Texas State University System – Center for Law, Engagement, and Politics

TSUS Presents: A Speaker, A Singer, and an Education

Jessica Cuevas and Morgan Robertson

This past Wednesday, the SHAIP Interns learned that the pride and spirit of the colleges in the Texas State University System isn’t limited to the various towns across the state. For the 2023 biannual TSUS Presents, TSUS staff, members, legislators, country legends, and even SHSU students, gathered at the Austin City Limits to celebrate and honor that spirit.

Artists with the most appearances at ACL

Just last month, we had the opportunity to tour the TSUS offices and meet those who oversee TSUS. It was a great chance to network and learn, just one of the many opportunities for us as SHAIP interns. TSUS also provided lunch, and Development Director Malú González and Vice Chancellor Mike Wintemute presented us with the amazing opportunity to assist with this event. It is at least the third time that SHAIP interns have assisted with this event, which occurs biannually.

We were scheduled to arrive at 3:30pm, but our preparation began earlier, with event descriptions to read, software to download, and instructions to learn. While we waited for guests to start arriving, we visited with Vice Chancellor (and Foundation Director) Mike Wintemute, and Vice Chancellor Sean Cunningham. They were very interested in how our first month of session had gone and how we’d been faring. We even got to say hi to Chancellor McCall, and it was especially nice to work under the leadership of Malu Gonzalez.

(L-R) Ashlyn Parker, Ingrid Cuero, Morgan Robertson, Jessica Cuevas, and Malú González

As a thank you to some of the sponsors, Speaker of the House, Dade Phelan donated his time in the form of photo-ops! And while a couple of the volunteers assisted with that, the rest of us assisted with checking-in the special guests and attendees who after a long day of work were ready to sit back and enjoy the concert: TSUS Presents Dwight Yoakam. Many attendees were members and staff of the Legislature–some of whom we knew after working in the Capitol for a month–members of TSUS Universities (such as the presidents and other cabinet officials), and governmental affairs specialists from all over. In short, it was a networking bonanza! But we did stick to our job, which was directing these guests, all generous donors, towards the photo-ops, auctions, and seating.

Part of the benefit of working this program is that we also attend the event! So, we had a chance to hear from Regent Amato…

…Chancellor McCall…

…and, of course, the honoree, Speaker Dade Phelan.

Speaker Phelan introduced some humor into his speech, while also praising the work of educators, public universities, and the entire process of education. It was appropriate that the funds raised for this event–which totaled more than $700,000–would go to scholarships.

This knowledge made the event even more special for us, in as much as the SHAIP internships for which we were selected are only possible, the result of donors providing scholarships. In a small way, our volunteer work was our way of showing appreciation for the support provided by TSUS, SHSU, SHAIP, and its officials.

As important as we all agree education is, that didn’t mean people weren’t awaiting the main attraction, which was, of course, Dwight Yoakum. And, thus, the lights were dimmed, and the stage where Speaker Phelan previously stood had been rearranged to better suit the needs of country legend Dwight Yoakam and his band!

They quickly filled the room with hit music, including “The Streets of Bakersfield,” “Fast as You,” and “Please Please Baby.”

That was only the beginning even Yoakam noted that was only his warmup. The real concert did not begin until Yoakam played Honky Tonk Man; Little Ways; The Heart that you Own; A Thousand Miles from Nowhere; Guitars, Cadillacs; and many more, including his favorite Willie Nelson tune.

Yoakam wrapped up the concert in fashion as he not only strummed his guitar and danced his signature moves, he also passed on the spotlight to every member of his band recognizing their talents as each took the opportunity to rock out!

After the concert ended, the SHAIP Interns took the opportunity of being around such amazing people and started snapping selfies! Amongst our selfie guests were Assistant Vice Chancellor, Pierce Mitchell;

L-R: Morgan Robertson, Ashlyn Parker, Jessica Cuevas, and Pierce Mitchell

…Vice Chancellor Sean Cunningham and Elliott Herzlich;

Elliott Herzlich, Jessica Cuevas, Mike Yawn, Ashlyn Parker, Stephanie Fors, Morgan Robertson, and VC Sean Cunningham

…Vice-President Heather Thielemann and Dr. McCartney Johnson…

Morgan Robertson, Dr. McCartney Johnson, Jessica Cuevas, Yvette Mendoza, Ashlyn Parker, Vice-President Heather Thielemann, and Ingrid Cuero.

