FORT HOOD, Texas -- As the dirt lofted from 16 shovels settled, the groundbreaking ceremony heralding planned construction of the new, Texas A&M University - Central Texas campus building concluded.
Held Aug. 26 near the intersection of State Highway 195 and State Highway 201, where construction for the new campus will begin, the groundbreaking was attended by a crowd of several hundred people reflecting the mixture of Fort Hood, local, state and national leaders who have cooperated with representatives of the former Tarleton State University - Central Texas to make obtaining a four-year college degree easier for area residents.
"It's been a wonderful day for Bell County and really for the whole state of Texas," said Morris Foster, chairman of the Texas A&M System board of regents. "I told the governor a while ago, you know if this university had been here when I grew up in Salado, I could have been governor."
After taking the podium to deliver his keynote address, Gov. Rick Perry responded, "Thank you very much, Morris. You can still be governor, just not right now."
Acknowledging the decades of effort involved in creating the newest university in the A&M System, Perry asked former state representative Stan Schleuter to stand up.
"Twenty-five years ago," Perry said, "this guy had this dream and actually is one of the real catalysts for us being here today."
Perry said the groundbreaking marked "... a big day for Central Texas ... that can and will change lives. It used to be you had to drive a long way to get a Texas A&M University education. Now, folks around here only have to drive across town to get an Aggie education."
Perry said the new facility "... will start a new chapter in the story of this town and serve as a tangible reminder of our state's commitment to education and unshakeable commitment to the young people of this state longing to have a better life than their parents did."
The new campus will be essential to maintaining the strength of the state's workforce and will provide an "avenue to the future," he added.
Stating the average college graduate earns about $56,000 a year compared to $32,000 for a high school graduate, Perry said the university's future graduates "... will strengthen our economy. As economic turmoil continues to make the world uneasy, Texas continues to attract employers from around the country and globe."
Because the world economy is becoming more complex as technology advances, Perry said, "We're working to keep our pool of quality, educated employees growing right along with it."
Perry said the new campus will "Make it easier for military stationed here to pursue degrees." By embracing goarmyed.com, he added, students are provided a one-step access to education, and plans for the new campus "... reflect the long-standing relationship between A&M and the military."
State Sen. Troy Fraser told the audience that legislation he sponsored to create the new campus has been his greatest accomplishment as a legislator.
Several speakers at the groundbreaking for the four-story, 103,000-square-foot building that will be the flagship of the new campus discussed the impact the Texas A&M System had on their lives, and the meaning it will have for future Killeen-area residents.
State Rep. Jimmie Don Aycock said he became a first-generation college student when he was accepted to attend Texas A&M University.
"We know that if one parent in a household goes to college, it can change the future for generations," he said. "Most of the students who come here are not traditional seventeen or eighteen-year-olds. It's folks that are older and wiser, hopefully, who have decided to make education a priority."
Texas A&M Chancellor Mike McKinney said, "This groundbreaking today goes to the bottom of my heart in terms of what it's going to do for the people, what it's going to do for the military. We really have the opportunity, with this new university, to educate people who really haven't been able to travel the distances they needed to travel and likewise to be able to afford the cost."
McKinney said enrollment at Texas A&M University - Central Texas has reached 2,500 students. Of the school's 70 percent retention rate, he added, "No other university has that so it really talks about the quality of the students who come here and the quality of the educators who teach here."
The groundbreaking ceremony would not have been possible if Fort Hood had not transferred the land, he added.
"We pledge to continue growing this partnership and relationship with the military here. It's so important to the future not only of Texas but also of the United States," McKinney said.
TAMU-CT began as Tarleton State University - Central Texas in September 2009. It transitioned to a stand-alone branch of the Texas A&M System in May 2009.
University officials expect construction of the $40 million first building to be completed in February 2012. The building will stand on 672 acres of land at the corner of State Highway 195 and State Highway 201.
In exchange for the land, the university will work with Fort Hood and conduct training and classes on the campus, McKinney said.
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