{"id":39690,"date":"2025-11-07T14:55:44","date_gmt":"2025-11-07T14:55:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/39690\/"},"modified":"2025-11-07T14:55:44","modified_gmt":"2025-11-07T14:55:44","slug":"texas-techs-jeff-bain-knows-how-to-balance-priorities-november-2025-texas-tech-now","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/39690\/","title":{"rendered":"Texas Tech\u2019s Jeff Bain Knows How To Balance Priorities | November 2025 | Texas Tech Now"},"content":{"rendered":"

This Texas Tech Police Department corporal and part-time student understands commitment
\n and keeping his goals in sight.<\/p>\n

\t\tCREATORS<\/p>\n

\"Portrait<\/p>\n

Jeff Bain sees himself as someone who doesn\u2019t mind looking a challenge straight in
\n the eye and refusing to blink.<\/p>\n

That determination is part of what spurred his desire to pursue a larger role with
\n Texas Tech University<\/a>\u2019s Police Department<\/a>, and it also has underscored his ongoing quest to complete his bachelor\u2019s degree
\n at an age when others don\u2019t necessarily have college classes on their radar.<\/p>\n

As you might imagine, these two significant life commitments \u2013 vocation and education
\n \u2013 require a deft gift for discipline, time management and being able to comfortably
\n say \u201cno\u201d to other worthwhile opportunities knocking at the door of his life.<\/p>\n

He is playing the long game, thinking about future chapters of his story that are
\n yet to be written.\u00a0<\/p>\n

That is then, but this is now.<\/p>\n

\u201cI always wanted to get my bachelor\u2019s degree at least,\u201d he said. \u201cComing to Texas
\n Tech obviously opened the door for the opportunity to be an employee and take classes
\n and earn it that way.<\/p>\n

Jeff is a third-year student in the Davis College of Agricultural Sciences & Natural Resources<\/a>. He is a Plant & Soil Science<\/a> major with a concentration in viticulture and enology.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Progress toward the finish line is slow, but steady, and that\u2019s what matters most
\n in long-distance events. Texas Tech has provided Jeff with the means and opportunity
\n to \u00a0while balancing a challenging career in his mid-30s.<\/p>\n

He typically takes one to three classes per semester, and he said it could be another
\n three to four years before he finishes. However, the smaller academic loads allow
\n him to make sure his police department responsibilities come first, and he has maintained
\n a 4.0 GPA throughout.<\/p>\n

\"JeffJeff Bain<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s obviously going to take me quite a bit longer, depending on how fast I am able
\n to take classes,\u201d he said. \u201cBut I am also enjoying not overwhelming myself with class
\n and work and being able to manage everything to where I am right now.\u201d<\/p>\n

This fall 2025 semester, Jeff is taking only one class because he is also working
\n overnight shifts with the police department. The fall is naturally busier for other
\n reasons, including Texas Tech home football games<\/a>, which require everyone with the Texas Tech PD (and representatives from numerous
\n other law enforcement agencies) to ensure as safe an environment as possible at Jones AT&T Stadium<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"Jeff<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s all hands on deck for football,\u201d he said, \u201cevery single officer within the department.
\n Basketball games require quite a few of us as well, and there are a lot of events
\n over the course of a year that keep us busy.\u201d<\/p>\n

Since joining the police department as a dispatcher in 2017, Jeff has worked his way
\n up to the rank of corporal. He said he felt called to pursue a larger role within
\n the department as an officer in the fall of 2017 following the tragic death of Texas
\n Tech Police Officer Floyd East Jr.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Jeff was not on duty that night, but he was a dispatcher at that time, and the two
\n often worked the same shift.<\/p>\n

\u201cAfter we lost Officer East, it really made me want to continue further into law enforcement,\u201d
\n he recalled. \u201cI had the idea at the time that I wanted to go to the police academy,
\n but that\u2019s what really gave me the push.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jeff started as a patrol officer in 2018 and was promoted to patrol shift supervisor
\n and corporal in 2021. He has spent a lot of his time working the night shift on campus,
\n which spans from 10 p.m. to 8 a.m.<\/p>\n

As is the case for anyone who works in law enforcement, campus police officers also
\n risk their lives. For example, Jeff was involved in a critical incident earlier this
\n year that resulted in injuries to two fellow officers.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere was a lot of adrenaline involved that night,\u201d Jeff said. \u201cI looked at my heart
\n rate while we were on an unrelated traffic stop and it was 65, but as I got out of
\n the car and engaged that scene, it went up to 160. It\u2019s all part of the job. You compartmentalize,
\n focus on the situation at hand, and that\u2019s your priority.\u201d<\/p>\n

