As Texas State celebrates its 125th anniversary, the Retired Faculty & Staff Homecoming Reunion offers faculty, students and alumni a moment to reflect on the university’s legacy and what makes Texas State special.
The Retired Faculty & Staff Homecoming Reunion is 1:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. on Nov. 13. This year’s Homecoming holds added sentiment for the community, inviting reflection on the university’s 125 years and its evolution over time.
According to its website, the Texas State Retired Faculty and Staff Association (RFSA) hosts events year-round to strengthen ties between retirees and the university. This year’s reunion will include Gold Star Society student members and Texas State’s President Kelly Damphousse, creating opportunities for connection.
“[Texas State’s 125th anniversary] is just a tribute to the appeal that the university has had and the impact that has had,” Bob Gratz, RFSA president, said. “We, as retired faculty and staff, have known a lot of students over the years that we spent at Texas State… we know what impact Texas State has had on people.”
Gratz, who retired about 10 years ago, worked at Texas State for 45 years, starting as a faculty member in the Department of Communication Studies, later serving as an associate vice president and dean, a vice president and a special assistant to the president.
Gratz said during the time he was at Texas State, there was around 9,600 students, a stark difference from 2024’s enrollment of 40,678 students.
“One thing that over 45 years at Texas State continued to amaze me is as the university grew, it really was remarkable to see how personal the contact among people at Texas State was, how faculty and staff still had the time to help students who needed help,” Gratz said.
Gratz said he is confident Texas State will continue to be a friendly place where people care for one another, as he has witnessed throughout his decades at the university.
While the reunion honors those who shaped Texas State’s past, current students and faculty are also part of its shared legacy. Ann Burnette, a professor and regents’ teaching professor at Texas State since 1991, teaches classes in the same department where Gratz once taught. She watched the college and communication studies department grow in reputation and numbers.
“I think one of the things that has stayed constant is that Texas State University and the Department of Communication Studies put students first,” Burnette said. “We know that the reason that we’re here is to work with students and to give them the best education possible.”
Burnette said she saw Texas State become locally, state and nationally recognized throughout the years. In the fall 2024 State of TXST Address, Damphousse highlighted expansion success, including more construction on both the San Marcos and Round Rock campus, another campus in Mexico and more partnerships with community colleges.
As Texas State expands, the student experience is shaped by the growth. Mali Cisneros, exercise and sports science senior is the president of the Student Alumni Council (SAC) and will attend the RFSA Homecoming Reunion as a Gold Star Society member.
As the president of SAC, Cisneros received advice from Texas State alumni. She said what stands out the most from the advice they give her is to be proud of where she came from: Texas State.
“That 125th mark is very exciting because I’ve seen Texas State grow in a way that I never thought about it, because for me, when I came to Texas State, I thought only about my progress… but not about the university itself,” Cisneros said. “It’s very meaningful to me, especially because everything that I have, it’s also in part of the opportunities that Texas has given me.”
