May 3, 2021
COVID-19 UPDATE
For the most up to date information from West Texas A&M University and the Texas A&M University System about COVID-19, visit the University's COVID-19 Information Page.
Commencement Countdown!
May is National Beef Month and each week this month we are going to be highlighting the unique beef and cattle practices that happen here at WT in the Department of Agricultural Sciences.
Tune in each week to learn something new!
ANSC 4320: Beef Cattle Management
ANSC 4320, Beef Cattle Management, is taught by Dr. David Lust, Associate Professor of Animal Science. Dr. Lust explains that each semester the class plans to travel to local and regional ranches to tour a variety of operations and learn how beef producers manage their operation. This is helpful to our students because at the end of the class they must complete a semester long beef cattle management plan for this course, and during the visits they get a lot of questions answered by the producers.
 
This semester, the class traveled to: Grotegut Farms in Dawn, Blue Ranch near Dumas, Rooney Angus and Pinnacle Cattle Company in Desdemona, Hoofstock Genetics in Ranger, R.A. Brown Ranch in Throckmorton, and Hemphill County Beef Conference in Canadian.
WT Rodeo Advances in Stephenville!
Coaches Raymond Hollabaugh and Jordan Fabrizio want to congratulate Hayden Cape for making it to the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association (NIRA) finals in June 2021! Congratulations, Hayden!
WT Attebury Honors Program
Graduates Celebrated at Reception
Members of the Attebury Honors Program were celebrated on April 21st, at a reception in Legacy Hall at Jack B. Kelley Student Center. The program was established in 2001 to provide an enriched learning community for some of WT’s best and brightest students.

“Each semester we celebrate the graduates of the Attebury Honors Program due to their accomplishments both inside and outside the classroom, but no more than this year, when these students have struggled to attain their goals under extremely challenging circumstances,” said Dr. Pamela Lockwood, Attebury Honors Program director, Associate Dean and Professor in the College of Engineering.

Students in The Paul Engler College of Agriculture and Natural Sciences included: Shawn Martinez-Soto, SR. Chemistry, Shelby Morton, SR. Biology and Biochemistry, Kylie Scott, SR. Plant, Soil and Environmental Science,
Penny Welter, SR. Ag Business and Economics, and Jessica Williams, SR. Wildlife Biology and Broadcast Journalism. Congratulations!
WTAMU Ranch Horse Team named
Reserve National Champions!
Pictured above(L-R): Coach Dr. Baker, Wyatt Dushay, Lauren Waymire, Lacy Petty,
Karli Webb, Michaela Corn, Jadin Vogler, Ilda Corrales, Bryson Bassinger.
On April 24th the WTAMU Ranch Horse team competed at the National Ranch and Horse Alliance Inaugural National Collegiate Championship Show Collegiate Division I, competed against 11 collegiate teams, and were named Reserve National Champions! Congratulations!
Team Members Include:
Non Pro
Wyatt Dushay, SR. B.A.A.S, Jadin Vogler, JR. Equine Industry & Business, and
Ilda Corrales, FR. Animal Science.
Limited Non Pro
Lauren Waymire, SR. Equine Industry & Business, Michaela Corn, SR. Marketing, and
Lacy Grace Petty, SR. Agricultural Media & Communication.
Novice
Bryson Bassinger, JR. Animal Science, and Karli Webb, SOPH. Animal Science
Coached by Dr. Lance Baker, Professor of Animal Science
WT awarded:
"2020 Campbell Science Imagine Environmental Instrumentation Grant"
The Department of Life, Earth and Environmental Sciences in the Paul Engler College of Agriculture and Natural Sciences at West Texas A&M University was one of four Universities nationwide selected last year to receive a Campbell Scientific IMAGINE instrumentation grant (https://www.campbellsci.com/imagine-grant-recipients). The grant provided around $22,000 in instrumentation for the education of students in hands-on, interactive classes that focus on teaching about how environmental measurements are made. The new sensors obtained are enhancing the laboratory experience for students in WT’s Environmental Sampling and Interpretation course (ENVR 4404L), giving the students real-world experience programming and collecting data for environmental instruments used in many disciplines.
Pictured above: Environmental Science ENVR 4404L Students learning to program scientific dataloggers and environmental sensors in February 2021.
The 2021 Ag Gathering Recap
The Ag Gathering was held April 28th, and Carnival fun was had by all!
1st Annual Dead-Day Fun Run
Thirty individuals participated in Paul Engler College of Agriculture and Natural Sciences first annual Dead Day Fun Run!
Thanks to the Dean's Team for putting this on!
 As many students graduate, I am drawn to thoughts from Dr. Seuss:
“You have brains in your head.
You have feet in your shoes.
You can steer yourself in any direction you choose.
You're on your own, and you know what you know.
And you are the one who'll decide where to go.”
~ Dr. Seuss