Incidents such as those remind Jeff how dangerous the job can be. There is a lot of
\n territory to cover across Texas Tech\u2019s sprawling campus and a lot of demands to which
\n officers respond.<\/p>\n

Consequently, there is no such thing as a \u201croutine\u201d day.<\/p>\n

Every day, Jeff provides a briefing to other officers, giving updates from the previous
\n shift and making them aware of incidents that could need additional attention.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Officers then get their assignments for the day and begin patrolling campus. Jeff
\n patrols as well, making traffic stops and going on calls in addition to reading and
\n finalizing necessary paperwork.<\/p>\n

\"Jeff\"Jeff<\/p>\n

\u201cCorporal Bain plays a crucial part in leading patrol operations, mentoring and training
\n officers and maintains professionalism within the department,\u201d said Texas Tech Police
\n Department Assistant Chief Amy Ivey. \u201cHe is very passionate about Texas Tech as a
\n whole and community engagement with our campus community. We appreciate his professional
\n qualities that reflect core values of the Texas Tech Police Department and his desire
\n to continue his education.\u201d<\/p>\n

For Jeff, the opportunity to serve others makes everything worthwhile.<\/p>\n

\u201cOne of the things I really enjoy is helping people,\u201d he said. \u201cI remember we have
\n parents who have sent their kids hours away from them, and I am here and able to help
\n them. I want to keep them safe on campus while they are learning and growing here
\n as young adults.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jeff grew up in Arlington and attended Tarrant County Community College, where he
\n earned a welding certificate and a small business associate degree. However, several
\n friends were attending Texas Tech, and once he visited them in Lubbock, he fell in
\n love with the campus and the community.<\/p>\n

It also didn\u2019t hurt that his wife\u2019s (Ryan) grandfather was the first president of
\n the Llano Estacado Winery, which was founded by several Texas Tech professors in 1976.
\n As it turned out, Ryan had moved to Lubbock a year earlier and began working at the
\n winery.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s also part of the long game. Jeff\u2019s personal aspiration is one day to open his
\n own vineyard. There\u2019s no hurry here. It\u2019s a dream out there on the horizon made more
\n tangible by his classes \u2013 and by being someone a little older than most of his counterparts.<\/p>\n

So, do any of his classmates notice?<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sure they do since I\u2019ve been there in classes for a while,\u201d he said. \u201cBut if
\n I put on a hat, I look 10 years younger, so I try to always wear a hat.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut the students in the Davis College and in Plant & Soil Science have been more
\n than welcoming. I think they knew I was in my 30s, but they just accepted me as one
\n of their own and didn\u2019t mind at all. It\u2019s definitely been great being able to go to
\n class and not feel out of place.\u201d<\/p>\n

Along the way, other doors have opened as well. Jeff also serves as an ambassador
\n for the Honors College<\/a>, one more enjoyable commitment on a full calendar.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Honors College reached out to me,\u201d he said. \u201cIn high school, I did fine. I went
\n to class and never realized I was Honors College caliber, but they saw the grades
\n I was making my first few semesters and what I had done at community college and they
\n invited me in. I went to the interview and realized I am this caliber. I have thoroughly
\n enjoyed it, especially the camaraderie with Honors College students.<\/p>\n

Finally, and just as importantly, Jeff is part of the Staff Senate<\/a>. He sees it as a way to serve as a voice for other staff members. His term as an
\n (Equal Employment Opportunity) rep for service and maintenance ended in August, but
\n with no one running for one of the vacant positions, the incoming president asked
\n Jeff to stay around.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s how I am in the fourth year of my three-year term,\u201d he said with a smile.<\/p>\n

Staying busy is just how Jeff likes it. He puts his work with the police department
\n first and academic obligations next. If he needs some flexibility, he is typically
\n able to get it.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf I need something, the police department is there,\u201d he said. \u201cI prioritize and
\n just make sure nothing conflicts with the most important things. The thing about Texas
\n Tech is there are plenty of opportunities, and departments are very welcoming when
\n it comes to someone bettering their education. They will work with you and are definitely
\n open to the idea of helping people out.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Jeff<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"This Texas Tech Police Department corporal and part-time student understands commitment and keeping his goals in sight. CREATORS…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":39691,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[16],"tags":[168,170,169],"class_list":["post-39690","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-lubbock","tag-lubbock","tag-lubbock-headlines","tag-lubbock-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/39690","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=39690"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/39690\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/39691"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=39690"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=39690"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=39690"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}