Texas A&M University-Central Texas Hosts Fall 2025 Warrior Preview Day
Texas A&M University–Central Texas welcomed 246 students on Sept. 26 for Warrior Preview Day, the institution’s annual recruiting event designed to showcase academic programs, support services, and transfer opportunities.
The half-day program, held from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., included academic and resource fairs, guided tours, and student panels. University officials said the event remains one of the most important opportunities to meet prospective transfers considering degree completion in Central Texas.
For recruiter Christina Acevedo, who works year-round to connect with area students, the day represents more than an open house.
“Warrior Preview Day is about community engagement and letting students know this is a great place to finish their degree,” she said. “It’s one thing to hear about a university in a classroom visit, but it’s another to walk the campus and meet people face-to-face.”
Gregory Bourgeois, assistant director of Recruitment and Enrollment Services, described the event as the beginning of a larger journey.
“Warrior Preview Day is like seed planting,” he said. “It gets students thinking about higher education and shows them they have a strong option close to home, one where they can complete their degree without uprooting their lives.”
At the resource fair, questions about affordability surfaced again and again.
“The biggest misconception is that college is unaffordable,” said financial aid advisor Andrew Wooward. “I had three students ask me about it directly, and they were surprised to learn tuition here is under $4,000 a semester.”
Beyond cost, students asked what support systems they would find if they enrolled.
“I would love for students to be aware of all the resources in their backyard,” said Access and Accommodations Coordinator Natisha Johnson. “A lot of them don’t realize what we have right here, and I want them to feel how supportive everyone is and know we’re all here for them.”
Anthony Simmons, who manages Early College Initiatives, said the day also draws high school students already earning college credit.
“They want to know if they’ll have opportunities to stay engaged and build community,” he said. “I connect them with advisors and resources so they can graduate on time. With support like the Greater Texas Foundation scholarship, some even accelerate. One of my students earned her bachelor’s degree at 19.”
Current students shared their own perspectives during panels and conversations.
“What really surprised me was how easy it was to transfer,” said Inaky Teran, a senior in Human Resource Management who came from Temple College in 2022. “I had always been told university would be complicated and intimidating, but within a week of sending transcripts I was accepted and ready to register.”
Prospective students said the event gave them a clearer sense of their next steps.
Copperas Cove High School senior, Sirin Riopelle, whose parents both studied at the university, said she came to explore biology because she hopes to become a veterinarian.
“It feels meaningful to be looking at the same university where they started their careers,” she said.
Junior Isabel Velaquz returned for her second Warrior Preview Day and said she wants to pursue teaching.
“Least year’s visit made a strong impression.” she said. “I want to be a teacher who inspires students and always cares for them.”
For her, and for many others who attended, the day ended with a clearer sense of where their future could begin. They left knowing a degree could be affordable, transfer credits manageable, and campus support strong enough to see them through graduation. Warrior Preview Day was a glimpse of the future they hope to build and one that is possible at A&M-Central Texas.
By Demetra Paizanis, Enrollment Communications Coordinator
