College Update – May 2025

Congratulations! | Deadlines and dates | Save the date

Dean’s Team Updates

Congratulations!

• Several staff members were honored with awards for advising:
  • President’s Award for Academic Advising: Reid Stavinoha and Hannah Chavarria.
  • New Advisor Award: Hannah Muras.
  • Excellence in Graduate Advising: Dr. Casey Flint.
  • Margaret Annette Peters Advising Award: Dr. Jennifer Rhinesmith-Carranza.
• Three staff members received President’s Meritorious Service Awards:
  • Individual: Carissa Beamon.
  • Individual: Deanna Crawford.
  • Supervisor: Dr. Jennifer Rhinesmith-Carranza.
• Brittley Bowers ’25, Department of Animal Science, was selected for the prestigious Brown Foundation-Earl Rudder Memorial Outstanding Student Award, the highest honor bestowed upon a graduating senior at Texas A&M University. Read more about Bowers’ and other students’ honors in AgriLife Today.
• Olivia Mo ’26, Department of Ecology and Conservation Biology, was honored as Student Employee of the Year at the Texas A&M Staff and Student Excellence Awards Ceremony.
• Dr. Jenna Kurten was presented with the Dr. Robert M. Gates Inspiration Award at the 20th Anniversary of the Regents’ Scholars Program at Texas A&M University. 

Dean’s Open Office Hours

• Dean’s Open Office Hours will resume in August. Please contact Jill Lee if you have any questions.

Upcoming Deadlines and Dates

• Thursday, May 29, noon: Due date for pre-nominations for the Association of Former Students’ College-Level Teaching Awards. Learn more online and submit pre-nominations via InfoReady.
• Friday, May 30: Due date for 2025 Dean’s Outstanding Achievement Awards nominations. Nominations and self-nominations (which are encouraged) can be submitted online. Any faculty or staff member in the College can submit nominations, and nominators should coordinate with their department’s awards committee to avoid duplicate nominations.
• Monday, July 7, 5 p.m. CT: U.S. Senator Phil Gramm Doctoral Fellowship Award departmental nominations to be submitted to the College.
• Tuesday, July 15: 2025 Science and SciLifeLab Prize for Young Scientists applications are due.
• Full summer semester schedule.

Faculty Affairs

• From the Texas A&M Center for Teaching Excellence:
  • The Center for Teaching Excellence has a formal Faculty Mentoring Academy to promote a culture of mentoring within and across Texas A&M University. For more information, visit the center’s page for the faculty mentoring academy.
  • The Center for Teaching Excellence proudly offers resources to empower faculty instruction and to create a more enriching classroom learning environment. Explore diverse topics, including peer feedback and collaboration engagement during lectures and ethical behavior in mentoring. 

• Texas A&M encourages faculty to elevate the impact of their work by joining colleagues in publishing articles in The Conversation. The format is opinion pieces and requires the expert to have recent, peer-reviewed published research. Texas A&M AgriLife Marketing and Communications is happy to work with you to get you connected with the right editors at the right times. Please reach out to AgriLife Marketing and Communications for an introductory and exploratory call to discuss ideas, opportunities and more! Email Laura Muntean if interested.

• Texas A&M University Faculty Affairs provides ongoing professional development opportunities for faculty at every career stage. Faculty members are encouraged to regularly seek new ways to enhance and advance their careers at Texas A&M.

General Academic Affairs

• The Educational Development and Engagement Instructional Design Consultant team provides comprehensive support for College of Agriculture and Life Sciences courses. Services include full-service accessibility renovation to redesign courses for optimal accessibility, video captioning in partnership with the Disability Resources Office, Canvas troubleshooting assistance and Universal Design for Learning consultation. These efforts have made College courses, including the 12 largest in the University’s Core Curriculum, fully accessible, benefiting over 15,900 students. For more information and resources, please visit the team’s intranet site for the College. If you have a problem accessing the intranet site, please use online instructions to gain access.

