Exciting New Academic Year Begins | |
Dean's Message:
Welcome to the 2026‑27 academic year!
As I look across our college, I am energized by the possibility that fills our classrooms, labs, field sites, and virtual spaces. This year marks a milestone for the Terry B. Rogers College of Education and Social Sciences. In response to our growth over the last two years, we are welcoming 1,855 dedicated students to our community of scholars this fall semester. Those numbers are more than statistics; they are a living testament to the trust our students place in us and to the collective ambition that drives our college forward.
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Our mission is not a static statement; it is a call to action that shapes curricula, research agendas, and service initiatives. It reminds us that every lecture, practicum, and community project contributes to a larger story of societal betterment. Together, we will meet the challenges of a growing college and turn them into opportunities that advance our mission and reinforce our vision.
Dr. Gary Bigham
Regents Professor and Dean
| Dr. Bigham's Admissions Data Byte | The chart above conveys the TBRCOESS Fall 2026 12th Census Day headcount totaling 1855 students. The headcount trajectory has been very encouraging, growing by 203 students since AY 2024-2025. | |
New Student Buff Branding Lunch Brought Connection and Fun
It is always a special treat to connect with new WT students during the Buff Branding Lunch. Festive fair foods, Student Orgs, Education's candy walk, Can you Take Dr. Farmer's $, and lots of other fun activities for the students to connect with faculty and fellow students.
We're Glad You're Here.
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On-line Graduate Psych Students also getting back-to-school
wtamu_psyc
Professor Walton had a check-in with our School Psychology grad students entering their first semester of internship.
Have a wonderful fall semester with on-line learning.
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Welcome back Faculty
It is wonderful to see all the faces back on campus. We are excited to get back to another year of learning for all of us.
| | Heidi and Michelle were part of the meet and greet crew. Thank you for helping, Ladies. | First Class Selfy by Drs. Johnson, Denham, and Carlson. | | Dr. Hubbard, Dr. Gregory and Instructor Walton enjoying the college back-to-school college lunch meeting. | |
Social Work Instructor Ms. Olmos helped with the welcome back popcorn giveaway.
Just "pop" in and say hello to the SW team.
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Texas Reading Academies Pilot Cohort 4 begins its journey this year
WTAMU’s Educator Preparation Program (EPP) has been a part of a pilot program with the Texas Education Agency’s (TEA) Texas Reading Academies.
“The Reading Academies support implementation of the Science of Teaching Reading (STR) by providing educators with research-based instructional practices aligned to the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS).” -TEA
Education candidates who complete this teacher literacy achievement academy will be day-one qualified to meet the HB 3 requirement in the classroom without additional training.
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West is Best
Back-to-school Fest was engaging fun. Thank you to all the faculty and staff for connecting with students, and to all the students who stopped by to Guess the Celebrity Babies, and Finish the Song Lyrics games. Glow sticks and bubbles added a blast of fun to a terrific WT back-to-school event.
| | Recognizing Summer Graduates | |
Congratulations to the Summer 2026 Graduates
We are proud to recognize the summer (August) 2026 graduates from the Terry B. Rogers College of Education and Social Sciences.
| Proud of (48) Undergraduates | | |
Daphne Aguilar, BA Criminal Justice, Admin. from New Braunfels
Alexie Blommaert, BAAS Education from Borger
Wesley Brown, BA Psychology from Amarillo
Viviana Cornejo, BGS Education from Amarillo
Claire David, BGS Education from Amarillo
Erin Davis, BGS Education Dumas
Benjamin Diaz, BAAS Education from Amarillo
Kyra Dickson, BGS Education from Amarillo
Marie Eddins, BA Sociology from Denver CO
Hazel Escobel, BS Eduction EC-6.CORE.ESL from Hereford
Emily Fager, BS Psychology from Indianapolis, Indiana
Bryanna Freeman, BGS Education from Fritch
Landri Garcia, BGS Education from Dumas
Preston Gregg, BS Criminal Justice, Policing from Corinth
Lacey Hamilton, BGS Education from Amarillo
Jami Hanes, BGS Education from Amarillo
Jaric Harrison, BAAS Emergency Management Admin. from Amarillo