We also had a chance to meet Dr. Carlos Hernandez, currently President of Sul Ross University and formerly VP of Finance at SHSU, and his wife, Lupita, who also worked at SHSU.

…and President White and Speaker Phelan.

This was a great night and we were all thankful to be able to volunteer and attend this live concert! Many thanks to Malu Gonzalez and all those at TSUS for hosting a wonderful event and for supporting students.

Talking Higher Education: With Rep. Chris Turner, Chancellor Brian McCall, and Chancellor James Milliken

As a student at Sam Houston State University and a LEAP Ambassador, I am always interested in the goings-on in higher education, and I had the chance to learn up-close-and-personal with Representative Chris Turner’s FB Live program.

SHSU, LEAP Center, Center for Law Engagement And Politics, Texas State University System, Chancellor Brian McCall, Representative Chris Turner, Chancellor James Milliken

His guests were two Chancellors: Brian McCall (TSUS) and James Milliken (UTS). It’s always a pleasure to hear from Dr. McCall, who has been a big supporter of LEAP’s Austin Internship Program.

SHSU, LEAP Center, Chancellor Brian McCall, SHAIP, Sam Houston Austin Internship Program, Center for Law Engagement And Politics

Turner, who is the Chair of the Higher Ed Committee in the Texas House (and who housed one of LEAP’s interns in the Spring of 2019), kicked off the meeting by allowing Chancellor McCall to introduce SHSU’s new president. McCall gave effusive praise for the leadership of President Hoyt, and he then welcomed President Alisa White, whom he described as a “remarkable individual.” She will begin on August 10, and we are grateful to be students at a time when we have had a chance to experience the leadership of President Hoyt…

SHSU, Academic Success Center, Center for Law Engagement And Politics, LEAP Ambassadors, Kat Talks, President Dana Hoyt

…and the chance to welcome President White to our friendly University.

The Chancellors had a chance to highlight some of their most impressive programs. Chancellor McCall, for example, announced that TSUS had recently implemented a program at three of their Universities (SHSU, Lamar, and Texas State) that will provide tuition-free education for students whose families make less than $65,000 per year. Amazingly, that is more than 90 percent of the system’s freshmen students.

At the UT System, Chancellor Milliken has a similar program, noting that this is an important part of an adage that guides him: “Talent is equally distributed, but opportunity is not.” Both systems, by offering affordable education to less-fortunate students, help equal the opportunity playing field.

SHSU, LEAP Center, Center for Law Engagement And Politics, Texas State University System, Chancellor Brian McCall, Representative Chris Turner, Chancellor James Milliken

The big topic, of course, was the impact that COVID has had on the TSUS and UT systems. Both Systems discussed pride in their faculty for shifting to online so quickly in the spring (editor’s note: “Thank you, thank you very much.) and noted that their summer enrollment is actually up, a reflection, one hopes, of students’ satisfaction with their education.

Both Chancellors expressed pride in their students’ resilience, as well. McCall noted that some students did homework in University parking lots to get onto wi-fi systems, having exhausted their own data plans.

While touting the technological advances available today, both Chancellors expressed a desire–assuming it’s safe, of course–to get back to in-person learning. Many class types (such as labs), research activities, and student socialization are not conducive for on-line learning, and both, while lauding the value of online enhancements to the learning process, seem intent on keeping in-person learning the predominant delivery system, safety permitting, for the time being, especially for undergraduates.

