DR. ROSS ALEXANDER, PRESIDENT OF TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY-TEXARKANA SUBMITTED PHOTO
Soaring with Purpose
S ince August 1, 2023, Dr. Ross Alexander has served as the fifth President of Texas A&M University-Texarkana. From the moment he stepped foot onto the university, it was clear there was one priority on his mind… growth. Now, well into the second year of his presidency, it’s clear that his plan for the university is working. The university has had four consecutive semesters of record enrollment, with no signs of slowing down. Dozens of new, highly sought-after degree programs are coming online or are in the development phase. Athletics has expanded to include a number of new teams, including competitive cheerleading, competitive dance, esports, men’s and women’s outdoor track and field, and beach volleyball in 2024, with men’s and women’s golf, men’s and women’s bowling, and men’s and women’s indoor track and field joining the lineup in the fall of 2025. Today, there are more students living on campus than ever before, and that growth will continue with the construction of new, innovative housing concepts that are already being built. “We want more students living on campus,” President Alexander commented. “There are decades’ worth of studies that tell us students who live on campus are more engaged, stay in school, and graduate more quickly and at a higher rate. We’re working on giving our students several options for on-campus housing, in a variety of settings and configurations, and at multiple price points.” The university plans to have two of its new housing options available for the Fall 2025 semester. There is growth and expansion everywhere you look on campus, and that should remain the case for the foreseeable future. One of the most anticipated construction projects in university history will begin soon, as the RRCU Athletic Complex moves the baseball, softball, and tennis programs home to the university campus for the first time ever. The university held a groundbreaking ceremony for the new complex on February 20, 2025. The facility will contain state-of-the-art, artificial turf fields for baseball and softball, as well as a new tennis complex that will include a viewing deck. In addition to the competition arenas, the complex will include a sports performance center, ticket booth, food court, and event center. Dr. Alexander believes the complex will quickly become a
staple of the community, hosting more than just university athletic games. “We envision the RRCU Athletics Complex as something the entire community will benefit from,” Alexander said. “We want to host all kinds of events there… from symphony performances to other large community events, we want this to be a place that the community frequents.” To that end, the university is planning to have an RRCU branch, a Local Habit coffee shop, and a neighborhood restaurant concept on the property as well. “We want this to be a place where families can come grab a meal or a coffee, enjoy the natural beauty of the area, and catch a championship-quality athletic competition at the same time.” While there is no mistaking the physical growth of the university, the construction projects on campus are only a portion of the growth A&M-Texarkana is experiencing. Within the walls, there is a dramatic increase in new academic programs—highly sought- after degrees by both employers and students—that is helping to drive the unprecedented enrollment growth. “We aren’t just adding degree programs for the sake of increasing the number of degrees we offer,” Alexander said. “We are intentional about our academic growth. We want to offer in-demand degrees in fields that will prepare our graduates to take high-paying jobs right here in our area. To that end, we consult with industry leaders, business leaders, and the medical community to see what kinds of degrees they need most. A&M-Texarkana is, and will continue to be, a driving force in our region’s economic development… we see that as one of the responsibilities of being a regional university.” “A&M-Texarkana is an ascendant university,” Alexander said. “We are one of the fastest-growing universities in the Texas A&M University System, as we are in the state and region as well. Our goal is to provide our students a world-class A&M degree with exceptional experiences inside and outside the classroom, setting them up for a lifetime of success in whatever field they choose.” Dr. Alexander holds a Ph.D. in Political Science from Northern Illinois University, an M.P.A. from Arizona State University, and a B.A. from Beloit College, where he was an all-conference football player. He is a proud husband to his wife, Lilia (originally from Bulgaria), and father to children Victoria, Madelaine, and Ross Jr.
40 | Texarkana Community Directory | 2025
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