Top Ten Moments: May 2024
1. Partnering with UFCU for Stadium Naming Rights
![President Damphousse (left) jumps into the San Marcos River with others.](https://docs.gato.txst.edu/691903/w/2000/PQt2efc5jf6b/Naming%20Rights.jpg)
I’m thrilled about our landmark partnership with University Federal Credit Union (UFCU) that will rebrand the football stadium as UFCU Stadium. Our 15-year, $23 million partnership is the largest corporate sponsorship in the Sun Belt Conference for naming rights at a football stadium and one of the largest for a college football stadium in Texas. This is just the beginning to a relationship that will benefit our students, university, and the community.
2. Celebrating Grads at Spring Commencement
![President Damphousse (left) poses for a photo with a new TXST graduate at commencement.](https://docs.gato.txst.edu/691900/w/2000/Qh41kvbMMzv6/Commencement.jpg)
Many thanks to all the TXST faculty and staff members who work tirelessly behind the scenes to make sure our graduation ceremonies run so smoothly. These moments are so special for our students and their families. Congratulations to the nearly 4,400 new grads!
3. Hosting the TSUS Board of Regents Meeting
![President Damphousse (left) poses for a photo with the Gold Star Society students.](https://docs.gato.txst.edu/691906/w/2000/ibO05Rz0FyJ2/Regents.jpg)
We enjoyed hosting the Texas State University System Board of Regents on our San Marcos Campus. I’m grateful for their leadership and for our team who worked hard to make it all happen. Thanks to our Gold Star Society students and guest speaker Douglas Brinkley for making the banquet special.
4. Congrats to TXST Softball, Women’s Track and Field
![The TXST Softball team poses for a photo on the softball field with a Sun Belt Championship sign.](https://docs.gato.txst.edu/691908/w/2000/zteTcCu8B4zH/Sun%20Belt%20Champs.jpg)
Congratulations to Softball for appearing in their first Championship Sunday appearance since 2003 and for finishing as Sun Belt Conference Tournament Champions. Also, congratulations to Women’s Track and Field for becoming Sun Belt Outdoor Champions!
5. Speaking at ACC’s Commencement
![President Damphousse (left) poses for a photo with ACC Chancelor Russell Lowery-Hart holding a newspaper clipping of the Bats to Cats transfer partnership.](https://docs.gato.txst.edu/691897/w/2000/-M_AoKnBu1kh/ACCs%20Commencement.jpg)
Thank you to Austin Community College Chancellor Russell Lowery-Hart for inviting me to share my journey at ACC’s commencement. As a first generation, community college student, I know the value proposition of ACC. I’m thrilled we’re partnering for the Bats to Cats transfer partnership.
6. Thanking our Financial Aid Staff
![President Damphousse poses for a photo with a large group of financial aid staff members.](https://docs.gato.txst.edu/691901/w/2000/OETVki_jalQw/FAFSA.jpg)
Our Financial Aid staff worked tirelessly through the FAFSA delays experienced throughout the country, and I am very grateful for them. We are now 100% caught up on making offers to over 25,000 upcoming TXST students thanks to these staff members.
7. Seeing 2,500+ Students at Late Night Breakfast
![President Damphousse (left) poses for a photo with food servers at the Late Night Breakfast event.](https://docs.gato.txst.edu/691899/w/2000/EEt6Pa-lZFVe/Breakfast.jpg)
The entire Student Success division and Texas State Dining team worked a ton of hours to put on the Late Night Breakfast event, which saw a record 2,500+ students! I loved seeing so many smiling faces the night before finals began.
8. Welcoming the Terry Foundation to Campus
![President Damphousse (left) poses for a photo with Yvonne Moody.](https://docs.gato.txst.edu/691914/w/2000/ywCiyvT3ThSQ/Moody.jpg)
It was a pleasure to welcome Yvonne Moody, executive director of the Terry Foundation, and her board members to campus. The foundation has funded nearly $25 million in scholarships for our wonderful students over the years.
9. Highlighting TXST Employee Donors
![President Damphousse (left) poses for a photo on stage with student panelists.](https://docs.gato.txst.edu/691902/w/2000/c-S2MMUWEuPp/Gold%20Standard.jpg)
It was an honor celebrating current and retired TXST employees who have given more than $10,000 to TXST (or at least ten years in a row) at the second annual Gold Standard Luncheon. Almost 5,000 have done so thus far! We also had an insightful student panel who shared the importance of their gifts.
10. Recording the Office Hours Podcast
![Tyson Taylor (left) asks President Damphousse a question for a podcast.](https://docs.gato.txst.edu/691905/w/2000/eVHv3qx-cn6m/Podcast.jpg)
It was a blast hanging out with the Division of Marketing and Communications’ Giselle Kowalski and Tyson Taylor to record the Office Hours podcast, a weekly podcast that brings one TXST student and one TXST professor together for a conversation. Be sure to check it out in July wherever you listen to podcasts!
BONUS - Celebrating our Wonderful Staff Members
We used to host several smaller staff award ceremonies, but this year we decided to pull them all together for one huge event. Congratulations to all the awardees for their hard work and dedication to TXST. Thank you to Holly Hirsch and the Staff Senate for making Kudos and Karaoke such a huge hit. We even brought out the t-shirt canon!
![President Damphousse shoots a t-shirt canon into the crowd in the University Events Center.](https://docs.gato.txst.edu/691915/w/2000/Yrw1K4DyK7zu/Appreciation.jpg)
BONUS - Visiting Alums in the Big Apple for 125 Events
Beth and I visited New York City for a few Alumni and School of Music events. We enjoyed a Steinway & Sons concert with alum Martin Kesuma and Naomi Wong, winner of the TXST Dickson Piano Competition. We also hosted acting alums after their work on Broadway and met up with our Stelos Scholar students!
![First Lady Damphousse (left) and President Damphousse pose for a photo next to a piano.](https://docs.gato.txst.edu/691904/w/2000/ORFojC1pjy6M/NYC.jpg)