WTAMU Hosts FFA Event

WTAMU hosted an FFA Career and Development Event Invitational on Friday, March 25.

The WTAMU FFA CDE Invitational was well attended by over 3,000 students from Texas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, Missouri and Arkansas. There was also 400 teachers, extension agents and parents present at this event.

These students competed in 21 contests including livestock judging, soils judging and milk judging. This was the largest number of contests held at a single CDE event in the state of Texas.

About 300 WTAMU students, faculty and staff helped to organize and run this event.

Natural Sciences Participation at FFA CDEs

The Department of Chemistry and Physics and the Department of Life, Earth and Environmental Science were among several university departments with recruitment tables at Friday's CDE Invitational.

The faculty were present at the event to showcase the different programs of interest in the Department of Chemistry and Physics and the Department of Life, Earth and Environmental Sciences.

Joining them was Assistant Department Head and Assistant Professor of Environmental Science, Dr. Erik Crosman, as well as Clover Watson, Tucker Beekman and Rowdy Roberts.

Faculty and students from these programs were present to showcase the many opportunities available at WTAMU.

WTAMU Hosts Texas Master Nationalist Program

The Department of Life, Earth and Environmental Sciences hosted a monthly meeting for the Panhandle Chapter of the Texas Master Naturalist Program on March 22.

The Texas Master Naturalist Program is facilitated by Texas A&M University Agrilife Extension and Texas Parks & Wildlife. The purpose is to train volunteers on managing local natural resources through educational opportunities and networking.

The Panhandle Chapter of the Texas Master Naturalist Program covers an area of 26 counties.

During this chapter meeting, WTAMU Professor of Biology, Dr. Matlack, lectured about the scientific study of mammals, called mammalogy. Dr. Maag, Assistant Professor of Biology, taught about herpetology, the study of amphibians and reptiles.

Participants engaged in hands-on activities with preserved specimens.

WTAMU's Involvement at Rodeo Austin

The Department of Agricultural Science has been working with Rodeo Austin Youth Barrow Show for 15 years. Drs. Lance Kieth and Kevin Williams serve as the Superintendents of the show and Dr. Nate Wolf serves as the swine show Arena Director. 

Each year the department takes approximately 25 students to assist with all aspects of this Texas major livestock show, thanks to support from the WTAMU Ag Development Association.

This experience teaches WT undergraduates how to manage a major livestock show, properly handle swine, and work with youth and their parents in a professional manner, all while representing and recruiting future students to WTAMU.

Rodeo Austin has been gracious to the Department of Ag; each year the department awards $32,000 in Rodeo Austin Scholarships to future WT AG students.

WT AG is grateful for this partnership with Rodeo Austin, and look forard to continuing this relationship for many years to come.

Austin Stock Show & Rodeo

Swine Skillathon

WTAMU also hosted the Junior Swine Skillathon contest at the Austin Stock Show and Rodeo.

50 participants from across the state competed in this year's contest.

11 WTAMU students traveled to Austin to assist Professor of Animal Science, Dr. Trent Schwartz, who served as the contest Superintendent.

Participants competed in a swine proficiency exam and four skills stations. The top five individuals from each division (Junior, Intermediate, Senior) came back for interview questions related to the swine industry.

"The contest went very well," Dr. Schwartz said. "We had a large contingency of graduate and undergraduate students from West Texas A&M University help with the contest."

Students Attend Rainwater Harvesting Conference

Students from the ENVR 4404/5404: Environmental Sampling class and the Environmental Science Society at WTAMU attended the Ogallala Commons Rainwater Harvesting Conference on March 27, in Amarillo.

Ogallala Commons is a nonprofit organization whose goal is to bring together communities on the High Plains to cultivate communal resource management practices of the Ogallala Aquifer.

The Rainwater Harvesting Conference was made up of eight keynote speakers presenting on topics such as rainwater storage, rainwater harvesting techniques used internationally and rainwater harvesting techniques used locally.

"The conference focused on collecting, storing, and utilizing rainwater from rooftops, parking lots, and other hard surfaces,” said Ogallala Commons representatives. “While our landscapes, soils, and playas are the largest harvesters of rainwater, many structures could provide residents and businesses a means to collect high-quality water to offset and reduce reliance on groundwater.”

Faculty Focus | Dr. Kelly Jones

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