Texas A&M University-Commerce and Navarro College celebrated their 25-year partnership on October 24 with a special event held at Navarro's campus in Corsicana, Texas. The celebration featured guest speakers including Dr. Tammi Vacha-Haase, A&M-Commerce provost and vice president for Academic Affairs; Dr. Jeanetta Johnson, vice president of Academic Affairs at Navarro College; and Dr. Ray Green, dean of the College of Education and Human Services at A&M-Commerce.
The partnership originated from a vision established by Dr. Richard Sanchez, former president of Navarro College, and Dr. Keith McFarland, former president of A&M-Commerce. At the time, Corsicana, located over 50 miles south of the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex, lacked local options for students seeking four-year degrees.
Sanchez recounted how the partnership began, stating, “When the trustees appointed me as president of Navarro College in 1998, they wanted a four-year program here at Navarro.” The collaboration took shape after Sanchez and McFarland connected during a meeting in Austin, leading to the launch of the Navarro Partnership in 1999.
Since its inception, more than 3,000 A&M-Commerce students have graduated from the Corsicana site. Dr. Johnson, a three-time A&M-Commerce alum, shared her personal transformation, having started as a single mother living in low-income housing. She earned her bachelor’s degree in interdisciplinary studies at Navarro, followed by a master’s and a doctorate, ultimately becoming a vice president at Navarro College.
A&M-Commerce at Navarro College offers affordable and accessible higher education, allowing students to transfer from Navarro and other institutions to complete their four-year degrees. The site provides eight academic degree programs, including options in Criminal Justice, Early Childhood Education, and various special education tracks. Eligible students can also transfer credit hours to the main A&M-Commerce campus for a bachelor's degree in psychology.
In her remarks, Vacha-Haase thanked the faculty and staff for their dedication, stating, “As 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.”
Learn more about the Navarro College Partnership.
