FEBRUARY NEWS FROM DIVISION OF STUDENT AFFAIRS
OFFICE OF THE VICE PRESIDENT FOR STUDENT AFFAIRS
STUDENT AFFAIRS is 50!
The Division of Student Affairs turns 50 this year! You will hear more as a DSA team works on ideas for ways to celebrate this milestone, including adding our new logo to DSA websites and 50th Anniversary event for our staff, student employees, former students and other friends.
THANKS for SHARING the DSA IMPACT REPORT
Have you had a chance to read The Aggie Experience DSA impact report? You can find it here on our website, and we have some printed copies left if you need any to share with staff or colleagues. Email sondra@tamu.edu to request copies.
WE WANT TO TELL YOUR STORY
Your story is the DSA story! Go Behind the Scenes with Student Affairs to meet your colleagues who help us create the best student experience at Texas A&M University. We invite you to fill out this simple form to nominate yourself or a fellow employee to be included in our staff profile campaign.
NOMINATE a STUDENT for MY AGGIE STORY
Visit our My Aggie Story page to read about how the Division of Student Affairs is changing the lives of Texas A&M students. You can also watch our video stories on the DSA YouTube page. We invite and encourage you to nominate a student for a feature on this simple online form.
CONGRATULATIONS, DR. DARBY ROBERTS and MARIA ORTEGA!
DSA's Dr. Darby Roberts and Maria Ortega were selected as two of 25 outstanding faculty and staff being honored with the 2023 university-level Distinguished Achievement Awards Darby is the director of Student Affairs Planning, Assessment & Research and Maria is the associate director of Disability Resources.
Since 1955, the Distinguished Achievement Awards have been granted to those who exhibit the highest standards of excellence by Texas A&M University and The Association of Former Students. The award honors Texas A&M faculty and staff members in the categories of teaching, research, individual student engagement, graduate mentoring, administration, staff and extension/outreach/continuing education/professional development.
The selection process for this award is rigorous, with the recipients chosen by a campus-wide committee composed of faculty, staff, students and former students. The award is a testimony to the esteem in which colleagues hold the recipients.
In recognition of their achievements, Darby and Maria will receive a cash gift, an engraved watch and a commemorative plaque, and they will be honored on April 24 at a university awards ceremony luncheon.
Maria Ortega (left) and Dr. Darby Roberts (right).
DSA AWARDS COMMITTEE
Save the Date for the DSA Awards ceremony on Wednesday, May 3, 2023 8:30 a.m. - 10:30 a.m. in the MSC Bethancourt Ballroom! Breakfast begins serving at 8:30 a.m. and the ceremony begins at 9 a.m. Formal invitation and RSVP link to follow.
Professional achievements are open now until April 18 at 5 p.m. Submit yours online!
STAFF DEVELOPMENT TEAM
Learn How to Improve Performance Reviews from Dr. Christopher Lee
All DSA staff are invited and encouraged to attend the Staff Development Team program on Wednesday, April 5, from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. in MSC Bethancourt Ballroom. Performance coaching and evaluation should be an ongoing process that is not limited to the annual performance review process. Our April staff development session will offer ways to keep the conversation going all year long in a way that brings out the best in employees and encourages us to take responsibility for professional growth. Remember to get your Blue Date Card stamped and entered into the prize drawing, which takes place at the end of the meeting.
STAFF WELLBEING & APPRECIATION COMMITTEE
\Plan to relax at the end of the day by attending the annual Take Me Out to the Ballgame on Wednesday, April 19 at 5:30pm. There will be dinner, cornhole, bingo, and of course the baseball game. This event is open to you and your family, so plan to attend for an evening of fun. Doors open at 5:30 and the baseball game against Prairie View A&M University begins at 6:00.
Please RSVP for you and any guest by April 10 to help us know how much food to order.
CORPS OF CADETS
The largest, oldest, and most visible student organization at Texas A&M University— the Corps of Cadets—has selected their senior leadership for the 2023-2024 school year.
Four cadets were identified to fill the most senior leadership positions of Corps Commander, Deputy Corps Commander, Chief of Staff and Sergeant Major:
Corps Commander: Caitlynn Walsh, Double Oak, Texas.
