COLLEGE STATION, Texas — In a unanimous decision, Dr. M. Katherine banks has been selected as the now sole finalist to become the next president at Texas A&M University by the Board of Regents. Banks will become the second woman in the history of the university to hold that title.
“We’re all very excited," said Elaine Mendoza, the chairman of the Texas A&M System Regents and the chair for the Presidential Search Advisory Committee. "She has a past of successes that you can point to right here on this campus.”
Banks is the Vice Chancellor of Engineering and National Laboratories and dean of the Texas A&M College of Engineering. She assumed those roles in 2011 and has been able to help grow the university grow tremendously.
When she first joined the university, the enrollment at the College of Engineering was 11,113 students and 425 faculty members. There are 21,250 engineering students and 710 faculty members in 2021.
"Even as strong as this university is today, the search committee was committed to finding the individual who can take it, even more, make it bigger and make it bolder," Mendoza said.
Along with being named President, Banks will keep her title of Vice Chancellor of National Laboratories and National Security Strategic Initiatives.
The Presidential Search Advisory Committee forwarded three finalist’s names, including Banks, to Texas A&M University System Chancellor John Sharp. Mendoza said they had interest both internally and from all over the country.
“Where is there a dean in the U.S. who has accomplished what Dean Banks has accomplished?” said Chancellor Sharp in a press release. “If she can do for the university what she did for engineering, imagine what the university can achieve!”
Banks has helped recruit the Army Futures Command to the RELLIS Campus and doubled engineering facilities to two million square feet, including the reconstruction of the Zachry Engineering Education Complex.
"She felt it was huge honor and privilege to be president of Texas A&M University, that was so clear," Mendoza said.
Banks is no stranger to breaking barriers, as she is the first woman to be dean of the Texas A&M College of Engineering.
“I applaud the chancellor for making his final selection and enabling the ceiling to be shattered," Mendoza said.
The Chancellor is looking at a Jun. 1 start date for Banks.
Under state law, regents name a finalist for at least 21 days before making the appointment at a subsequent meeting.