Going Back to School

One of the best parts of Kissing Tree is our location in a college town, and San Marcos, Texas delivers. Texas State University is only 5 miles from our front gates, and enjoying the beautiful campus along the banks of the San Marcos River is sure to make you feel like a co-ed again. Not only do we root for the Bobcats on the sports fields and attend numerous fine arts performances, but this year we added our TXST@KT Program. 

Hey Professor!

We sat down with board member Jen Stagnaro to hear about what the program has accomplished so far. “We’ve had a successful first year,” Jen said. “We got to see firsthand the amazing facilities at TXST with a tour of the campus, including the Wittliff Collection, the football stadium and the Meadows Center. We hosted several professors from the university once a month to speak on a topic in their area of expertise. The series kicked off with a visit from Texas State University President Kelly Damphousse — and continued with speakers on Aging Well, the Texas Wine Country, and Cold War Spy Stories.”

Helping Students Who Help at KT

Another prong of the program is giving back. “Dave Perry has done a great job creating a scholarship fund for TXST students who work here at Kissing Tree,” Jen said. “We have so many students who work in the KT community, including waitstaff, security guards, and folks in the fitness center — there’s a big rec major at Texas State. We’re fast approaching our initial $25k goal to be able to start giving out scholarships through the development group at Texas State.” 

Want to contribute to the scholarship fund? Follow this link to make a contribution on the Texas State giving site. Select an amount, confirm the designation (Kissing Tree – San Marcos Student Support Fund) and select your payment type. Thanks so much — every little bit helps.

Hit the Books!

The third priority of the program is encouraging Kissing Tree residents to be lifelong learners and take part in classes at the university. Many folks might not realize it, but if you’re a Texan age 65 and older, you’re actually eligible for up to free tuition for six credit hours per semester as long as space is available and other conditions are met. “We want our neighbors to know they can work toward getting a degree, or they can simply explore subjects that interest them,” Jen said.

Be a Mentor

The TXST@KT has more exciting things planned for this year. The speaker series will continue, and there are lots of ways residents can stay connected. “We’re looking at ways to more formally deal with mentoring opportunities and starting to do more of that,” Jen said “There are lots of ways people can be involved!”

Want to live in a neighborhood that keeps you curious? You can start joining Kissing Tree’s groups and clubs as soon as you sign your contract. Or choose a home that’s ready for move in and get here right away! We can’t wait to have you as our neighbor.