Alexis Holguin, BS Psychology from Amarillo
Ethan Hollinshead, BGS Education from Lubbock
Callie Hutcheson, BAAS Education from Pampa
Nathan Kennedy, BAAS Emergency Management Admin. from Bryan
Hart Krause, BS.Criminal Justice Administration from Burnet
Luzinda Ledezma, BS Psychology from Canyon
Haylee Melendez, BS Psychology from Dimmitt
Teresa Milner, BGS Education from Perryton
Mandi Mitchell, BGS Education from Borger
Juvia Montoya, BS Psychology from Amarillo
Monica Navarro BGS Education from Kress
Javen Patrick BGS Education from Amarillo
Alaysia Penton BGS Education from Amarillo
Jenessy Pompa BS.Psychology from Amarillo
Daun Pruett, BS Eduction, EC-6.CORE.ESL from Canyon
Saul Reyes, BGS Education from Floydada
Abriana Rocha, BS Education, EC-6.CORE.ESL from Amarillo
Jacob Rodriguez, BAAS Education from Muleshoe
Amanda Sanchez, BGS Education from Wellington
Allison Seymour, BS.Education, EC-6.CORE.ESL from Amarillo
Kaytlin Sims, BAAS Education from Colorado City, Texas
Merritt Snell, BS.Education, EC-6.CORE.ESL from Amarillo
Augustine Sowa, BS.Criminal Justice, Administration from Sierra Leone Heather Swafford, BAAS Education from Amarillo
Abigail Tolliver, BGS Education from Amarillo
Clarissa Trejo, BS Education, EC-6.CORE.ESL from Gruver
Lee Valenzuela, BS Criminal Justice Admin. from Amarillo
Carlee Wartes, BAAS Emergency Management Admin. from Grand Prairie Tylee Whipple, BA Psychology from Ruidoso, New Mexico
Tristen Winkler, BGS Education from Pampa
Nicole Wise, BAAS Education from Amarillo
| Recognizing Masters Graduates | | |
Kirsten-Lee Bezner, Master of Arts in Counseling
Madeline Brooks, Master of Arts in Counseling
Amanda Casteel, Master of Arts in Counseling
Mehrnaz Doustmohammadi, Master of Arts in Counseling
Rannel Foster, Master of Arts in Counseling
Stephanie Garcia, Master of Arts in Counseling
Christopher Hill, Master of Arts in Counseling
Briana Jones, Master of Arts in Counseling
Cheyenne Miller, Master of Arts in Counseling
Sydney Odell, Master of Arts in Counseling
Anika Thomas, Master of Arts in Counseling
Dillard Stucky, Master of Arts in Counseling
Julianna Gandy, Master of Education Educational Diagnostician
Jennifer Taylor, Master of Education Educational Diagnostician
Michelle Thompson, Master of Education Educational Leadership
Jennifer Orand, Master of Education Educational Leadership Texas Principal Preparation
Mercedes Talavera, Master of Education Educational Leadership Texas Principal Preparation
Micah Winger, Master of Education Educational Leadership Texas Principal Preparation
Tessa Grotegut, Master in Education Instructional Design and Technology
Wendy Humphries, Master in Education Instructional Design and Technology
Mindy Harmon, Master of Education Leadership in Curriculum and Instruction
Alondra Matos Muriel, Master of Education Leadership in Curriculum and Instruction
Jaclyn Mayo, Master of Education in School Counseling
Lexandra Arguello, Master in Social Work
Thomas Garcia, Master in Social Work
Tiffany Hunter, Master in Social Work
Tracy Koskei, Master in Social Work
Stacey Norton, Master in Social Work
Presley Pharies, Master in Social Work
Dbrea Pride, Master in Social Work
Angela Snow, Master in Social Work
Clarissa Streater, Master in Social Work
Kristin Watkins, Master in Social Work
Aubrey Watley, Master in Social Work
Janae Young, Master in Social Work
| Congratulations Doctoral Graduates | | |
Dr. Christopher Carpenter, Doctor of Education, Educational Leadership EC-12
Dr. Jordan Hicks, Doctor of Education, Educational Leadership EC-12
Dr. Shaniqua Davis, Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership in Higher Education
Dr. Chelsea Smith, Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership in Higher Education
Congratulations to all our graduates.
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Student Government 2026/2027
TBRCOESS Elected Leaders
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Proud of the following TBRCOESS students elected to serve as Student Government representatives for 2026/2027 academic year:
Garicyn Bigham; a junior political science major from Amherst
Lucero Curampa: a junior political science major from Canyon
Benjamin Kogo; a junior political science major from Canyon
Joshua Mangum; a senior psychology major from Grand Prairie
Gabrielle Powell; a senior political Science major from Pueblo, CO
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Meet the 2026 TBRCOESS
McNair Research Scholars
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Proud to introduce our 2026 TBRCOESS McNair Scholars who started their research trainings and projects this summer.
