Graham Weston who, along with the Weston family, has long been a friend to the university, generously made the workshop possible through his 80/20 Foundation, donating enough of the widely-used CliftonStrengths for Students surveys so that all the students could participate, as well as receive guidance from Gallup Certified Strengths Coach Kathy Kersten. The workshop helped the students evaluate what they naturally do best and learn how to cultivate their gifts while appreciating the unique talents of those around them.

Weston is a founder of Rackspace, Geekdom, and the 80/20 Foundation, the latter of which is dedicated to promoting growth and innovation through grants. Some 70 students who attended the event left with a greater understanding of themselves, stronger connections with their peers, and increased confidence as they begin their college journey.

国产探花 thanks Weston and the 80/20 foundation for their support.

But what if you find yourself in need of a ukelele?

Look no further than 国产探花鈥檚 Blumberg Memorial Library, because, yep, you can check one of those out if the need should arise. 鈥淭he library is more than just books,鈥� says 国产探花 Access Services Librarian Nate Aubin, who goes on to list some of the other not-so-obvious items available for checkout.

Did your bike tire spring a leak? No worries: The library has a bicycle repair kit, complete with tools, greases, patches, and instructions. Need a fancy calculator for that advanced math class you鈥檙e in? Come check out a graphing calculator. In the mood for an outdoor movie? Check out a projector and screen. They鈥檝e also got Fit Bits, video cameras, laptops, DVDs (and DVD players鈥攂ecause who has one of those these days?). And for those traveling to present their work at conferences, the library has poster tubes you can borrow.

Or say you actually do need a book, but you checked the catalog only to find it鈥檚 not in the collection? 鈥淚f the library doesn鈥檛 have what you鈥檙e looking for, we can usually get it shipped to us from another library鈥攚e have a robust interlibrary loan program, from bestsellers to obscure research materials,鈥� says Aubin.

Finally, Aubin says you鈥檒l want to stop by and check items out from Blumberg鈥檚 seasonal displays. 鈥淚f you stop by the library in September and October, make sure to check out the Latinx history month display and the Halloween bookcase featuring spooky reads and paranormal materials.鈥�

For a full list of items you can check out from the library, click here: .

Once you join the Bulldog family, you鈥檒l enjoy special events just for transfer students as well as numerous ways to join the fun and become part of campus life.

We offer transfer scholarships ranging from $9,000 to $17,000 per year. If you are a member of Phi Theta Kappa, you are eligible to receive an additional $3,000 scholarship. 国产探花 has also partnered with the Alamo Colleges and Austin Community College to offer an additional $1,000 scholarship to students who have earned a combination of 15 hours at either college.

Get in touch, plan your visit, and let us show you how smooth your path to 国产探花 can be.

Click below for all the details plus a link to the livestream of the ceremony. Come join the celebration! Go Bulldogs!

/events/spring-commencement

In Case of Rain鈥�

Commencement is traditionally held on the library lawn, with the lawn between the library and Tschoepe Hall as the seating area. There will be plenty of seating for family, friends, and invited guests. However, in the event of rain, the ceremony will be moved to Jackson Auditorium.

Should the weather become a factor, detailed instructions will be posted on the 国产探花 website.

A double major in psychology and theology with a concentration in youth ministry, St Laurent has maintained her place on the Dean’s List throughout her college career. She is also a member of the Theta Alpha Kappa and Psi Chi honor societies. She is a two-time recipient of the CSC Academic All-District award and will be graduating with a GPA of 3.8.

She has been an active part of campus life at 国产探花 throughout her undergrad years, serving as a senior resident assistant, Campus Activities Board officer, and Center for Servant Leadership coordinator. In addition, she鈥檚 been a member of the 国产探花 women’s basketball team and helped lead them to win the SCAC conference tournament in 2025.

鈥淚t is such an honor to be named the 2026 David and Anna (Teggeman) Stock 国产探花 Student of the year!鈥� St Laurent said. 鈥淎ll glory to God who made this possible. And a huge thank you to everyone who has supported me along the way to help me achieve this award. It truly means so much to me!鈥�

A big Bulldog round of applause for Emei!

Before leaving home, I did not realize how much I relied on the comfort of the familiar: my routines, my people, my safety net. Being in a different country forced me to step away from everything and everyone I had always known. From the very beginning, that was uncomfortable. Before even arriving in my host country, I remember running through the airport, heart pounding, after realizing I was about to miss my flight.

Another time in Rome, I lost my passport and had to figure out what to do on my own. In those moments there was no one to take over for me. No one to fix it. I had to advocate for myself, ask questions, stay calm, and problem solve.

Those experiences pushed me in ways I did not expect. I have always been more of a go-with-the-flow person. I would let other people make the plans and I would just follow along. But being abroad required me to take initiative. I had to book trains, navigate new cities, communicate despite language barriers, and make decisions for myself. Each small challenge built my confidence. I started trusting myself more. I realized I was capable of handling more than I had ever given myself credit for.

Living in Seville especially changed something in me. Slowing down for long dinners, walking everywhere, and watching how people valued community and balance made me question the pace of life I was used to. Traveling through different parts of Europe opened my eyes to see how much is out there beyond what I had grown comfortable with. I honestly feel like I had been living in a bubble before. Seeing different cultures, lifestyles, and ways of thinking made the world feel both bigger and more connected at the same time.

Studying abroad also made me rethink my priorities and what I want for my future. Being exposed to so many new ideas and perspectives helped me realize that I want a career that allows me to keep exploring, connecting with people from different backgrounds, and stepping outside my comfort zone. It reminded me that growth does not happen when you stay in the same place. It happens when you take risks, even when they scare you.

So yes, studying abroad was fun. But more than that, it challenged me, strengthened me, and changed me. It pushed me to become more independent and more confident in who I am. It helped me realize that there is so much more to the world than what I had seen before. And most importantly, it showed me that I am capable of creating a life that feels bigger than the one I once imagined for myself.