SHSU, LEAP Center, Center for Law Engagement And Politics, Texas State University System, Chancellor Brian McCall, Representative Chris Turner, Chancellor James Milliken

Of course, to return to an in-person teaching environment, alterations to the learning environment will be necessary. While it will differ by the institution, some discussions of steps that could be taken to mitigate risk include:

Reduced class sizes, held in larger class rooms
Signage directing students as a means of avoiding crowds and bottlenecks
Movement of large classes online
Alternating from class period to class period online and in-person (so only half the class is in the room at any one time)
Mask wearing
Limiting out-of-class interaction

Of course, even these tools are contingent on the COVID infection rates not getting significantly worse.

Both also made a strong case for tuition revenue bonds to create and expand facilities for their systems. Chancellor McCall, in particular, highlighted the space deficit that the TSUS institutions faced. And both Chancellors pointed out that higher-education funding was one of the near sure-fire ways of increasing productivity–and revenue–down the road. As Chancellor Milliken said, “almost everything that is positive goes up with higher-education attainment levels.”

SHSU, LEAP Center, Center for Law Engagement And Politics, Texas State University System, Chancellor Brian McCall, Representative Chris Turner, Chancellor James Milliken

And on that optimistic note, Representative Turner closed the program, thanking the Chancellors for their leadership and wishing everyone a happy and safe 4th of July. (And reminded folks to “wear a mask and stay home as much as possible!”) SHSU, LEAP Center, Center for Law Engagement And Politics, Texas State University System, Chancellor Brian McCall, Representative Chris Turner, Chancellor James Milliken

The System Works: SHSU Interns in Austin!

Even though the 85th Legislative Session has begun and the Austin interns are starting to work long hours, we still make an effort to stay engaged through volunteerism. Last Wednesday, the interns/LEAP Ambassadors were invited to volunteer at the 3rd Biennial Texas State University System Foundation Gala. The Gala is an important scholarship fundraiser that benefits students across the TSUS System.

The Gala began with a host reception at 6p.m. but we arrived at 5p.m. to assist with anything that was needed before the arrival of guests. While some of us assisted at the check-in table, others guided guests to the reception area. As for Kaitlyn and Christina, they had the opportunity to assist at the Governor Abbott photo station and even got to take a picture with him!

Governor Greg Abbott, TSUS Foundation Gala, LEAP Ambassadors, SHSU, LEAP Center

At the registration table, we assisted with checking-in guests and providing them with a name tag. During the check-in process we used an app on our phones called “Legacy Check-In.” Instead of having multiple paper copies of guest lists and then combining them at the end, this app automatically updates for every person using it. It also has a nice feature that shows the percentage of guests that have been checked in. Additionally, as the event starts, it allows you to see how many people are missing. In doing so, we were able to do some last-minute seating to fill the gaps at the tables. It was fun to learn about this new technology!

Alex Galavan, Beatriz Martinez, and Brian Aldaco. Austin, Texas Feb. 15, 2017: Texas State University System (TSUS) Foundation Gala at the J.W. Marriott Hotel in Austin on Feb. 15, 2017. Photos by Bob Daemmrich for reprints call 512-469-9700 or email janis@bobphoto.com.

Once we signed in all the guests and led them to the ballroom, we joined the gala for dinner and to enjoy the program. Chancellor Brian McCall began by introducing their Honorary Guest, Governor Greg Abbott. Governor Abbott made special remarks about Texas and the importance of the TSUS system . The constituent universities (Sam Houston State proudly included) “are providing the future workforce of Texas, which attracts companies to Texas,” remarked Governor Abbot. Before the gala ended, a check for $300,000 was presented for scholarships for students within the TSUS System.

As the night came to a close, we had the opportunity to meet with Vice Chancellor Sean Cunningham and President Hoyt for a quick picture. As always, we are very excited to meet with them as they are very supportive of us and the Austin Intern Program!

President Dana Hoyt, TSUS Foundation Gala, LEAP Ambassadors, SHSU, LEAP Center

It was an honor to represent Sam Houston State University at such an important event for the Texas State University System. We are all thankful that the University System chose us as volunteers and hope to volunteer for them again!

Special thanks to TSUS Foundation Executive Director Mike Wintemute, who emailed us and invited us to the event. It is a pleasure to attend a University and a University System that engages fully with the students, providing unique opportunities in education and job placement.

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