- Kimberly Beltran, Psychology major is researching the effects of implicit bias among healthcare providers and patients with Dr. Alicia Macchione
- Brisa Hermosilla, Psychology major
- Elaina Stoker, Psychology major is researching the effects of AI on emotional regulation following performance feedback with Dr. Alicia Macchione
- Derek Valdez, Education major is researching the Council Movement in the German Revolution with Dr. Elizabeth Clark.
Congratulations to these 2026 McNair Scholars and best wishes on their research projects.
| | WT’s Rogers LEAD Program 2026-2027 Cohort includes Four TBRCOESS Scholars | | |
The Dyke and Terry Rogers Leadership Education and Development Program, or Rogers LEAD WT, was created in 2012 to challenge high-achieving students to further develop their leadership potential.
TBRCOESS is proud to recognize four future leaders who have been accepted into the 2026-2027 cohort for WT's Rogers LEAD Program.
Garicyn Bigham, a junior political science major from Amherst
Benjamin Kogo, a junior political science major from Canyon
Kailin Noble, a junior psychology major from Amarillo;
Jaelyn Reynolds, a sophomore education major from Paradise
Congratulations, Buffs. An amazing opportunity to learn outside the traditional classroom.
Click here to read the complete WT article
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Recognizing 2026-2027
Attebury Honors Students
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The Attebury Honors Program is a student-centered enriched learning community highlighted by innovative discussion-based teaching, research, study abroad, mentoring, internships, leadership and a host of wider opportunities for undergraduate students.
TBRCOESS has several outstanding students enrolled in this year's Attebury Honors program:
Aliyah Hernandez, Ed EC-6 Core
Layla Wambold, Ed EC-6 Core
Ava Haddock, ED EC-6 Core ESL
Lily Wambold, ED ED-6 Core
Kathleen Curry, Ed.Soc Study/Sci Ed
Teagan Farmer, Political Science
Ethan Steuer, Political Science
Benjamin Kogo, Political Science
Nicholas Shaffer, Political Sci., Public Administration
Gabrielle Powell, Political Science
Garicyn Bigham, Political Science
Natalee Vidana, Political Science, International
Ayden Bordonaro, Psychology
Tiahna Hernandez, Psychology
Jazlynn Holmstrom, Psychology
Awbrei Martinez, Psychology
Aubrianne (Bee) Olstadt, Psychology
Kylar Parker, Psychology
Blake Reed, Psychology
Autumn Adams, Social Work
Secondary Education Students Include:
Michael Genera, Music Education
Gracie Forsse, Ag Education
Robert Marrs, Ag Education
Emma Rambo, Ag Education
Annelisse Hale, Ag Education
Best wishes to these high achieving students for taking on additional learning opportunities this year.
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Teacher Residency Students
Begin Year of Clinical Teaching
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2026-2027 Resident Teacher Cohort
The education students are eager to get started on their clinical teaching requirements with a full school-year residency program with a partner school. Co-teaching alongside a skilled teaching mentor gains authentic classroom experience that includes
| Click below to see student's positive Buff Teacher Residency experiences from Maggie, Alina, and Colton (graduated May 2026) | | Student Organization Groups Begin Support | | |
The Criminal Justice Association (CJA) held its first meeting of the academic year! Dr. Bang shared, "It was great to see so many familiar faces and to welcome several new members. The CJA is looking forward to another strong year full of fun activities, traveling, speakers, laughs, and opportunities for students to get involved."
Click here to read more about CJA.
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The student organization hosted a Coraline movie and Vision Board event.
The Student Org group shared on Instagram what an fun time they had at their first event.
"Thank you all for an amazing event yesterday! We had so much fun hosting it for you all."
Click here to see more event photos on their Instagram page.
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College Alumni are Recognized as
Outstanding Leaders in their Communities
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Governor Abbott's press release shared Ms. O'Daniel's qualification for the appointment, stating, "Sherri O’Daniel of Amarillo serves as a coordinator for disability services for the Region 16 Educational Service Center Head Start Program. She is a member of the National Head Start Association and the Texas Head Start Association. Additionally, she is unified partner with Special Olympics, volunteer with Life Church. O’Daniel received a Bachelor of Science in Education and a Master of Education in Special Education from West Texas A&M University."
Proud to recognize Buff alumni Ms. Sherri O'Daniel for her service to our community and to the State of Texas. Thank you, Ms. O'Daniel.
Click here to read Governor Abbott's press release
| | | | WT Education Alumna Awarded Region 16 Teacher of the Year | We are so proud of Education graduate alumna Almadelfina Trejo DeLeon on being awarded Region 16 Elementary Teacher of The Year. | | |
Almadelfina was recognized as Elementary Teacher of the Year for Hereford ISD in May, and was recently awarded Region 16's Elementary Teacher of the Year.
