Exciting News! In a recent television interview on August 25th, Dr. Nancy Krenek, the Executive Director of Courtney Cares and CEO of ROCK (Ride On Center for Kids), sat down with Texas A&M Chancellor John Sharp to discuss an inspiring partnership that has been making a profound impact at Texas A&M University.
The “Around Texas with Chancellor John Sharp“ series, highlighting programs within the TAMU system, brings to light the transformative work being done by individuals and organizations. The partnership between Courtney Cares, ROCK, and Texas A&M is a shining example of how education, service, and a shared vision can make a profound impact on the lives of individuals and communities.
In 2011, ROCK partnered with Texas A&M to launch a program called Courtney Cares (www.courtneycares.org) in collaboration with Parsons Mounted Cavalry. Courtney Cares, named after Courtney Grimshaw, class of ‘85, serves children, adults, and veterans in partnership with horses. Even more incredible, it led to the creation of a course at Texas A&M called “Introduction to Equine Assisted Activities and Therapy under Biomedical Sciences.”
The dedicated ROCK team, including Donelle Beal, CTRI (Certified Therapeutic Riding Instructor), Program Director, Bob Byrns, CTRI, Dr. Priscilla Lightsey, CTRI, PT, MA, DPT, lead therapist, Laura Vann, CTRI, and Dr. Nancy Krenek, is making a difference every day.
Their mission? Cultivating future leaders and supporters of Equine Assisted Services through education and service-learning opportunities. Their vision? To be a recognized leader and model program for providing service-learning opportunities in equine-assisted services. Stay tuned for this interview and more inspiring stories in Chancellor John Sharp’s series highlighting TAMU programs!
