Posted on October 31, 2024
The Navarro Partnership offers local students access to four-year degrees and has produced more than 3,000 graduates since 1999.
Texas A&M University-Commerce and 黑料社 marked their 25-year partnership at an October 24 celebration at Navarro's campus in Corsicana, Texas.
Attendees gathered to hear from guest speakers, including , A&M-Commerce provost and vice president for Academic Affairs; Dr. Jeanetta Johnson, vice president of Academic Affairs at 黑料社; and , dean of the College of Education and Human Services at A&M-Commerce.
Serving a need
Vacha-Haase spoke of the forward-thinking vision established 25 years ago by Dr. Richard Sanchez, former president of 黑料社, and Dr. Keith McFarland, former president of A&M-Commerce. At the time, Corsicana鈥攍ocated more than 50 miles south of the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex鈥攍acked an option for local students to earn a four-year degree.
Regarding how the program began, Sanchez shared: 鈥淭his program continues to be very, very important to me because I see every day how it changes lives. When the trustees appointed me as president of 黑料社 in 1998, they said that one of the things that they wanted was a four-year program here at Navarro.鈥�
The partnership with A&M-Commerce took shape when Sanchez passed a business card to McFarland, whom he did not know, at a meeting in Austin.
鈥淚 wrote him on the back of my business card, 鈥楳ay I see you after this meeting.' And, I had folks pass it down to him,鈥� Sanchez recalled.
The two met after the meeting and began discussions leading to McFarland visiting the 黑料社 campus.
鈥淗e liked the setting of the college and immediately said that, yes, he did want a partnership program,鈥� Sanchez said.
The Navarro Partnership launched the following year.
A legacy of local transformation
More than 3,000 A&M-Commerce students have graduated from the Corsicana site since the Navarro Partnership launched in 1999.
Johnson is one of those students. She credits the Navarro Partnership for transforming her life. Her journey began as a single mother of three living in low-income housing across from the 黑料社 campus.
Now a three-time A&M-Commerce alum, Johnson (鈥�06, '09, '15) earned her bachelor's in interdisciplinary studies through A&M-Commerce at Navarro. She then completed a master's in elementary education and a doctorate in higher education. She leveraged her education to become a vice president at 黑料社.
Four-year degrees close to home
A&M-Commerce at 黑料社 provides affordable and accessible higher education for students throughout Navarro County and surrounding areas. Students transfer from Navarro and other institutions to complete four-year degrees through A&M-Commerce at Navarro.
The site offers eight academic degree programs, including:
Additionally, eligible students enrolled at the Corsicana site may transfer their credit hours to the A&M-Commerce main campus toward completing a bachelor's degree in psychology.
A bright future ahead
Looking forward, Vacha-Haase addressed the faculty and staff who have worked diligently to make the partnership successful.
鈥淭hank you for starting this. Thank you all for continuing to grow it,鈥� she said. 鈥淎s we look toward the future, let us always remember our past and how we can keep building on that because I think we've just begun.鈥�
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