Thursday, March 9, 2023

Tuesday, January 10, 2023

Brigadier General (Ret) Patrick R. Michaelis ’93
Brigadier General (Ret) Patrick R. Michaelis serves as the 46^th Commandant of the Texas A&M Corps of Cadets. He is a Distinguished Military Graduate from Texas A&M University and was commissioned a second lieutenant of Armor in 1993.

His previous assignments include: Commanding General, United States Army Training Center, Fort Jackson, SC, and dual-hatted as the Deputy Commanding General, Center for Initial Military Training; Deputy Commanding General (Operations) for the United States Recruiting Command at Fort Knox, KY; Deputy Commanding Officer (Maneuver) for the 1^st Infantry Division, Fort Riley, KS; Commander, Mission Command Element, Operation Atlantic Resolve, United State Army Europe; Executive Officer to the Under Secretary of the Army; Commander of the 2nd Recruiting Brigade, Redstone Arsenal, AL; G3 (operations officer) for the 1^st Infantry Division at Fort Riley, KS, and as the Chief of Staff to the commander of the combined Joint Forces Land Component Command – Iraq (CJFLCC-I) in support of Operation Inherent Resolve in Baghdad, Iraq; Commander of the 8^th Squadron, 1^st Cavalry Regiment, 2-2 Stryker Brigade, where he had operational responsibility of Kandahar City, Afghanistan as part of Operation Enduring Freedom 12-13; Special Assistant to the Vice Chief of Staff, Army; Operations Officer of the 1^st Ironhorse Freedom 06-08; Executive Officer and Operations Officer for 1^st Squadron, 7^th U.S. Cavalry; and as the Battle Command and Chief Knowledge Officer for the 1^st Cavalry Division during Operation Iraqi Freedom II.

BG Michaelis received a Bachelor of Arts in History from Texas A&M University; a Master’s in Public Administration from the Harvard Kennedy School of Government and a Master’s in Strategic Studies from the United States Army War College, specializing in strategic planning.  His military training and education also includes the Armor Officer Basic and Advanced Course, Scout Platoon Leaders Course, Cavalry Leaders Course, Combined Arms and Services Staff School, Command and General Staff College, Airborne, Air Assault, and Ranger School.

BG Michaelis has served in various other command and staff positions, to include Assistant Professor, United States Military Academy at West Point, NY; Ground Troop and Headquarters Troop Commander for the 1^st Squadron, 7^th U.S. Cavalry at Fort Hood, TX; Tank and Scout Platoon Leader, Troop Executive Officer, and Assistant Operations Officer, 1^st Squadron, 4^th U.S. Cavalry, Schweinfurt, Germany and Operation Joint Endeavor.

He is married to the former Bonnie Elizabeth Tate of Weaver, AL. M1 They have four children, Molly Gudding and Hannah Fallin, Madeleine and Madison Michaelis.

Tuesday, November 8, 2022

Dr. Richard A. Box ‘61
Richard A. Box graduated from Texas A&M University and the University of Texas Dental Branch, Houston. He served in the Vietnam War as an Army dentist with the 173rd Airborne Brigade and the 44th Medical Brigade. He recently retired from the practice of dentistry in Austin, Texas, and is a fellow of the American College of Dentists and the International College of Dentists.

Dr. Box has served in several positions of responsibility with the state of Texas. As one of the first lay members on the Texas Real Estate Commission, he served on the State of Texas Aircraft Pooling Board, where he was chairman of the board. He, also, served the state in the Adjutant General’s Department where he commanded the Texas State Guard, serving as the commanding general during the state’s response to Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, before retiring as a major general.

Dr. Box currently is a board member of The Texas Higher Education Foundation.

Dr. Box was appointed to the Texas A&M System Board of Regents in 2008 by Governor Rick Perry and was chairman of the board from 2011-2013.

Tuesday, September 13, 2022

Michael E. Fossum ‘80
Michael Fossum currently serves as a Vice President of Texas A&M University, the Chief Operating Officer of the Galveston Campus, and the Superintendent of the Texas A&M Maritime Academy. Fossum joined Texas A&M following his retirement from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) – Johnson Space Center in 2017.

Fossum is a veteran of three space flights with more than 194 days in space and more than 48 hours in seven spacewalks during his 19 years as an astronaut. During his last mission in 2011, Fossum served as the Commander of the International Space Station. He has logged over 2,000 hours in 35 different aircraft throughout the course of his career. Fossum earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from Texas A&M University and was commissioned as an officer in the U.S. Air Force in 1980. He is also a graduate of the US Air Force Test Pilot School and has earned Master of Science degrees in Systems Engineering and Physical Science/Space Science.

Fossum was born in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and grew up in McAllen, Texas. He is married to his Aggie sweetheart, the former Melanie J. London ‘80. They have four children and seven grandchildren. He enjoys family and outdoor activities. Fossum has been a lifelong supporter and volunteer in the Scouting program.

Tuesday, July 12, 2022

Marilyn M. Martell

Marilyn M. Martell is vice president and chief marketing and communications officer for Texas A&amp;M University. Martell is responsible for strategic direction and leadership of the Division of Marketing and Communications and provides oversight of 70 marketing and communications professionals. Committed to advancing the mission of Texas A&amp;M through strategic integrated communications and outreach, Martell provides leadership for university public relations, communications, marketing, social media, web, special events and KAMU TV/FM. Creative campaigns under her leadership have received recognition from CASE (Council for the Advancement and Support of Education) ad the IABC (International Association of Business Communicators). Prior to becoming vice president and chief marketing and communications officer, Martell served for 20 years as senior assistant vice chancellor for marketing and communications for the Texas A&amp;M Engineering Program, which includes the College of Engineering and Texas A&amp;M University and the Texas A&amp;M Engineering Experiment Station (TEES), a state agency in the Texas A&amp;M University System. Prior to that, Martell coordinated communications for the Texas A&amp;M Engineering Extension Service (TEEX), including leadership of media relations for Texas Task Force 1 during its response to the 9/11 attack on the World Trade Center. Prior to joining Texas A&amp;M, Martell spend 12 years as a news reporter, producer and anchor at a variety of outlets including broadcast and cable television, AM/FM radio and newspapers. She is past-President of the Society of Professional Journalists and has received numerous awards for news and feature reporting. In 2016, Martell was named a Regents Fellow by the Texas A&amp;M System Board of Regents for significant commitment and contributions, exceptional leadership and service to the state of Texas and beyond.</p>

Tuesday, March 10, 2022

John A. Adams ‘73

Dr. John Adams is a historian and the author of numerous books about Texas A&M University.  His published books include Over There in The Air, The Fighin’ Texas Aggies In World War I, 1917-1918, The Fightin’ Texas Aggie Defenders of Bataan and Corregidor, Keepers of the Spirit: The Corps of Cadets at Texas A&M: 1876-2001, We Are The Aggies, Softly Call The Muster, and Texas Aggies Go To War.

His two newest books are Sul Ross at Texas A&M and Standing Ready, the detailed story of the Dixie Classic in 1922 and the origin of the 12^th Man tradition.