Counselor Connect offers Texas A&M University students an opportunity to familiarize themselves with the counseling process and resources within University Health Services. Students can pick from various activities to participate in while interacting with counselors, creating an informal and laid-back environment. During these 15-minute sessions, students learn strategies for self-care that can improve any area in their lives! Counselor Connect aims to reduce the stigma around mental health and create a safe space on campus for connection. Although this is NOT an individual counseling session, it is an opportunity to engage with a mental health professional and discuss strategies for self-care to give students the tools to achieve their academic goals. By attending a Counselor Connect event, students acknowledge that University Health Services cannot guarantee the confidentiality of the conversations that occur during each event.

Join R. Ethan Braden, Vice President and Chief Marketing & Communications Officer, for a one-hour speaker series. For nearly two decades, R. Ethan Braden has built brands and teams that people love and trust. Today, he serves as Vice President and Chief Marketing and Communications Officer at Texas A&M University, where he and his team are shaping the national narrative around one of America's most storied and consequential institutions. Reporting to University President General (Ret.) Mark A. Welsh III, a former member of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, Ethan leads the effort to position, promote, and protect the largest land-grant university in the nation, elevating Texas A&M's reputation, relevance, and reach. Prior to Texas A&M, Ethan served as Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer at Purdue University and Purdue Global, where he helped transform Purdue into a nationally recognized marketing powerhouse. Under his leadership, Purdue earned three Fast Company "Brands That Matter" honors and was named #1 in education on Fast Company's 2023 Most Innovative Companies list, the only university included. A sought-after speaker and thought leader, Ethan has spoken at Salesforce's Dreamforce and Connections, Adweek's Brand Week, Google Marketing Live, and keynoted Content Marketing World, where he was named B2C Content Marketer of the Year (2023). He was also named "Marketer of the Year" in higher education by the American Marketing Association (2020), and his work has been featured in Ad Age, The Washington Post, Morning Brew, and NPR, which dubbed him "the top dog in higher ed marketing." Before entering higher education, Ethan spent nearly a decade at Eli Lilly and Company, leading global marketing efforts for billion-dollar brands including Cymbalta and Jardiance. He holds a BA from Willamette University, an MBA from the University of Notre Dame, and lives in College Station, Texas, with his wife and three children.This will be aone-hour presentation before the USC Meeting. The series can be attended in person at the General Services Complex in Room 101A or via Zoom.

Staff are encouraged to attend the next University Staff Council (USC) meeting on Tuesday, Oct. 21, at 2:30 p.m. (immediately following the Common Grounds Series) in person at the General Services Complex in Room 101 or via Zoom. The vision of the USC is to help staff feel supported, included and valued at Texas A&M University, where we live the Aggie Core Values of respect, excellence, leadership, loyalty, integrity and selfless service. Come to the meeting and let your voice be heard or learn more about what the USC is doing for you. You may access full meeting minutes from previous meetings on the USC website.

With their concert entitled "PEACE," the multi-Grammy® and Emmy Award®-winning SOWETO GOSPEL CHOIR returns to North America to perform a joyful program of South African freedom songs, traditional spirituals and some classics. The inspirational concert will also feature the spirited music of Aretha Franklin, Harry Belafonte, Leonard Cohen and more! Formed in 2002, the Choir was created to celebrate the unique power of African gospel music and quickly established itself as a group that is "undeniably synchronized, appears unshakable, and simultaneously expresses universality and individuality" (San Francisco Classical Voice). Heralded by Nelson Mandela, Desmond Tutu, and Oprah Winfrey, SOWETO GOSPEL CHOIR excites audiences worldwide, uplifting the soul and spreading joy through its earthy rhythms, rich harmonies, brilliant costumes, and infectious spirit. It's perfect for the entire family! Visit Soweto Gospel Choir - Peace (https://www.opastickets.org/soweto-gospel-choir-peace/) for more information about this program. Order tickets now at the Box Office. To see all of the shows coming to OPAS Season 53, visit our full schedule page (https://www.opastickets.org/2025-2026-full-schedule/).