• Code Maroon is the university’s notification system used to communicate health and safety information in an emergency. Sign up to receive alerts online and through the Code Maroon mobile app. Additional resources can be found on the emergency management website.

• International Travel Guidance: The Texas A&M System Research Security Office updated the list of countries of concern to mirror the countries in the Governor’s Executive Order GA-48 and the U.S. Department of Commerce’s adversaries list: China, North Korea, Iran, Cuba, Russia and the Venezuelan political regime of Nicolas Maduro. According to the latest guidance from the Office of General Counsel, Texas A&M AgriLife will not approve new travel requests for professional purposes to these adversarial countries. Personal travel is not impacted at this time.

• Pregnancy and Related Conditions: Title IX Protections, accommodations and other information. For more information on services provided to pregnant students, see Pregnancy and Parenting Accommodations and Resources for Students and Parenting Students Rights and Resources.

• Advancing learning through Evidence-Based Undergraduate STEM Teaching: The Center for the Integration of Research, Teaching and Learning at Texas A&M University (CIRTL@TAMU) is facilitating a weekly, Zoom-Local Learning Community for the National-Level Massive Open Online Course. Visit the CIRTL site to learn more. 

• Libraries Workshops: Various workshops supporting curriculum and research by the University Libraries.

• Disability Resources Testing Center: Instructors should complete the testing agreement for a student needing testing accommodations as soon as possible and send exams to the testing center at least three days before the exam. Learn more at Texas A&M Disability Resources.

• Subscribe to the Graduate Advisors Listserv if you are a staff or faculty member working with graduate and professional students, and stay informed.

• University Staff Council:
  • Have a suggestion specifically for your University Staff Council representative? Email Jamie Norgaard. 
  • Submit a suggestion or comment for University Staff Council.

Student Success and Development

• Undergraduate Research Scholars
  • The College hosted its first annual Undergraduate Research Symposium on April 30, highlighting research from students across many academic disciplines. Read more in AgriLife Today.
  • Monday, June 30: Deadline for applications for students interested in joining the 2025-2026 Undergraduate Research Scholars cohort.
    • The program is open to current sophomores and juniors with graduation dates between May 2026 and May 2027. Students will receive research training and mentoring, participate in professional development activities, and present their research at the 2026 research symposium.
    • To learn more about the Undergraduate Student Research Program, including the requirements and instructions on how to submit an application, visit the program’s website. 

• Area FFA Career Development Events were hosted by Texas A&M on Saturday, April 19, for entomology, floriculture, horse evaluation, livestock evaluation, meats evaluation, milk quality and products nursery landscape, poultry evaluation, veterinary science, wool evaluation and agricultural technology and mechanical systems contests. Participation in all the contests totaled 3,447 students. 

• State FFA Career Development Events for livestock evaluation, meats evaluation, poultry evaluation and veterinary science were hosted on the Texas A&M University campus on Saturday, April 26. These contests typically encompass 1,200 students.  

• A Pocket Pantry is available at Suite 109 in Kleberg. It is open 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday through Friday, excluding holidays when the university is closed.
  • Ongoing support is provided by the Texas A&M Foundation and a generous donation from Lennox International Inc. The pantry is available for students, faculty and staff in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences who are experiencing food insecurity.
  • Visitors interested in using this resource can scan the QR code posted on the entrance and check in with the reception desk. Those with questions, or those needing additional support, please email [email protected]. 

• Algebra Video Series is a resource for students to ensure they are prepared for their math and statistics courses at Texas A&M. You can explore the Algebra Series online.

