A&M-Commerce a Finalist for Star Award
The Texas A&M University-Commerce Office of Hispanic Outreach and Student Programs was recently chosen as a finalist for the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board's Star Award.
The Texas Higher Education Star Award was established in 2001 by THECB to recognize exceptional contributions toward meeting one or more of the goals set forth by the Texas higher education plan adopted in 2000, Closing the Gaps by 2015. This year the board chose eight finalists, including A&M-Commerce.
“These finalists represent the state's most effective efforts for closing the education gaps that challenge our state,” said Commissioner of Higher Education Raymund A. Paredes. “The Coordinating Board is proud to recognize the people and the institutions that develop and implement these programs, as well as the organizations and others who support them. We look forward to announcing the winners in November.”
The 14th Annual Star Awards Ceremony will be held on November 21 in Austin, Texas in conjunction with the Texas Higher Education Leadership Conference. The eight finalists will be recognized at the luncheon on Friday, and the winners will be announced.
“We are delighted that the Coordinating Board and its award selection committee have deemed the work and efforts of the Office of Hispanic Outreach and Student Programs at Texas A&M University-Commerce worthy of recognition,” said Director of Hispanic Outreach and Student Programs Luis Franco.
In the spring of 2009, the Office of Hispanic Outreach opened on the A&M-Commerce campus in response to the university's strategic enrollment plan to become a Hispanic serving institution. Since then, A&M-Commerce has marked its highest Hispanic enrollment at 1,690 students, recorded a retention rate of over 70% for first-year Hispanic students, been recognized as an “Emerging HIS” by Excelencia in Education, and the university has been identified as a “Best Graduate School for Hispanics” by Hispanic Outlook Magazine.
For more information on THECB or the Star Award, visit http://www.thecb.state.tx.us/.