Successful 3rd Semester Finish for Texas A&M-Concho Engineering Academy at Midland CollegeNovember 24, 2020

Midland College and Texas A&M are in the midst of their 2nd year of the Texas A&M University (TAMU)-Concho Engineering Academy at Midland College.  In January, after three successful semesters, four of the students are transitioning to TAMU in College Station to continue their engineering degrees. 

This past August, TAMU and Midland College (MC) accepted a second cohort of young men and women into the academy.  Students in the academy are dually enrolled in both Midland College (MC) and Texas A&M University (TAMU).  They take general education courses from Midland College on the main MC campus and online, while also taking TAMU engineering courses that are taught in person by a TAMU College of Engineering faculty assigned to teach in Midland.  Assuming the students maintain a competitive GPA (usually 3.5 or higher), they transition into one of 22 engineering majors at TAMU in College Station after two, three or four semesters.

On Thursday afternoon and Friday morning, November 19 and 20, the Midland Aggies Mom Club presented academy students with a special gift to help them get through final exams. The gift bags included homemade cookies and Texas A&M “swag,” plus other items that will help students “power through” final exams.

“We want these students to know that they are appreciated and wish them the best of luck with final exams,” Shea Thompson, Midland Aggie Moms Club president said.

David McCarroll is the TAMU professor of practice at MC.  This is his first year to be employed by A&M after having taught pre-engineering courses at Round Rock High School near Austin.  McCarroll has a mechanical engineering degree from TAMU and worked in the semiconductor industry for many years before he started teaching.

“I applied for the A&M professor of practice position because it was a great opportunity to instruct students at the college level,” McCarroll said.  “In fact, this is a dream job.  I’m able to mentor future engineers, help them choose a major and really get to know them.  The students in Midland are hardworking, and I’ve had fun over the past three months teaching and advising them.”

The academy at MC is one of six TAMU engineering academies across the state.  McCarroll said that students who participate in the academies have several advantages over those who go directly to TAMU as freshmen.

“The cost savings are tremendous, and the students receive more individualized instruction,” he said.  “Also they have multiple options to transition into a major.”

TAMU started the academies in order to recruit more students into high-demand, high-wage engineering fields and to attract special populations, such as minorities and women. 

Evelyn Abendroth is one of those students.  She is a 2020 graduate of Midland High School and is in the first year of the program. 

“I chose the academy at Midland College because it allowed my family to save money on college tuition, and it’s close to home.” Abendroth said.  “It is also allowing me to get accustomed to a college setting before going to a large university.”

Andrew Sanchez is in his second year of the program.  Upon graduation from Midland High School in 2019, he was actually accepted into TAMU’s College of Engineering in College Station.

“I had always planned to go to Texas A&M for engineering, but then I met Paul Oñate [TAMU Engineering Academy advisor], and I discovered that I could actually start my A&M engineering courses at Midland College,” Sanchez explained.  “That was really the best of both worlds for me. I was given the opportunity to stay at home, take college courses at Midland College and also enroll in basic engineering courses through Texas A&M.”

Sanchez will graduate from Midland College in three weeks and will then continue with his engineering degree at TAMU in College Station where he will major in biomedical engineering.

“I have never regretted my decision to stay in Midland,” Sanchez said.  “Engineering Academy students visit College Station periodically, and last fall we attended football games, tailgates and the SEC Career Fair. So, even though we weren’t in College Station, we were still able to take part in a lot of Aggie activities. I never felt like I was not an Aggie, and I made a lot of friends in College Station. 

“There is an incredible support system with both the MC and TAMU advisors. They worked together to make sure that I was taking the appropriate classes that would transfer to A&M and contribute to my degree path and toward my ETAM [Entry to a Major] application. Even though I was in the first cohort of academy students, there were absolutely no hiccups—it was smooth sailing.”

For more information about the Texas A&M University-Concho Engineering Academy at Midland College, visit www.midland.edu/TAMU or call J. Mike Seerey, MC director of special programs, (432) 685-4704.