STEPHENVILLE, Texas — Dr. Rachael Capua, Dean of Tarleton State University Fort Worth and Vice President for External Operations, has been honored as one of 27 individuals highlighted in the Dallas Business Journal’s first ever Fort Worth Newsmakers list.

Fort Worth is now the12th largest city in the country and the fastest-growing big city in Texas. The Newsmakers list is comprised of business, government and education leaders who are making decisions that will have direct impact on the economy, housing market and workforce for years to come.

Dr. Capua plays a key role in the growth trajectory of Tarleton State’s Fort Worth campus, where 24 new undergraduate programs will begin serving first- and second-year students this fall. To accommodate new and existing areas of study, a best-in-class Interprofessional Education Building is nearing completion and will add 102,000 square feet of classroom, laboratory, and collaboration spaces aimed to increase access to quality healthcare and education in the region and beyond.

In addition to Fort Worth, Dr. Capua is responsible for Tarleton State’s outreach locations in Waco, Bryan and Online, including community college relations statewide. Effective July 1, the Division of External Operations will also oversee extended education and lifelong learning programs for the university, providing flexible and cost-effective options for personal and professional development including industry specific upskilling through self-paced eLearning courses and non-credit bearing certification programs.

“I am deeply honored to be recognized alongside this list of Fort Worth leaders, all of whom I have great respect and appreciation for,” said Dr. Capua. “Each of these individuals have an unwavering commitment to our community and its growth. Believing in the power of partnership, I look forward to continuing our work together.”

Enrollment projections at Tarleton State Fort Worth are expected to reach up to 10,000 students within the next six years, in line with Tarleton Forward 2030: Our Future-Focused Strategic Plan.

A second-generation Mexican American and former community college transfer student, Dr. Capua graduated magna cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in advertising and public relations from TCU as a Chancellor’s Scholar. She earned a master’s degree in higher education from the University of Oklahoma and a doctorate in higher education from SMU.

To learn more about Tarleton State Fort Worth, visit www.tarleton.edu/fortworth/.

A founding member of The Texas A&M System, Tarleton State University is breaking records — in enrollment, research, scholarship, athletics, philanthropy and engagement — while transforming the lives of approximately 18,000 students in Stephenville, Fort Worth, Waco, Bryan and online. For 125 years, Tarleton State has been committed to accessible higher education opportunities for all while helping students grow academically, socially and professionally through programs that emphasize real world learning and address regional, state and national needs.