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Dr. Jamie Taylor's 1 Year Anniversary

Dr. Jaime Taylor's Anniversary
2021
1
YEAR
2022

Jaime R. Taylor assumed ÂÒÂ×ÊÓƵ presidency on July 12, 2021, and the Texas State University System formally installed Taylor as the 16th president of ÂÒÂ×ÊÓƵ at the Presidential Investiture Ceremony on Nov. 11. As president, Taylor has focused his efforts on enrollment, student success, community collaboration and pushing ÂÒÂ×ÊÓƵ forward as a preeminent institution in Southeast Texas.

Under Taylor’s one year of leadership, ÂÒÂ×ÊÓƵ has already obtained a remarkable number of accomplishments. 

Rankings

  • LU Engineering graduates are named No.1 in the state and No.3 in the country for 20-year net income by Payscale.com.
  • ÂÒÂ×ÊÓƵ is listed in the top 10 best public universities in Texas by U.S. News & World Report.
  • LU’s online RN to MSN program ranked No. 2 in the nation by EduMed.org
  • Nursing Schools Almanac ranks ÂÒÂ×ÊÓƵ No.22 among best prelicensure Bachelor of Science in Nursing programs in the state.
  • LU Doctoral program listed among nation’s best by the Princeton Review
  • LU residence halls ranked No.3 in state by Niche.com.
  • Master of Public Health program ranked No.6 most affordable program in the nation by EduRef.net.
  • LU ranked No.4 in nation for best probation officer degree program by Intelligent.com

Enrollment and Student Success

  • ÂÒÂ×ÊÓƵ hosted more than 500 students on campus for the Spring 2022 Cardinal View open house event.
  • The Welcome Center has hosted more than 3,100 potential LU students on campus tours this year, which is 1000 students more than pre-COVID tours.
  • ÂÒÂ×ÊÓƵ has awarded more than 5,500 degrees and certificates over the past year.
  • Dann Brown is named universities next Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs at LU.
  • LU College of Education & Human Development is accepted into Cohort V of the University-School Partnerships for the Renewal of Educator Preparation.
  • Nursing graduates boast 98.18% pass rate on NCLEX-RN licensure exam.
  • Texas Academy is reimagined into the top choice for high achieving high school students
  • On the heels of an athletics conference realignment to the Southland Conference, ÂÒÂ×ÊÓƵ welcomed Jeff O’Malley as the new Director of Athletics.
  • Men’s tennis team secured its first WAC regular season championship title in the program’s history.

Fundraising and Grants

  • Speaker Dade Phelan secures millions in new revenue to increase per-student funding at LU and to mitigate the impact of recent tropical storms.
  • ÂÒÂ×ÊÓƵ celebrated LU Red Day –– the first inaugural 24-hour celebration of giving –– raising $124,029 with more than 474 donors.
  • LU was received a donation from AT&T Texas to support the university’s efforts to tackle learning loss in Southeast Texas Schools.
  • ÂÒÂ×ÊÓƵ Athletics basketball teams partner with local non-profit organization Some Other Place to host annual Teddy Bear Toss fundraiser.

Faculty Achievements and Research

  • ÂÒÂ×ÊÓƵ establishes the Center for Resiliency to focus on research, community outreach, mitigation and recovery following major storm events.
  • United States Environmental Protection Agency awards Qin Qian, professor of civil and environmental engineering, a total of $448,625 to use in the improvement of water quality in the Gulf of Mexico.
  • Cynthia Stinson and Ruthie Robinson named the 2022 recipients of the State Research Award by the TOBGNE for their research focusing on “Compassion Fatigue and Resiliency During the COVID-19 Pandemic”
  • The National Science Foundation has awarded Dr. Zhe Fan, assistant professor of mechanical engineering, a total of $177,460 for his engineering research initiative in complex concentrated alloys.

Facilities and Campus Enhancements

  • ÂÒÂ×ÊÓƵ is awarded $44.9 million in capital construction assistance by the Texas Legislature to support the renovation of the Mary & John Gray Library.
  • Opened the Emerson Advanced Technology Center to help train engineering students on the cutting-edge process systems that they will encounter on the job.
  • Spindletop-Gladys City Boomtown Museum awarded $387,000 from Mamie McFaddin Ward Heritage and various foundations to support renovations.