September 2026
Dr. Christopher Maynard serves as the seventh President of Texas A&M International University (TAMIU). Appointed by The Texas A&M University System Board of Regents in August 2025, Dr. Maynard began his tenure on October 1, 2025, bringing more than 25 years of experience in higher education leadership, teaching and scholarship. Prior to joining TAMIU, Dr. Maynard held the position of Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost at the University of Houston–Clear Lake. As the chief academic officer, he led the university’s successful reaffirmation of accreditation, helped more than double sponsored research funding, and launched collaborations with NASA and industry partners through the Houston Spaceport Consortium for Research, Education, and Workforce. Previously, Dr. Maynard held a series of academic leadership roles at Sam Houston State University (SHSU), including Interim Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, Vice Provost and Associate Vice Provost. At SHSU, he led the COVID-19 pandemic response by the Division of Academic Affairs, provided critical leadership during the inaugural year of the College of Osteopathic Medicine, and created the Texas Academic Leadership Academy. A tenured professor of history Meet Our President Christopher Maynard, Ph.D. President, Texas A&M International University
throughout his administrative career, Dr. Maynard also served as department chair and associate dean at the University of North Alabama. He is a past president of the Texas Council of Chief Academic Officers. As the son and grandson of educators, Dr. Maynard’s commitment to education is deeply rooted in family tradition. Throughout his career, he has championed student success, academic excellence and transformational educational opportunities, believing that universities change lives not only through learning but through the communities they build. A native of Louisiana, Dr. Maynard earned both the M.A. and Ph.D. in U.S. Political and Diplomatic History from Louisiana State University. An accomplished scholar, he is the author of Out of the Shadow: George H.W. Bush and the End of the Cold War, published by Texas A&M University Press, and has contributed numerous articles and book chapters to the field of history. Dr. Maynard met his wife, Carole Medlin Maynard, while they were undergraduate students at Lee University in Tennessee. They have been married for 32 years and are the proud parents of two children. Their daughter, Lauren, and her husband, Alex, both Texas A&M graduates, live in College Station. Their son, Henry, is a sophomore at The University of Texas. As he leads TAMIU into its next chapter, Dr. Maynard remains guided by a lifelong belief in the power of education to transform individuals, strengthen communities and expand opportunities for future generations.
Our History Texas A&M International University traces its origins to August 1970, when the first students were admitted to what was then called Texas A&I University at Laredo. Initially designated as an extension center for Texas A&I University, the institution at Laredo focused on teacher education and business disciplines, offering only junior- and senior-level coursework that enabled local residents to complete bachelor’s degrees close to home. Graduate programs soon followed, expanding educational opportunities and establishing a legacy of higher education for South Texas. In September 1977, the university became Laredo State University, and in 1987 its status as an extension center was officially removed. As enrollment increased and academic offerings expanded, new faculty were recruited and the institution’s mission broadened to meet the evolving educational, economic and cultural needs of the region. A transformative milestone came on September 1, 1989, when the university joined The Texas A&M University System. Four years later, it was renamed Texas A&M International University (TAMIU), reflecting both its membership in one of the nation’s premier public university systems and its unique position at the crossroads of international cultures and commerce.
The 74th Texas Legislature further advanced the university’s trajectory by approving an expansion to four-year status in 1995 and authorizing the university to develop joint degree programs with Mexican and Canadian institutions of higher education. Additional legislative authorization later paved the way for doctoral-level programs, strengthening TAMIU’s role as a comprehensive regional university with global reach. The year 1995 marked a watershed moment in the university’s history. TAMIU welcomed its first freshman and sophomore classes, celebrated its 25th anniversary, and inaugurated its beautiful 300-acre campus in northeast Laredo. Since then, the campus has completed multiple phases of its master plan, and in 2025, the university celebrated its 55th anniversary. Today, TAMIU serves more than 9,000 students and is home to four academic colleges: the College of Arts and Sciences, the College of Education, the A. R. Sanchez, Jr. School of Business, and the College of Nursing and Health Sciences, including the Dr. F. M. Canseco School of Nursing. Building on a distinguished history spanning more than five decades, TAMIU continues to advance its mission of transforming lives through education, research and service while preparing students to lead and succeed in an increasingly interconnected world.
