A Season of Momentum Across COLFA
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As the spring semester comes to a close, we’re highlighting the stories, achievements and moments shaping the College of Liberal and Fine Arts. Explore the latest updates and news below.
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From One Spur to a Texas Legacy
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A single discovery on a family ranch sparked Hugh Edmonson's lifelong mission to preserve the craftsmanship, history and stories of Texas Spur Makers.
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Deep Reverberations: A Milestone for Tarleton Wind Ensemble
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Under the direction of Dr. David Robinson, the 2024-2025 Tarleton State Wind Ensemble album, Deep Reverberations, is now available on major platforms.
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Honoring Excellence in History Education
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Dr. Deborah M. Liles receives a prestigious statewide award recognizing her impact in the classroom and beyond.
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| PRSSA Students Represent at National Leadership Assembly
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Cadence Auten and Sophia Rivera traveled to New Orleans, LA, to engage in national leadership training, network with peers and help shape the future of PRSSA through Assembly participation.
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Bosque River Review: A New Literary Voice at Tarleton State
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Tarleton State University’s inaugural student-led literary journal showcases original work from emerging writers and artists, celebrating creativity across the campus community.
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Katherine Brown Re-elected to Forensic Science Leadership Role
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Re-elected as Vice Chair and Trustee of the Forensic Sciences Foundation at the American Academy of Forensic Sciences 2026 Conference, Brown continues to play a key role in advancing the field.
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An End to an Era, A New Sound Begins
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After 15 years on the air, Essential Jazz signs off — making way for Essential Crossroads, a fresh program blending jazz, rock and blues while honoring its roots.
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Students Inducted Into National Honor Societies for Political Science and Legal Studies
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COLFA students recognized for their academic excellence and leadership through induction into the Pi Sigma Alpha and Lambda Epsilon Chi honor societies.
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Taking the National Stage
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Selected for the prestigious National Flute Association Professional Flute Choir, Sadie Horton joins top flutists worldwide — showcasing her talent on an international stage.
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Tarleton State MPA Alumnus Published
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Tristan Nugent (MPA ’23) shares insights on leadership and the growing role of higher education in the fire service through his published article in Firefighter Nation.
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Designing with Purpose: Visual Arts & Design Students Create Games that Make a Difference
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Students in Experimental Media combine creativity and compassion to design educational puzzle games that support and inspire children in foster care.
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Strengthening the Voice of Tarleton Public Radio
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With a background spanning higher education and media sales, Robert Shouse brings strategic leadership to KTRL’s fundraising, partnerships and long-term growth.
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Our Faculty Spotlight series highlights the research, creative work and expertise of COLFA faculty. These events offer a space to share ideas, engage with students and colleagues, and showcase the impactful work happening across the college.
We are proud to highlight this semester's Faculty Spotlight honorees, from left to right: Drs. Jacob Brewer, Marcie Reynolds, Jie Tao, Yolanda Tsang and Mr. Michael Mulvey.
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University Faculty Awards
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Jack and Louise Arthur Award for Excellence in Teaching
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One faculty member from each academic college is recognized annually with the Jack and Louise Arthur Award for Excellence in Teaching Award. These recipients then form the nominee pool for the Jack and Louise Arthur Award for Excellence in Teaching. Kirk Wise, Senior Instructor for Sports Communication, was awarded the honor for his commitment to student and departmental success, including leading discussion-based learning and shaping the sports communication curriculum.
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Our college is led by a group of exemplary, award-winning, published and experienced faculty members. Our team is here to support you in every step of your journey at Tarleton State University.
Join us in recognizing the recipients of the Tarleton State 2026 COLFA Faculty Awards, for their dedicated service and accomplishments.
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From left to right: Dr. Karley Goen, Mr. Kirk Wise, Dr. Rhett Forman, Dr. Yolanda Tsang, Dr. Preston Waltrip and Dr. Galia Cohen.
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2026 RIED Symposium Winners
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The 2026 RIED Research Symposium highlights the exceptional work of Tarleton State’s student researchers, featuring 105 faculty-mentored projects, including 32 supported by the President’s Excellence in Research Scholars (PERS) program. This year’s record number of presentations reflects the university’s continued growth in research and commitment to innovation and real-world impact.
Among the standout achievements, two COLFA students earned top honors in the Social Sciences, Business & Humanities category. Sofia Brabham received first place, and Alejandro Coss earned second place, both under the mentorship of Dr. Tara Shelley.
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Gerald R. Ford Presidential Foundation Research Travel Grant
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This Summer 2026, the grant will support research at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library, where he will examine how U.S. presidents built diplomatic and strategic relationships with African governments during the 1960s and 1970s, including the international development initiatives that shaped those partnerships.
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FY2026 President's Excellence in Research Scholars (PERS) Grant
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Dr. Bae's project titled "Environmental Risks and Urban Violence: How Ecological Disorganization Shapes Racial Patterns of Violence" has been selected to be awarded $46,623.05!
This PERS project focuses on completing the Arlington, Texas analysis, which serves as a pilot for the empirical and methodological foundation for a larger multi-city research agenda. This study will indicate that intra-minority violence disproportionately occurs in environmentally degraded neighborhoods, where minority communities are geographically concentrated. These conditions appear to limit access to healthier routine activity spaces (e.g., safe parks, walkable community centers) and reduce mobility, increasing opportunities for within-group victim–offender convergence.
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The America's 250th Anniversary Grant
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Awarded by the Institute for Humane Studies, this grant will support undergraduate programming that enriches learning around liberty, self-governance and America's founding principles.
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FY2026 President's Excellence in Research Scholars (PERS) Grant
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Mr. Hybinette’s project, “Functional & Stylish Jewelry Design Research” has been selected for an award of $3,800.90. This study will support the development of an advanced additive manufacturing (AM) system for functional jewelry designed to assist older adults and individuals with disabilities. The project integrates wearable sensor technologies that monitor environmental interactions, provide haptic feedback, and enhances daily functionality. A key innovation of the work lies in adapting game design methodologies to create adaptive, user-centered jewelry prototypes.
This funding represents a pivotal step toward future NIH/NIA submissions, including SBIR/STTR pathways for clinical validation, translational research and long-term scalability!
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Giving Week 2026 marked the most successful campaign in Tarleton State history, generating more than $1.04 million in support of students and programs across the university.
The College of Liberal and Fine Arts played a key role in that momentum, earning leaderboard recognition in both the “Most Dollars Raised” challenge, sponsored by President James and First Lady Kindall Hurley, and the “Most Donors” challenge, sponsored by the Tarleton Foundation, Inc.
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We are incredibly grateful to our donors for making this achievement possible. Because of you, COLFA can continue investing in student scholarships, experiential learning and opportunities that shape the future of our college.
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Celebrating 391 COLFA Spring Graduates
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We are extremely proud to celebrate our newest graduates and the impact they are ready to make beyond Tarleton State. This semester, 367 undergraduate and 24 graduate students have reached this important milestone. Each graduate represents the creativity, dedication and academic excellence that define COLFA. As they step into careers, advanced studies and new opportunities, we are excited to see how they will continue to shape their fields and communities!
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Sharon Espinoza, Digital Media Major
2026 Commencement Speaker
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As we reflect on another meaningful semester within the College of Liberal and Fine Arts, we want to sincerely thank you for your continued connection to Tarleton State University. Your support, engagement and encouragement help make these stories and opportunities possible.
Thank you for being part of the COLFA community and for continuing to invest in the people, programs and experiences that make our college so special. We are proud to share these moments with you and look forward to all that is ahead.
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Box T - 190 | Stephenville, TX 76402 US
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