Congratulations, Almadelfina.
Photo credit from Region 16 Facebook Photo is WT Alumna Region 16 Director Tanya Larkin, Ed.D., and WT Alumna Almadelfina Trejo DeLeon.
So proud of you.
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Invitation to join the Alumni Association's Canyon and Amarillo Alumni Ice Cream Social
Join us for an evening at Creek House Honey Farm as we enjoy delicious treats, reconnect with fellow alumni, and make a few new memories along the way.
The Canyon Amarillo WT Alumni Chapter will be hosting the social from 5:30-7:30 p.m. on Thursday, September 17 at the Honey Room at Creek House Honey Farm. We can't wait to see you.
| | Center for Learning Disabilities 14th Annual Helen Piehl Distinguished Lecture | | |
The WTAMU Center for Learning Disabilities invites you to a workshop with Roxana Stanley, presenting on evaluating bilingual and emergent language learners. This workshop would be appropriate for anyone who assesses students, including Educational Diagnosticians, School Psychologists, and Speech Pathologists. The training is available both in person and via Zoom, and CEUs are available.
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Center for Learning Disabilities
15th Annual Helen Piehl Distinguished Lecture: Bilingual Evaluation for Students with SLD presented by Roxana Stanley, Bilingual Educational Diagnostician.
Friday, October 9, 2026, 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. at WT's Alumni Banquet Hall.
Tickets: *$25 includes lunch; *Free for WT Faculty, staff, and students
Attend in-person or via Zoom to receive 6.0 hrs of CEU credit.
For questions, email wtamucld@wtamu.edu
Scan bar code or register at: https://wtamu.schoolauction.net/hplc26
| | The Hill Institute Distinguished Lecture | |
‘Shark Tank’ Judge Kevin O’Leary to Speak at WT’s Hill Institute Lecture Series
Kevin O’Leary, Mr. Wonderful from ABC’s hit show “Shark Tank,” will headline the latest in a Hill Institute speaker series at West Texas A&M University.
O’Leary will present “Lessons from a Shark: Liberty, Responsibility and the Entrepreneurial Spirit” for the Hill Institute Lecture series at 7 p.m. Sept. 21 in the First United Bank Center on WT’s Canyon campus.
Click here to read the WT news story on the Hill Lecture.
| | Welcome New Faculty & Staff | | The College has several new outstanding faculty that will be highlighted over the next few months. Please join us in welcoming these professionals to WT and into their new leadership positions. | |
Vicki Moore Lavastida, Ph.D.
Dr. Vicki Lavastida is an Assistant Professor of Political Science. She joined the Department of Political Science and Criminal Justice in 2026. She received a B.A. in Mass Communications from Phillips University, an MPA from the University of Oklahoma, and a Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of Oklahoma.
Dr. Lavastida teaches both undergraduate level classes as well as graduate classes for the Master of Public Administration (MPA) program. She has previously taught classes in nonprofit studies at the undergraduate level. Her areas of focus are Public Policy, Public Administration, and American Government.
Click here to read Dr. Lavastida's complete professional biography.
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Mustafa Toprak, Ph.D.
Dr. Mustafa Toprak is an Associate Professor of Educational Leadership in the Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) in Educational Leadership program. He brings more than 20 years of experience as a faculty member, researcher, educational leader, and teacher across K–12 and higher education.
Prior to joining WTAMU, he served as Associate Professor and Chair of the Department of Educational Leadership at Sharjah Education Academy in the United Arab Emirates, where he led the design, development, and accreditation of graduate programs focused on preparing educational leaders.
Click here to read Dr. Toprak's complete professional biography.
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Welcome new EPP staff member Allan Baltazar
Congratulations to Allan Baltazar on his new role as Certification Analyst for the WT Department of Education's EPP program.
The Certification Analyst is responsible for managing educator certification processes, ensuring compliance with Texas Education Agency (TEA), State Board for Educator Certification (SBEC), federal, and institutional requirements, and maintaining the accuracy and integrity of Educator Preparation Program (EPP) data. This position serves as the primary liaison between the EPP, certification candidates, university stakeholders, and state and federal agencies regarding certification, accountability, reporting, and compliance matters.
The Certification Analyst also supports potential program admissions, performs light administrative duties, and participates in required trainings, recruitment activities, and Educator Preparation Program events.
Congratulations, Allan.
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Happy September Birthday
Leigh Green
Sahar Sheikh
Jerry Nix
Jose Martinez
Ray Barbosa
Alicia Macchione
Amanda Tinsley-Mathias
Irma Harper
Brian Farmer
Steven Hubbard
Amy Carlson
Photo credit: Dr. Ashley Campbell
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