Compiled by Institutional Marketing and Communications Interns Sarah Putnicki, Christine Thomasino, and Karina Walker.
International and National Media Highlight
Bankers Digest | December 29, 2022
Bowie-based Legend Bank announced the appointment of six new members to its board of directors, including Matt Brown ’03. Matt has been in banking for 20 years and currently serves as the east regional president/executive vice president for Legend Bank, where he is responsible for overseeing the lending in Sherman, Bonham, Cooper, Whitesboro, Whitewright and surrounding locations
The Chickasaw Nation | January 24, 2023
The Chickasaw Nation profiled Carrie Johnson ’24, diving into what she’s studying at Austin College, her hobbies, and her work with the Native American Journalists Association (NAJA). She recently attended the 2022 NAJA Conference, and while there was awarded a $10,000 scholarship.
Football Scoop | December 19, 2022
Austin College recently hired Tony Joe White as head football coach. White was most recently head coach at Birmingham-Southern College, where his ’21 campaign at Birmingham was the best in school history with 10 wins and 21 all-conference players.
Legacy | December 12, 2022
Austin College alumna Rosalie Tocquigny Oelkers ’43 passed away on November 30, 2022 at age 101 years old. Rosalie was extremely creative and talented, especially when it came to sewing, baking, and candy-making. She and her husband, Buddy, both elected to have their bodies donated to the University of Texas Medical School, so while there will be no service, there will be a celebration to honor her.
Sunset Magazine | Holiday 2022 Edition
A “Best of the West” feature on the best whiskey made in the Western United States features Devil's Creek Distillery, in Mammoth, CA, which is owned by Senior Trustee Luan (Beaty) Mendel ’75 and her husband John Mendel ’76. (link unavailable)
Dallas and Regional News
Dave Campbell’s Texas Football | January 18, 2023
Austin College head coach Tony Joe White added Austin College alumnus Bradley Oh ’14, to his coaching staff. Oh will serve as the Offensive Coordinator and Offensive Line Coach.
Dave Campbell’s Texas Football | December 20, 2022
Austin College has announced Tony Joe White as the football program's new head coach. White has spent 6 seasons coaching at Birmingham-Southern where he led the team to a program-record 10 wins.
Palestine Herald-Press | January 25, 2023
Austin Carr of Frankston High School has signed his national letter of intent to play baseball at Austin College. Carr looks forward to baseball and is eager to study medicine during his time at the college.
Palestine Herald-Press | December 14, 2022
Brianna Knight of Westwood High School has signed her national letter of intent to play soccer at Austin College. Speaking about her future in athletics at the college, Knight said “It’s always been a dream of [hers]”.
State of Texas | December 1, 2022
Governor Greg Abbott has appointed Holland Harper ’97 to the Governing Board of the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA). TDHCA is responsible for promoting and preserving home ownership, financing the development of affordable rental housing, supporting community and energy assistance programs, and other functions. Harper is Chief Development Officer of Harrison, Walker and Harper, LLC, a project management, construction, and engineering company
Local Media Highlights
Herald Democrat | January 26, 2023
Athletic Director David Norman announced Brandon Johnson to be the interim head coach of Austin College’s softball program. Johnson formerly coached in the club softball circuit where he had much success, with 97% of his players moving up to the collegiate level.
Herald Democrat | January 23, 2023
Austin College was pleased to once again host a Special Olympics event as part of the Service Station’s JanServe activities.
Herald Democrat | January 12, 2023
Austin College hosts Martin Luther King, Jr. Day community celebration, focusing on the power of youth to make an impact.
Herald Democrat | December 22, 2022
Tyler James ’23 has been named a Division III second-team All-American by the Associated Press. He had a punting average of 43.44 yards per punt and led the ASC in punting.
Herald Democrat | December 20, 2022
Tony Joe White has been named the new Austin College Head Football Coach. White, who had been at Birmingham Southern College since 2017, said “I am thrilled to join the Austin College Family.”
Herald Democrat | December 8, 2022
Austin College has been named one of the nation’s most environmentally responsible colleges in the Princeton Review Guide to Green Colleges: 2023 Edition.
KTEN | January 16, 2023
The nineteenth annual Grayson County Martin Luther King Jr. Day Celebration, hosted at Austin College, focused on the role of young people in the fight for equality.
