Brazos Matters

Maggie Hostetter, Performance Dietitian with Texas A&M Athletics discusses her background, why she chose a career in college sport nutrition, her path to Texas A&M, what all is involved in a typical day either in or out of season, nutrition options made available to student athletes, common misconceptions and mistakes made in nutrition, protein needs, cherry juice, and guilty food pleasures.

Darby Roberts, Director, Student Affairs Planning, Assessment & Research at Texas A&M University & Robert Tirso, Data Analyst, Student Affairs Planning, Assessment & Research at Texas A&M University discuss the WISHES Survey & Aggie Wellbeing Survey, their roles in this office, trends that they're currently seeing, first generation students vs others, the importance of fostering a sense of belonging, positive vs negative survey responses, confidentiality of responses, the option of having follow-up from the university, faculty & staff student support, some of the questions in the survey, who the survey is sent to (and how), and where to find data from the survey.

Lauren Craig, PhD, Assistant Director of Counseling and Sport Psychology Services for Texas A&M Athletics discusses her path to this field and to Texas A&M, the teams she works with & resources available, what needs are the same & different among different sports, managing pressure in the postseason, traits that she usually sees in top athletes, things that the general public can also put into practice, growth and fixed mindsets, routines, and athlete superstitions.

Flora Charner, Professor of Practice in the Texas A&M University Department of Communication & Journalism discusses her background in journalism and path to Texas A&M, transitioning from a media career to education, examples of how she's stayed involved in the journalism field while teaching, including current events in the classroom, how the use of AI in journalism is evolving, where college students are getting their news, goals of the A&M journalism program, what skills hopeful journalists should prioritize, and renovations to the department's space in Bolton Hall.

Ashley Jackson, Assistant Director of Strength & Conditioning for Texas A&M Athletics discusses with KAMU Student Content Contributor Victoria Taylor why Brazos Matters is highlighting strength and conditioning, Ashley's background and path to Texas A&M, tailoring specific training to meet the different needs of various sports, Ashley's future personal training goals, what regular people should prioritize in their own training routines, proper form, connecting with student athletes, and other growth as a result of this career.

Rev. Bryan Jody, Assoc. Pastor of College Ministry at A&M United Methodist Church discusses their new food bank, how the church identified the need for an additional food pantry near campus, the results of student surveys regarding food insecurity, how the pantry operates, how many students utilize this resource, how they're helping students get connected to other resources, the need from the international student community, local grocery partners, popular and not so popular food items, and where students can find other local food resources. Food Resources at Texas A&M (incl. The 12th Can, Brazos Valley Food Bank, the Pocket Pantry Program, and Swipe-Out Hunger) https://studentlife.tamu.edu/support/food-resources/ The Student Food Pantry at The A&M United Methodist Church Annex 310 College Main, College Station Sundays - 1-3 p.m. Wednesdays - 5:30-7:30 p.m. Aggie Wellbeing Survey https://sapar.tamu.edu/student-well-being-improvement-survey/

Jennifer Cain, Director of Capital Projects & Facility Management for the City of College Station discusses what qualifies as a capital project, her background and path to College Station, collaboration with stakeholders, the city's approach to capital projects, what her team looks like, coordination with TxDot, neighborhood improvements, where people can find more info, and current active projects including new water wells, fire station #7, Thomas Park, & Texas Independence Park.

Martin Zimmermann and Katie Williams from the City of Bryan discuss the 2026 Bryan comprehensive plan, what all is included in this plan, why citizens should care, why it is required, outcomes of previous plans, the role of consultants in this process, public meetings and feedback, amendments to a comprehensive plan, the online survey, benefits of having a good comprehensive plan, and how residents can get in touch with their team. For more information, visit http://bryantx.gov/CompPlan

Graduating KAMU Students Macey Litterst, Jade Torres, and Grace Barr discuss what led them to A&M, their majors, the acceptance process, their roles at KAMU, involvement in organizations & clubs, navigating the rise of A.I. & new tech, finding community, the best and most challenging times while in college, how A&M has changed them as people, and advice for new freshmen.

