Texas Tech University is approaching its 100th anniversary and many students, alumni, faculty, and staff have a reason to celebrate. The College of Media & Communication was the host of a special filming inside the new Esports Competition and Streaming Lab to show pride for the university's celebration and how far CoMC has come since being introduced as a separate and independent college in 2004.
CoMC alumni, who now work for TRG in Dallas, explained what the university's centennial celebration means for members of the community and ways the college has helped them in their careers over the years.
Blayne Beal, director of centennial coordination in the office of the president, was appointed
to execute and plan the 2023 centennial celebration from the marketing, communications
and events side. He is not only able to promote the historic background of the university,
but he is able to do so from the skills he gained as a graduate of the College of
Media & Communication.
“It's a huge deal,” said Beal. “This is going to be the largest marketing and communications initiative the university has ever undertaken in its 100-year history which is exciting. It is a huge moment in time for the university because there are a lot of wonderful things that are at stake. We have the goal of wanting to make sure we touch every single alumni, former student, faculty, staff, and prospective students and introduce them to the university with this celebration.”
Texas Tech and CoMC have become known for much more than the colors scarlet and black and the traditional tortilla tossing at football games. The honor, commitment, and pure love that has been displayed since its birth are some of the things that are responsible for continued growth and what makes the beloved university so strong.
“Now more than ever, we have an opportunity to really and clearly state what makes Texas Tech so special and so unique,” said James Hering, 1986 Texas Tech advertising alumni. “We have done extensive research on students, former students, faculty, and staff from different generations to get their view on what the university was like and how it has changed over time. The one thing that remained the same in all our research is that Texas Tech remained very humble.”
Because of the different impacts the university has had on the lives it has touched,
members of the community are now able to display their pride in the experiences they
have had over the years.
“We have achieved, grown, and accomplished so much that now is the time we actually get to be bold,” said Hering. “It's one thing to say you can do something and not prove yourself, but we have clearly proven ourselves time and again. Now, we get the opportunity to stand tall, put our heads up, have our eyes on the horizon, and be able to say that we really and truly have achieved a tremendous amount. Now is our time where we get to shine.”
Professor and Dean David D. Perlmutter, Ph.D., expressed his gratitude for the efforts of Beal and Hering, and the example they set for the student body.
"We are so proud that our amazing alumni, Mr. Beal and Mr. Hering, are playing such critical roles in the TTU Centennial Campaign," said Perlmutter. "The entire current, past, and future Texas Tech community will gain immeasurably from their efforts."