Distinguished Faculty Alumni and Students to be Honored at Alumni Awards Brunch during Islander Homecoming Week
Three outstanding students to be recognized as Official Ring Recipients

The Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi National Alumni Association will honor distinguished faculty, alumni and students at the Islander Parents and Alumni Awards Brunch on Saturday, Feb. 5 from 10:30 a.m.-12:15 p.m. in the University Center, Lone Star Ballroom.

The Distinguished Alumni Awards honor the personal and professional accomplishments of alumni and acknowledge their involvement and contributions to the mission of A&M-Corpus Christi. Nominations were made by students, faculty and alumni with the winners being selected by a committee consisting of alumni, faculty and staff.

The 2005 honorees are:

• Distinguished Faculty Award – Dr. Robb Jackson
  Dr. Robb Jackson, a professor of English and writing instructor, was a driving force in the creation of the University’s First-Year Community Learning Program which is designed to help students make the transition from high school to college. The program has been recognized statewide and nationally. In 2001, the University received the prestigious STAR award from the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, and, in 2002, A&M-Corpus Christi was one of only 13 institutions recognized as an “Institution of Excellence in the First College Year” by the Policy Center.
  
• Distinguished Alumni Award – Dr. Robert Cox
  Dr. Robert Cox is the higher education research liaison for the Center for Research, Evaluation and Advancement of Teacher Education (CREATE) and coordinates professional development and research opportunities for teacher education faculty in the Texas A&M University, University of Texas and Texas State University systems. He is also a senior associate with the A&M system’s Institute for School-University Partnerships where he serves as liaison to all nine A&M universities in implementation of the TAMU Regents’ Initiative, a $25 million project to increase the number of graduates with teacher certification. As dean of the University’s College of Education he was instrumental in the development of new graduate and undergraduate programs. Over the next decade he was involved in the creation of the University’s Early Childhood Development Center, the development of a graduate teacher induction program, and the implementation of a Center for Professional Development.

• Outstanding Alumni Award – O.B. Garcia
  As coordinator for teacher recruitment in the University’s College of Education, O.B. Garcia oversees A&M-Corpus Christi’s Teacher Award Scholarships and the Scholarships for Teacher Education Prospects (STEP) program, which are designed to attract students to the teaching field. Garcia, a 1954 graduate of the University of Corpus Christi, has been the recipient of many honors during his distinguished career. In 1992, he was named the Outstanding Middle School Principal for the state of Texas and the following year he was selected as the Region II Middle School Principal of the Year. Garcia has served as president of the Texas Association of Middle School Principals. He is a member of the Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi National Alumni Association board and is also president of the University’s newly-formed Anchor Alumni Club.
  
• Young Alumni Award – Robert Moya
  Following the attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon on Sept. 11, 2001, Lt. Ruben Moya went to sea to protect his country’s shores from possible terrorists. Moya, a reservist and 1998 graduate of Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, was called to active duty and led a 24-man anti-terrorist team that boarded and searched targeted vessels along the Texas coast, as part of the effort to protect the Port of Houston. His leadership in the potentially-dangerous boarding of suspect ships earned him a commendation from the Army and the Coast Guard Achievement Medal.
  
  
  Official Ring Recipients
  
• Ed Gorecki is the chair of The Texas A&M University System’s Chancellor Student Advisory Board and the president and co-founder of the Field Science Club. A member of the Sigma Phi Epsilon Student Government Association, he previously served as student government president and vice president. He was a member of the University’s presidential search committee and has participated in numerous campus organizations including the Campus Activities Board.
  
• Sarah Elizabeth Penn has volunteered as an Island Ambassador and Orientation Leader in her first year at the University and is now the Student Coordinator for the office of New Student Programs. She is the current president and former vice president of the EDGE (Excellence thru Development, Growth and Experience) Leadership Program and is treasurer of Lambda Pi Eta, the national communication honor society.
  
• Jamie Lashua has been involved with the A&M-Corpus Christi Student Foundation since her freshman year and in 2003-2004 served as the association’s president. During each of her four years at the University she has been vice president of the Foundation’s Islander Revue and since 2002 has been a Student Foundation representative for the Homecoming Committee. For the past two years she has served as the Student Foundation’s vice president of scholarships and as member of the A&M-Corpus Christi National Alumni Board.