared commitment and vision. TEXAS TRAILBLAZERS Gilberto Acuna Bill Baker Rep. Hugo Berlanga Manuel Bravo, Jr. Elmer Buckley Lt. Gov. Bob Bullock Dr. Joaquin Cigarroa Dr. Leo Cigarroa Speaker Billy Clayton Gov. John Connally Joe Finley, Jr. Dr. Dianne Mendoza Galaviz Clemente Garcia Hector Garcia Rey Garcia Msgr. Geroge Gloeckner Elvia Gonzalez Ricardo Gutierrez Mr. and Mrs. Paul Haas J. J. Haynes Jorge Haynes Minnie Dora Bunn Haynes Lt. Gov. Bill Hobby Gary Jacobs Rep. Rob Junell Senator and U.S. Rep. Abraham “Chick” Kazen U. S. Judge George Kazen Jim Kazen Phillip Kazen John Keck David Killam Radcliffe Killam Sue Killam 15
Mrs. Mary Louise Kleberg Speaker Pete Laney Laredo Chamber of Commerce Speaker Gib Lewis Dennis Longoria Max Mandel Mayor J. C. Martin, Jr. Blas Martinez Judge Mercurio Martinez Sen. John Montford Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund Peggy Newman J. W. Nixon Dennis Nixon William M. Pena Sabas Perez Dr. Shannon Peterson Mayor Saul N. Ramirez, Jr. Jesus Rodriguez Rep. Jim Rudd Hank and Elizabeth Sames Harry Sames Antonio R. “Tony” Sanchez, Sr. Dr. Crispin Sanchez Mayor Aldo Tatangelo Vidal Trevino Norma Vargas Jorge Verduzco Carlos Zaffirini, Sr. Dr. Judith Zaffirini PRESIDENTS Dr. Billy Cowart, 1969-84 Dr. Manuel T. Pacheco, 1984-88 Dr. Leo Sayavedra, 1988-95 MEMBERS OF TEXAS LEGISLATURE Sen. Wayne Connally, 1967-72 Rep. Honore Ligarde, 1963-72 Sen. John Traeger, 1973-86 Rep. Billy Hall, 1973-86 Sen. Judith Zaffirini, since 1987 Rep. Henry Cuellar, 1987 - 2001 MASTER PLAN OFFERS LOOK AT TAMIU’S FUTURE LEGACY It’s not often that you get a peek at the future, but that’s exactly what the new Master Plan for TAMIU does. “Creating a Master Plan affirms the importance of a unifying vision guiding future building, land use, and infrastructure changes needed to reach goals, adapt to change, and align with our overarching Strategic Plan objectives,” explains TAMIU president Dr. Pablo Arenaz, “It’s simply a smart thing to do.” The Master Plan looks at TAMIU in five years, 15 years, and beyond and was unveiled last Spring. Perkins+Will delivered the project, which offers a vital tool to guide the growth and development of the 300acre campus for generations to come. It includes existing conditions analysis, space utilization and benchmarking, and enrollment statistics, offering a holistic set of improvement recommendations for land use and building renovation/demolition/ construction. Landscape design, infrastructure and transportation, and parking solutions were included. Concurrent with the Plan’s unveiling came news that the Texas A&M University System Board of Regents had approved plans for a new Health Sciences Education and Research Center (HSERC), and an expansion of the Western Hemispheric Trade Center (WHTC). “These two campus additions will drive program growth and expand impactful teaching, service, and research opportunities,” noted Dr. Arenaz. The 57,000-square foot HSERC will create an interactive clinical building promoting health sciences learning and research. The 25,200-square foot WHTC will create an integrated business hub for A. R. Sanchez, Jr. School of Business activities. The Master Plan process and findings can be explored at go.tamiu.edu/masterplan 16
UNIVERSITY FACULTY TAMIU PROF’S LATEST PUBLICATION FOCUSES ON STORIES, LEGACIES OF LAREDOANS Dr. Mehnaaz Momen, TAMIU professor of Public Administration, spent time this Fall presenting her latest publication, Listening to Laredo: A Border City in a Globalized Age throughout Texas, with stops in Austin, Edinburg, San Antonio, and Laredo. In her book, Dr. Momen traces Laredo’s history while examining the city’s ever-changing economic and cultural infrastructure. Through a critical examination, she focuses on the existing interdependence on a sister city across a national boundary and the resilience of a border community that thrives amidst the ever-present challenges of a national narrative centered along the U.S. – México border. The narrative of Momen’s publication focuses on collected oral histories from Laredoans, focusing on the implications of daily life along the U.S. – México border. For Momen, living in a border city offers a myriad of challenges, particularly for those who hold preconceived notions of existing cultural stereotypes. “I want my readers to see Laredo from the eyes of the people who live there by choice. We always hear about the dangers of the border, but the border is fragile, the border is beautiful, and the border is evolving. The border is full of possibilities, especially because it is always