KINGSVILLE (Nov. 13, 2026) — After building and institutionalizing a caring culture for students over the past two years, Texas A&M University-Kingsville (TAMUK) earned the distinction of a Certified Gold-Level Caring Campus and was presented with the Heart of the Community Award during the Evidence-Based Change’s (IEBC) Caring Campus Conference on Friday afternoon in Nashville, TN.
Institutions in the IEBC’s Caring Campus network strive to improve and increase student success by creating a campus culture where students, staff, faculty and leadership feel cared for and connected.
“TAMUK's dedication to infusing Caring Campus into its culture has contributed to record student retention rates,” said Dr. Kristina Ramirez Wilson, TAMUK’s Chief of Performance Excellence and Strategy.
The university Full-time First-Time-In-College (FTIC) Fall-to-Spring retention number of 92.6 percent, up 4.4 points in three years.
FTIC Fall-to-Fall retention was 75 percent, up 8 points in three years. Both figures are the highest retention rates in TAMUK’s 100-year history.
Being a Gold-Certified Caring Campus means the university has incorporated the faculty and staff principles at every level and supports institutionalization and sustainability with explicitly and specifically designed policies, processes, and practices. Gold-Level is the highest certification level and has only been awarded to a select number of institutions within the network.
The IEBC Heart of the Community Award recognizes institutions that demonstrate exemplary dedication to building welcoming, student-centered environments.
Since becoming the first university to join the Institute in February 2024, Texas A&M University-Kingsville has improved student outcomes and institutional success as evidenced by university milestones.
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