Deputy Corps Commander: Klayton House, Athens, Texas.
Chief of Staff: Callie Guest, Cypress, Texas.
Sergeant Major: Deandre Macri, Fort Huachuca, Arizona.
Cadets complete a thorough selection process that consists of an application and an interview with a panel of peers and staff. All applicants are evaluated on academic performance, performance in the Corps, success in previous leadership positions, peer/staff evaluations, and their leadership vision for the future.
Visit our website for a full list of leadership selections for the 2023-2024 school year.
Corps Commander Caitlynn Walsh
The Fightin’ Texas Aggie Band was visited by the Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders. The team made the trip to Aggieland to participate in a cadet-led career readiness event that focused on the value of leadership, hard work and tradition. Cadets heard from seven cheerleaders and the Cowboys Cheerleaders’ coaching staff who drew similarities between the two iconic groups.
Read more about the Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders’ visit to Aggieland here.
MULTICULTURAL SERVICES
Registration for the 6th Annual Leadership Education for APIDA Development (LEAD) Conference is open. The conference will be held on Saturday, April 15, in the Innovative Learning Classroom Building (ILCB). LEAD is a student-led conference created to empower and unite the Asian Pacific Islander Desi American (APIDA) Aggie community to create social change. The theme this year is “Reflecting on our Past, Changing for our Future”. To learn more information about the conference and how to register students for LEAD, visit the LEAD website.
The Hispanic Presidents' Council (HPC) will host its annual family weekend event on Saturday, April 15. This event is an opportunity to celebrate Hispanic and Latinx Aggies and their families with food, a student panel, a special performance and a game of Lotería inspired by Texas A&M traditions! “Un Día Con Su Aggie” is an opportunity for Hispanic and Latinx Aggies to introduce their loved ones to the Aggie culture with a bilingual introduction to Texas A&M traditions. Registration is open until Wednesday, April 5.
The Black Aggie Family BBQ is an initiative to attract and expand participation in Family Weekend and provide space for parents to network. The event has been hosted since 2008 by the Black Student Alliance Council. This year the event will be held on Saturday, April 15, at 3 p.m. at the Lincoln Recreation Center in collaboration with the Carter G. Woodson Black Awareness Committee. Participants will have the opportunity to dance, play games, listen to music, and interact with Black organizations. The event brings students and families together and has been noted to be a highly-attended attraction of Family Weekend.
MEMORIAL STUDENT CENTER
- The MSC Student Conference On Latinx Affairs starts this week. The three-day conference will focus on the theme of “Forjando Nuestro Presente: I Dared to Dream.” The goal is to provide a forum for students to discuss significant issues impacting the Latinx community.
- MSC Town Hall’s Spring Concert Series will conclude on April 14 with a final performance. The show will begin at 7 p.m. on the Wood Stage at Aggie Park. MSC Town Hall will announce the name of the band soon!
- Kyle Field Day, hosted by MSC FISH, is a one-day service event on the concourse of Kyle Field hosted to connect Texas A&M students and the Bryan/College Station community with service organizations from on and off campus. Kyle Field Day begins at noon on April 16.
- Jenny Slate will visit the Texas A&M campus on April 20 at 6 p.m. for a screening in Rudder Auditorium of the Oscar-nominated film, Marcel the Shell with Shoes On. Slate, co-writer, producer and voice of Marcel, will take part in a discussion moderated by Patrick Sullivan, lecturer and program director of the film studies minor in the Texas A&M School of Performance, Visualization and Fine Arts. The discussion will focus on Slate’s experiences in her comedy, writing and professional roles. Read the story and watch a video on TAMU Today.
MUSIC ACTIVITIES
Get your tickets to all of these great musical events at the MSC Box Office! All student tickets are free!
- The University Jazz Ensembles will be in concert on Friday, April 28, at 7 p.m. in Rudder Theatre, performing some of the best works from their jazz big band library. The concert will highlight traditional selections from Count Basie and Stan Kenton, along with contemporary pieces from Gordon Goodwin and Herbie Hancock.
