RELLIS Academic Alliance and Blinn College District Receive Star Award

RELLIS Academic Alliance and Blinn College District officials were awarded the coveted 2024 Star Award from The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board.

December 13, 2024

"We are honored to receive this award, which reflects our commitment to fostering a seamless, supportive path for transfer students from community college to university,” said Dr. James Hallmark, Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs of The Texas A&M University System. “The relationship between Blinn and The A&M System continues to provide prosperous and exemplary experiences for our students.”

Each year, The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board celebrates outstanding institutional contributions to the state’s strategic plan for higher education by awarding them the coveted Star Award. This year’s criteria included institutions demonstrating exemplary support for students pursuing postsecondary pathways. The unique partnership between the RELLIS Academic Alliance and Blinn College District has been recognized for offering clear, streamlined transfer pathways that help students complete their bachelor’s degrees on time and without extra costs.

"This award is a testament to the power of collaboration and the shared commitment between the RELLIS Academic Alliance and Blinn College District to provide students with clearly defined, affordable pathways to success,” said Dr. Mary Hensley, Chancellor of the Blinn College District. "This award recognizes the innovative spirit and shared vision that make our partnership a model for seamless transfer pathways in Texas."

The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board serves as a resource, partner, and advocate for Texas higher education, resulting in a globally competitive workforce that positions Texas as an international leader. The board works in partnership with the legislature, businesses, and other key stakeholders to ensure our state’s higher education goals are aligned with our state’s economic and talent needs and serves as the steward to the state’s strategic plan for higher education.

"We exist to remove obstacles that transfer students face—excess hours, excess time to completion, and excess debt—by equipping them with the resources, guidance, and streamlined pathways they need to succeed,” said Dr. Nancy Shankle, Associate Vice Chancellor of the RELLIS Academic Alliance. “This recognition inspires us to continue building strong partnerships and innovative programs and ultimately empower students to reach their academic and career goals."

Founded in 2016, the RELLIS Academic Alliance consists of multiple Texas A&M System regional universities. Together, they offer over 25 bachelor’s degree programs in subjects ranging from criminal justice, social work and public administration to biology, health sciences and computer science. To date, more than 600 students have received degrees from a regional university partner at the RELLIS Academic Alliance.

In the fall of 2018, the Blinn College District opened the 83,000-square-foot Walter C. Schwartz Building on the RELLIS Campus. Also on site is the 80,000-square-foot Blinn RELLIS Administration Building featuring additional lecture classrooms, an engineering lab, a computer science classroom, an information technology lab, an esports arena and a student services suite. The proximity of both buildings to the RELLIS Academic Complex makes this unique collaborative relationship possible, combining a major university system and a community college at a single location.

Star Award winners were recognized at the state’s annual higher education leadership conference, Higher Edge 2024. The annual leadership conference brings together regents, trustees, chancellors, presidents, and other higher education leaders to discuss critical higher education issues.

For more information about the RELLIS Academic Alliance visit https://rellis.tamus.edu/academicalliance/.