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Sylvia Kelley Executive Director, Advancement

Many Alumni look to leave their mark on special place that left its mark on them

It seems that everywhere I go I run into someone who either went to school at ET/A&M-Commerce or has a family member who did. I’ve struck up conversations about the University with folks in the grocery store, at social events, at my daughter’s school and many other places.
Inevitably, there are four things I repeatedly hear from our Alumni: 1) I loved that place! 2) It changed my life. 3) I met my husband or wife there. 4) I’d like to get involved sometime, so let me know how I can do that.
Really. That’s what I hear, and I’m incredibly moved by it because I can tell that their comments are genuine.
Some of them have tears in their eyes because they have been influenced in positive ways by the time they spent here in classrooms and dorms talking with faculty and visiting with other students.
The University would not be what it is today without the passion that our Alumni have for making this a better place for generations of students. I’ve learned one of the greatest lessons of my life from many of our Alumni: you must bring passion to everything you do—giving your heart and soul to whatever you are involved in, letting it burn like a fire in your bones. As Ralph Waldo Emerson said, “Nothing good was ever achieved without enthusiasm.”
So that brings me to my point. A&M-Commerce—its Alumni, faculty, students and other supporters—must join forces.
When we’re enthusiastic and passionate, we’ll go to even higher ground yet—raising funds for new and existing programs, faculty and student research, scholarships, campus beautification, buildings, equipment and more. And we can’t reach our pinnacle without the entire “family” working together.
This family has a 114-year history and must embark on a new path—securing funds and other resources that strengthen our ability to provide our students with a top-notch education.
We haven’t had to do much fundraising in our history. Now we won’t be able to make much history without fundraising. In this economy and for many years to come, there will be no choice for us but to aim high!

Retirement gift

Dr. Jerry Hutton holds up one of the gifts he received at the reception acknowledging his retirement Aug. 31 as Dean of the College of Education and Human Services. He began his career at A&M-Commerce in 1972 as a special education faculty member. (To own the throw, though, you don’t have to be a dean. A few are still available through the Office of Alumni Relations. Call 903-886-5765.)

A&M-Commerce adds wildlife, conservation science to academic programs

Get out the good word about your Alma Mater. More than ever, it’s a good degree better.
“Alumni will always be our best source of referrals,” says Alumni Relations Director Kayla Price, “so they need to be among the first to know that we now have more academic avenues for students to explore than ever before.”
One of the latest is a new bachelor’s degree in wildlife and conservation science that is the only program of its kind in Northeast Texas—and one of the few in the state.
The degree will meet demand for trained professionals in the wildlife industry, a major employment sector.
Until now, students majoring in this field typically had only seven programs in Texas to choose
“Students kept asking about it, and the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department asked us to develop a program,” said Dr. Jeff Kopachena, program coordinator and faculty member in the biological and earth sciences department.
A few federal agencies that typically employ these graduates include the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Environmental Protection Agency. In the State of Texas, jobs can be found at the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission and the Texas General Land Office.
The degree will utilize the University’s 1,500-acre farm, which consists of managed pastures and croplands, a variety of large ponds, and examples of riparian habitat, as well as native and disturbed grasslands.

Spread the word about Degrees offered at your Alma Mater

Accounting: bachelor’s
Agricultural Sciences: bachelor’s, master’s
Agricultural Sciences & Technology: bachelor’s
Agricultural Business: bachelor’s
Agricultural Education: master’s
Animal Science: bachelor’s
Applied Physics: bachelor’s
Art Direction: bachelor’s
Athletic Training: bachelor’s
Biological Science: bachelor’s, master’s
Broadfield Science: master’s
Broadfield Science-Earth Science: master’s
Broadfield Science-Chemistry: master’s
Broadfield Science-Physics: master’s
Business Administration: master’s
Chemistry: bachelor’s, master’s
Computer Information Systems: bachelor’s
Computer Science: bachelor’s, master’s
Construction Science: bachelor’s
Counseling: bachelor’s, master’s,
doctorate
Criminal Justice: bachelor’s
Design Communications: bachelor’s
Elementary Education: master’s
Early Childhood Education: master’s
Earth Science: bachelor’s, master’s
Economics: master’s
Educational Administration: master’s, doctorate
Educational Psychology: doctorate
Electronic Commerce: master’s
English: bachelor’s, master’s, doctorate
Environmental Science: bachelor’s
Fine Art: bachelor’s, master’s
Fine/Studio Art: bachelor’s
French: bachelor’s
General Business: bachelor’s
Health: bachelor’s
Higher Education Administration: master’s
Higher Education Teaching: master’s
History: bachelor’s, master’s
Human Resource Management: bachelor’s
Industrial Engineering: bachelor’s
Industrial Technology: bachelor’s, master’s
Instructional Training & Design: bachelor’s
Interdisciplinary Studies: bachelor’s, master’s
Journalism: bachelor’s
Kinesiology & Sports Studies: bachelor’s, master’s
LT&IS Educational Computing: master’s
LT&IS Media & Technology: master’s
Management: bachelor’s, master’s
Management Information Systems: bachelor’s
Marketing: bachelor’s, master’s
Mathematics: bachelor’s, master’s
Music: bachelor’s
Music Education: master’s
Music Performance: bachelor’s, master’s
New Media: bachelor’s
Photography: bachelor’s
Physics: bachelor’s, master’s
Political Science: bachelor’s
Political Science-Legal Assistant: bachelor’s
Production/Operations Management: bachelor’s
Professional Accountancy: bachelor’s
Psychology: bachelor’s, master’s, doctorate
Radio/Television: bachelor’s
Reading: master’s
Secondary Education: master’s
Social Work: bachelor’s, master’s
Sociology: bachelor’s, master’s
Sociology-Criminology: bachelor’s
Sociology-Global Emphasis: bachelor’s
Spanish: bachelor’s, master’s
Special Education: master’s
Speech Communication: bachelor’s
Supervision Curriculum & Instruction: doctorate
Supervision, Curriculum & Instruction-Higher Ed: doctorate
Technology Management: bachelor’s
Theatre: bachelor’s, master’s
Training & Development: master’s
Wildlife & Conservation Science: bachelor’s