Tyler Junior College Foundation

10/14/2026

🏌️💛 100 Scholarships. Nearly $120,000. One incredible TJC tradition!

In honor of TJC’s Centennial, the Tyler Junior College Foundation recently awarded 100 tournament scholarships (including two corporate scholarships) totaling nearly $120,000, made possible by the success of last year’s Scholarship Golf Tournament and community support!

As the Foundation’s largest annual fundraiser, this year's 39th Annual Tournament, presented by CHRISTUS Health, brought together 60 sponsors and 26 teams on October 1 to invest in the future of Tyler Junior College students. Despite a little East Texas weather, the Apache spirit carried on!

A HUGE thank-you to CHRISTUS Trinity Mother Frances, all our sponsors, participating teams, and community advisory committee members for making this longstanding tradition possible. We’re proud to celebrate 100 scholarship recipients this Centennial year and look forward to next year's tournament.

10/05/2026

Tyler Junior College held the 2026 Alumni Awards on Sept. 18, honoring individuals who made a significant impact in their careers and on the TJC community as the institution celebrates […]

10/02/2026

09/23/2026

🎓 Congratulations to the 14th cohort of Rusk TJC Citizens Promise Scholars!

After a wonderful whirlwind of Centennial celebrations, it was especially meaningful to pause and remember what TJC’s 100-year legacy is really all about: opening the doors to affordable higher education and creating opportunities for students.

Yesterday, 57 members of the Rusk High School Class of 2027 were recognized as Promise Scholars and awarded the opportunity to attend Tyler Junior College through the Rusk TJC Citizens Promise Program.

Since 2014, the Promise has provided eligible Rusk students with a two-year, $8,000 scholarship covering tuition, fees, books and even housing, making higher education more accessible and affordable for local families.

But the Rusk Promise is about more than a scholarship. It’s about a community believing in its students and investing in their futures.

That legacy came to life yesterday through the stories of two Rusk High School alumni.

Charles Hassell, one of the program’s supporting partners, helped bring the vision for a Promise program to Rusk after traveling to Kalamazoo, Michigan, with community leaders to see the nation’s first Promise Program in action. More than a decade later, he has watched that vision come full circle, with two of his grandchildren receiving the Promise scholarship and two more attending Rusk ISD.

Hayden Helm (RHS Class of 2016) was one of the first Promise Scholars. He admitted, “I did not want to go to college,” but the Promise gave him a reason to give TJC a chance. Today, after earning degrees from TJC and UT Tyler, Hayden is a Senior Superintendent for HOAR Construction and is helping lead TJC’s $50+ million West Campus renovation and expansion project.

From trying to find his chemistry lab on Wednesdays as a TJC student to now updating TJC’s CFO on the progress of a major campus project: talk about a full-circle moment! This is why we invest in students.

A scholarship opens a door. A community helps students walk through it.

Congratulations to the newest Rusk TJC Citizens Promise Scholars! We can’t wait to see what you accomplish. 🖤💛

Learn more: tjc.edu/RuskPromise

09/21/2026

The launch of TJC’s Centennial on September 17 included a spirit filled gathering for faculty, staff, students and Moore Middle School students( a neighbor of TJC’s Central Campus and partner) in Wise Auditorium.

Highlights included a pep rally led by the TJC band and Apache cheerleaders, a surprise appearance by VP Mitch Andrews as an astronaut, a presentation by Col. Eileen Collins, Q&A led by TJC president Dr. Mejia and a meet and greet for students and Col. Collins.

The TJC spirit was high as we blasted off into the Centennial Celebration!

09/21/2026

09/21/2026

Last week, on September 17, 2026 (TJC’s 100th Founders Day), guests gathered at a sold out luncheon at Willow Brook CC to hear accomplished astronaut Colonel Eileen Collins. This special occasion benefitted the new TJC Works Scholarship Endowed Fund, which willsupport successful TJC students in workforce programs, forever. 

Colonel Collins, a community college alumna, was the first woman to command a space, shuttle mission, the return to flight mission following the Columbia disaster. She credits her experience at a community college with helping her lay the foundation to pursue her dream career.

We are grateful to Presenting Underwriters for TJC, Centennial Celebrations, Christus Health and HGR General Contractors, as well as all sponsors who made the luncheon possible.

A public announcement was made concerning an historic fundraising initiative, The Centennial Campaign for TJC. So far, $17.1 million has been raised towards an overall $23 million goal. It is the most ambitious fundraising effort in the history of TJC and the Tyler Junior College Foundation.

Thank you to all who made the luncheon a success as part of festivities celebrating the Centennial of TJC. 

09/21/2026

“A Centennial Celebration, Tyler Junior College’s Legacy” opened at Tyler Museum of Art this past Saturday. The exhibit pays tribute to the 100th anniversary of the community’s college, TJC, and it’s impact as a beacon of educational opportunity for all.

Thank you to the partners that made this exhibit possible, including the Tyler Museum of Art and the Rogers family. The Rogers Endowment for Excellence with the Tyler Junior College Foundation is presenting the exhibit.

We recognize the vision and leadership of Robert (Bob) M. Rogers, who established this endowed fund in 1986, which continues to provide cultural enhancements to TJC students, the college, and the community

Don’t miss this special Centennial exhibit . 

06/10/2026

What a special opportunity to honor loved ones while enhancing the beauty of Tyler Junior College!

As we prepare to celebrate TJC's Centennial, the new Centennial Trees program allows supporters to create a lasting tribute while helping restore and grow our beautiful campus. Check out the Alumni Association's post below for details, or visit giveto.tjc.edu/100trees to learn more.

As Tyler Junior College marks its centennial, the Centennial Tree Program offers alumni and friends a meaningful way to celebrate the College’s legacy while shaping its future.

Each tree planted through this program represents growth, opportunity, and enduring support for the TJC community. Your gift supports campus beautification while creating a living tribute in honor, in memory, or in celebration of someone special. Plant a tree today: giveto.tjc.edu/100trees