Dean's Message:
As we returned to campus from a recent break and now feel the momentum of the semester’s final stretch, I want to take a moment to reflect on the vital importance of our recent Spring Break.
In the demanding fields of Education and Social Sciences, we often give so much of ourselves to the service of others. Whether you spent the break recharging with family, catching up on research, or participating in service-learning projects, I hope you found that necessary "breather." That pause isn’t just a luxury; it is a critical component of our professional and personal well-being, allowing us to return with the renewed clarity required for the work ahead. As depicted in the picture, I was able to break away from the office for a few days to attend to overdue maintenance and repair of some fences and spend some cherished time outdoors with the assistance of my 6-year-old grandson, Jayten.
Looking at the calendar, it is hard to believe how quickly the end of the academic year is approaching. April is a season of "becoming"—a time when the theories learned in the classroom transform into the skills you (students) will soon take into the world.
As we navigate the rapidly approaching wrap-up of the semester, I encourage you to stay focused and finish strong. These final weeks are often the most challenging, but they are also the most rewarding as we prepare to celebrate our upcoming graduates and the collective achievements of our programs and departments.
Keep your eyes on the goal, support one another in the hallways, classrooms, and online and let’s make April our best month yet.
Dr. Gary Bigham
Regents Professor and Dean
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TAFE Students Go to State
Come Home Winners
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After qualifying at Area 8 contest, Education students recently participated in the Texas Association of Future Educators (TAFE) Teach Tomorrow Summit in Dallas at the state level. All five students made the Top 5. Way to go, Buffs!
The students represented WT exceptionally well, with several individuals earning top honors in the state of Texas. Please join us in congratulating the following top honor winners:
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Kenna Klameth
State Champion: Impromptu Lesson Planning
Judges' Choice Award
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Nicholas Henning
Top 5 in State: Impromptu Lesson Planning
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Summer Meller
ELF (Education Learning Foundation) Test: Silver Award
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Aaralyn Rodriguez
Top 5 in State: Impromptu Speaking
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Garren Bustamante
Top 5 in State: Impromptu Speaking
| | The competitors also had lots of fun that included a Medieval Times Dinner and opportunities for sightseeing around Dallas. | | Educators Expo Exciting Event | | |
We are grateful that close to 50 school districts and service centers came out to connect with WT education students on professional career opportunities in their areas.
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The early Morning MeetUp Networking Breakfast was an excellent time for clinical teachers and school representatives sit and talk one-on-one. With the Expo in full swing through the lunch hour.
Click here for more information about recruiting expos and events through the Office of Career and Professional Development.
| Upcoming Nonprofit and Behavioral Health Fair | |
Nonprofit & Behavioral Health Fair
Are you looking to find a career where you can make an impact?
The Office of Career and Professional Development is hosting a Nonprofit and Behavioral Health Fair in the JBK on April 23, 11:30am - 1:30pm. Talk to employers from nonprofits and behavioral health organizations who support our communities regarding internship and employment opportunities.
Current organizations registered include: Amarillo Area CASA; Amarillo Children's Home; Another Chance House; Dove Creek Equine Rescue; Freedom Behavioral Health; Gentiva Hospice; High Plains Children's Home; High Plains Food Bank; Our Blood Institute - Coffee Blood Memorial; PBHA- Panhandle Behavioral Health Alliance; Scouting America; Golden Spread Council; Texas Panhandle Centers; The Hope and Healing Place; Turn Center
Click here for more information from the Office of Career Services.
| | Recognizing Students of the Month | | Congratulations to the following students on being chosen as the Student of the Month! | |
Garren Bustamante; BS. Education EC-6; Amarillo, Texas
Academic Performance and Engagement in the Field
Nomination ...
Garren is a leader in the classroom and on campus. He volunteered to participate in the TAFE Area 8 competition and qualified and participated in the state competition. He placed first in the Impromptu Speaking contest. He excels academically while maintaining an above-average GPA.
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Emily Liskai; BA. Political Science, Legal Studies; Waterville, OH
Academic Performance and Leadership
Nomination ...
Emily is an outstanding political science major and represents the best of the program. Emily is successful both in the classroom and on campus, where she is the starting centerfielder for the Lady Buffs softball team and serves as the President of the WT Pre-Law Student Association.
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Luisa Martinez; BS. Psychology; Amarillo, Texas
Leadership and Research
Nomination ...