Megan Culpepper, Texas A&M University Health Services Licensed Professional Counselor discusses what A&M counseling & mental health services is about, academic stress leading into the holidays, patterns in students seeking help, changes in coping with stress in this social media era, distractions from discomfort, recommended strategies for overcoming stressors, and resources available to students.

Dr. Holly Hudson, Associate Vice President for Global Engagement at Texas A&M University discusses the scope & responsibilities of the Global Engagement office, the benefits of studying abroad for participants, diplomatic benefits, study abroad in this current global political climate, increasing costs associated with study abroad, financial aid & programs at different budget levels, simplifying the application process, how Texas A&M ranks in participation, post-pandemic effects, expected outcomes of study abroad, and the need for multi-language skills.

Savannah Gaines, Development Director at Aggieland Humane Society discusses her history with AHS, the difference between the 2 shelters in town and the areas covered by each, the current pet population, their new animal transfer van, the difference in pet population between northern and southern states, the pet food pantry, how AHS is handling increasing costs, reasons someone might surrender a pet, managing fundraising, current fashionable pets, fostering opportunities, pet licensing requirements, and how people can support AHS.

Bast Schellhorn, Program Specialist, Texas A&M Cybersecurity Center discusses FBI crime statistics, his educational & professional background, common day-to-day cybersecurity risks, apartment internet, VPNs, password complexity, social media safety, concerns about AI & deepfakes, phishing emails & text messages, Defcon, and software & security updates.

College Station Police Chief Billy Couch discusses his history with the CSPD, the evolution of the Northgate district over that time, the introductions of high-rises in the district, the changing customer base, common crimes, CSPD's approach to policing Northgate, conditional use permits for new bars in the city, issues in other areas of the city, and police department staffing & recruiting.

Dr. Carly McCord, Founding and Executive Director at the Texas A&M Telehealth Institute & Dr. Mikaela Spooner, a Psychologist at the Texas A&M Telehealth Institute and the lead provider at FarmHope discuss their Professional backgrounds, Texas A&M Telehealth institute, the Farm Hope program, stressors felt by ag & rural communities, implications of long commutes on healthcare access & use, telehealth as a solution, other Farm Hope services outside of mental health care, response to this past summer's flood, technology resources available to those without.

Sydney Fox, Public Engagement Specialist & Blake Knox, Transportation Engineer with the TXDOT Bryan District Office discuss the scope of the SH 6 widening project, how long work is expected to last, the influence of public feedback, how they're planning to mitigate impact on businesses and commuters, new shared use paths, upgrades to the Briarcrest & William J Bryan overpasses, a new diverging diamond intersection at University Drive, and updates to the northbound Texas Avenue exit.

Claire St. Amant, True crime journalist, podcast host, author discusses her professional background, why she is visiting Texas A&M's Campus, What she plans to teach A&M Journalism students, her thoughts on the future of the journalism profession, and the evolution from traditional media to podcasts.

Cameron House, Licensed Professional Counselor-Supervisor discusses dating app trends among different age ranges, how the apps have changed how people meet potential partners, the conflict of interest of companies working to make the apps addictive, how young people view & approach dating in a post-app world, encouraging caution, the effects on mental health, advice for using & getting off of apps, and meeting people with common interests & shared experiences.

Brazos Valley radio veterans Roger WWW Garrett, Harold Presley, Scott Delucia, Tucker "Frito" Young, and Katy Dempsey discuss what local radio done well means to them, examples of specific community outreach they've participated in over the years, their current listening habits, how morning show teams historically have been created, how have audiences and their expectations changed or stayed the same over time, the use of AI in radio, the state of entry-level job opportunities in radio, and advice from the radio vets to Tucker and Katy.

Mariano Castillo, Professor of Practice of Journalism at Texas A&M and Avery Foster, Texas A&M Journalism student discuss the origins of the South Texas journalism project, covering a story about industrial air pollution in Laredo, student involvement in this project, how their 48 hours in Laredo went, reception by locals and public officials, future plans and goals including potentially serving news deserts in South Texas & the Brazos Valley.

With his 80th birthday approaching, Dave South discusses his childhood in Wichita Falls, Texas, his beginnings in radio, baseball and play-by-play broadcasting, notable games worked while at Texas A&M, what his life looks like after retirement in 2020, and his KAMU-FM show.