KTEN | January 15, 2023
Austin College students Carrie Johnson ’24 and Clemon White ’24 appeared live in the KTEN studio to invite the community to attend the Community MLK celebration, hosted at Austin College and organized by student interns in the college’s Institutional Marketing and Communications division, including Johnson and White.
KTEN | December 28, 2022
Austin College will once again support SEDCO in the RISE Challenge. RISE, short for Raising Innovative Sherman Entrepreneurs, aims to give local business a boost, with winners receiving up to $100,000 out of a pool of $250,000. Austin College Director of Community Engagement Cary Wacker shares that business in Sherman will be multiplying soon due to the growth and expansion of the city. She goes on to explain the qualifications that a business needs to receive RISE benefits.
KTRE 9 | January 13, 2023
Austin College’s Sneed Prairie, part of the last remaining Blackland Prairie in Grayson County, is set ablaze every two years by students in a January Term course at the college. While this may sound counterintuitive, the fire helps the grass to grow back stronger -- something that would have happened naturally years ago.
KTRE 9 | December 26, 2022
Austin College Physics Professor Dr. David Baker explains that the intense climate variances that happen in North Texas are things that we may have to become used to. Much of this can be linked to climate change, which can be improved by investing in renewable energy and cutting down food waste.
KXII News | January 20, 2023
Austin College Director of Development Edwin Clark, who also serves on the board of the Sherman Education Foundation, comments on the end of the Amazon Smile program and how that might affect donations to the district.
KXII News | January 18, 2023
The Austin College Service Station hosted the Grayson County Special Olympics Basketball Competition in the Sid Richardson Gym; a return to a JanServe tradition.
KXII News | January 16, 2023
The nineteenth Grayson County MLK Day celebration, hosted by Austin College, kept the audience captivated with speeches given by Rebecca Osei ’23 and Veteran James Petty. The event also included a musical tribute, a special arrangement of Sam Cooke’s ‘A Change’s Gonna Come’ performed by Psychology Professor Dr. Lisa Brown and Clemon White ’23.
KXII | January 13, 2023
Dr. Steven Goldsmith, Dr. Peter Schulze, and Austin College students spent January Term helping to restore the College's Sneed Prairie by setting the land ablaze. The flames are intended to restore Sneed Prairie, the last Blackland Prairie in Grayson County, to its native state.
KXII News | December 12, 2022
The Princeton Review includes Austin College in their latest Guide to Green Colleges. Schools are chosen for the guide based on Princeton's survey of administrators at 713 colleges and surveys of students attending the college. Only 455 would be chosen for the guide.
Blogs and Online Media
Texoma Health Foundation | December 6, 2022
The Texoma Health Foundation highlighted the Austin College SEPA (Social Entrepreneurship for Poverty Alleviation) program. The program matches student interns to local nonprofits to do grant-writing work over the summer. Students gain real world experience that can further their academic and career goals, and the nonprofits benefit in the form of successful grant applications. The Texoma Health Foundation (THF) provides steady and consistent support for SEPA, enabling SEPA to pay the interns and offer summer housing funds.
North Texas E-News | January 6, 2023
Former CEO of Girl Scouts and NASA engineer Sylvia Acevedo has been named the recipient of Austin College’s 2023 Posey Leadership Award. She was also appointed by Obama as chair of the White House Initiative for Educational Excellence for Hispanics in Early Childhood and is a founding member of Ann Richards School for Young Women Leaders. She will receive her award on April 13 at 11:00 a.m. in Clifford J. Grum Sanctuary.
North Texas E-News | December 15, 2022
Austin College has been featured in The Princeton Review Guide to Green Colleges: 2023 Edition. This is now the 12th time Austin College has been recognized as a “Green College” by the Princeton Review, in large part due to its ongoing commitment to environmental sustainability.
North Texas E-News | December 27, 2022
Professor Emeritus Rev. Henry Bucher asks “Do the moon and Timbuktu have something in common?”
News Roos Can Use
Inside Higher Ed | January 10, 2023
In a conversation with presidents of small private liberal arts colleges, tech company executives praise graduates’ leadership and critical thinking ability but say they need to develop skills for a first job, too.
Bloomberg | December 2022
2023 Austin College Posey Leadership Award recipient Sylvia Acevedo was recently named one of Bloomberg’s 100 most influential Latinos.
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