Mission, Vision and Values Mission Texas A&M International University nurtures its students’ academic and social development through instruction, research and service to be responsible and productive members of our global society. Vision Texas A&M International University aspires to become a premier international university, serving as the agent of change for the people of the region, the nation and the world through multicultural teaching, research and service. Values Respect: Respect individuals and their points of view. Integrity: Model ethical standards of personal and professional behaviors. Service: Serve the university, regional, national and international communities. Excellence: Strive for the highest quality in all endeavors.
The Investiture Ceremony The Investiture Ceremony is considered among the oldest traditions in academia. It dates back to English universities and is thought to be an adaptation of the dignified ceremonies heralding knighthood. The word “investiture” comes from the Latin phrase for “dress in robe,” investitura. Today, utilized in academic circles, it denotes the ceremony accorded to recognize the individual who will don the University's insignia and regalia, figuratively and realistically leading the University forward. As such, the installation of a new President is imbued with dignity and marked by longstanding academic traditions and protocols. An academic procession signals the start of the Ceremony, with delegates from other colleges and universities and members of Texas A&M International University faculty. All will be robed in the colorful academic regalia of both their institution and, sometimes, their discipline. There will be an invocation, greetings from several University and community groups, and a presentation of the symbols of the office. This will be followed by a Presidential address, the singing of the Alma Mater, and a celebratory recessional. The investiture of a President stands as one of the most significant events in the life of a University. Since its founding in 1970 to its identity today as Texas A&M International University, this University has been guided by six presidents, each leaving an indelible mark on the history of the University and the communities it serves.
Age Academic Processional Led by Dr. George Clarke Presiding Officer, Faculty Advisory Council and University Mace Bearer Welcome and Opening Remarks Dr. Claudia E. San Miguel Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs Presentation of the Colors Texas A&M International University ROTC Cadets The National Anthem Dr. Jiyeon Hwang, Assistant Professor of Voice/Choir TAMIU and United High School Choirs Invocation David Sosa President, Student Government Association TAMIU: A Legacy of Opportunity Dr. Claudia E. San Miguel Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs Recognition of Distinguished Guests Greetings from the University Community Faculty Advisory Council • Staff Senate Student Government Association • Alumni Association Special Presentations The Honorable Dr. Victor Treviño Mayor, City of Laredo The Honorable Henry Cuellar United States Representative, 28th Congressional District of Texas The Honorable Judith Zaffirini Texas State Senator, District 21
enda The Texas A&M University System Remarks James R. “Randy” Brooks Regent, The Texas A&M University System, Board of Regents Remarks and Formal Investiture The Honorable Glenn Hegar Chancellor, The Texas A&M University System Presentation of the Presidential Medallion The Honorable Glenn Hegar Chancellor, The Texas A&M University System Presentation of the University Mace Dr. George Clarke Presiding Officer, Faculty Advisory Council Introduction of the Seventh President of Texas A&M International University Dr. Claudia E. San Miguel Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs Investiture Address Dr. Christopher Maynard Seventh President, Texas A&M International University Congratulatory Messages from the TAMIU Community Texas A&M International University Alma Mater Closing Remarks Dr. Claudia E. San Miguel Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs Academic Recessional Please remain seated during the academic recessional
The Procession The Symbols This formal processional is similar to a Commencement Exercise and will include the stage party, additional college and universities’ delegates and University faculty and student representatives. All will be dressed in full academic regalia. The President will wear the regalia of the University. A Medallion of Office will be presented during the Ceremony by the Chancellor of The Texas A&M University System, and the University Mace will be featured. The Mace Another academic tradition with medieval origins, the mace, once a weapon of war, is now a symbol of institutional authority. The University Mace is a wood staff crowned with laurel leaves and anchored by a series of silver bands naming the University’s presidents. It signifies the University’s power to protect knowledge against those seeking to undermine or exploit it, while also representing TAMIU’s commitment to intellectual honesty and integrity, and the civic trust acknowledged with its display and use. The President’s Medallion The Texas A&M International University Medallion is crafted of bronze and bears the University seal. It is reserved for formal occasions, such as convocations, commencements, and, of course, investitures.
