Change is in the air. As we eagerly await the beautiful fall weather to relieve us from the intense Texas summer heat, we embrace the changes taking place here at Tarrant County College as well. Excitement surrounding higher education seemed to reach fever-pitch yesterday afternoon at South Campus.
South Campus President Ernest Thomas and the Jenkins Garrett Library staff hosted the Fort Worth launch event for Generation TX (spoken “Generation Texas” or often shortened to “Gen Tex”), a grassroots effort initiated by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB). This initiative promises to increase awareness and support of higher education in Texas so that all students in Texas realize they are our future and college is within their reach.
The event kicked-off with remarks from President Thomas, Governor Rick Perry, State Senator Wendy Davis, Commissioner of Higher Education Raymund Paredes and TCC student Amanda Western, and ended with dignitaries and students alike registering on the new GenTX.org website.
President Thomas drove home the reason TCC is a part of Gen TX. “We are excited about this grassroots Generation Texas movement because it aligns so closely with the work that we are doing here—promoting and supporting student access and success.”
TCC sophomore Amanda Western summed up the idea behind this movement, “As Generation Texas, I feel like we can lead the way for each other…You can do it. Let’s prepare this coming generation to be the greatest generation ever.”
It seems that 2010 has brought much change to the District—all of it to improve student access and success. What an exciting time to work at Tarrant County College!