TEXARKANA, Texas - Texas A&M University-Texarkana and Olive Tree Counseling have entered a new academic partnership that will allow Olive Tree Counseling employees to take courses at the university with reduced tuition prices. The partnership was officially launched on July 2, 2024, with the signing of a memorandum of understanding at Olive Tree Counseling in downtown Texarkana.

"We are pleased to be adding Olive Tree Counseling to our list of community partners," said Texas A&M University-Texarkana President Dr. Ross Alexander. "Co-owners Billy Eldridge and Randy Thomason are both alumni of Texas A&M University-Texarkana. They originally discussed opening a counseling center together while they were in graduate school. This kind of success story is why we do what we do every day…alumni of the university using their degrees to do what they love and provide a critical service to members of the community. We now look forward to helping their employees reach their educational goals as well."

Under the terms of the new partnership all full-time employees of Olive Tree will receive a tuition discount on all undergraduate, graduate, certificate, or micro-credential programs delivered in-person, online, or through a hybrid format. The agreement also waives the standard application fee. In addition to the tuition discount, any eligible employee who is a new student at the university will receive the First Flight Scholarship, which gives the new student their first class free if they are enrolled in at least 6 hours at the undergraduate or graduate level.

The benefits of the partnership are available immediately, allowing access to the discounted tuition rates in time for the upcoming Fall 2024 semester. Employees wishing to take advantage of the new partnership must meet the admissions standards of the program to which they apply and must remain in good academic standing. For additional information about this and additional academic partnerships please visit the university website at www.tamut.edu/partnerships.