T exas is home to many small towns, each facing its own set of challenges—and big dreams. For many, the future can seem uncertain, especially with aging infrastructure, rapid growth or the aftermath of a natural disaster.
Enter Texas Target Communities (TxTC). A program driven by the Texas A&M University College of Architecture and state agencies, TxTC is designed to help these towns thrive, not just survive. Since its start in the Department of Landscape Architecture and Urban Planning in 1993, the award-winning program has partnered with local governments across Texas, many of which lack necessary planning resources, to create solutions for urban planning, disaster recovery and more. Last year alone, its hands-on approach paired more than 148 students—who dedicated a combined 24,930 hours to TxTC projects—with faculty to work directly with communities, providing students invaluable experience while creating actionable plans to transform towns for the better.
The La Grange Transformation
In the ’90s, La Grange, a small city in central Texas, was among the first to partner with TxTC to develop a comprehensive city plan. The city was facing issues like growing traffic and infrastructure strain and needed a roadmap for its development. The plan, created with TxTC’s help, guided the city through these challenges and years of growth.
When the time came to update the plan, La Grange turned to TxTC again. In 2017, the city began working on a new 20-year outlook, engaging in community outreach to refine strategies for a more resilient future.
Through Texas Target Communities, students work with Texas A&M faculty and communities to develop plans that will transform small towns in Texas.
“The first plan we created with TxTC in the ’90s was a huge help in guiding our growth,” said Shawn Raborn ’86 ’89, who served as the La Grange city manager for more than 29 years before his recent retirement. “There was no doubt that we wanted to work with them again.”
Over 15 months, TxTC and La Grange worked together to gather input, refine strategies and develop actionable steps. By 2021, more than 15% of the plan’s initiatives were already in progress, including grants for transportation, improved utility systems and new wayfinding signs that made the city more navigable.
“It’s not easy to come into a community you’re not from and build a plan that truly reflects its people, history and identity,” Raborn said. “But the students from TxTC bring fresh eyes, energy and a willingness to listen. They helped us see La Grange in ways we never thought about. Their ideas challenged us to appreciate what makes our town unique and push us to plan for its future with new possibilities in mind."
Creating Change in Comanche County While La Grange’s project was underway, TxTC expanded its work to Comanche County. In 2020, the program began helping the county develop its first-ever comprehensive plan—a milestone for a region that had never engaged in large-scale planning.
By 2023, the Comanche County plan was approved, addressing critical issues like water access, drought resilience and infrastructure while providing a framework for long-term sustainability and growth.
For Judge Stephanie Davis, the process was a turning point for the county. “The TxTC process made us rethink how we plan for growth,” she said. “It wasn’t just about putting a plan together—it was about connecting our vision to a larger state conversation. The increased visibility and new funding opportunities that TxTC played a pivotal role in securing have already made a significant difference.”
Planning That Prepares Students But TxTC’s impact extends beyond communities—it also profoundly affects the students involved. For many Aggies, working on TxTC projects offers a unique chance to connect academic learning with real-world practice. Jenna Beyer ’23 ’25, a graduate student research assistant, is one such example. She’s worked on multiple TxTC projects, including in Jefferson, Nolanville, Liberty County and Southeast Texas, and values the experience.
“The opportunity to apply what I’ve learned in class to a real community is incredibly rewarding,” Beyer said. “We work on plans and see them take shape to help communities build a better future.”
For Lindsay Hackett ’14 ’15, a former TxTC student and now an urban planner, the program was essential preparation for her career. “The hands-on experience I gained through TxTC was invaluable,” she said. “It taught me how to work directly with community members, understand their needs and develop plans that truly serve them. I use the lessons I learned from TxTC every day.”
“It’s not easy to come into a community you’re not from and build a plan that truly reflects its people, history and identity. But the students from TxTC bring fresh eyes, energy and a willingness to listen."
- Shawn Raborn ’86 ’89
This focus on collaboration is key to the program’s mission, said Jeewasmi Thapa ’16, a TxTC program coordinator. And—under the leadership of director Jaimie Masterson ’07 ’13 and former director and current team member Dr. John Cooper ’92 ’94—it’s what’s allowed the program to serve 90 communities and counting, impacting the state one city at a time.
“We work with communities every step of the way to make sure the plan is not only achievable but also truly reflective of their needs and vision,” Thapa said. “By providing tailored support, we strengthen local capacity so communities can take ownership of their future.”
