FEBRUARY 2023

NEWS & UPDATES

Founders' Convocation

Rev. Dr. Willie C. Champion speaks at Founders' Convocation.

On Wednesday, February 15, 2023, Texas College formally commemorated the129th Anniversary of the College's founding in 1894. With alumni, students, faculty, staff, and members of the community gathered in the Gus F. Taylor Gymnasium, the convocation rightfully paid homage to Texas College's history.

"As we sit and experience today’s Convocation, I want us for a moment to reflect about what it may have been like a century ago," commented President Fennell. "...when people came to this property for an education, because they felt it was a safe place to pray; it provided for a safe and comfortable environment to socialize; it was a place that inspired hope and vision; and, it offered an environment for preparing for a better and bright future with receipt of an education."

Founded in 1894, the emergence of Texas College was amid an era where education was reserved for a select population and even dangerous to pursue for those restricted. Despite this climate, visionary ministers of the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church (CME) sought differently and selflessly founded Texas College on the very grounds that it stands today.

"Today, we gather to celebrate that since 1894, Texas College has continuously served as a beacon of hope for the surrounding communities and beyond as a conduit to provide educational opportunities for all," remarked Chief Marketing and Communications Officer and 2013 Alumnus Jake Martin. "Despite the challenges that have come, we have persevered for 129 years. Not by luck, but only through the benevolence of God does Texas College remain open to give the people light to find their way. And today, standing on the shoulders of giants, Texas College continues to do so."

While Founders' Convocation focused on the College's rich history, it also looked forward to the bright future ahead. To portray the evolution and growth of Texas College, a video presentation was shown. Contrasting the historical campus against its current modernized facilities, as well as futuristic plans for growth, the historical montage illustrated the colossal enhancements the College has experienced, as well as those to come.

Man of God, educator, author, and philanthropist Rev. Dr. Willie C. Champion served as the speaker for Founders' Convocation. Though now retired from active ministry, Rev. Dr. Champion carries an impressive record of service to the CME Church, ascending to the ranks of Presiding Elder, as well as the General Secretary of Evangelism and Mission. In addition to his ministerial duties, Rev. Dr. Champion also served Texas College as Acting President, as well as Vice President for Student Affairs, Associate Professor of Religion, and in a multitude of other capacities.

Rev. Dr. Champion delivered a powerful and insightful message to commemorate the occasion. While he recounted his experiences at Texas College, he transitioned his message toward currently enrolled students. "Your experiences here at Texas College will unite you, as well as change you...the day you stepped on this campus, your life began to change," noted Rev. Dr. Champion. "Being here at Texas College is the opportunity of a lifetime...you may never have a chance like this again." He continued his message, challenging students to embrace moments of opportunity and to seize all that Texas College has to offer.

Additional remarks were provided from Dr. Patricia McKenzie, Vice Chairperson of the Board of Trustees, Dr. Orenthia Mason, Trustee and Alumna, Dr. Cynthia Marshall-Biggins, Vice President for Student Affairs, Dr. Jan Duncan, Vice President for Academic Affairs, Mr. Isadore Stewart III, Student Government Association President, Miss Kai'Lyn Primus, Miss Texas College, and Mr. Dexter Jones, Texas College National Alumni Association - Tyler Chapter President and Alumnus, as well as performances by the Texas College Choir.

Founders' Convocation was also live streamed for those unable to physically attend. Provided below is the convocation's stream for review. Additionally provided for review is the video presentation, Texas College: An Historical Montage, which was shown during the program. For a closer look into Texas College's history, A Brief Historical Overview is also provided below.

Founders' Convocation Stream

Texas College: An Historical Montage

A Brief Historical Overview

VIEW A BRIEF HISTORICAL OVERVIEW

2023 Retool Your School

The Home Depot Retool Your School Grant Program is back for 2023 and Texas College needs your help to win! This year's competition will award 30 different campus improvement grants, 10 awards per cluster (cluster based on enrollment size), ranging between $40,000 - $150,000; awards will be based on consumer voting.

Voting will begin Sunday, February 26, at 11:00 P.M. (CT) and will end Sunday, March 26, at 10:59 P.M. (CT). Votes may be cast as they have in previous years, through the Retool Your School website, specifically the voting webpage (retoolyourschool.com/vote) and the social media platforms Twitter and Instagram by inclusion of the College's unique hashtag (#RYSTEXAS) on tweets/posts. Voting is unlimited. The cumulative number of votes received, both from online and social media, will determine the College's ranking.

Strategically working in close collaboration with the Texas College National Alumni Association (TCNAA), the College and TCNAA both are committed to winning 2023's competition. To do so, Texas College needs everyone's vote to ensure success! Given that voting is unlimited, Texas College charges each individual to vote 250 times per day to secure first place and the grand prize of a $150,000 campus improvement grant.

WAYS TO VOTE:

Vote online:

Visit https://retoolyourschool.com/vote;
Select Cluster 3;
Vote for Texas College!

Vote via Twitter and/or Instagram:

Tweet or post using Texas College's unique hashtag #RYSTEXAS

Note that your account must be public for the vote to count.