- The University Wind Symphony will be in concert on Sunday, April 30, at 2 p.m. in Rudder Theatre. This performance will mark Dr. Timothy Rhea’s 30th anniversary as conductor of the ensemble. The band will perform works by Bernstein, Arnold, King, Grainger, Giroux, and Respighi. Dr. David Wilborn, associate professor in the School of Performance, Fine Arts and Visualization, will perform his original composition, Concertante Caprice, as bass trombone soloist with the ensemble. Don't miss this special event! A reception will follow the concert.
- Saturday, March 29, will mark Travis Almany’s final concert with the University Orchestras before his May 2023 retirement from Texas A&M University. The concert, which begins at 7 p.m., will be held in Rudder Auditorium. This performance will include Anton Dvorak’s Symphony No. 9–“The New World.”
- The University Bands (Symphonic Winds, Symphonic Band and Concert Band) will give a final performance of the semester on Sunday, April 30, at 5:30 p.m. in Rudder Theatre. The bands will be conducted by Travis Almany, Dr. Russell Tipton and Dr. Lance Sample.
- The Texas A&M Singing Cadets will hold their Spring Concert on Saturday, April 15, at 7 p.m. in Rudder Auditorium. This annual concert features the culmination of the Singing Cadet’s hard work and over 30 performances throughout the year. Come enjoy rousing patriotic songs, beautiful spirituals, old classics, a classic rock medley, a Jersey Boys medley and of course, all your favorite Aggie standards!
- The Texas A&M Women’s Chorus will deliver its spring concert “Sounds from Around the World” on Saturday, April 29 at 3 p.m. in Rudder Theater. The concert will feature beautiful choral music from many different countries and in several languages.
- The Texas A&M Century Singers will present its spring concert, Sounds of the Cathedral” on Saturday, March 29, at 7 p.m. in Rudder Theater. This concert will be a preview of the music that the group will perform on their upcoming tour of Spain and Portugal and features complex a cappella choral music that will transport you to the great cathedrals of Europe. Please join us for this special evening.
STUDENT COMMUNITY STANDARDS
Aggie Honor System Office held an Honor Council luncheon to continue to train and educate Honor Council members. It was well-attended by faculty and students. The Aggie Honor System Office discussed trends in our recent cases and provided an educational case study.
DISABILITY RESOURCES
Jessica Harp has been promoted as an assistant director with our team. Jessica supervises Communication Access Services, which coordinates transcription and interpreting for students, and also works directly with students in the College of Architecture, Bush School of Government and Public Administration, and the Engineering Academies.
Tracey Forman presented at the regional conference for the Association on Higher Education and Disability in San Antonio. Her presentation brought together resources and conversation on the department's Accessible Instructional Management (AIM) database and lessons learned since implementing the system during the Fall 2021 semester. Dr. Kristie Orr, Leslie Casarez and Joshua Page had presentations selected for the organization's national conference in Portland this July.
Five students with disabilities took part in a discussion panel during the Fair for All conference hosted by the sophomore leadership organization, Sophomores Leading on Promoting Equality (SLOPE). The students answered questions about navigating school, organizations and activities, and life with a disability and ways we can better promote accessibility across campus. You can request a student panel for your department, organization or event here.
RECREATIONAL SPORTS
Outdoor Adventures hosted its Outdoor Leadership Practical this month while paddling the lower canyons of the Rio Grande River over eight days. Student leaders hired to become trip leaders will be leading their peers on trips across the state, making the outdoors a great lab for leadership in applied spaces.
Meet Mr. Intramurals Gareth Couples '22, who has won more than 180 intramural games at Texas A&M!
Did you know that full-time Texas A&M employees are eligible for a faculty/staff membership at the Rec that can be paid in full or through payroll deduction? You can purchase this membership in person with your staff ID at the Rec. Memberships prorate throughout their duration.
- Three semesters (available fall only): $495
- Two semesters (available fall and spring only): $355
- One semester (available fall, spring and summer): $190
As a final hurrah to Women’s History Month, Rec Sports hosted its first-ever Women+ at the Southside Rec Center! This event was by women, for women, and featured a collection of activities inspired by Women’s History Month!
