{"id":451335,"date":"2026-09-29T18:20:10","date_gmt":"2026-09-29T18:20:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/451335\/"},"modified":"2026-09-29T18:20:10","modified_gmt":"2026-09-29T18:20:10","slug":"the-center-at-junction-realigns-with-growing-needs-of-texas-september-2026-texas-tech-now","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/451335\/","title":{"rendered":"The Center at Junction Realigns with Growing Needs of Texas | September 2026 | Texas Tech Now"},"content":{"rendered":"

Texas Tech University Center at Junction hires new leadership with a strategic eye
\n on outreach and engagement.<\/p>\n

\t\tCREATORS<\/p>\n

\"Portrait<\/p>\n

Marissa Cochran can\u2019t recall the correct answers to the first science test she took.
\n She can, however, recall the spiny feel of the horned lizards she\u2019d catch in the fields
\n outside her house as a child. She can sort through the dozens of sketches she drew
\n at Palo Duro Canyon \u2013 each drawing capturing a nuanced treasure of the land.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"MarissaMarissa Cochran <\/p>\n

She credits these experiences, not a textbook, with her love of nature and science.
\n So, it comes as no surprise that Cochran was recently named the executive director
\n of the Texas Tech University Center at Junction<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Cochran isn\u2019t the only new face at the site \u2013 Texas Tech University<\/a> alumnus Kody Robinson was hired onto the team as director of the Outdoor Learning Lab<\/a> \u2013 which is as wild as it sounds.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"KodyKody Robinson<\/p>\n

From following animal tracks to setting up scent stations to observing tadpoles in
\n the river, Robinson empowers students who visit to get their hands dirty. He considers
\n this the best way to learn.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cStudents might remember information, but they always remember experiences,\u201d Robinson
\n said. \u201cThat\u2019s what we\u2019re trying to provide here.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

With increased demands on public schools to produce competitive state-testing scores,
\n Cochran explains that many administrators and teachers hesitate to take time out of
\n the classroom, away from core curriculum. It\u2019s for this reason Cochran and Robinson
\n have implemented curriculum called \u201cThe Nature of Teaching\u201d \u2013 a joint curriculum between
\n Texas Tech and Purdue University \u2013 to increase student knowledge, appreciation and
\n love of the outdoors through science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM)
\n education. The curriculum has been adapted to align with Texas Essential Knowledge
\n and Skills (TEKS) standards.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"Two<\/p>\n

The goal is to come alongside educators in their community \u2013 and beyond \u2013 bringing
\n to life concepts taught in the classroom. This reinforces the core curriculum students
\n are tested on, but the hope is it also develops a passion in students for solving
\n real-world challenges facing Texas.\u00a0<\/p>\n

To a fifth-grade child, the recent flooding in the Texas Hill Country is incomprehensible
\n and frightening. But once they step onto the banks of the South Llano River with Robinson
\n showing them how to take water samples, it becomes a problem they can wrap their minds
\n around.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Robinson then brings out a water table that teaches children about erosion and flood
\n plains.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cMy hope is that these students will go on to be better stewards of our planet,\u201d Robinson
\n said. \u201cBut you have to experience something to care about it.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

The new leadership comes as part of a restructuring that places the Center at Junction
\n as an educational unit under Outreach & Engagement<\/a>. This strategy aims to ensure Texas Tech\u2019s research and teaching is integrated with
\n communities across the region.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cThe nature-based STEM experiences students receive at the Outdoor Learning Lab are
\n unique, meaningful and impactful,\u201d said Vice Provost for Outreach & Engagement Rod Williams<\/a>. \u201cEmpirical evidence shows the programming offered through this lab increases student
\n knowledge, appreciation and excitement for STEM and nature. This is what Texas Tech
\n Outreach & Engagement is all about \u2013 providing evidence-based programming to our communities
\n that yields a positive impact on society.\u201d<\/p>\n

Many of the educational units at Texas Tech \u2013 the Center at Junction being only one
\n \u2013 have the resources to supplement the work teachers do every day and perhaps bring
\n lessons to life in a way they can\u2019t on their own.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Both Cochran and Robinson worked in schools before joining the staff at Texas Tech.
\n They understand first-hand how many priorities classroom teachers juggle.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have professional development for teachers and students alike,\u201d Cochran said.
\n \u201cWe\u2019re familiar with the rigor of project-based learning and we want to encourage
\n the inquisitive scientific thought process.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"Children<\/p>\n

Cochran believes place-based learning reinforces students\u2019 ability to think critically
\n \u2013 a skill that is often sacrificed to pass a test.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cMany students are losing the ability to think critically,\u201d Cochran observed. \u201cBut
\n place-based learning gives students a setting, a bigger picture of sorts, that helps
\n with that critical thinking process.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

Cochran and Robinson beam with the anticipation for what the future holds for the
\n center. But most importantly, they can\u2019t wait to see how students will fall in love
\n with the land and what that might turn into in the future.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is everything I could want in a job,\u201d Robinson said, gesturing to the wilderness
\n around him.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The prickly pear cacti, the mesquite trees and the curious deer, all of it outside
\n the window, waiting to be noticed.<\/p>\n

To learn more about the Center at Junction or contact its staff, visit the website.<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Texas Tech University Center at Junction hires new leadership with a strategic eye on outreach and engagement. CREATORS…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":451336,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[27,29,28],"class_list":["post-451335","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-texas","tag-texas","tag-texas-headlines","tag-texas-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/451335","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=451335"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/451335\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/451336"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=451335"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=451335"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=451335"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}