TTU Home Student AffairsParent and Family RelationsTexas Tech Parent Association

Texas Tech Parents Association

TTPA award presentation

Welcome to the Texas Tech Parents Association, otherwise known as Tech Parents! As a parent or family member of a Texas Tech student, it is important for you to feel connected with the institution and other parents or family members who are having similar experiences. The Texas Tech Parents Association, with the support of the Office of Parent and Family Relations, is your gateway to getting involved, supporting your student, and staying informed.

Tech Parents was founded in 1956 and provides a network of other parents and family members for you to connect with, student scholarships and recognition, and support for programs in collaboration with the Office of Parent and Family Relations. The Office of Parent and Family Relations, a department within the Division of Student Affairs and Enrollment Management, was established for you as a place to receive guidance and support as well as ways to get involved in your student’s experience at Texas Tech. Tech Parents works very closely with the Office of Parent and Family Relations to provide engaging and meaningful programs and initiatives to help your experience at Tech be nothing less than great! Browse our collaborative programming efforts in our Programs and Events area.

We are honored to have you and your student as a part of the Texas Tech family. Texas Tech is a place that has a strong culture of positive parent and family involvement. We want and need you to be involved! We hope you’ll visit often, participate in programs, and take advantage of the services available. Texas Tech is truly a world class institution with world class faculty, staff, and supportive families! Welcome to Texas Tech….From here, it’s possible.

Become a Member of Tech Parents!

Texas Tech Seal

Becoming a part of something great is what we all want. Throughout the duration of your student's collegiate experience at Texas Tech, we encourage you to get involved! You can do that be becoming a member of the Texas Tech Parents Association, otherwise known as Tech Parents. Membership to all parents and family members is free!

A proud tradition Tech Parents has developed is giving back. This can be done through your service, gifts, and time to Texas Tech. Regardless of the form, if you are making Texas Tech a better place, you have left a wonderful legacy for future Red Raiders! In addition to a free membership in Tech Parents by simply being a parent or family member of a Texas Tech student, you have the opportunity to upgrade your membership to directly support scholarships as well as maintenance and operating costs for Tech Parents! All levels are listed below.

JOIN the Texas Tech Parents Association!

Regular Membership (Free) Benefits:

  1. e-Lert e-mail notifications
  2. Monthly eNewsletters

Annual Endowment Level Membership ($35) Benefits:

  1. Regular Membership Benefits plus:
  2. Receipt of Tech Parents 12-month Calendar
  3. Advance notice for Tech Parents Scholarships
  4. Texas Tech Chrome Automobile Emblem
  5. Eligible for Door Prize Scholarship during Summer Red Raider Orientation
  6. One (1) Tuition Draw Ticket

Annual Power Endowment Level Membership ($100) Benefits:

  1. Benefits of Annual Endowment plus:
  2. Five (5) Tuition Draw Tickets
  3. Recognition in the Family Weekend programs

Life Membership ($1000) Benefits plus:

  1. Benefits of Annual Power Endowment Level Membership plus:
  2. 95% of your donation placed directly into the Association Endowments for Student Scholarships
  3. Recognition in publication materials

 

Meet the Texas Tech Parents Association Board of Directors for 2009-2010

Executive Council President
Greta Douglas
Houston, TX

President-Elect
Joyce Zachman
Richmond, TX

Immediate Past President
Jeff Klotzman
Lubbock, TX

Arlene Sumner
Lubbock, TX

Steve Burres
Temple, TX

Jennifer Fadal
Sunset Valley, TX

Bob and Lois Rouder
Austin, TX

Sue Smith
Abilene, TX

Donald Peterson
Kingwood, TX

Dan Furnish
Katy, TX

Ronda Spraggins
Fort Worth, TX

Elise Robinson
Fairview, TX

Kathy Bruner
Austin, TX


To view the Texas Tech Parents Association Constitution and Bylaws, Click Here.

To view Tech Parents 990 submitted to the IRS, Click Here.

To view the list of Presidents of the Texas Tech Parents Association, 1956 - Present, Click Here.

Leadership Opportunities Within The Texas Tech Parents Association

Carol of Lights

Being an officer on the Board is a great way to help steer decision making for the Association.  Board members have a collaborative role with the Office of Parent & Family Relations staff  and are required to meet in person as a group at least once a semester.  More meetings may arise as necessary, but could be handled on a teleconference or email basis.  Those with strong organization and communication skills are encouraged to consider opportunities that exist on the Parents Association Board.  Much communication will occur via email.

Tech Parents Chapter Leaders

Outreach efforts to organize more formal Tech Parents “chapters”, particularly in Texas, have become a priority.  Organizing groups on the local level is paramount when it comes to actively engaging our parents and having them feel a greater sense of community on a more frequent basis.  Some “chapters’ exist now, but greater efforts will be made to streamline communication flow, structure existing and new groups, and build a more mobilized network of Texas Tech parents.  If you are highly organized, enjoy representing Tech in a team leader role, and have strong communication skills, we need you here.  This is a role that will have recurring communication with Tech and will be a role that is visible in your respective community. Spouses may serve as chapter leaders together.

Event Volunteer

Volunteers are needed to help give a face to the Association.  When new parents are either interested in Texas Tech or have committed to TTU and attend Red Raider Orientation (NSO), parent volunteers are on site to help answer questions, prepare for events, and assist in planning.  Volunteers have been traditionally utilized during NSO and Family Weekend in the Fall.  As TTU grows and outreach efforts are expanded, there will be additional opportunities.  This is a great way to have hands on, direct contact with other parents.

Event Planning Committees

Planning events is fun and rewarding.  Traditionally, Parent Relations staff have planned much of the events hosted by the Parents Association and Parent Relations. Efforts are being made to involve parents and students in this process.  Involving students is relatively easy when it comes to planning events at Tech.  Involving parents who are at a distance is more of a challenge, but one we are committed to.  This is a new involvement opportunity, so it is indeed a “learn as we go” type of venture, but no less exciting.

Texas Tech Parent Chapters

We are currently revaluating our chapter program to make it more effective, efficient, and informative for all parents and family members. News regarding our reorganization will be posted through this web site, so stay tuned. Our hope and goal is to restructure the Tech Parents chapter element so that it is easy to find out where you need to go to attend a local event and who those officers are. In addition, we hope to do some internal streamlining so that chapters operate more efficiently and consistently while achieving more organizational independence.