People know when they have found their home away from home, and for Tanner Rex, Texas Tech University is just that. It’s become the place he would never want to leave.
Born in Lubbock, Texas, and raised in Burnet, Texas, Rex knew that Texas Tech would be his long-term home. Growing up with his father and uncle both being Texas Tech alumni, Rex attended football games from a young age.
“I grew up coming to football games, and that is what sold me,” Rex said. “It was my first glimpse into how special the Texas Tech community is. I mean it was the only school I even applied for.”
Rex graduated from Texas Tech Rawls College of Business in 2018 with a degree in business management. After graduation, Rex moved to Austin, Texas, to work a job in sales. But he had one goal in mind: making it back to Texas Tech. When an opportunity opened up in development in the Davis College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, he seized it.
“Get back to Lubbock, Rex said. “That was the goal, and I always knew I wanted to try to work for Texas Tech. I didn’t know in what capacity, but once I had a good understanding of what [business] development was and had some sales experience, it was just like a natural fit.”
Since fall of 2021, Rex has been working as assistant director of development in the Office of Development and Alumni Relations in the Davis College. The developmental office is very glad to have Rex there, according to Peggy Espinoza, the office’s coordinator of college development.
“It is nice having a fresh set of eyes,” Espinoza said. “He comes in with new ideas and he is very approachable for people. It has been great having him in the office.”
Rex plans to stay with Texas Tech long-term and wants to continue to rise where he is at. He doesn’t plan on going anywhere, Texas Tech and the Davis College has become his home.
“Sometimes I walk into the office, and I just have to stop, look around and remind myself how lucky I am to get to work where I do, and live and breathe Texas Tech,” Rex said.
“It was just like a natural fit.”