Monica Martinez, Executive Director of Emergency Management & Dion Delao, Emergency Management Specialist & Meteorologist at Texas A&M University's Office of Emergency Management discuss their background and professional history, the benefits of having a meteorologist on staff, Code Maroon, coordinating closures with cities, school districts and the county, weather thresholds for alerts, best practices for receiving alerts, and how to prepare for emergencies.

Krista Oldham, Director of University Archives & Sean Buckner, Director of Preservation at Texas A&M University Libraries address Jay's anxieties relating to what he should do with his physical and digital items. They discuss different types of items, media migration practices, fragility of digital content, how to organize photos, and what to do with physical photos and videos after digitizing.

Shel Winkley, Weather & Climate Engagement Specialist with Climate Central discusses what his workdays look like since leaving KBTX, local climate trends in Bryan/College Station, economic impacts, an AARP study featuring B/CS, urban heat islands, effects of green spaces in cities, how cities are working to reduce heat island effect, and examples of the impact of the built environment on temperatures locally.

Adam Drake & Jerrod Lane with the Brazos Valley Live Music Association discuss the origin of their organization, identifying a need for it, why each of them got involved in the first place, the evolution of the Bryan/College Station music scene, how they support both artists & venues, musicians with ties to B/CS, genres they represent, their concert calendar, and live music on Northgate.

Pam Thomure - Executive Director of Empowering Women out of Prison and Cindy Billington - volunteer for Empowering Women out of Prison and the Prison Entrepreneurship Program discuss the history of these programs, difference between the men's and women's programs, current locations & success rate, stories of impact, the importance of volunteers, incentives for participants, second chance employers, the timeline of each year's program, and what a day looks like for volunteers.

Texas Monthly writer Mike Hall discusses the new Texas Monthly Presents segment about the Dabney Hill freedom colony in Burleson county, the current state of the historic structures on the property, plans for restoration and preservation, challenges facing this project, the Texas freedom colonies project, the relationship between the print article and visual story, Texas Monthly's entry in to more visual storytelling, and potential future stories.

Gracie Dolan speaks with fellow graduating KAMU seniors Alisha Patterson and Tabina Hassan about their experiences working at KAMU, at Texas A&M University in general, and post-grad plans.

Brazos County landowners Kyle & Beverly Greenwood, representing noeastloop.com, discuss the potential TxDOT inner loop east project and how they believe Brazos County officials have handled the planning, so far.

Brazos County Judge Duane Peters discusses the inner east loop project, including public hearings, and determining need & alignment. He also discusses updates on the Brazos County Medical Examiners office. Finally, he discusses the new courthouse annex building, why there is a need for the building and its enclosed walkway, and which departments will be housed in this new building.

Scott Shafer, Executive Director of Campus and Community Enrichment at Texas A&M University discusses his history with Hensel Park, the current vision for redevelopment, factors driving the studies, potential timeline, phases & cost of redevelopment, changes in the surrounding area including population density and high rises, partnership with both cities, and potential academic opportunities related to the park.

Becca Dawson, director of the 2025 Big Event and Caroline Ask, Solid Waste Manager with the City of College Station discuss Big Event's preparation leading up to the day of the event, how they're working to increase volunteer signups, coordination with and involvement of the cities of Bryan and College Station, other Big Events across the country and things they have learned from other schools.

Danielle Laperriere, Sustainability Manager for Texas A&M University discusses her background, her definition of what sustainability can be, campus examples, current students' ideas about sustainability, highlights from the STARS report and A&M's ranking, sustainable commuting options, the Aggie Green Fund, and Campus Earth Month.

John Friebele, Executive Director of Destination Bryan and Jeremiah Cook, Assistant Director of Tourism for Visit College Station discuss things to do when visitors come to town, activities that complement a student budget, tourism outreach efforts, and more.

Tom Turbiville discusses his background with Jay at WTAW, why he began featuring veterans' stories, the beginning of the Veterans of the Valley program on KAMU-TV, notable interviews, where to watch interviews, and the Brazos Valley Veterans Memorial in Veterans park.

