More than 600 of you work for the Division of Student Affairs at Texas A&M University. Each one of you brings a unique background, knowledge, talents, thoughts, and actions to your work, all for the benefit of students. Whether you work literally behind the curtain of Rudder Auditorium, in a back office at Hullaballoo Hall, or mentoring student organizations in Koldus, every person has a story that is an essential chapter in the Texas A&M narrative. In Behind the Scenes With Student Affairs, we introduce you to these stories.
Read our first six staff profiles.
Nominate one of your colleagues today.
Kelby Kosel '23 is an Aggies Reaching Aggies ambassador who helps other students learn about suicide prevention. She's also president of the Texas A&M Chapter of the American Association of University Women. As a biometrics major and future medical student, she works in a lab with the Texas A&M Health Science Center.
Watch Kelby’s Aggie story.
Read more Aggie stories from the Division of Student Affairs.
Nominate a student for this campaign.
APRIL NEWS FROM DIVISION OF STUDENT AFFAIRS
April Silver Taps Ceremony to Honor Three Students
Texas A&M University will honor three students during Silver Taps on April 5 at 10:30 p.m. on Academic Plaza:
Justin Rey Prenio Magtubo (Electrical Engineering)
Weston Alan Miller (Political Science)
Anne Arundel Locker-Thaddeus (Anthropology)
The ceremony is open to all Texas A&M faculty, staff and students, and to the community. Those who can’t attend in person may watch a YouTube Premiere of the ceremony at tx.ag/SilverTapsPremiere on the Student Affairs YouTube channel.
It’s not too late to register for the April DSA Staff Development Workshop, where you may choose from three break-out sessions:
1) Wellness at Work
2) Dear Carl, Help! I Hate My Email!
3) Putting the Human back in Human Resources
OFFICE OF THE VICE PRESIDENT FOR STUDENT AFFAIRS
Division leaders continues to spend time critiquing and refining our vision, mission, and commitment statements. We thank all staff who have provided their thoughts and feedback on our current vision statement to their directors. This information has helped us make productive steps toward a new vision statement. Next, leaders will begin critiquing and refining our DSA mission statement.
Save the date for the 2022 DSA Awards Ceremony on Wednesday, May 4 in the MSC Bethancourt Ballroom. Breakfast will begin being served at 8:30 a.m. and the ceremony will begin at 9 a.m. A formal invitation will be coming soon! We hope to see you there!
Professional achievement submissions will remain open until April 12 at 5 p.m. Submit your professional achievements online to be included in the special edition division update following the DSA Awards Ceremony.
DON & ELLIE KNAUSS VETERAN RESOURCE & SUPPORT CENTER (VRSC)
The Veterans' Voices program is returning to Texas A&M for spring '22! Veterans’ Voices brings veterans, military families, and members of the public together in small groups to read aloud from literary texts about war, military service, and the return to civilian life. Participants engage in facilitated discussions on how the texts relate to their own experiences.
The 2nd Annual Albers Impact Conference is April 14-15. Ten sophomore/junior participants from the VRSC VET+MAP program are selected annually as conference delegates to join us in McKinney, Texas, for inspiration, networking, education, training, and mentoring. This program empowers Aggie veterans through the discovery of who they are, why they're here, and their potential for impact as they live out their purpose.
The Student Veterans of America at Texas A&M will host an all-branch military ball on April 15. This ball aims to support our student veterans from all branches by bringing them and their significant others together for camaraderie through a fun-filled night of food and dancing. For details and information on tickets, email Veterans of America.
STUDENT LIFE STUDIES
In the most recent blog, Darby reflects on what student success means and what we know about it at Texas A&M.
Graduate students were asked "What is one thing that the university could do to improve campus climate?" in the 2021 Graduate SERU survey. You can find the report on our website.
DEPARTMENT OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (DoIT)
With assistance from DoIT, the Student Government Association Election Commission used creative promotion and technology to increase undergraduate voter turnout by 47% this spring. Read David Swanson's latest article on how DoIT helped turn the tide on declining student voter turnout.
Microsoft Whiteboard is an efficient tool for collaborating during virtual meetings. See how you can use Whiteboard to communicate notes, drawings, and ideas during your virtual meetings and increase creativity and productivity by visiting this website.
Recent changes to Google Drive have made collaborating and sharing files as convenient as possible for your workflow. Read our article and see how you can integrate Google Drive into Teams and the Outlook web client to make sharing files faster and easier than before.
