Culture & Community

Members from the C. T. Bauer College of Business faculty and staff are taking their professional development one step further and building camaraderie along the way through the Texas Association of Chicanos in Higher Education (TACHE).

Bauer’s deep connections with the organization date back to 2017. At the time, Stanford Alexander Center for Real Estate Director Maria Honey (BS ‘01, M.Ed. ‘17) had worked at the University of Houston for around 20 years and was pursuing her master’s degree. That year, Honey won TACHE’s Distinguished Staff Award. While she wasn’t very familiar with the organization, she still decided to attend the group’s conference.

“It was fantastic going to that conference for the first time and meeting so many professionals that were in the field of higher education that were also going to school like me,” Honey said. “That was really inspiring.”

Back from the conference, Honey shared her experiences of positivity and community support to the colleagues around her. From there, other Bauer professionals began attending TACHE conferences and shared that same incomparable experience.

“Seeing so many people from Bauer not just attending conferences but being engaged in leadership positions is a testament to the feeling I had,” Honey said. “This is something special.”

Associate Director of Student Engagement Jorge Arellano (BBA ‘14, M.Ed. ‘25) is one of many Bauer staff members to grow their leadership skills through the organization. Currently, Arellano serves as TACHE’s Vice President of Communications. He credits this position to helping build his communication strategy.

“It’s introduced me to new tools and software that I'm implementing in my role, whether it's with engaging student organization leaders or the Bauer Ambassadors,” Arellano said. “It also helps with the team dynamic of working with different faculty and staff. I'm taking what I'm learning in that role from across the state and applying it into my role here at Bauer.”

Rockwell Career Center Senior Career Development Specialist Chris Porras (M.Ed. ‘21) has also built his higher education skillset in TACHE. He serves as a planning committee chair where he works with professionals from other colleges and universities in a leadership capacity. Collaborating with higher education leaders from across the region is one aspect that draws Porras to TACHE.

“We're able to share ideas and hear their best practices at their university, and also share what's working for us,” Porras said. “It's really focusing on the Texas student demographic. We’re seeing how we can impact and elevate that experience from a higher education standpoint and have that cross collaboration with other professionals who give us more tools in our toolbox.”

Beyond the professional development, Honey describes the group’s atmosphere as a family with genuine support.

“When you meet other professionals that have similar interests or backgrounds and get to talk about those experiences beyond the professional and university context, it really does help you connect to a community that you didn't know was there,” Honey said.

While TACHE has a focus on supporting higher education professionals from a Chicano background, the organization is inclusive and welcomes people of all identities to its spaces. Undergraduate students are also able to get involved.