• Mental health support for all students:
  • Texas A&M University Health Services is excited to announce the official launch of its new peer support program, Aggie Peer Connect. Learn more about Aggie Peer Connect and its offerings for Texas A&M students at tx.ag/peerconnect.
  • Around the clock and regardless of location, the TELUS Health Student Support app provides 24/7 access to professional counseling in multiple languages via app, telephone and web, in addition to mental health assessments, a mental health content library and access to virtual fitness sessions — all free and confidential.
  • The College of Agriculture and Life Sciences has an embedded licensed professional counselor. Ms. Molly McCann dedicates her time to the wellness of students in AGLS, with an office located at BCBP 103C. Contact her at [email protected] or 979.845.5032.

• Prospective Student Information Sessions occur weekly on Fridays – students can register for a visit with a recruiter at https://recruiter.tamu.edu/.

Resources for Graduate Students

• Fall 2025 dates and deadlines are published on the Graduate and Professional School website.

• International Student and Scholar Services, ISSS, has an updated ISSS important dates and deadlines page. Students and academic departments can refer to this resource and plan accordingly.

• From the Center for Teaching Excellence:
  • Center for Teaching Excellence English Language Proficiency, CTE-ELP, programs provide training and testing for international students. Current teaching assistants who are not language-certified are required to participate in the CTE-ELP program.
  • Graduate Student Professional Development in Teaching, GSPDT: Take advantage of resources from the Center for Teaching Excellence in collaboration with the Graduate and Professional School. Visit GSPDT to learn more.

• Graduate Resources and Development for Aggies, GRAD Aggies, offers professional development programming. For more information, visit GRAD Aggies online or see the GRAD Aggies calendar. 

• The University Writing Center hosts the Writing Cafe for graduate students on the first Friday of every month in the Evans Library Grad Lounge, Room 611.

• From University Health Services:
  • The TELUS Health Student Support app allows students to text, call and video chat with professional counselors 24/7 via the app.  
  • Access personal counseling and other mental health and wellness services at Texas A&M on issues relevant to graduate students.
  • University Health Services Workshops for Graduate Students.

• Texas A&M University Graduate and Professional School resources:
  • Graduate Mentoring Academy: Learn, grow, connect and find support through the Texas A&M Graduate Mentoring Academy.
  • Graduate student travel: Need additional funding support for travel for conferences or research? Check out the available funding at Texas A&M.
  • The Graduate and Professional School Calendar.
  • Contacts at the Graduate and Professional School.

College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Student Council

• AGLS Giving Day raised $21,624 to support 12 Aggie Ring Scholarships for students from across the College.
• The COALS Address was held on Thursday, April 17. We had 120 students and 16 faculty in attendance with all departments represented. The guest speaker was Ms. Jackie Lackey.
• The COALS FX program closed out the spring semester with an end-of-year social. This group of 60 students has grown professionally over the past year and have been mentored by College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Student Council members.  
• Follow the Student Council on social media!
  • Facebook: Texas A&M College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Student Council.
  • Instagram: @coals_tamu.

Save the Date!

Professional Services Updates

AgriLife Administrative Services

Employee Wellness

• Blue Cross Blue Shield Texas Webinars
  • Friday, May 16, 12:30-12:45 p.m. ET/11:30-11:45 a.m. CT Don’t Let ANTs Ruin Your Lunch: In this 15-minute webinar we’ll share about ANTs (Automatic Negative Thinking Traps). They are so common yet often go unnoticed as they trick us into worrying and create unnecessary stress in our days. You’ll learn a research-based strategy that can help you stop ANTs from ruining your days. Click on the link below or scan using access code: BETTERME
  • Tuesday, May 20, 3 p.m. CT: The Power of Social Connection: What is social wellbeing and why is it so important to our health? In this webinar we will look at how social connection is linked to our overall wellbeing, and strategies we can use to improve our social connections, and therefore our health.
  • Wednesday, May 21, 3 p.m. ET/2 p.m. CT: Nurturing New Beginnings: An Exploration of Doula and Newborn Care. Join WIN, your fertility and family-building benefit provider, on May 21 and delve into the role of doulas and essential newborn care. Gain practical insights into doula support and newborn needs to approach this life chapter with confidence.
• TIAA webinar
  • Thursday, May 15, 3 p.m. ET/2 p.m. CT: Financial wellness and mental health: Insights from the TIAA Institute.

