New faces – we see them frequently. In college, students and teachers come and go. Dr. Laura Blount Carper is the newest addition to the team of mass communication professors at Texas A&M University – Texarkana (TAMUT).

A Louisiana native, Dr. Carper graduated from Louisiana State University (LSU) with her Ph.D. in communication studies. Having both attended and taught at larger Louisiana universities, the move to TAMUT – or downsize, rather – has been a bit of an adjustment.

“By far, these are the smallest classes I have had,” said Dr. Carper. She recalled teaching 100-person sections at LSU. “The unity that’s at TAMUT is much more family oriented than I have seen at other institutions,” she said.

Outside of teaching, family is a big part of Dr. Carper’s life. A mom to three children and a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, she values spending time together. She is often told that she is motherly, which she attributes to being the oldest of her siblings. These values carry over into her role as a professor.

“I want to be the person that you’re comfortable coming to, to talk about your life, even if it’s not about class,” said Dr. Carper. She describes herself as a kind and loving person, and she places emphasis on being an open, caring, safe space for her students.

Although she is a teacher, Dr. Carper has a passion for learning. “Just as much as students learn from me, I learn from them,” she said.

So, if you see Dr. Carper around campus, stop and have a chat with her. Break the ice by asking her about the relationship between birthdays and hurricanes (spoiler – she was born during one).

Artist. Athlete. Singer. Jewelry maker. Crocheter. These titles describe TAMUT freshman and biology major Charis Minson. Charis is an avid singer with a deep connection to music. She finds herself singing while she crochets, makes jewelry, and draws. Anything you can do, Charis can do singing. Alongside her creative hobbies, Charis is an athlete. Today, she plays tennis and an occasional basketball game, but has experience in cross-country, volleyball, and track.

“I feel like I kind of do a little bit of everything,” she says.

Charis comes from a big family. She and her twin brother are the youngest of five total children; her father is the youngest of eight. She recalls spending Thanksgiving together, gathered around a traditional Cajun South Louisiana spread. Charis speaks highly of her family and is particularly inspired by her mom.

“She is like the most supportive and sweet person,” she says. She loves spending time with her mom, even if there is nothing on the agenda.

Every week, Charis goes to school, works, and attends church.  Her heap of responsibilities doesn’t allow for much free time, so she savors her days off. Charis’s perfect day consists of sleeping late, making breakfast with her boyfriend, doing some crocheting while watching a movie, and then making bracelets with her friends (extra points if it’s a rainy day – that’s her favorite).

Charis’s ultimate goals in life are happiness, financial stability, and travel opportunities. She dreams of experiencing the world and learning about the ways people live. Her five-year goals are to be married to her boyfriend, to be in medical school, and to be somewhere “not here”, she says. Charis has a solid plan and is actively building her future, equipped with an array of skills and expertise.