Did you know Texas A&M University has guidelines for what is and isn’t allowed on the websites? Check out our article to learn more about the different levels of data control and their implications, and check which level your data belongs to. Use this handy guide before posting content on our website.
OFFICES OF THE DEAN OF STUDENT LIFE
Congratulations to Dr. Stefanie Baker, who was named director of the Offices of the Dean of Student Life! Dr. Baker served as interim director since June 2021 and has 20 years of experience with the department in various leadership roles. In addition to her work in Student Life, Dr. Baker has developed a significant network across the university as a result of the many committees and task forces on which she has served over the years.
April is Sexual Assault Prevention and Awareness Month. This initiative unifies state coalitions, college campuses, and community organizations in their efforts to end all forms of sexual assault, harassment, and abuse. For Health Promotion’s full calendar of events and more information about how you can get involved this year, please visit our website.
Take Back the Night is being hosted as a part of Sexual Assault Prevention & Awareness Month at Texas A&M on Thursday, April 7 from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. in Rudder Plaza. The mission of the international Take Back the Night Foundation is to create safe communities and respectful relationships through awareness events and initiatives, with the goal of ending all forms of sexual violence.
Join New Student & Family Programs April 8-10 for Family Weekend! Held each spring, Family Weekend has existed at Texas A&M University since 1919. This year’s Family Weekend includes sports events, Aggie Ring Day, a Yell Practice at Kyle Field, and dozens of other events sponsored by organizations from across campus and the community.
The LGBTQ+ Pride Center will host Pride Pen Pals during summer break. Pride Pen Pals is designed to keep LGBTQ+ students connected to a supportive community while they are away from campus during the summer and winter breaks. Participants can select their pen pal(s) based on their identities and interests and are encouraged to actively communicate with each other. Applications are open April 4 – 22.
UNIVERSITY ART GALLERIES
In Actuality: Social Realism and Its Legacy from the Robert B. Menschel Collection - This exhibition presents over 40 images by nine master photographers, including Dorothea Lange, and highlights their contributions to the Social Realism movement. Forsyth Galleries | Through April 10
Creative Corner: 5-Minute Online Creativity Breaks - Join the Forsyth Galleries for five-minute online creativity breaks using prompts from the book “Journal Sparks: Fire Up Your Creativity with Spontaneous Art, Wild Writing, and Inventive Thinking” by Emily K. Nueburger. RSVP here. Zoom | April 6 & 20 | 2 p.m.
Texas on Paper Gallery Talk & Reception – Hear from collectors Judy and Stephen Alton as they share their knowledge of Texas printmakers from the early half of the 20th century in a tour of “Texas on Paper,” an exhibition featuring works from their extensive private collection. RSVPs are located here and are appreciated. Stark Galleries | Through May 29 | Gallery Talk & Reception: April 7 at 5:30 p.m.
Space: Now You See It - This exhibition presents a floral wonderland, inviting viewers to explore how floral art installations inhabit and alter the viewers’ perceptions of space and depth of field. Presented by the Benz School of Floral Design. Stark Galleries | Through May 15 | Reception: April 27 @ 3 p.m.
I Made This! An Emphasis on Origin – Examine the signatures and marks on paintings, glass, silver, pewter, ceramics, and other artistic mediums as this exhibition uncovers the stories behind their placement. Forsyth Galleries | April 19–July 10
MULTICULTURAL SERVICES
April is APIDA (Asian Pacific Islander Desi American) Heritage Month at Texas A&M. This year's theme is "Nurture Your Nature," chosen to showcase the diverse, rich culture of the APIDA Aggie community. Details and this year's full calendar can be found on the APIDA Heritage Month page.
The 2022 Race Identity and Social Equity (RISE) Conference was held on March 25 in the MSC. This year marked the conference being back in person in over two years. Over 30 students, faculty, and staff hosted numerous workshops ranging from research findings to topics on social justice and identity. Dr. Becky Martinez, a social justice educator, served as the conference keynote.
The Asian Presidents' Council held a memorial on March 10, honoring victims of anti-Asian hate crimes. Attendees left notes and flowers for victims, followed by a moment of silence, poetry reading, and an open community space to share their experiences. The memorial also commemorated the upcoming one-year anniversary of the Atlanta spa shootings that took place on March 16, 2021.
DISABILITY RESOURCES
Disability Resources and the Career Center will host the Job Searching with a Disability webinar on Monday, April 11 at 5:30 p.m. via Zoom. The presentation will include staff members from the Career Center, Disability Resources, and employer/agency representatives and focus on the topics of disability disclosure in the job search process, requesting accommodations in the workplace, and resources for job searching.