The Regalia The use of academic regalia (robes) dates back to the 12th Century and includes three components: Cap, Gown and Hood. Each Gown identifies the wearer’s degree of education. And so, the Bachelor’s gown is black with long, pointed, open sleeves. A Master’s gown closes the sleeve below the elbow. The Doctoral gown sleeve will bear three bars of velvet. All degrees include a mortarboard (Cap) and for Doctors, may be a velvet tam. A tassel of gold or other color indicates the field of study. An academic hood length also gives clue to the degree type. A master’s hood is 3.5 feet long; a doctoral, four feet. The hood’s lining indicates the college or university awarding the degree, while the color of velvet on master’s hoods is the field of study. On doctoral hoods, the velvet can be fields of study or a traditional royal blue. The most commonly used colors are white for arts, yellow for science, blue for philosophy, pink for music, light blue for education, orange for engineering, brown for business, turquoise for continuing studies, apricot for nursing and gray for general studies. MASTER’S DOCTORAL BACHELOR’S
Texas A&M University System Board of Regents Robert L. Albritton, Chairman Jay Graham, Vice Chairman David C. Baggett John W. Bellinger James R. “Randy” Brooks Michael A. “Mike” Hernandez III William “Bill” Mahomes Jr. Kelley Sullivan Georgiades Sam Torn Lisa D. Cantu (Student Regent)
Texas A&M International University Leadership Team Claudia E. San Miguel, Ph.D. Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs Lee Banda, Ed.D. Vice President for Finance and Administration and Chief Financial Officer Juan Gilberto García, Jr. Vice President for Enrollment Management Rosalinda García Vice President for Student Engagement Javier L. Zambrano, Jr. Vice President for Institutional Advancement Lola O. Norris, Ph.D. Dean, Graduate School Alfredo Ramírez, Ph.D. Dean, College of Education Marcus A. Ynalvez, Ph.D. Dean, College of Arts and Sciences Luis Pérez-Batres, Ph.D. Dean, A.R. Sanchez, Jr. School of Business James O'Meara, Ed.D. Dean, Global and Community Engagement Elda Ramírez, Ph.D. Dean, College of Nursing and Health Sciences George Clarke, Ph.D. Presiding Officer, Faculty Advisory Council Rebecca D. Romero President Elect, Staff Senate
Past Presidents Dr. Billy F. Cowart (1970 – 1984) Dr. Manuel T. Pacheco (1984 -1988) Dr. Leo Sayavedra (1988 – 1996) Mr. José García (1996) (Interim) Dr. Charles Jennett (1996 – 2001) Dr. Ray M. Keck, III (2001 – 2016) Dr. Pablo Arenaz (2016 – 2024) Mr. Juan J. Castillo (2004 – 2025) (Interim)
A Shakespearean Sonnet For the Investiture of Dr. Christopher Maynard As President of Texas A&M International University September 18, 2026 Here we seek for wisdom’s guiding light, Here we hope our studious energies Bring forth solutions, excellence, insight, Empowering all of our activities. Here we seek to make each other wise With reasoned dialogue, sound experiments, Old knowledge valued as discoveries arise, Wisdom refreshed by Socratic common sense. Our hope lives vigorous; our mission clear today Inspires our vision, our creativity, The promise of true learning; come what may, As our children face the future confidently, Let us be strong in this our new tradition, And fear no enemies of our common mission. R. W. Haynes Regents Professor
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy Mzk1Mzc4