Year in Review: Top 20 Most Read TXST Newsroom Articles of 2020

1. Texas State Announces $30 million in financial assistance from Bobcat Cares Program

Texas State University announced the Bobcat Cares program to provide funds directly to currently enrolled and eligible students with COVID-19 related expenses, emergency grants to all students enrolled in summer courses, pro-rated refunds of certain spring semester charges, and a new Bobcats to Bobcats scholarship to cover fee and tuition costs for the fall 2020 semester.  

2. TXST Responds To COVID-19

Explore stories of the countless ways our students, faculty, staff, and alumni have made the world a better place through their service, talents, and expertise during the COVID-19 pandemic of 2020.

3. Texas State expands Bobcat Promise in response to the COVID-19 pandemic

Texas State University expanded the tuition-free Bobcat Promise program to give more Texas students the chance to attend the university despite the growing financial uncertainty caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The university increased access for Texas students with a family adjusted gross income (AGI) that does not exceed $50,000 annually. Previously, the upper AGI limit was set at $35,000.

4. COVID-19 provides a fertile breeding ground for conspiracy theories

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, the spread of conspiracy theories about the coronavirus threatens to undermine legitimate efforts to combat the disease and cause lasting harm, warn researchers at Texas State University. 

5. 'Celestial Sleuth' sheds new light on Vermeer's masterpiece, 'View of Delft'

A team of researchers led by Texas State University astronomer, physics professor emeritus and Texas State University System Regents' Professor Donald Olson has applied his distinctive brand of celestial sleuthing to Vermeer's masterpiece, using the artist's signature gift for depicting light and shadow to resolve the long-standing uncertainty over when it was painted.

6. Naomi Shihab Nye honored with lifetime achievement award from National Book Critics Circle

The National Book Critics Circle (NBCC) named Naomi Shihab Nye, a professor of creative writing in the Department of English at Texas State University, recipient of the Ivan Sandrof Award for Lifetime Achievement. The Sandrof Award is given to a person or institution — a writer, publisher, critic or editor, among others — who has, over time, made significant contributions to book culture

7. Texas State respiratory care students joining the front lines against pandemic

At the start of January 2020, seniors in the College of Health Professions at Texas State University had no idea how the coronavirus would impact their final semester of school. In April, Ascension Seton Williamson medical center in Round Rock hired 10 seniors from Texas State University’s respiratory care program to help shore up a personnel shortage due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

8. Dr. Rodney E. Rohde lends expertise to national news coverage of COVID-19

Dr. Rodney E. Rohde, professor and chair of the Texas State University Clinical Laboratory Science (CLS) program and Associate Director for the Translational Health Research Big Idea, has recently been featured in multiple international, national and regional publications that highlight his expertise regarding the global impact of COVID-19.

9. Texas State loans ventilators to medical centers to combat COVID-19 pandemic

The Department of Respiratory Care, part of the College of Health Professions at Texas State’s Round Rock Campus, uses 14 ventilators used to train respiratory therapists. Since Texas State shifted to remote delivery of coursework due to the pandemic, respiratory care faculty realized the idle ventilators could serve the local community.

10. Texas State Mathworks offers free school curriculum to teachers, parents, and students

In response to COVID-19, Texas State University Mathworks offered free math resources, including textbooks, workbooks, curriculum, and video tutorials, to the public. 

11. Say goodbye to Aunt Jemima and Uncle Ben

Stemming from national protests about racism, corporations took to removing racially stereotyped images on popular products like Aunt Jemima and Uncle Ben. Communication Design assistant professor Omari Souza's research explores the idea of perceptions, how visual narratives influence culture, and how we view ourselves and others around us.

12. Alumnus Lt. Gen. Mark D. Kelly confirmed as 4-Star General and commander of Air Combat Command

On July 20, the United States Senate confirmed the appointment of Lt. Gen. Mark. D. Kelly (B.A. ‘84) to general and commander of the U.S. Air Force’s Air Combat Command, which is one of nine major commands in the Air Force.

13. Texas State named one of 'Best 386 Colleges' by Princeton Review

Texas State University has been named one of the nation's best institutions for undergraduates to earn their college degree by the Princeton Review. The education services company profiles and recommends Texas State in the 2021 edition of its annual college guide, The Best 386 Colleges.

14. TSUS Regents approve new construction management, quantitative finance master’s degrees at Texas State

The Texas State University System Board of Regents has authorized Texas State University to offer two new Master of Science degrees in Construction Management, and Quantitative Finance and Economics to address pressing demand in the state’s economy.  

15. Chin family awards scholarship to each third-year physical therapy student

In February, Edith and You-Kin Chin established a $250,000 endowment that would provide direct payment for every third-year physical therapy doctoral student in good standing. The program will continue for five years with additional funds directed to a permanent endowment.

16. Texas State dance program ranked No. 2 nationally, No. 1 in state

The Division of Dance in the Department of Theatre and Dance at Texas State University has been named the No. 2 dance program in the nation and No. 1 in the state for 2021 by College Factual.

17. Alumnus shares presidential recipes in new book about cooking for the Bushes

Matthew Wendel (B.S. '85) says his life has been like winning the lottery. The cater waiter with no professional training went from working for Texas State's on-campus catering company to serving as the personal chef for President George W. Bush and his family at Camp David and Prairie Chapel Ranch, their Western White House in Crawford.

18. Clinical Laboratory Science graduate runs laboratory in New York City hospital

Wade Winchell (B.S. ’14) earned his degree from Texas State University in Clinical Laboratory Science. Today, he is the director of administration in the laboratory of the Brooklyn Hospital Center, a 500-bed hospital in Brooklyn, New York. We emailed Winchell and asked him to comment on his work and explain more about the laboratory and COVID-19.

19. Texas State twirler performs outside assisted-living facility in Tyler

Kaylee Williams, a sophomore majoring in computer science and a featured twirler for the Bobcat Marching Band, performed for residents in the Atria Copeland assisted-living facility in Tyler. Since residents of the facility are elderly and therefore more at-risk from the spread of Coronavirus, she donned her uniform and kept a safe distance, performing outside on the lawn of the facility where residents could watch from their windows.

20. With Texas State alumnus at the helm, Lockhart ISD looks to the future of remote learning

To meet the challenges presented by COVID-19, Lockhart ISD Superintendent Mark Estrada arranged for the district to distribute laptops to students and converted their parking lots to WiFi zones so that internet would be accessible to families who don’t have access. As a long-term solution to meet the needs of families without internet, Estrada has developed a partnership with an internet company to build WiFi towers across Caldwell county.