Tracey Forman will discuss ways to promote accessibility in student activities and organizations during April's webinar for the Accessibility in Aggieland series on Wednesday, April 20 at 1:30 p.m.. Mark your calendar and register on our website.
Justin Romack served as the keynote speaker for the Texas Transition Conference, which is an annual event for educators and disability resource professionals working with disabled students in K-12. His talk offered practical guidance to over 700 attendees on supporting disabled high school students in their journey toward postsecondary education.
COUNSELING & PSYCHOLOGICAL SERVICES (CAPS)
Let's Talk @ISS has added additional time slots during which students can meet with counselors for casual, supportive conversation at International Student Services (ISS). Counseling & Psychological Services (CAPS) extended availability to better meet the needs of students processing both the everyday pressures of college life and evolving events abroad. Students may register on our website.
Suicide Awareness Week 2022 brings renewed focus to suicide awareness and prevention April 18-22 through events like Coffee with a Counselor, swag grabs in the MSC and its headlining attraction, Chillax with CAPS — an afternoon focused on mental health and stress relief as students gear up for finals. For more information, visit our website.
Workshops and mid-semester counseling groups continue to offer virtual opportunities for growth, empowerment, and community, unpacking a wide range of topics including anxiety, stress, relationships, and the challenges of life as a college student. Students can register for workshops through the CAPS student portal and can submit a group interest form on our website.
CAPS has matched six incoming interns, who will join the CAPS training program for the 2022-2023 academic year. The American Psychological Association (APA)-accredited training program at CAPS makes Texas A&M University a leading location for top candidates in the field of counseling. Visit our website for more info on training opportunities for doctoral- and Masters-level candidates at CAPS.
My SSP @ TAMU brings 'mental health care empowered' to current Texas A&M students anywhere, anytime, as Aggies continue to download the self-care resource with clinical features, providing access to professional counseling, mental health assessments, self-care resources, and virtual fitness sessions — all free and confidential and available 24/7. Visit our website for more info.
STUDENT HEALTH SERVICES (SHS)
SHS had a total of 32 students participate in our March Von's Vision event. Since the program's inception in 2018, over 750 students have benefited from Von's Vision. To learn more about this program available for TAMU students, visit our website.
Nutrition Services will be hosting in-person grocery store tours for TAMU students on April 6, 7, 13 and 14. Grocery Store Tours are hosted at a local H-E-B and provide students the opportunity to interact with Nutrition Services staff and learn about nutrition facts. This month's theme will focus on sorting through diet trends and learning about nutrition labels. Visit our website to learn more.
COVID-19 vaccines and booster shots are available for students, faculty, and staff. SHS follows CDC guidance on booster vaccine eligibility. Appointments are now only available on Mondays and Fridays and can be scheduled online here.
MEMORIAL STUDENT CENTER
MSC SCOLA has been hosting the 34h Student Conference On Latinx Affairs this week. The largest student-run conference on Latinx affairs, MSC SCOLA is an opportunity to come together to promote cultural awareness and representation. Rather than dwelling on the suppression of the past, MSC SCOLA embraces differences, upbringings, and stories of the Latinx community.
MSC CAMAC presents Latinx Theatre on April 8, 7-9:30 p.m. in Rudder Theatre. The original production titled, “We Lie! We Cheat! We Steal!” is a political farce about a trial concerning the colonization of indigenous persons and the subsequent oppression of Latin America by replaying some of the key points often overlooked in the telling of Latin American history.
MSC WBAC will host the Black Aggie Family BBQ on April 9. The Black Aggie Family BBQ is an annual event centering around the unity of the Black campus community and their families. During this event, there will be dancing, games, music, and a chance to interact with Black organizations on campus. The BBQ will be hosted at the Lincoln Recreation Center.
MSC FISH presents Kyle Field Day, a one-day service event outside of and in the concourse of Kyle Field. The purpose of Kyle Field Day is to connect Texas A&M students and the Bryan/College Station community with service organizations from on and off-campus on April 10. The goal is to complete impactful, hands-on service projects for the missions of the organizations.
MSC ALOT presents FLO’s Got Talent. The April 13th event will showcase the talented students in each FLO of Texas A&M. It serves as an opportunity to bring all of the FLOs on campus together to develop leadership skills, give back to the community, and promote camaraderie from 7-9 in Rudder Auditorium.