a little wild. For the people who live on the border, it was historically an abstract notion that had legal and political restrictions - but did not obstruct cultural and economic exchanges,” Momen explained. Momen has been a member of the TAMIU faculty since 2002. TAMIU PROFESSOR EXPANDS ACADEMIC LEGACY AS ’23 FULBRIGHT U.S. SCHOLAR TO CANADA A TAMIU faculty member has earned among the highest honors in the academic tradition – he’s been selected as a Fulbright U.S. Scholar for 2023 for Canada. Dr. Adam Kozaczka, assistant professor of English for TAMIU’s College of Arts and Sciences, department of Humanities, is the Fulbright Canada Research Chair in Arts & Humanities, based at the University of Alberta, a public research university located in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Dr. Kozaczka’s research examines how British and Canadian literary texts represented Canadian frontier communities, especially concerning how British colonial officials administered British law in places distant from Britain. “I’m honored by this selection and thankful for the opportunity to represent TAMIU and Laredo as a Fulbright Scholar. It’s exciting research, and I’m eager to contribute to academic knowledge in this area and to forging new collaborations and friendships in Canada,” Dr. Kozaczka said. TAMIU bears the distinction of having authorization from the 74th Texas Legislature to develop joint degree programs with Mexican and Canadian institutions of higher education. Kozaczka has been a member of the TAMIU faculty since 2019. Born and raised in a bilingual EnglishPolish home in New York State, he earned his Ph.D. in English from Syracuse University Dr. Kozaczka joins an elite group of current, former, and retired TAMIU faculty and students who have been Fulbright Scholars. Among them are Dr. Rafic A. Bachnak, Dr. Susan Berdahl, Dr. Norma E. Cantú, Dr. Stuart H. Davis, Dr. Christian Faltis, Dr. Stanley Green, Dr. Peter Haruna, Dr. Barbara Hong, 17
Dr. Mazhar M. Islam, the late TAMIU professor of history Dr. José Roberto Juárez, Julio Obscura, Dr. Aaron A. Olivas, and Dr. Jaime Ortiz. DR. HAYNES NAMED A&M SYSTEM REGENTS PROFESSOR Dr. Robert W. Haynes, TAMIU professor of English, was named as one of 12 faculty members and 11 agency service, extension, or research professionals within the Texas A&M University System to be recognized as Regents Professors and Regents Fellows. The A&M System Board of Regents established the Regents Professor Awards program in 1996 and the Regents Fellow Service Awards program in 1998 to recognize employees who have made extraordinary contributions to their university, or agency, as well as to the people of Texas. Haynes has been a member of the TAMIU faculty for 31 years. His courses have included medieval topics, including Chaucer and medieval drama, as well as courses focused on the Renaissance, particularly Shakespeare. His book The Major Plays of Horton Foote was published in 2010, and his edited volume Critical Insights: Horton Foote appeared in 2016. He continues to publish articles on Foote and on Renaissance England. In 2016, he received the South Central Modern Language Association’s Poetry Prize and, in 2019, the Sam Alley Teaching Excellence Award from Sigma Tau Delta. Writing as R. W. Haynes, he has published four poetry collections (Laredo Light, Let the Whales Escape, Heidegger Looks at the Moon, and The Deadly Shadow of the Wall) in the past four years. Over 200 of his poems have appeared in journals in various countries around the world. Haynes holds his Ph.D. in English from the University of Georgia. PROFESSOR’S LEGACY OF TEACHING RECOGNIZED WITH NAME LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD For over 20 years, TAMIU College of Education associate professor of Curriculum and Instruction Dr. Diana Linn has forged a legacy of multicultural teaching that inspires, educates, and empowers her students and TAMIU graduates. This remarkable legacy was recognized with the presentation of the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2023 Region 5 Texas National Association of Multicultural Education (NAME) Conference hosted by Baylor University’s School of Education, department of Curriculum and Instruction. Dr. Linn was also a keynote speaker at the Conference and provided the Cherry B. Gooden Executive Board Keynote Address. She said the distinction of the Lifetime Achievement Award is especially important to her as she has long championed multicultural education and NAME’s advocacy. “I’m honored by this recognition by my peers. I’ve been an active