“If I could go back in time, I wouldn’t have done anything differently, the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources is truly unmatched!”
Alina Rangel
Tarleton State Alumna, Class of 2023 | First Generation Graduate
Transitioning from life in high school to life in college can serve as a culture shock for some. The ever changing environment can feel even more daunting for first generation students.
For Tarleton alumna, Alina Rangel, being a first generation student was a badge of honor.
During her time at Tarleton State, Rangel was heavily involved in a variety of organizations including the Ag Ambassadors group, the JTAC Newspaper and the Tarleton Agricultural Communicators of Tomorrow club.
Aside from being heavily involved, Rangel was also highly decorated. She received first and third place awards at the Texas Intercollegiate Press Association conference in April 2022 for her photography skills at the JTAC Newspaper.
Shortly after becoming a member of the Tarleton Agricultural Communicators of Tomorrow, Rangel was named club president.
“This club was the most impactful to my college career. It instilled in me plenty of skills not only as a woman entrepreneur but as a photographer and team member. I feel confident in all of my future endeavors because being a Tarleton Texan prepared me for a future full of taking chances and success,” Rangel shared.
In addition to being heavily involved on-campus, Rangel managed to juggle being an entrepreneur as well. Alina founded her photography business, Double R Flicks (@doublerflicks), in 2020.
Her business focuses primarily on capturing western lifestyle and rodeo photography as well as portraits.
Alina earned her Bachelor’s in Agriculture Communications in December 2023. Her agriculture education paired with her photography experience, and her strong family ties, prepared her to take on an important full-time role at her family’s business, Double R Hat House.
Double R Hat House is the largest Central and South Texas cowboy hat business. There, Rangel runs all components of the business’ online media. This ranges from capturing product photos, curating social media content and handling customer communications.
“My favorite part of my job is that I provide a quality service and get to provide people with an experience, not just a hat! The hat is the most recognizable piece of the western industry and I’m beyond happy to photograph and create content for such a good business that values quality and family. I also love seeing the effort that I put into marketing techniques pay off! My job is fun, and the team I get to work alongside everyday makes it even more enjoyable,” Rangel said.
Photo by Alina Rangel (@doublerflicks)
When she is not working at Double R Hat House or booking clients for Double R Flicks, Alina can be found in the podcast studio working on her show “Beneath The Hat” with her co-host, Nate Jackson. The podcast highlights the unique customers they see daily and their accomplishments in the western industry. These guests have ranged from photographers, authors and retail professionals.
In true Texan spirit, Rangel has not forgotten how much of an impact Tarleton State made on her life. For Alina, finding an institution with a strong agriculture department was imperative.
“I would recommend that students consider Tarleton because it was such a fun learning environment. You can really tell how much love and care the staff put into the students. My professors were quick to check in on me or my peers and were always available to help. The environment is unmatched, there is so much room for student involvement, creating fun memories and making new friends! When people say that Tarleton is full of tradition, they mean it. I would do it all over again in a heartbeat,” Rangel said.
For more information about the various degrees and programs offered at Tarleton State, visit https://www.tarleton.edu/degrees/.