Irene Hughes retired from Amarillo College in January 2021 after serving 12 years as advising associate for the federal Student Support Services program at the Moore County Campus in Dumas. She specialized in preparing students with medical majors for clinical programs at West Campus. Hughes coordinated with advisors at WTAMU, OPSU, ENMU, and TTU and transported SSS students to their transfer orientations and registration.

The Peace Bible Club at MCC was co-sponsored by Hughes for a number of years, and she was elected twice as Classified Employee of the Year. For eight years as youth specialist for the Panhandle WorkSource, she worked with employers placing TANF and Food Stamp recipients in workplaces in Dumas and Dalhart and managed the Dalhart office for TWC.  She also worked with a representative from WTAMU in the federal Talent Search program assisting Dumas High School seniors with transition to Amarillo College.
   
Hughes graduated with honors from Texas Tech University with a major in home and family living and a minor in social work. During her senior year she served as president of Alpha Chi Omega and was a member of Phi Kappa Phi honor society. 

Irene and her husband, Fred, owned and operated Fred Hughes Nursery in Stratford and Photography by Fred Hughes in Dumas. Fred is a master photographer, landscape artist, pastor, podcaster, and author of "Mr. Fred's Box," a children's book. The couple were house parents at Methodist Home in Waco and have completed foreign missions in Russia, Belarus, Philippines, Nicaragua, Guatemala and Mexico. Fred also ministered in Columbia, Uganda, Kenya, and Honduras. They have been married over 51 years and have two children and four grandchildren. The Hugheses attend Messiah's House Church, serve on the altar ministry team and host/co-lead the Exchanged Life group in their home. They moved to Amarillo in August, 2021, and Irene began her six-year term as Regent in May, 2023.