Why Texas Wesleyan’s new president knew early on that college life was the right fit

Even at a sorority mixer years ago Emily Messer exemplified the old adage of “dress for the job you want.”

“I dressed like a university president, and that’s also where I met my husband,” she recalled. “My best friend went as a lawyer. We were in suits and everything.”

And Messer is now indeed a university president.

Messer is the first female president in the 133-year history of Texas Wesleyan University and the school’s 21st president overall. She succeeds Frederick G. Slabach, who served as the school’s president for 12 years before leaving to become the dean of the University of Mississippi Law School, from which he graduated. She started July 1.

“I’m really honored to be the next president as a whole,” Messer said. “They’ve had some great presidents.

“I’ve been working with Fred the last few weeks getting ready and he has been such great help. He did so much for the university.”

Messer brings almost two decades of experience in higher education, with expertise in enrollment, university development and student life. Since 2018 she has been the vice president for advancement and enrollment management at Jacksonville State University in Alabama, which is also where she received her Bachelor of Arts degree in English, graduating magna cum laude.

She also has a Master of Public Administration in education degree from JSU and a Doctorate of Education in higher education administration from the University of Alabama.

She led JSU to a record year in philanthropic support in the 2021-22 school year, including fundraising for a major gift initiative for the $25 million Randy Owen Center for the Performing Arts.

Messer also successfully led the enrollment management team to historic numbers for the university in 2021-22, including an 80% increase of the freshman class from 2018-22.

“Dr. Messer is a fabulous choice for the next great chapter in the history of Texas Wesleyan,” Slabach said. “I cannot wait to see all that she will accomplish on behalf of Texas Wesleyan students and the Fort Worth-Dallas community.”

Originally from Gadsden, Alabama, Messer had planned to be a Spanish and English teacher when she entered college. Then, through her sorority and the student government association she began to connect more with the college world around her.

“I said, ‘I think I like this college life,’” she recalled. “That is when I decided I wanted to be in college education.”

While she is making history as Texas Wesleyan’s first female president, Messer makes it clear she is much more than that.

“I don’t want to be segmented as a gender,” she said. “It is special as a mother of two young girls. It’s inspiring.

“They asked if I was going to be a U.S. president,” she added with a laugh.

Messer and her husband, Chris, have a 12-year-old daughter named Madelyn and an 8-year-old named Camille.

Mostly, Messer is excited about joining a university that has undergone a lot of positive change in recent years. Under Slabach’s guidance, highlights included:

▪ ”The “Rosedale Renaissance.” The school raised $6.75 million to create a new entryway to the campus on Rosedale Street, which included a clock tower, reflecting pool and promenade-style sidewalks, along with a new home for the Central Texas Conference of the United Methodist Church, and more.

▪ Martin University Center was completed, a $20 million multi-use facility that includes a new student and family welcome center and more.

▪ More than $50 million has been invested into the campus.

▪ Freshman applications increased by more than 280% and overall freshman enrollment has increased more than 80%.

▪ Total enrollment for fall 2022 reached 2,653 students for the largest since 2012.

▪ Football returned in 2016 after a 75-year hiatus.

And now it’s time for Messer to move those items along to their next level, along with coming up with her goals and dreams.

“I’m just excited about diving in, whatever it may be, and to serve as the voice of that neighborhood for Fort Worth,” she said. “Driving down Rosedale, it’s a complete 180.

“That foundation has been set and as we move forward the opportunities are endless as long as you have a vision.”

Among the upcoming highlights is a new athletic complex, including a football stadium, named after trustee and chief donor Karen Cramer.

“That is so exciting,” Messer said. “It’s all a great opportunity for me to continue to build on that foundation.”

Making a difference

Messer is not one to stay in her office and let folks come to her. It’s common for her to take a stroll across the campus saying hello to students, even stopping to shake their hands and have conversations.

“It goes back to creating that campus culture, eating in the dining hall, for example,” she said. “If you want to know what’s going on around campus, eat in the dining hall.”

That culture was instrumental in the success she enjoyed at JSU.

“It’s been transformational for this university. We put together a great team and I came in with some knowledge from a private university (Shorter University in Georgia),” she said. “But it was creating a climate on campus of student service, recruiting students and retaining students.

“Fundraising is a very similar tack. It’s selling the institution. As a leader you have to be passionate about it.”

And now that passion is directed at Texas Wesleyan.

“It’s about getting out there and doing the work, which I love because I love people,” she said.

In under the wire

Messer said she wasn’t necessarily looking to leave JSU, but that her goal, after all, was to become a university president.

“I looked at the presidential profile and it just spoke to me,” she said. “It really just felt like a fit on paper. Then, I visited the campus and everything kept seeming like a fit.”

However, the deadline to apply almost slipped past her.

“I spoke to a search firm on a Friday and they told me the application was due Sunday afternoon,” she said.

Ordinarily, that would still adequate time. But with a daughter having a big dance event that weekend, time was going to be of the essence. She planned to find time to apply in between helping her daughter.

Then, her daughter developed strep throat. While a sad stroke of misfortune for the child, it allowed her mom to have time to take the first step toward making history.

“I hated that she got sick, but in the end I guess it all worked out,” she said.

With the newfound time, Messer said she spent nine hours writing her letter of interest as to why she wanted the job.

“I just got so absorbed in it,” she said. “Just one more reason that it all fit so well.”

Community involvement

Messer is involved in many professional organizations, including the Association of Governing Boards for Universities and Colleges and the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education. She has presented at conferences at the state, regional, and national level.

In addition, she loves being involved in community organizations, which have included the advisory board for Youth Development Leadership Program in Birmingham, Alabama and the advisory board for Leadership Calhoun County, Alabama.

She recently successfully completed the American Academy Leadership Institute’s Executive Leadership Academy and the Education Advisory Board’s Future President Intensive.

Messer said she can’t wait to get that same energy going in the Fort Worth community. She said conversations with Slabach have her even more excited about meeting and working with her new neighbors.

“He has raved about the community and their support of Texas Wesleyan. I’m looking forward so much to meeting people,” she said. “Fort Worth is a big city, but it has kind of a small town feel. It’s unlike any big city I’ve ever been to.”

This is not Messer’s first swim through the area. In the summer of 2006 she was an intern in the Office of New Student Programs at SMU. While there she visited Fort Worth several times.

“We made it to the Stockyards. When I learned about this position, my mom pulled out a picture of me sitting on a longhorn,” Messer said, chuckling. “I’ve also been to Dallas and Arlington a few times, and I have several friends in Fort Worth.

“In fact, I was in Fort Worth last year to see the band Alabama at Dickies Arena. What a fabulous facility.

“It’s going to take me a while to meet a lot of folks, but I’m looking forward to meeting them all and starting the next chapter.”

When she’s not working or involved in the community, Messer enjoys spending time with her family and friends, traveling, reading, and outdoor activities.