NAME member since 2002 and I’m proud to support its mission and legacy…and especially proud to join other Lifetime Achievement Award recipients who have been similarly honored,” Dr. Linn said. TAMIU College of Education Dean Dr. James O’Meara commended Linn’s selection and her impact at TAMIU. “Dr. Linn is revered by her colleagues and her students, and we are all delighted to see her service to NAME recognized by this Award. Her contributions here at TAMIU have impacted hundreds, if not thousands of our students and graduates,” Dr. O’Meara observed. This year’s NAME Award to Dr. Linn also recently earned some new award company…. at TAMIU’s University Convocation in October, Dr. Linn was named the ’23 recipient of the University’s Distinguished Teacher Award. Congratulations, Dr. Linn! 18
UNIVERSITY FACULTY TAMIU FILMMAKER SHARES LEGACY OF UNHERALDED SUSTAINABILITY WORKERS IN AWARD-WINNING FILM For TAMIU associate professor and filmmaker Marcela Morán, the unappreciated and unheralded legacy of the border’s cardboard recyclers was something to share and recognize. Her documentary film, “Cardboard Scavengers,” with collaborator Maritza Bautista, has done just that...and in the process has earned a Cinema Verde Award as part of the 2023 Cinema Verde 14th Annual Film and Arts Festival. It is also the 2023 recipient of the Best Direction Award from the Environmental Feedback Film Festival. The film explores the daily on-the-street manual cardboard recycling that occurs in Laredo, providing a source of income for generations of families from Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas, México. Those who do this have come to be called “cartoneros.” Morán said she believes the documentary delivers a powerful message. “On the border, it is the people that are the least privileged that are doing the most in terms of participating in sustainable practices. Most people in the community do not know why people like Chole and Beto pick up cardboard. We were honored to share their story and impact,” she explained. A multiple award-winning filmmaker, Morán has been part of the TAMIU College of Arts and Sciences faculty since 2003. She holds the terminal MFA in Film from Ohio University, College of Fine Arts, and a BS in Radio-TV-Film from The University of Texas, College of Communication. Her films have been selected for festivals including the NYC Downtown Short Film Festival, the Los Angeles International Short Film Festival, the Harlem International Film Festival, and the Cine Las Americas International Film Festival, among others. She has screened and exhibited in Canada, Spain, Indonesia, México, and across the U.S. The film can be viewed on the Cinema Verde Roku Channel at: https://channelstore.roku.com/details/974a158bc01 0ada01578fa76c541056f/cinema-verde TAMIU SANCHEZ SCHOOL OF BUSINESS MAINTAINS RIGOROUS AACSB ACCREDITATION Texas A&M International University students can take pride in their campus being home to one of only 500 accredited business schools in the Americas. 19
This year, TAMIU’s A.R. Sanchez, Jr. School of Business maintained its business accreditation by The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB International) with its most recent continuous improvement review. The Sanchez School of Business joins a select group of only 5.7% of business schools of the estimated 16,593 business schools worldwide to be AACSB-accredited. Sanchez School Dean Dr. Stephen Sears said this accreditation review is especially noteworthy as it reflects a new set of more stringent accreditation standards. “In the past, accreditation reviews were conducted on a 10-year cycle. That cycle has been shortened to a five-year cycle and in addition reflects elevated standards of faculty performance, research, and tenure. We endorse the vision of these higher expectations as business education is dynamic -- and so should be the standards expected for an accredited institution,” Dr. Sears explained. Sears noted that among the AACSB standards is that 75% of semester credit hours delivered by Business School faculty must be by full-time, engaged faculty. The Sanchez School faculty has grown to meet and exceed that benchmark. AACSB Accreditation is a hallmark of excellence in business education, requires business schools to meet specific standards of excellence and demonstrate a commitment to ongoing continuous improvement to ensure the School continues to deliver the highest quality of education to students. TAMIU PROFESSORS SPEARHEAD AWARENESS FOR TURKEY-SYRIA EARTHQUAKE VICTIMS Earlier this year, a group of TAMIU faculty