Luisa is an incredibly dedicated student who consistently demonstrates strong engagement in both the classroom and in research. She is actively involved in multiple research projects on campus, currently contributing to work in both social psychology and neuroscience. Her curiosity, work ethic, and enthusiasm for learning make her a true rockstar and a standout member of our WT community.
| | Congratulations to these extraordinary students. | | WT Alumni Transition into Career | | |
Three WT Criminal Justice Alumni recently graduated from the DPS Police Academy.
Left: Jose Grado, WT CJ Class of 2024
Center: Nathaniel Zapata, WT CJ Class of 2023 and CJ Student of the Year 2023
Right: Aaron Rocha WT CJ Class of 2025
The three Alumni were able to go through the academy together. We are proud and grateful for their service in helping our community stay safe.
Congratulations, Officers.
| | Randall County Sheriff's Office Visit | | |
Randall County Sheriff's Office was on campus March 24, and spoke to Criminal Justice students about possible career opportunities with their office.
What are the requirements to apply?
When should you apply and who to contact?
Some of the many questions and helpful information students considering this professional career pathway need to know.
| | The 21st Annual Faculty and Student Poster Session a Learning Success | | The 21st Annual Faculty and Student Research Poster Session had 70 posters presented with 426 visitors. Several of those research studies were presented by faculty and students from the Terry B. Rogers College of Education and Social Sciences. Click the research link to read more details on each presented project. | | |
Henderson, Eddie W.; Hindman, Janet: “Redefining Scholarship: Artificial Intelligence in Research and Academic Writing in Graduate Education”
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Hindman, Janet; Henderson, Eddie W.: “The Ethics of Artificial Intelligence in Doctoral Programs: Preparing Scholar-Practitioners for Responsible Innovation”
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Peeples, Shanna; Hart, Monica: “Enhancing Teacher Education through Place-Based Writing: The Route 66 Writing Project Pilot” (Killgore grant recipient, Amarillo Area Foundation grant recipient)
| | Student Research Presented | | |
Stephanie Esquivel, Allan Baltazar, Luisa Martinez presented; “Signals of Belonging: How Language and Representation Shape Trust in Science for Hispanic Audiences”
This research oral presentation will also be given at the Northeastern Evolutionary Social Psychology (NEEPS) conference in April. In addition to presenting, Mr. Allan Baltazar will have an opportunity to participate in a Graduate Student Panel held at the conference.
Congratulations and best wishes at NEEPS.
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Keenan Davis, Riven Robinson, and Dr. Alicia Macchione presented “Investigating the Impact of Diagnostic Disclosure Among Individuals with Autism”
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J. Andy Kraus, graduate student in public administration from Grantville, Kansas: “Beyond ‘Little House on the Prairie’: How the Myth of ‘Real America’ Shapes Rural Broadband Policy and Digital Inequality”
| | Nita Likes, doctoral student in educational leadership from Canyon: “The Efficacy of Collegiate Recovery Programs on Recovery Capital and Resiliency” | | |
Kyler Ochoa, senior psychology major from Alice, and Luisa Martinez, senior psychology major from Amarillo: “Conspiratorial Worldview and Risk Perception Moderate Message Framing in Promoting Psychedelic-Assisted Therapies”
| | Spring Break Research Project | |
Route 66 Writing Project Research
Dr. Shanna Peeples spent spring break running the Route 66 Writing Project — an IRB-approved research study and place-based writing intensive for area high school students, funded by the Amarillo Area Foundation. We took students out to Wildcat Bluff Nature Center to write about the land, water, and history of the Texas Panhandle. (Photo: group shot under the cottonwoods at Wildcat Bluff (Dr. Peeples on the far left.)
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Students hiking out to the bluff — carrying their WT backpacks! A big thank you to Misty Magouirk for gathering the backpacks for us to give the kids, and to Dr. Brandon Bang for donating pens, sticky notes, and stickers from the Criminal Justice program to fill them with college swag.
The students loved it.
| | International Education Fee Scholarship Awarded to Ten COESS Students | | |
Dr. Leigh Green and Dr. Beth Garcia are leading a Study Abroad team to Dublin, Ireland this summer teaching "Perspectives in Counseling and Education."
We are grateful ten TBRCOESS students received International Education Fee Scholarships to support their trip and education in Ireland.