STUDENT ACTIVITIES
We would like to congratulate and welcome Case Harris '23 into the role of Student Body President for 2022-23. Case, a junior finance major from Austin, was elected to serve in early March and will officially assume the position on April 21, 2022, following the Muster Ceremony. A total of 12,630 ballots were cast in this spring’s elections.
The Office of Fraternity & Sorority Life partnered with the Bush School of Government and Public Service, the Center for Nonprofits & Philanthropy, and the Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Committee for a Salute to the Divine Legacy of Black Sororities and Fraternities. Dr. Walter Kimbrough, president of Dillard University, spoke in honor of these organizations' long histories and accomplishments.
The Class of 2023 will be hosting a new junior class tradition this spring. "Legacy Night" will occur on the lawn of the JK Williams Administration Building, and will include speakers, performances, food, and the reveal of time capsule contents that will be buried on campus. The time capsule from this year, and each subsequent year, will be opened at the 50th Class Reunion.
The Margaret Rudder Community Service Award (up to $500) seeks to recognize students who have made an impact on their community through volunteer service and/or engagement and is designed to inspire and encourage active student volunteerism on a continual basis. Please consider nominating a deserving student(s) by Friday, April 8 at 5:00 PM on our website.
RESIDENCE LIFE
The Aggie Eco-Representatives are hosting another Sustainable Swap Shop to celebrate Earth Month on Friday, April 8, from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. in Hullabaloo Hall 117. Bring any clothes, books, office supplies, décor, or other goods you no longer want and swap them with items you do! Send questions to our email.
Living Learning Programs collaborate to host an Etiquette Dinner for participants on April 20. Members of Sustainable Aggies, Spectrum, Startup, and IDEAS will be engaging in an etiquette dinner at the University Club to learn appropriate table manners for use in professional settings.
As part of De-Stress Fest at the Rec Center, Residence Life’s Academic Peer Mentors, Residential Housing Association and National Residence Hall Honorary created stress-relief sensory bottles, hosted a jump rope and kick-boxing competition, coloring, and make your own ‘Howdy, Dammit’ Dolls.
Truth Hippman’s Of The Month submission for Spring Training won at the Regional Level within South West Association of College & University Residential Housing, making the Academic Peer Mentors the Organization of the Month! Congratulations to the team. The work you do truly impacts the residents here at Texas A&M!
Contract Renewal, our marketing campaign where upperclassmen/returning students renew their housing for next year, finished on March 6. We had a record 3,550 Residence Life and Corps of Cadets students renew their housing for next year! Last year, this number was 3,088, an Aggie 12% increase.
MUSIC ACTIVITIES
The Century Singers will be bringing their 50th Anniversary Celebration on the road. April 1-3, the mixed choir will be performing in the Dallas area. Times and locations can be found on our website.
On April 23, the Century Singers celebrate 50 years of making music in Aggieland. Come join us for a concert as well as some alumni events.
Dr. Timothy Rhea and the Texas A&M Wind Symphony created a video clinic teaching about marches. This will be available on the Conn-Selmer Co. website to help band directors teach their ensembles and improve their understanding of these pieces.
The Singing Cadets will be performing in Austin on April 2, and return for a home concert at Rudder Auditorium for Family Weekend. Details are on our website and our Instagram page.
The Women's Chorus will have their concert on April 30 at 3:00 pm at A&M Methodist Church.
The University Orchestras will have their final Spring Concert on April 30 at Rudder Auditorium. They will feature a guest artist, internationally-known tenor Paul Kroeger. For more information and ticket links visit our website.
The University Bands will have their final concert this year on May 1 at the Rudder Theatre. The Wind Symphony will perform at 2:00 PM and the Concert and Symphonic Bands, along with the Symphonic Winds, will play at 5:30 PM. For more information and tickets visit our website.
RECREATIONAL SPORTS
Congratulations to Amber Guthrie, Rec Sports graduate assistant, for winning first place for her research at the Cotton Bowl 1% Competition! She also presented her research at the College Sport Research Institute Conference in South Carolina.
Rec Sports hosted another wildly successful De-Stress Fest on March 23 where hundreds of students participated in activities, including goat yoga!
Know any students who are staying this summer and need a job? Rec Sports Aquatics is hosting a Lifeguard Certification Course April 8 - 10. Those who commit to working the summer will have the cost of the course waived. Registration closes on April 4th. For details, email CJ.
