CORPUS CHRISTI, Tx — Travis Fanning is the Superintendent of the Beeville Independent School District. While he’s found ease in the leadership role over the last four years, he said getting into the position did not happen overnight.
“I stand on the shoulders of giants,” Fanning said. “I stand on the shoulders of people who really worked hard so the opportunities that I could sit as Travis Fanning, a young man from Atlanta Georgia who was a first-generation college student can sit in the seat as a superintendent.”
Following by example, Fanning worked hard and stayed the course. He said he put in the time to achieve his dreams by going to school, becoming a math teacher and serving as an Assistant Superintendent in Houston.
“I love reading things by Benjamin Banneker, I love Martin Luther King and everything he has done and how his legacy still lives on. Barack Obama who is my personal hero and I hope to meet one day,” Fanning said. “They are people I look up to who are trail blazers and do it for the betterment of people.”
Fanning is inspired by these names in history and now he wants to share those stories with his students.
“We have over 1,000 superintendents in the state of Texas, and we service 73% students of color but only 23% of that population are superintendents of color,” Fanning said.
As the first African American Superintendent for Beeville ISD, Fanning hopes to leave a pathway for others to follow.
“All students get to see me as an African American male represent positivity in the community but also represent what they can be,” Fanning said.
Fanning is currently working on his Doctorate while doing his best to set an example and inspire all students.
