West Texas A&M University has been celebrating the achievements of its students, staff and faculty through various events and honors at its Canyon campus ahead of the end of the 2024-25 school year, which culminates in graduation ceremonies May 16 and 17.
In addition, WT was recently classified as a Research College and University, or RCU, by the American Council on Education and the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. The new designation identifies research happening at colleges and universities that historically have not been recognized for their research activity. WT spends approximately $10 million per year on research activities and currently offers two doctoral degrees: one in agriculture and one in educational leadership.
For more details, including an upcoming full list of graduates, as well as WT’s honorees and activities, visit the university’s website, https://www.wtamu.edu/news/index.html .
WT commencement ceremonies set for May 16 and 17
About 1,200 West Texas A&M University students are expected to take part in four commencement ceremonies on Friday and Saturday, May 16 and 17.
“Commencement is a wonderful opportunity for our campus to celebrate the success of our graduates, the faculty members who have guided their academic journey, and family and friends who have been their champions,” said Dr. Neil Terry, provost and executive vice president for academic affairs.
In all, WT expects to see 1,195 spring graduates and about 180 projected August graduates recognized in the May ceremonies. Each ceremony will be livestreamed at wtamu.edu/commencement. Commencement exercises will begin at:
Wellington High School Principal Jermaine Cantu will deliver the alumni charge. Cantu earned his bachelor’s degree in 2006 and a master’s degree in educational leadership in 2009. He is in his 10th year as WHS principal and his 19th overall year as an educator.
Doors at the center, located on the east end of WT’s Canyon campus at the intersection of Russell Long Boulevard and Fourth Avenue, will open to the public an hour before each ceremony begins. Seating is open and on a first-come, first-served basis at the 5,000-seat center. No tickets are required. Parking will be available at the center, with overflow parking available behind the Agricultural Sciences Complex and behind the Virgil Henson Activities Center. Handicapped parking is available at the center.
Top students, faculty in WT College of Nursing and Health Sciences honored
Outstanding students and faculty in WT’s College of Nursing and Health Sciences were recognized at a year-end reception May 1, including scholarship recipients, Dean’s and President’s List recipients, and honor graduates.
Heart of Excellence award winners were Dr. Alee Friemel, the Northwest Texas Healthcare System / Eunice King Professor in Nursing; and Koben Puckett, founder of the Koben Puckett Professional Bull Rider competition, which raises funds for the Press On Foundation for people affected by spinal cord injuries. Friemel coordinates WT’s Registered Nurse to Bachelor of Science in Nursing, or RN-BSN, program, which helps working nurses continue their education.
For a full list of nursing students and faculty members recognized, visit the WT website.
Student, community leaders recognized by WT’s Engler College of Business
WT’s Paul and Virginia Engler College of Business honored top business students and community leaders at a recent year-end event. About 100 Buffs were commended as outstanding students or inducted into honor societies ahead commencement ceremonies.
Susan Fleming, a graduate student in strategic human resource management from Wolfforth, was named outstanding graduate student.
Douglas Shields, a senior finance and economics major from Littlefield, and Megan Shields, a senior management and marketing major from Littlefield, were named outstanding undergraduate students. The Shields are married and commuted to classes at WT after previously attending South Plains College.
“Their journey is a testament to perseverance, partnership and the strength of achieving personal and professional goals together,” said Dr. Robert A. King, associate dean of undergraduate business programs. “While they are both independently successful, the fact that they were there for one another makes this all the more special.”
In community awards:
The 2025 student and community awards symposium was held April 23 in Legacy Hall in the Jack B. Kelley Student Center.
WT Woman, Man of the Year, other student leaders honored
Peyton Hastings, a senior musical theatre major from Sundown, was named Woman of the Year, and William Blackmon, a junior electrical engineering major from Hereford, was named Man of the Year at an end-of-year celebration for students April 25.
Hastings is president of Alpha Psi Omega, the honors theatre fraternity in the Department of Art, Theatre and Dance in the Sybil B. Harrington College of Fine Arts and Humanities, and has acted in several WT Theatre productions. She also represents the Harrington College with the Student Government Association, serving as parliamentarian and president pro tempore.
Blackmon, a WT Rogers LEAD Scholar, is president of the Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics and a community service officer in F1RSTGEN, the student organization for first generation college students. He also serves as an associate justice and a College of Engineering representative with the Student Government Association, and has conducted research into battery models and robotics.
“Having worked with both Peyton and Will over the past two years, I have seen firsthand their commitment to service, to students, and to WT,” said Dr. Chris Thomas, vice president for student affairs. “Peyton is an incredible talent and a strong advocate for the arts. Will is a thoughtful and kind student with the mind of an engineer. I expect great things to continue to come from these two outstanding students.”
Jordan Byrd, a junior agricultural media and communication major from Kingwood, and Morgan Elarton, a senior management major from Rye, Colorado, also were finalists for Woman of the Year. Caden Bonilla, a senior biology major from Amarillo, and Asher Nowak, a senior biology major from Amarillo, also were finalists for Man of the Year.
The University Honors Ceremony also included several other student, faculty and staff awards, including:
For the full list of honors and finalists, visit the WT website.
This article originally appeared on Amarillo Globe-News: Students honored at WT events, including Man and Woman of the Year ahead of graduations
Reporting by Kristina Wood, Amarillo Globe-News / Amarillo Globe-News
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