To learn more about The Home Depot Retool Your School Grant Program, please visit retoolyourschool.com. Should you have any questions regarding the Retool Your School competition, contact:

Jake Martin, Chief Marketing & Communications Officer

(903) 593-8311, ext. 2327 │ jmartin@texascollege.edu

2022-2023 Homecoming Fundraiser

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Pledge Your Gift

Texas College invites you to pledge your gift now for the 2022-2023 Homecoming Fundraiser! For the remaining months leading up to Homecoming 2023, your total pledged gift can be made in manageable monthly installments, instead of all at once. For example, over six months:

A Gold Level pledge ($1,000+) equates to a monthly gift of only $166.67;
A Silver Level pledge ($500) equates to a monthly gift of only $83.34; and
A Bronze Level pledge ($250) equates to a monthly gift of only $41.67.

To pledge your gift, please fill out the Pledge Application Form; to access this form, click the purple button below.

PLEDGE APPLICATION FORM

2022-2023 Homecoming Fundraiser Contributors

Celebrating Black History Month

As a Historically Black College, Texas College daily honors and recognizes the contributions of Black individuals for their preceding monumental work and achievements that have paved the way for current and future generations.

With the annual opportunity to celebrate the month-long acknowledgement that is Black History Month, Texas College asserts that the observance remains meaningful and important, as it provides monumental context of the contributions of a people who were once considered disenfranchised. It further showcases, both historically and factually, how Blacks and other ethnicities were interwoven into the foundation of America’s beginnings and continuity. And, although there were historical moments of struggle that were both challenging and concerning, such struggles are now accountable to the formation of a resilient nation with successes that make up the fabric of a powerful national society.

Texas College proudly celebrates Black History Month 2023 with a series of vignettes that highlight the significance of the month. These presentations feature and discuss a variety of historical contexts and figures that illustrate the importance of Black history. The presentations are provided below for review.

Reclaim the Dream

Testament of a Trek to Educational Equality

Making Super Bowl History

A Celebration of Collective Contributions

I Am Somebody

Breaking the Baseball Color Barrier

Softball Starts Season Strong

Karaline Creech, returning junior, pitches against Langston University.

The 2023 season has started off strong for Texas College Softball. Picking up four wins to begin the season, Texas College swept Langston University and Dallas Christian College. The Steers fell to NCAA Division I Grambling State University, but bounced back to defeat Sterling College with a come-from-behind extra innings win over Sterling College. Capitalizing on this exciting momentum, Texas College picked up their sixth win of the season over John Melvin University with a run rule victory of 11-2 in the sixth inning.

“It is exciting to see the growth of the girls from last season to this season,” noted Head Softball Coach Selena Reyna. “They came in with a new work ethic and new goals. They have been working so hard and are starting to see it pay off.”

Steer Softball currently stands with a record of 6-2, an impressive turnaround from the 2022 season where they only won one game. Their six wins this early is the program’s best start to the season since at least 2009; the closest record in recent history was a five-win season in 2010. Given their victorious start, it appears that Steer fans can expect an exciting season of softball for 2023.

“Starting the season off 6-2 is incredible,” commented Coach Reyna. “All credit goes to the girls who are building a new foundation and legacy for Texas College Softball. They are the start of a new era.”

Financial Aid Awareness Week

Ms. Alice Copeland, Assistant Director of Financial Aid, speaks to a group of students during Financial Aid Awareness Week's "I Need A Scholarship" session.

The Office of Financial Aid hosted Financial Aid Awareness Week from February 20-23. The weeklong activity accommodated students both in-person and virtually through a multitude of undoubtedly beneficial sessions and workshops.

The week served as an invaluable informational opportunity for students to become more familiarized with financial aid, its purpose, and the different types of aid that may be available. Facilitated through question and answer sessions, financial aid staff advised students how to access federal, state, and institutional student aid, as well as answered any posed questions. Financial Aid Awareness Week even hosted a session specifically focused on scholarships, where staff guided students through the general application process, as well as provided information on current and upcoming scholarship opportunities.

In addition to the financial aid focus, the week also emphasized financial literacy, with a workshop focused on budget and finance, as well as a session that surrounded building generational wealth. Alongside the aforementioned sessions was a FAFSA completion campaign for the upcoming academic year. This weeklong campaign afforded students the opportunity to receive expert assistance from financial aid staff as they filed their 2023-2024 FAFSAs.

Choir Community Performances

During the month of February, the Texas College Choir assembled twice for community performances. As always, the Choir did not disappoint at either venue, harmoniously gracing the audience's ears with their myriad of voices.

On Thursday, February 16, the Texas College Choir performed at the Caldwell Arts Academy's Celebration of Artistic Freedom and Expression, a Black History Month community activity hosted by the Caldwell Arts Academy and Tyler Independent School District (ISD). The event itself exuded energy, creativity, and inspiration as Tyler ISD students and staff, as well as community members, celebrated the power of the arts and the importance of artistic expression through a multitude of activities throughout the evening. The night culminated as the Texas College Choir brought the event to a close with stunning performances, leaving the audience inspired and uplifted.

On Wednesday, February 22, the Texas College Choir traveled to Dallas to perform at the Gospel Music Workshop of America's 56th Annual Board Meeting and Leadership Training Convention. The three-day convention hosted Collegiate Night: The HBCU Experience, where the Texas College Choir performed alongside other HBCU choirs, inclusive of Bowie State University, Southern University, Paul Quinn College, Wiley College, and Jarvis Christian University. Their collective performance evidenced the incredible talent of HBCU choirs, leaving the audience awestruck and garnering a standing ovation at the performance's conclusion.