East Texas A&M has established itself as a national leader in competency-based education.
Commerce, Texas -- The College of Innovation and Design (CID) at East Texas A&M University offers some of the university’s most unique and varied degree programs. Several CID faculty members use their distinctive personal and professional competencies to help shape these programs into standout academic experiences.
About the College of Innovation and Design
Most of the college’s offerings are competency-based, meaning students can leverage their work experience or professional certifications toward program completion. The growth and effectiveness of these programs have led East Texas A&M to its status as a national leader in competency-based education (CBE). The College of Innovation and Design alone served more than 1,200 working professionals in 2024.
The college’s offerings include bachelor’s degrees in Health Services Administration, Public Administration and City Planning, and Criminal Justice with a Law Enforcement Leadership emphasis. The CID also recently began offering its first graduate-level degree—a master’s in Artificial Intelligence.
Faculty members bring unique career experiences
Many CID faculty members draw from their real-world experiences to help students build the knowledge they need to succeed. While many CID students are already working professionals, they often require additional skills and a degree to advance in their careers. As they have the opportunity to learn from instructors who have succeeded in various fields, they gain valuable insight into what it takes to grow and thrive professionally.
Instructor Justin Weiss
Justin Weiss is an instructor for the Public Administration and City Planning program. He shares real-world city manager experience with his students to help them better understand the intricacies of city planning, economic development and more. Weiss worked for 10 years with the City of Fate, Texas, where he served as an assistant city manager and manager of economic development.
“A city manager is like the CEO of a city. Instead of shareholders, you serve constituents, and instead of a corporate board, you answer to the city council,” Weiss said. “You draw on the same business skills, but the goal shifts from maximizing profits to enhancing residents’ quality of life through the policies you put into practice.”
He says that teaching at East Texas A&M has allowed him to share his passion for public service and help give people an opportunity to learn something new and advance their careers.
“For me, this was the perfect opportunity,” Weiss said.
He especially enjoys teaching about how municipalities function, down to the smallest level, and he leverages his experience in city management to effectively share this information with his students. Weiss said introducing students to the professional people behind the city services we often take for granted and why their work matters is an exciting part of his teaching role.
One of Weiss’s class projects, which utilizes his experience in city management, takes students through a thought experiment where they work for a county or municipality and assess the effects of recent legislative updates.
“We design every project to be portfolio-ready,” Weiss said. “When students interview, they can say, ‘Here’s a policy analysis I built in class; let me do the same for your city.’ That’s powerful.”
Instructor Tina Lancaster
Tina Lancaster also shares her career insights with her CID students. Lancaster is an instructor for the General Studies and Applied Arts and Sciences programs. Her varied professional experiences—from serving as a captain in the U.S. Air Force to working in the information systems management field—have helped her prepare her students for success.
Lancaster has also been at the forefront of teaching students about the ethical use of artificial intelligence (AI) in the classroom, a topic she is passionate about.
“It has been a challenge and very satisfying to see these students, who know nothing about AI, learn how it can assist them, and not just in college, but in their professional lives as well,” Lancaster said. “In a ‘Writing with AI’ course, students can learn to use AI ethically, as an assistant.”
Lancaster also credits her military background with developing a goal-oriented teaching style that has evolved to accommodate students’ unique lives and learning styles.
“When I first started teaching, [my military background] impacted my teaching style heavily because I was very rigid. I didn't accept any late work,” Lancaster said. “As I have gotten older and my students have gotten younger, my philosophies have changed a lot because I want to meet them where they are. They’ve all got lives.”
Today, Lancaster believes she is a more compassionate teacher who is interested in students’ success.
A student-ready institution
Jennifer Hudson, interim assistant dean of CID, said that the unique backgrounds of many of the college’s instructors help make East Texas A&M a “student-ready” institution.
Hudson posits that a student-ready institution doesn't assume that students possess all the skills to be successful. Instead, it meets the students where they are and helps them develop the skills they need to succeed.
“When I see what instructors like Tina and Justin are doing, it makes my heart so happy because it reinforces that we have the right people on our team,” Hudson said.
Explore East Texas A&M’s flexible, 100% online CID programs or speak with an advisor today.
Most of the College of Innovation and Design's programs are fully online, and students can leverage their work experience or professional certifications toward program completion.
About East Texas A&M University
East Texas A&M University serves rural and metropolitan East Texas with a dedicated mission to transform lives. With an enrollment of approximately 13,086 students, East Texas A&M is the third-largest member of The Texas A&M University System. Students choose from among 143+ academic degrees at the undergraduate and graduate levels and learn from world-class faculty who conduct nationally recognized research. A vibrant student experience includes a thriving Greek community and more than 95 student-led organizations. As a member of the Southland Conference, East Texas A&M features 14 NCAA Division I athletic teams. The university offers classes online and on-site in Commerce, Dallas, Corsicana, McKinney, Mesquite, and Bryan (RELLIS).