members presented a special awareness panel to draw attention to the earthquakes that killed over 50,000 in Turkey and Syria in February ‘23. The panel, titled “Turkey-Syria Earthquake Relief Effort,” offered insight into the short- and long-term impacts of the earthquake, challenges of rebuilding, and importance of helping the affected countries. The panelists included Dr. Huseyin Cinoglu, associate professor of Criminal Justice, Dr. Irma Cantú, associate professor of Spanish, Dr. Peter Haruna, professor of Public Administration, and Dr. Virginia Berndt, assistant professor of Sociology. Dr. Cinoglu, a Turkey native, spoke of the personal tragedy of seeing his homeland destroyed by the series of earthquakes. He noted that while Turkey and Syria are no strangers to natural disasters, the earthquake dramatically surpassed its predecessors, thus presenting challenges beyond the coping capacity of governments involved. Dr. Cantú, a Spanish professor, discussed the difference between charity and solidarity. Dr. Haruna, who heads the University’s graduate program in Public Administration, explored the arduous process of rebuilding structures, systems, and government services. Dr. Berndt discussed the gendered impact of earthquakes. The organizers expressed their hope that initiatives like the panel discussion bring awareness about the need for all to simply assist one another. They also shared opportunities for charitable giving by providing approved and vetted online options such as the World Central Kitchen, The UN Refugee Agency and Doctors Without Borders. Dr. Huseyin Cinoglu Dr. Virginia Berndt Dr. Irma Cantú Dr. Peter Haruna 2180
TAMIU STUDENTS TAMIU STUDENT INTERN HELPS NURTURE GREEN LEGACY AT SMITHSONIAN The next time you visit the gardens of the Smithsonian Institution, look at the leafy boughs that frame and shade the gardens. You might be looking at some legacy beneficiaries of research and service provided by TAMIU student intern Emmanuel Reyes Corona, a Communication major. Reyes was selected as an intern in a partnership with the Emerson Collective, an organization focused on education, immigration reform, the environment, media and journalism, and health founded by Laurene Powell Jobs. As a Smithsonian Leadership for Change Intern, Reyes worked on four different projects over the paid eight-week program. One project comprehensively analyzed trees according to their ability to contribute to potentially increased urban forest diversity or to the conservation or assisted migration of vulnerable plant groups. Another focused on examining, analyzing, and improving eight educational lesson plans that expanded student tree knowledge about the Washington, D.C. area. The third saw Reyes write a first-ever Smithsonian report card on its 2022 sustainability initiatives. The fourth researched the crape myrtle tree and its new insect pest, the crape myrtle bark scale, which has seen an outbreak in the past two years in the Smithsonian Gardens. Reyes wrote a documentary video script, recorded it, and edited it as part of his communication degree skills. Reyes said the internship provided him with a better understanding of teamwork communication, the proper handling of several projects, improved interpersonal skills, and an enriching cultural experience. TAMIU STUDENTS, ALUM GARNER AWARDS AT GET PHIT SUMMIT Alums and students from TAMIU earned several awards during the Gaining Equity in Training for Public Health Informatics and Technology (GET PHIT) First Annual Summit, held this Fall in Houston. Their efforts garnered two distinct awards: Best Poster Winner and Runner-Up Best Poster. The poster winner, “Does your Major Matter? Examining the Relationship between Students’ Academic Majors and the Benefits of a Public Health Informatics Undergraduate Research Experience,” was presented by undergraduate Biology major Nereyda Molina and graduate Psychology major Jenna Arsuaga. The runner-up poster winner, “The Significance of Socio-cultural and Demographic Factors in Bipolar Disorder and Major Depressive Disorder,” was presented by TAMIU alum and Texas A&M University Ph.D. student Saliha García (’21,’22) and undergraduate Biology major Ana Ramos. Also presenting were undergraduate Public Health major Lizett Cruz, whose project was titled, “Correlation Between Abortion, Socioeconomic Factors, and Legislations in Texas and California,” and undergraduate Management Information Systems and Data Analytics major Simileoluwa Odunuga with, “E-Prevention is Better than Cure.” 21
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