Classes in Full Swing at RELLIS Campus

RELLIS Campus

Texas A&M system schools join together at the RELLIS Campus. Meet the inaugural class of students at RELLIS Campus and find out why students and professors are enthusiastic about their unique path to higher education.

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – An inaugural class of students are enjoying some of the best programs offered by the Texas A&M University System universities at the RELLIS Campus in Bryan, Texas.

Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi’s College of Business has several professors based at the campus teaching accounting, finance, management, and marketing courses – allowing students to earn a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) degree.

“The extension of our BBA degree to the RELLIS Campus allows students in the Brazos Valley to benefit from the program we’ve built in Corpus Christi,” said Dr. John Gamble, COB Dean at A&M-Corpus Christi. “The College’s focus is centered on student opportunity. Our BBA is tightly aligned with promising career opportunities in Texas and we’ve integrated student engagement activities such as internships, low-cost study abroad programs, and applied class projects with small businesses. All these aspects are available to students in both Corpus Christi and the RELLIS Campus in Bryan.”

Raven Tillman was taking courses at Blinn College, but felt unclear about her degree direction until she heard about RELLIS.

“One day, I heard an advertisement for the RELLIS Academic Alliance on Spotify,” Tillman said. “At that point, I had no idea what I was doing with my life, so I decided to sign up, and I was accepted on the spot.”

After speaking with career counselors and faculty, Tillman decided to work towards a business degree and has ambitions of running an event planning business.

“I am loving the experience so far,” she said. “Most universities are so large and overwhelming. RELLIS is small and personal, so you get one-on-one interaction from other students, advisors, and professors. I am so excited to finally have found my niche.”

“I'm thrilled with the dedication of the students,” said Dr. Lawrence Murphy Smith, professor of intermediate accounting. “They seem very eager to learn and get a good education.”

Current students include transfer students from area community colleges, first-time college students, and working adults.

“For me, my next objective was to earn my degree and hopefully open up my own business at some point,” said Andrew Johnson, a former Marine. “I have professors who apply books to real-life applications, I don't think I could ask for much more.”

Students also like the credibility and advantage their degree can offer. A&M-Corpus Christi’s COB is accredited by AACSB International in both accounting and business, a distinction held by only one percent of business schools worldwide.

Smith is familiar with the standards at The Island University. He used to teach in Corpus Christi before accepting the position at RELLIS.

“I think RELLIS is a great place to go to school because you’re in this brand-new building,” said Smith. “It’s got all the state-of-the-art technology. It's a fun place to be. There’s excitement in the air.”

During the 2018-2019 school year, RELLIS students will take all their courses in Blinn’s 83,000-square-foot Schwartz Building, which features 19 classrooms and eight laboratories. The Texas A&M System’s academic facility, which will be located across the street from the Schwartz Building, is scheduled for completion in June 2019. Upper-division RELLIS students will complete their bachelor’s degrees at the facility upon its completion.

Through the RELLIS Academic Alliance, students can earn a degree from all the onsite system universities which include: Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, Prairie View A&M University, Tarleton State University, West Texas A&M University, Texas A&M University-Texarkana, Texas A&M University-Kingsville and Texas A&M University-Central Texas.