Leaders, Learners, Momentum!

Beef Industry Skills Take

Center Stage at WT

The Texas Cattle Feeders Association Beef Showcase is bringing cattle industry professionals and students together at WT on Sept. 17 for an afternoon of competition, education and hands-on learning. The Contest will challenge participants to put their beef industry knowledge and skills to the test through a variety of activities.

Participants will judge steers from videos, complete a carcass match, compete in the Beef Industry Knowledge and Skills Contest and learn more about beef harvest and fabrication. The top two participants from each division in the knowledge and skills contest will advance to Showcase Jeopardy, putting their industry knowledge to one final test.

The event will conclude with a reception and awards presentation sponsored by Wells Fargo Food & Ag Division. The showcase provides another opportunity for WT students to connect with beef industry professionals, strengthening their skills and apply what they are learning in the classroom to real-world industry situations.

Agricultural Sciences Students Lead the Way in SGA

With the new academic year underway, Paul Engler College of Agriculture and Natural Sciences students Ammileigh Smith and Madyson McAshlan are taking active roles in shaping the student experience at West Texas A&M University through the Student Government Association.

Smith, a senior agricultural business and economics major from Robert Lee, serves as student body president, working as a liaison between students and WT faculty, staff and administration. She leads SGA and represents the student body while helping coordinate student initiatives and University-wide involvement.

McAshlan, a junior agricultural media and communication major from Santa Fe, Texas, serves as vice president and leads SGA’s legislative branch. In her role, she works with elected student representatives and helps give students a voice in decisions and initiatives across campus.

The two have already been active in preparing for the academic year. Over the summer, they recruited potential SGA members at New Student Orientations, brainstormed Homecoming activities, organized appointments to University-wide committees and worked on internal planning.

Through their roles, Smith and McAshlan are helping connect students with University leadership while creating opportunities for involvement, community and engagement across campus. Their work with SGA allows them to represent student perspectives while helping move initiatives forward throughout the academic year.

PECANS Continues Strong Undergraduate Enrollment

The Paul Engler College of Agriculture and Natural Sciences is home to 1,314 undergraduate students taking 12 or more semester credit hours in Fall 2026. Students across the college are pursuing degrees in agriculture, animal sciences and a variety of scientific disciplines.

Within Agricultural Sciences, 989 students are enrolled across programs including Animal Science, Agricultural Business, Agricultural Business and Economics, Agricultural Media and Communication, Agricultural Science and Equine Industry and Business. Animal Science remains one of the college’s largest programs with 417 students enrolled.

Natural Sciences accounts for 325 students, with students studying areas such as Biology, Wildlife Biology, Biochemistry, Chemistry, Environmental Science and Physics. Biology has 172 students, while Biology-Wildlife Biology has 71 students. Additional students are pursuing degrees in environmental science, chemistry, physics and other science-focused programs.

Together, these programs reflect the broad range of academic opportunities available through PECANS, preparing students for careers and continued education in agriculture, animal health, environmental and natural resources, and the sciences.

December 2026 Graduation Details Announced

The Paul Engler College of Agriculture and Natural Sciences will participate in the commencement ceremony on Friday, Dec. 11, at 2 p.m. Graduates and their families can also look forward to Desserts with the Dean as part of the college’s graduation celebrations. More details about Desserts with the Dean and other graduation activities will be shared as plans are finalized.

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