Professional Development

• Work/life solutions are available to Texas A&M AgriLife employees, including professional and personal training resources, through ComPsych GuidanceResources.
  • Website: http://www.guidanceresources.com.
  • WEB ID: TAMUS.
    

• AgriLife Aspire Home
  • Develop Specific AgriLife Competencies (Service-Minded, Teamwork, Quality of Work, Quantity of Work, Adaptability and Supervision).
  • ED TV: Library of videos categorized by AgriLife Performance Review Competencies.
  • Leadership Library: Library of books categorized by AgriLife Performance Review Competencies.

• AgriLife Employee Development SharePoint Page.
• HROE Professional Enhancement Courses.

AgriLife Educational Development and Engagement

The Center for Teaching Excellence at Texas A&M University, CTE, offers digital accessibility resources designed to help faculty create accessible online learning environments. The Digital Accessibility site provides curated guides, practical workshops, and specialized training sessions covering everything from Microsoft Office tools to Canvas accessibility checker and PDF remediation.

With the Department of Justice requiring WCAG 2.1 Level AA compliance by April 2026, faculty are encouraged to take advantage of these resources now rather than waiting until the deadline approaches. Start small by attending a workshop or exploring the remediation guides for your most frequently used tools. In partnership with CTE, the AgriLife Educational Development and Engagement team stands ready to support your accessibility journey through trainings and resources.

To help support accessibility initiatives across The Texas A&M University System, a Council for Academic Technology and Innovative Education work group is providing training sessions on accessibility tools for all system members. These trainings are free and led by digital instructional material accessibility experts within the Texas A&M University System. These trainings will be offered the third Friday of each month, 11 a.m. to noon via Zoom. Learn more and get the link to attend at the attached pdf.

AgriLife Information Technology

Windows 11 Upgrades Begin in May for AgriLife Devices

To maintain a secure and supported computing environment, Texas A&M AgriLife Information Technology will begin automatically upgrading Windows 10 devices that are eligible for Windows 11 starting in May 2025.

Important details for faculty and staff:

• Upgrades will occur overnight and on weekends in May and June. Please leave your computer powered on during those times.
• Starting in July, upgrades will occur during business hours, which may result in up to a one-hour work disruption.
• You may schedule your upgrade in advance by emailing [email protected].
• To check if your computer is eligible, visit the AgriLife Computer Inventory Dashboard.
• Devices that are not eligible must be replaced before October 2025.

To learn more, visit the full post on the AgriLife Information Technology SharePoint site.

AgriLife Marketing and Communications

Training and Development: Branding and Social Media 

Our next virtual office hours will be on Friday, June 13, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.  Our virtual office hours are come-and-go sessions. Feel free to ask questions about social media, branding, or other marketing and communications-related inquiries.  

For more information and to stay updated on upcoming office hours, training sessions, workshops and tools to effectively manage social media and uphold Texas A&M AgriLife brand standards, visit tx.ag/MarCommTraining. 

May Social Media Toolkits

In this month’s social media toolkits, you will find Adobe Express templates, sample post copy, visuals and resources to maintain a consistent, professional presence across all your affiliated social media accounts.  

May’s toolkits include templates for Extension’s Birthday (nationwide), Mother’s Day, Memorial Day and National Smile Day.  

Check out the Social Media Toolkits intranet page to access and customize the templates for your social media accounts. If you need assistance, feel free to join us during our virtual office hours.

News: Our Mission in Action

• Read the latest news of our faculty, staff and student accomplishments in research, teaching and service at AgriLife Today, the home for Texas A&M AgriLife news and feature stories.

Survey

Help us make this newsletter as useful as possible. Share your feedback in a five-minute online survey.

Newsletter Archive

Review previous months’ newsletters.

Subscribe to this newsletter.