The university has attracted and graduated thousands of alumni who have and will continue to make a difference in the world. The following oral histories are a few examples of the university’s impact on the lives of our alumni and offers a glimpse into our storied history. Professor Mayo’s desire for us to become a part of the state was visionary and one that ensured our rich heritage and legacy as we celebrate a Century as Lions.
Paul Rountree
Paul Rountree reminisces about some of the teachers he had and also the things he liked about Commerce.
Buddie Barnes
Buddie Barnes speaks about how Commerce reconnected him with Billy Marshall and what led him to choose to attend the university.
John Horn
John Horn tells a humorous story about the correlation between his retirement and Commerce’s football team winning a championship.
Gordon Allen
Gordon Allen talks about his experience of an icy day on campus.
James Thrower
James Thrower talks about how the coaches at Commerce taught him to give his best.
Carl Richie
Carl Richie talks about how he was challenged by professors at the university to inspire changes that would help him in his political career.
Jai Nagarkatti
Jai Nagarkatti talks about how Commerce helped him meet his wife and the special place it has in his life.
Sandra Doyle
Sandra Doyle talks about how a visit with her best friend to Commerce convinced her to enroll in the school.
Debra Nelson
Debra Nelson talks about the opportunity she had to read a poem to Sam Rayburn.
Robert Galvan
Robert Galvan talks about a speech that he made as a graduate student here at Commerce and the teacher who encouraged him to accept a gift.
Steve Sullivan
Steve Sullivan talks about how going to Commerce helped with important career decisions and also meeting his wife.
Toby Harty
Toby Harty talks about how she went to visit her mother at Commerce and then ended up enrolling during her visit.
J. Brian Duggan
J. Brian Duggan talks about how he was able to recover from financial hardship and go on to graduate from Commerce.
Billy Marshall
Billy Marshall talks about his experience at orientation and how it helped him after transferring to Commerce.
Richard Rothwell
Richard Rothwell talks about giving back and what convinced him to look into engineering at Commerce.
Stan McKee
Stan McKee talks about how the support at Commerce convinced him to stay in college.
Ted Crim
Ted Crim talks about the memories he has of the teachers in his classes here at Commerce.
Will Cureton
Will Cureton talks about how he saw the integration of races while on the Commerce football team.
John Moss
John Moss talks about a memorable teacher that he had at Commerce.
Judy Scott
Talks about how this is a family university and about how generations of her family graduated from the school.
Ben Scholz
Ben Scholz speaks about a teacher that he and his fellow peers had at Commerce and about the Agriculture fraternity he joined.
Larry Goddard
Larry Goddard talks about being involved with student life while a student at the university and enjoying the experience.