Our alma mater has recently received press nationally for what has been going on for years. As students who chose this university, we were prophets of what was to come in the near future. The university has changed dramatically since I arrived in august of 2008 and moved into Sterry Hall (which will soon be torn down); buildings are popping up all over the place, enrollment is higher than ever, and our athletic department is being promoted to a NCAA conference. The one area that has changed little but has recently received press is the academia students receive at Texas State and the research being done by the incredible professors here at Texas State.
Texas State being recognized and categorized as an emerging research institution could dramatically change the reputation of the university we as students love and respect. As a second generation Bobcat, I have been aware of Texas State, or Southwest Texas State as my parents still refer to it as, my entire life and what this university genuinely is, is so much more than its reputation gives it credit for.
My predictions of what this means include: many more applicants in the coming years, more money from proud alumni in order to bring Texas State to tier-one status, greater value to our degrees as soon-to-be Texas State grads, and saying goodbye to the best kept secret in Texas.
Many people look over Texas State quickly instead of giving it genuine consideration of a place to spend the next 4 or 5 or 6 years of their lives but as Texas State continues to improve in all areas, this will no longer be the case.
If you are unaware of the recent PR Texas State has received you can check out the video interview posted below by the Texas Tribune or read the article published in the New York Times a few days ago.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=40gFuCxhO34&feature=youtu.be
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/22/us/texas-state-university-keeps-a-focus-on-the-future.html?_r=1