Kourtney Allen
Kristin Anderson
Clara Bender
Tiffani Borcherding
Hadassah Corey
Kenna Klameth
Aaralyn Rodriguez
Laura Sanders
Mariana Soto
Justin Welch
The scholarship is geared toward helping students interested in studying and internships abroad.
Congratulations, students. Have a safe and educational summer trip.
Click here for more information on Study Abroad Programs.
| | Faculty and Staff Highlights | | |
Dr. Shanna Peeples' has three recent publications, one of which was co-authored by Dr. Nicole M. Butkovich Kraus – “Individual Participant Scaffolding: Methodological Innovations for Youth Research in Restrictive Political Contexts” (International Journal of Qualitative Methods, 25)
Second author on an article for the Journal of International Education in Business – “A Mixed-Methods Study on Fostering Belonging and Openness to Diverse Experiences Among Students in Business Education” (https://doi.org/10.1108/JIEB-02-2025-0019)
Lastly, a co-authored peer-reviewed post with one of our Ed.D. graduates, Dr. Mandi Palmer, from her original research that we reconceptualized. It was published by the British Educational Leadership, Management, and Administration Society (BELMAS) – “The Confidence Paradox: Why Leadership Growth Through Racial Consciousness Feels Like Regression”
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Dr. Brandon Bang was interviewed for a six-part series by the Amarillo Tribune. Each article is titled differently, but the description for all of them reads:
"This is a six-part series looking at how support organizations, law enforcement and the criminal justice system respond when a child discloses sexual abuse."
Link to the complete story: https://amarillotribune.org/2026/03/17/when-kids-tell-making-the-case/
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Dr. Brigette Whaley continues to share her phone-free classroom research with a broader audience as the featured speaker in Yondr webinar.
Dr. Brigette Whaley, a former middle school teacher, recently concluded a mixed-methods, longitudinal study explored the implementation and impact of a phone-free classroom policy in a rural Texas high school.
A primary focus of the study was the impact of this policy implementation on classroom dynamics and teacher wellness! Dr. Whaley's research continues to be impactful across the country.
| | ESC Region 16 "Why Teach" Hosted @ WT | | WT appreciated the opportunity to host Region 16 Service Center's Why Teach program to area high school students considering becoming future teachers. Region 16 brought 190 high school students from 9 schools together to be encouraged and inspired to follow a pathway into a professional career in teaching. Why Teach ... | | |
The keynote speaker was Andrew Murga. He is currently a teacher and coach at Amarillo High School who is following in his father's footsteps. His talk, titled: "The Impacts, Connections, & Life Long Memories of Teaching and Coaching" was heartwarming and motivating for students who want to make a difference in the lives of young people in their communities. Teachers make a difference, and so can The Power of Belief.
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WT Student panel answered questions from the high school students.
(Photo: L-R: Luke Southerland: K-12 Special Ed.;
Crimsun Nunn: EC-6;
Taylor Bedwell: EC-6; and Kenna Klameth: EC-6.)
| | Social Work Appreciation Month | | |
March was Social Work Appreciation Month
To honor and celebrate social workers, the department hosted a Soda Bar Celebration.
"What is a dirty soda?" How about a Dr. Pepper with a splash of heavy cream, or a creamy coconut lime cola?
Spice up your Sprite with fresh cherries and limes.
The event was a fun way to celebrate our hard-working faculty and students who support and care for us and each other.
Thank you for all you do!
| | Students, Are You Graduating Soon? | | Discover Graduate School at WT | | |
Happy April Birthday
Kassi Gregory
Shanna Peeples
Eddie Henderson
Justin Moeller
Sara Alamdari
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Apr. 2: SP26 BSW Conference
Apr. 3: Good Friday. No Classes - WT Closure 12:00pm
Apr. 28: Amarillo College Badgers to Buffs Signing Event (AC)
May 1: WT Faculty Spring Address. 10:00 am, NSB 101
May 2: WT Admission Homeschool Event (Saturday)
May 7: Dead Day SP26 semester
May 8-14: Finals
May 15: 10:00am & 2:00pm ANS, FAH & CONHS Commencements
May 16: Sat. 10:00am - TBRCOESS Commencement - See you there!
May 16: Sat. 2:00 pm - COB Commencement
May 20: WT Hosting School Board Workshop
May 25: Holiday, WT Closed
May 27: WT Hosting Story Bridge - Stadium
May 28-29: NSO
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