Kevin Russell, Managing Director of Economic Development for the City of Bryan discusses his background at the city, Downtown Bryan's past, redevelopment of the Downtown's north end, the city's relationship with Texas A&M, Biocorridor expansion opportunities, growth on Highway 47 including the RELLIS campus and the Army Futures Command, Bryan Business Council, and the Greater Brazos Partnership.

Dr. Leonard Berry, University Distinguished Professor of Marketing at Texas A&M University discusses his research on Never Words and Never Phrases in healthcare environments, what they are, impacts and harm of these statements, and examples of them.

Dr. Kirby Goidel & Dr. Todd Kent from KAMU's Inside Political Science podcast discuss the origins of the podcast, their teaching styles at The Bush School of Government & Public Service, observations from the 2024 election, where younger people are getting their news and information, looking ahead to the 2025 Texas Legislative Session, Texas politics vs national politics, and predictions on future important political issues.

November 18, 2024 marked the 25th anniversary of when 12 Aggies died when Bonfire collapsed. KAMU remembers that day in this documentary. These reflections are from John Comstock, a survivor of the collapse; Randy McGregor, a first responder who was on the scene; Neva Hand, the mother of one of the students who lost their life; and Truett Marrs, a current student born a few years after the collapse who now works tirelessly to ensure that the names and stories of the victims are remembered by every Aggie, today and in the future.

Mary Jo Prince, Project Specialist with Texas A&M Agrilife Extension discusses the Watch Your BAC & Reality Education for Drivers programs, choices currently facing college students, what is involved with her classes, things parents can look out for, outcomes of the programs, next steps, and how to request more info.

Chief Dean Swartzlander with the Bryan Police Department discusses his background and what brought him to Bryan, the K9 programs at Bryan Police Department, awards and recognitions over the years, the current state of BPD staffing, the Bryan Police Academy, recruiting challenges, connections to the community, strategic proactive policing, current crime trends in Bryan, and more.

Kelsey Heiden, Director of College Station Parks & Recreation discusses her background, thoughts on College Station parks & programs, birding at Lick Creek Park, the new budget year, facility upgrades, pickleball, the Lincoln Recreation Center, Thomas Park renovation, Texas Independence Park, and her favorite park in College Station.

Kelli Hollinger, Director of the Appelt Aggieland Visitor Center discusses the Howdy greeting on campus, the visitor center, the Aggieland Saturday event, student tour guides, her background at the Mays Business School, visitor impact on the local economy, future hopes & plans for the visitor center, who is welcome to take a campus tour, and more.

Molly Watson, Co-chair Brazos Valley Gives discusses what community foundations are, how Brazos Valley Gives works, the giving nature of the Brazos Valley, requirements for non-profits to participate, and what BV Gives day looks like.

Ashley Rodriguez-Bishop with the Bryan Animal Center discusses her background, jurisdictions of the Bryan Animal Center and other shelters, animal control services, Brazos County Regulations, what kinds of animals they see, funding, and future facility plans.

Dr. Holly Hudson and Samantha Clement with Texas A&M Global Engagement discuss who Global Engagement are, what attracts international students to A&M, immigration compliance functions, preparing for the upcoming semester, acclimating international students to A&M, promoting study abroad programs, upcoming global welcome party, how to make international students feel welcome, and more.

Dr. Jennifer Griffith with Texas A&M Public Health & Byron Prestridge with Texas A&M Transportation Services discuss a recent micromobility capstone project completed by students, what micromobility is, safety considerations, rules & regulations, proposed "howdy zones", congested campus corridors, and pedestrian safety.

Kelly Wellman, Director of Texas A&M's Office of Sustainability discusses the A&M Athletics sustainability plan, facility impacts of the plan, other universities starting their own plans based on the A&M blueprint, campus recycling locations, sustainable transportation, challenges facing the office, and the student internship program.

Former National Security Advisor Nancy Bearg, Singer/Songwriter Lyle Lovett, and various grandchildren of George & Barbara Bush gathered in College Station to commemorate the 100th birthday of the former president and spoke of the legacy of public service created by the former president and Mrs. Bush.

Michael Ostrowski, Chief Development Officer, City of College Station discusses his background, College Station's economic development objectives and strategic master plan, redevelopment of city corridors, a future entrepreneurial program, getting College Station noticed, legislative impacts, and updates on new business coming to town.