STUDENT LIFE
Health Promotion will recognize Sexual Assault Prevention & Awareness Month all of April. Programming includes live panels, Instagram stories, trauma-informed yoga and boxing courses with Rec Sports, and active fundraisers hosted by student orgs for advocacy services across Brazos Valley: the Sexual Assault Resource Center (SARC), Unbound Now BCS, Scotty’s House, and Twin City Mission Domestic Violence Services. Please see the full calendar of events for how you can participate and be a part of a meaningful movement to end violence & abuse on our campus.
New Student & Family Programs will host Family Weekend from Friday, April 14 to Sunday, April 16. NSFP will host six events during the weekend including staple events like Dueling Pianos and Family Tailgate, but also new events like Musical Bingo hosted by the Aggie Parent & Family Ambassadors. See the full Family Weekend schedule of events on the Family Weekend website.
Graduate & Professional Student Government finished Student Research Week on March 24. Student Research Week (SRW) is the largest student-run research symposium in the nation. This four-day competition highlights student research occurring on the Texas A&M campus. With the help of around 200 volunteer judges, 756 participants presented research via oral or poster presentations, with the majority being undergraduate participants. A list of winners is available on the SRW website.
RESIDENCE LIFE
Residence Life student organizations hosted Alcohol Awareness education prior to Spring Break. Aggie Eco Reps used lenses of sustainability to view alcohol use. National Residence Hall Honorary and Residential Housing Association also highlighted the effects of alcohol on an individual’s social, mental, and physical health through interactive games, mocktails and a movie.
Aggies Live On! Tours of campus housing are increasing exponentially. Over Spring Break, student tour guides stayed to offer tours to students and families because it coincides with their high school spring breaks. The guest count for Spring Break 2023 was 1,768. We appreciate the selfless service of our Aggie student tour guides.
Dinner with a Prof Series is open to all students on campus. The objective is to provide students with an opportunity to engage with faculty outside of classroom or during office hours. In March, Dr. Jack Buckley from Health Administration in the School of Public Health shared with students about his journey into and through the field of hospital administration.
In collaboration with Student Success, Academic Peer Mentors (APMs) support Early Alerts by following up with residents, who at midterms have below-average grades face to face to offer support with study habits, time management, etc. The APMs had a 54% contact success rate out of 236 students.
Residence Life will sponsor an Etiquette Dinner for members of the living-learning communities. Leadership & Etiquette Coach Randi Mays Knapp will conduct the workshop at the Hilton on April 13th. There is no cost to members, but reservations are required. Sign-up is limited but we hope to continue to offer the opportunity each semester.
Leadership Living Learning Community (L3C) takes its annual trip to the Houston Holocaust Museum to learn about historic leadership, its global significance, social change and the impact of ‘upstanders.’ This year, FACTION, IDEAS and Honors living-learning communities will also take the trip on a different day.
COUNSELING AND PSYCHOLOGICAL SERVICES
Mental Health & Suicide Awareness Week reached thousands of Texas A&M students Feb. 27-March 3, reducing stigma, encouraging self-care and spotlighting campus and community mental health resources through events like Aggie Moms and Puppies, Coffee with a Counselor and Words of Encouragement. The Suicide Awareness & Prevention Office (SAPO) partnered with Student Government Association (SGA) to co-host the weeklong initiative, which united individuals and groups throughout the A&M community, including The Federation of Texas A&M University's Aggie Mom's Club, Rec Sports and Texas A&M University President Katherine Banks. Follow Counseling & Psychological Services (CAPS) on Instagram.
HelpLine Awareness Week painted Texas A&M pink March 20-24, as HelpLine volunteers donned signature hot pink and black attire and posted wicket signs, made announcements and displayed banners to raise awareness of Texas A&M's after-hours mental health support services. HelpLine serves to provide resources and support to students needing a listening ear from 4:00 p.m.-8:00 a.m. on weekdays and 24 hours per day on weekends when class is in session.
CAPS workshops continue to promote coping skills and wellness habits by unpacking topics ranging from imposter phenomenon, understanding worthiness, and resilience and positive self-talk strategies. Workshops empower participants to invest in their own self-care through data-driven approaches including art therapy and even content presented in multiple languages, like the Meyers-Briggs Type Indicator workshop offered in Chinese on March 28. Visit our website for more information and updated availability.
