Lamar University began the 2025-26 school year with President Jaime Taylor’s convocation address, Aug. 18, in the Neches Arena at the Montagne Center.
The center was filled with faculty and staff who were treated to lunch before provost Brett Welch kicked off the event by announcing the launch of a transformative initiative, the College of Nursing and Health Professions.
“This new college will be a cornerstone of excellence," he said. “Housing not only our School of Nursing, but also the departments of health and kinesiology, nutrition, hospitality and human services, speech and hearing sciences, and social work.”
Welch said that while the introduction of a new college is a major milestone it is only part of Lamar’s journey.
“We are adding programs that reflect the evolving needs of our students and the world,” he said. “These are projects more than curriculum updates. They are declarations of our intent to lead, to innovate and to provide purpose driven education to our students, as is the goal with all our programs.”
Welch handed the podium over to Taylor, LU’s 16th president, for his annual address.
Taylor highlighted the four guiding principles that were once ideas on the page but are now brought to life by staff.
The first principle defines who we are as a university, Taylor said.
“Our identity has always been woven into the DNA of Southeast Texas,” he said. “We were founded to prepare professionals to lead during an oil boom, and technology today is no different, even if the region’s needs have evolved, we continuously fine tune our degree programs to meet the changing needs of our region, and the singular focus is a considerable strength.”
Lamar students obtain more opportunities and are able to grapple with the real situations in Southeast Texas business long before they get a diploma — and it’s working, Taylor said.
“We don’t try to be everything to everyone, but for our students we are determined to be everything that matters,” he said.
Taylor said his second guiding principle places students as the focus of every decision from the biggest projects to the smallest details.
Notably, Taylor announced that Lamar University is now an “Opportunity University,” a new classification system introduced by the Carnegie Foundation. The award recognizes 28 schools nationally who offer the highest post-graduation earnings in relation to the university’s accessibility.
“This is a powerful validation of your work,” he said. “It’s a validation of who we are.”
Defining who we are and putting students at the heart of decisions are a part of the mission while teamwork and discipline make up the method of the guiding principles, he said.
Taylor highlighted the recruitment and enrollment team as they have delivered what he called incredible results for the first time in 12 years, with undergraduate enrollment being up last fall as well this fall.
“Higher education in the United States is changing in a big way right now, and it’s also facing real crisis of credibility,” he said. “Many universities are struggling financially, and the public is questioning the value of a four-year degree more than ever — but that is not our story. We stand strong, financially sound and laser focused on our mission to serve Southeast Texas.
“At Lamar University, we know exactly who we are, while other universities may be searching for their purpose, we are busy living ours.”
Taylor also acknowledged the hard work and dedication of faculty and staff, saying he is committed to investing in the staff. The assembled crowd applauded as he announced a 3% merit raise.
Classes begin Aug. 21.
