Established in 1955, the university-level Distinguished Achievement Award from The Association of Former Students recognizes individuals who have demonstrated exceptional dedication and outstanding contributions to the Aggie community, Texas A&M’s mission and made a lasting impact in their respective fields.
The selection process is rigorous and includes a broad range of faculty, staff, students and former students who carefully evaluate nominees based on their impact and service. Recipients of the award are those who have demonstrated excellence across multiple areas of impact, including teaching, research, student engagement, graduate mentoring, administration, staff service, and extension or outreach programs.
From the Division of Student Affairs, two standout candidates were chosen for this prestigious award. The recipients honored were Tracey Forman ‘99 from Disability Resources with 23 years of service and Chareny Rydl from Residence Life with more than 36 years of service.
Decades of Service and Dedication to the Student Experience: Highlighting the Careers of Tracey Forman and Chareny Rydl
Through their work to support the ever-changing student population at Texas A&M, Tracey Forman and Chareny Rydl exemplify student affairs professionals who go above and beyond within their roles, interactions with students, staff and colleagues across the university. This achievement reflects not only the lasting impact both have created on student success over their tenure at Texas A&M, but also the high esteem in which both Forman and Rydl are held by their colleagues and the broader Texas A&M community.
Tracey Forman
Forman has dedicated her career to supporting students with disabilities at Texas A&M, and her commitment to student health and mental well-being is evident in her interactions with the students she supports through her work in Disability Resources. In one notable instance, she went above and beyond to help a quadriplegic student whose personal attendants were not meeting his needs. Rather than simply informing him that personal attendants were his responsibility, she researched options, brainstormed solutions and maintained contact to ensure his needs were being met.
"Tracey demonstrates her student-centered approach in her work with disabled students at the Health Science Center," a colleague noted. "This work is challenging as the impact of a student's disability may be very different in clinical settings such as pharmacies or hospitals. Tracey has worked with medical students with visual and hearing impairments, a pharmacy student with autism, a nursing student experiencing unexplained seizures, and many others."
Throughout her career, Forman has developed extensive knowledge of supports and technology for blind and low-vision students. She advises Insightful Connections, a student organization for students with visual impairments, and advocates for removing barriers they experience on campus. Beyond her day-to-day responsibilities, she often meets current and former students for lunch to discuss both their immediate concerns and long-term goals, maintaining relationships and providing assistance even after graduation.
Chareny Rydl
Rydl has dedicated more than 36 years to Texas A&M University, significantly shaping the on-campus housing experience through her leadership roles, culminating in her current position as Executive Director of Residence Life. Her tenure is marked by commitment to students, operational excellence, innovative practices, and embodiment of the university's core values, demonstrated through her response to crises and her proactive approach to change. After more than three decades of service to Texas A&M University and Residence Life, Rydl is set to retire at the end of May - leaving a lasting legacy of leadership, integrity and selfless service.
"Over the time I have known Chareny, her work at Texas A&M University has been consistently marked by innovation and excellence, positioning her as an expert in on-campus housing at large universities and someone whom colleagues at other universities reach out to for advice," said Mike Krenz, an associate director in Residence Life. "Her constant striving for innovation has resulted in the adoption of new software applications and the use of AI-driven solutions. Her quest for excellence is also displayed in her continual efforts to get to ‘yes’ with students and parents, but in this effort, not create undue burdens on her staff or sacrifice her personal integrity. It is also displayed in her ability to oversee 11,000 students living on campus, 65 physical buildings, and approximately 500 staff, yet somehow, remember just about every situation and every name and then follow up and close the loop on everything and with everyone."
Dr. Anne Reber, former associate vice president and dean of student life, shared, "I find Chareny's service to be truly selfless. To this day, I am in awe of her personal integrity and servant leadership as she uses these attributes for the good of her staff, the students, and the university. She inspires those she works with to the excellence that she lives by."
"Chareny Rydl is the primary reason why the Department of Residence Life is what it is today and why it is recognized as one of the largest and most respected housing programs in the nation," noted Tom Reber, interim vice president for student affairs. "Her vision, leadership, high ethical standards, and goal to 'always do what is right' over the course of her career have set the values which Residence Life lives by. Chareny expects big results, but she backs up her expectations with strong and unwavering support."
Peter Lange, chief operating officer and senior vice president at Texas A&M, added, "As the executive director, Chareny demonstrates an unparalleled commitment to fostering student success, providing outstanding facilities and services, and creating enriching experiences that empower our on-campus residents. As a staunch advocate for our students, she plays a vital role in transforming the Residential Life experience into a cornerstone of student growth, well-being, and achievement. Chareny's strategic vision ensures that we remain competitive in the housing market while continuing to build financial resilience and uphold necessary reserves. Her efforts not only support the operational stability of our campus housing but also enhance the overall student experience by ensuring our residence halls are vibrant, well-equipped, and accessible."