Donuts for Downloads encouraged students to download the My Student Support Program (My SSP) app during Mental Health & Suicide Awareness Week, co-hosted by SAPO and SGA Feb. 27-March 3. Aggies in the Memorial Student Center or the Engineering Quad enjoyed free glazed donuts in exchange for learning about My SSP and downloading the app, which offers free and confidential professional counseling by phone or chat in multiple languages, anytime and anywhere.
Mental health support meets students in a comfortable, approachable environment through the Let's Talk program, which offers students the opportunity for informal conversation with a CAPS counselor at the Department of Multicultural Services, International Student & Scholar Services and the LGBTQ+ Pride Center. Visit the Let's Talk webpage for information and schedules.
STUDENT ACTIVITIES
Spring Elections have concluded, and we are excited to welcome Hudson Kraus ‘24 as the Student Body President-elect. Hudson will assume his official duties as SBP at the conclusion of the Muster Ceremony on April 21, 2023.
The 2023 Big Event included over 14,000 volunteers and hundreds of job sites across the Bryan/College Station community. Former Texas A&M football star, Mike Evans, served as the 2023 Keynote Speaker at the kickoff event in Aggie Park. Read the story and watch a video about The Big Event 2023!
Fish Camp 2023 will take place July 24-August 13. Fish Camp counselors have recently been selected and will soon learn their camp namesakes and camp colors at their annual Revelation Night event.
Applications for the Good Bull Fund opened March 20. Sponsored by the Office of the President, the fund covers or offsets expenses related to the planning and implementation of student-led activities at Texas A&M. Requests will be accepted for student activities occurring August through December 2023 in the next round of funding. Applications close at 5 p.m. on May 2. Learn more about the fund.
STUDENT AFFAIRS PLANNING, RESEARCH & ASSESSMENT (SAPAR)
Several SAPAR staff have been selected to present at the annual NASPA Conference: Kelly and Robert: Catalyzing Better Outcomes Using the Wellbeing Improvement Survey for Higher Education Settings (WISHES). Darby: Assessment 101; Asserting Indigenous Methodologies in Decolonizing Scholarship Practices; You Want Me to do What? Ethics and Politics in Student Affairs Assessment; and Assessment, Communications, and Fundraising: Storytelling, Collaboration, and Success.
Thanks to all who helped us celebrate our 25th anniversary! We hope you will take a few minutes to read "25 Years of Top-Notch Student Affairs Assessment at Texas A&M University" and watch a short video testimonial from Rohan Wilkho '23 of the Graduate & Professional Student Government about our services to students, faculty and staff.
Texas A&M University students participate in The Big Event on March 24, 2023. Photo by: Laura McKenzie/Texas A&M University Division of Marketing & Communications
UNIVERSITY CENTER & SPECIAL EVENTS
The annual MSC Birthday Celebration will be held on Thursday, April 20, at 11:30 am in Rudder Plaza! This event is a celebration of the MSC and the student body’s dedication to it throughout the year. All staff and students are welcome for free food, games, prizes and T-shirts!
Aggie Park welcomes the Troubadour Festival on Saturday, May 20. This Texas barbecue and music experience will feature over 30 barbecue businesses and music from Midland, Shane Smith & The Saints and many more! Tickets are on sale now at troubadourfestival.com.
DON & ELLIE KNAUSS VETERAN RESOURCE & SUPPORT CENTER (VRSC)
In our ongoing efforts to promote peer-to-peer mental health support, the VRSC is hosting a “Buddy Check Breakfast” on April 12 following Buddy Check Day. The come-and-go breakfast is an opportunity for student veterans to bring the buddy(ies) they have reached out to and connect will mental health resources from the campus/community.
The #FirstGenVets learning community attended the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo on March 19. The annual trip is sponsored by the Houston Rodeo. The group was welcomed by the Houston Rodeo Armed Forces Committee. Student veterans and their guests enjoyed all of the opportunities and experiences of the rodeo and livestock show, including food, shopping, the carnival, rodeo, and the Luke Bryan concert.
The VRSC is partnering with the Texas A&M University Coaching Academy to support the Veterans Coaching Program, which prepares and supports veterans transitioning from service to careers in the coaching and teaching industry. Visit the VCP webpage for more information.
Texas A&M unveiled a new bronze Reveille statue on the north end of Kyle Field. Watch the video.