Top Ten Moments: February 2025
1. Sharing TXST Success with the Senate Finance Committee
I was grateful for the opportunity to talk about all the great things happening at TXST during the Senate Finance Committee hearing at the Capitol. I shared, and maybe bragged a little bit, about all the records we are breaking — enrollment, research dollars, patent applications, and Ph.D. programs and graduates just to name a few.
2. Partnering with Tarrant County College
We made the trip up north to straighten the curves and flatten the hills for students at Tarrant County College seeking a four-year college degree. I had a wonderful time working with Dr. Elva Concha LeBlanc and their leadership as we formally begin another new transfer partnership. This is the fourth with many more to come.
3. Highlighting Authors/Patent Holders
Our faculty members were shinning bright during our author and patent luncheon. Collectively, they published 79 books last year and developed 14 patents, which is a 150% increase over the previous year. We are on track to become an R1 institution in two years thanks to work like this!
4. Celebrating Research Achievements
There was no better way to end our inaugural Research Showcase than with a celebration of the work our Division of Research and remarkable faculty members are doing. They have placed our research expenditures among the top 20% of universities in the country — $165 this past year!
5. Hosting the NUTmobile on Campus
Having the Planters NUTmobile on campus was a lot of fun, and best of all — one of our own is driving it across America this year. Alum Katie Krupinski passed out peanuts and PayDay bars to students and joined me on my podcast, The Current. Stay tuned for that episode later this year.
6. Honoring TSUS Regents Teachers
Congratulations to Dr. Elizabeth K. Eger and Dr. Cindy Royal for being recognized as TSUS Regents’ Teachers for 2024 during our recent Board of Regents meeting in Austin. They are the 14th and 15th recipients from TXST and are both exceptional educators. Thanks for what you do for our students.
7. Meeting with Rep. John Bucy
A huge thanks to Representative John Bucy III for hosting our TXST cabinet at the Capitol to discuss our plans to grow the Round Rock Campus. I’m especially grateful for Vice President Dr. Julie Lessiter’s leadership as she has increased enrollment by 21%.
8. Taking Down the #1 Ranked Aggies
I had some duties back in San Marcos, but Beth and Kristen were able to attend the baseball win over TAMU (and kept me updated via texts). Fortunately, I was able to be on campus when the boys rolled in from College Station. Congrats on a big win!
9. Public Speaking with Students
I enjoyed sharing my evolution as a public speaker (from incredibly terrible to passable in just 40 short years) with TXST’s public speaking cohort at the McCoy College of Business. They had great questions and were a very attentive audience.
10. Attending TSUS Presents at ACL
Beth and I had a blast at the annual TSUS Presents event at Austin City Limits Live where they honored the staff who serve at the Capitol. Many of them are TXST alumni and students! We enjoyed sitting with our SpawGlass friends and watching Brad Paisley perform.
BONUS: Meeting the Inaugural President’s Capitol Interns
It was inspiring to meet the inaugural President’s Capitol Interns! These interns will serve full-time in the offices of our state representatives, senators, and even the governor, with paid internships. We are grateful for our alumni and faculty who made this all possible. I also hosted a come-and-go coffee event a couple of weeks later for them and talked about their experience thus far.
