Chancellor Introduction

John Sharp
Chancellor, The Texas A&M University System

As chancellor of The Texas A&M University System John Sharp leads the 19-member system, which includes 11 universities, seven state agencies and a health science center. Sharp brings with him more than three decades of public service, and a passion to make the A&M System the best system of higher education in the country.

He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science from Texas A&M University in 1972, where he was student body president and a member of the Corps staff of the Corps of Cadets.  Upon graduation, he was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the United States Army Reserves. In 1976, Sharp received a master’s degree in public administration from Southwest Texas State University while working full-time with the Legislative Budget Board in Austin.

In 1978, he was elected to the Texas House of Representatives and was named “Outstanding Freshman” by Texas Monthly.  He won a seat in the Texas Senate in 1982, where he served on the powerful Senate Finance Committee, and was elected to the Texas Railroad Commission in 1986. Sharp was elected state comptroller in 1990 and re-elected in 1994.

Sharp has been married to Charlotte Han of Austin since 1978. They have a son, Spencer, and a daughter, Victoria.

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