This class I’m taking is through Texas A&M International
University in Laredo, Texas -- a member of the Texas A&M System. It’s kind of a franchise thing. Many small colleges and universities were
sold to the “Oxford and Cambridge” of Texas universities: University of Texas (HQed in Austin) and
Texas A&M University (HQed in College Station). TAMIU used to be Laredo State University. It grew and grew until it was big enough to
get its own campus.
It’s one of the more unique campuses around, I think. It blends beautifully into the landscape,
which is quite Spartan as it is ranchland. There are lots of open green spaces
and over 300 sunny days per annum. The local wildlife includes tame deer, wild
hogs, skunks, and the occasional stray cat or dog.
I love the Grecian symmetry of the campus’s design. At 12:00 is the tinted glass office building
of the Killam organization. The Killam
family used to own the land. The foreground shows a fountain that’s great for
photo ops. During summer, those dozen or so yards from the fountain to the
library seem like a Bataan death march when it’s 110 degrees with no
shade. You could get a tanning bed
treatment walking from Pellegrino Hall straight ahead to the library. The
windows remind me of shotgun windows, which makes perfect sense considering
that Laredo was a Wild West town. Native
American raids, Mexican revolutionaries, cowboys, cattle drives, and an
extremely loose interpretation of law and order are some of the characteristics
that loom large in our legend. A couple of those are still making their presence
felt.
All things considered, we are extremely fortunate to have a
four-year university here. It enjoys
much success because of dedicated, talented professors and students. I love being part of TAMIU culture.
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