Tyler native enjoys success during inaugural semester at the RELLIS Campus
James Loya is pursuing a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from Texas A&M-Corpus Christi
February 15, 2019
A quick meeting at a recruitment fair gave Tyler native James Loya new life on a fading dream.
Although Loya had an associate degree under his belt, he did not possess the prerequisites to pursue his Bachelor of Business Administration from Texas A&M University. DaNeetra Walker, a RELLIS Academic Alliance recruiter, introduced Loya to a unique opportunity to earn his bachelor’s degree from a Texas A&M System regional university while simultaneously taking courses at the Blinn College District.
“The RELLIS Academic Alliance was an up-and-coming opportunity for students to make their way through a community college and university at the same time and in the same location,” Loya said. “I saw this as a great opportunity to get my business degree in a specialization I am passionate about.”
In Fall 2018, Blinn opened the Walter C. Schwartz Building at the RELLIS Campus in Bryan as part of an innovative partnership with The Texas A&M University System. Through the RELLIS Academic Alliance, students complete their foundational coursework in the Schwartz Building and can seamlessly transfer to several Texas A&M System universities, including Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, Prairie View A&M University, Tarleton State University, West Texas A&M University, Texas A&M University-Texarkana, Texas A&M University-Kingsville and Texas A&M University-Central Texas.
Texas A&M University-Commerce and Texas A&M International University will begin offering bachelor’s degree programs in Fall 2019.
The Texas A&M System’s academic facility, which will be located across the street from the Schwartz Building, is scheduled for completion in June 2019. Upper-division students at RELLIS will complete their bachelor’s degrees at the facility upon its completion.
With a successful Fall semester behind him, Loya is diving deeper into A&M-Corpus Christi’s Bachelor of Business Administration degree program, taking more university courses to fulfill his major in marketing. Smaller class sizes that maximize faculty interaction have helped Loya transition seamlessly to the university level.
“I love taking A&M-Corpus Christi classes since they focus on my passion for marketing and advertising,” Loya said. “I would advise new RELLIS students to ease into university courses by starting out with one or two to get the feel for that program. Once you are more comfortable with the course load then you know you are ready to go all in.”
In addition to his coursework, Loya works as a RELLIS Academic Alliance student worker, introducing and guiding students through the multitude of opportunities available to them at the RELLIS Campus. He also serves as President of the Collegiate Entrepreneurship Organization and Marketing Chair of the Marketing Club.
“James is one of my most committed and hardworking mentees,” Walker said. “His diligence is rivaled only by his ability to create an immediate feeling of camaraderie among his peers.”
Upon graduation, Loya hopes to pursue his Master of Business Administration from Mays Business School at Texas A&M and work for a marketing firm that specializes in international advertising.
“My family and friends have had so many questions about the RELLIS Academic Alliance,” Loya said. “The more I explain how this new partnership works for me, the more I realize myself how unique and innovative this opportunity is for students seeking higher education alternatives.”
For more information about the RELLIS Academic Alliance, visit https://rellis.tamus.edu/academicalliance.