Over 150 former Rec Sport student employees and their families returned to campus on March 25 & 26 for the annual Rec Sports reunion.
Rec Sports is looking for talented professionals to fill the following positions: Assistant Director - Outdoor Adventures (R-047453); Communications Specialist II (R-047388); Student Development Specialist II - Facility Operations (R-047457) ; and a Strength & Conditioning Coordinator (R-047464). For details search WorkDay or visit this website for assistance.
CORPS OF CADETS
During this year’s March to the Brazos, all members of the Corps of Cadets will participate in the 18-mile round-trip march from the Quad to the Texas A&M Beef Center. Through March to the Brazos, the Corps raises money for designated non-profit organizations. This year, the Corps will raise funds to support 4 local organizations. For information on how you can support, visit our website.
Over Spring break, several cadets traveled to Washington D.C. These cadets met with several notable alumni, including General Eric Smith ‘87, Assistant Commandant of the United States Marines Corps, and Mickaela Carter ‘12, Deputy Director of Communications for the USDA. This opportunity provided our cadets with an excellent chance to explore our nation’s capital and gain valuable insight on how to navigate life after graduation.
The Corps of Cadets Marksmanship Unit recently claimed their 7th national championship title! Of the 16 teams that participated in the Scholastic Action Shooting Program’s Collegiate National Championship, the CCMU came out on top. They have consistently gone above and beyond in representing Texas A&M and the Corps of Cadets on the national stage, and we look forward to their continued success.
Congratulations to former cadet and fifth-year student, Michael Whittaker, one of forty applicants who was selected by the United States Air Force to serve as a Gold Bar Recruiter. In this capacity, Michael will work closely with local high school students interested in Air Force ROTC programs and will act as a resource for all of the opportunities available to them.
On February 26th & 27th, the Corps Baseball team swept a three-game series against Lonestar College-Cy Fair. In-game one, our cadets posted an impressive 23-1 win. Team Captain Marty Foster pitched a complete game with four strikeouts, and there were multiple hits recorded by Carlos Tamez, Tyler Jennings, Bennett Wojcik, Samuel Dillard, Gavin Gleinig, and Hunter Clements.
UNIVERSITY CENTER & SPECIAL EVENTS (UCEN)
UCEN is hosting its annual Memorial Student Center Birthday Celebration in Rudder Plaza on April 20th from 11:30am-1:30pm. This year’s theme is Camp Out! Join us for free food, shirts, games, and prizes!
BECKY GATES CHILDREN'S CENTER
Week of the Young Child is a fun-filled week celebrating early learning, young children, their teachers, families, and communities, April 4-8! Every day we will be engaging in different activities around daily themes of music, food, working together, art, and families!
Scholastic Book Fair will be at BGCC April 4-8. Books will be available to purchase in our Multipurpose Building from 4-5:30 p.m. each day.
Pre-K Graduation Celebration will be on May 6, 7 p.m. at The Shirley & Joe Swinbank '74 AgriLife Center. Congratulations to our graduates!
BGCC is the kickoff event for the first annual Brazos Valley Chapter of the Texas Association of the Education of Young Children Conference on April 8. Our nature-based playground is being featured.
MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS
The next Student Affairs Marketing & Communications Committee meeting is Tuesday, April 12, from 8:30 a.m. to 10 a.m. Watch your email for more details, which are coming soon.
Remember: All staff have access to the Division of Student Affairs Brand Guide, where you will find the following information (and more):
- DSA logo downloads
- DSA social media guide (links to all our DSA channels)
- Digital sign guidance and templates
One of the most common questions we get is: Where are the DSA org charts? They’re on our website here: studentaffairs.tamu.edu/organizational-charts/ On the home page of our website, select About the Division on the main navigation menu and you will find a link to “Organizational Charts.”
Need a video break? Watch a recap of Black History Month at Texas A&M.
STAFF WELLBEING AND APPRECIATION COMMITTEE (SWAC)
Save the Date for the annual Take Me Out To The Ballgame event on April 26th as the Texas A&M Aggies take on the Sam Houston State Bearkats. Bring the whole family to the REC room 2229 to enjoy a ballgame-themed meal and watch the game from the balcony.
Tickets are still available for DSA employees to enjoy The Barricade Boys on Thursday, April 7th in Rudder Auditorium at 7:30 p.m., brought to you by OPAS. Use the code SWAC prior to checking out for 50% off Rear Orchestra and Mezzanine tickets. Visit the MSC Box Office to select your seats today!