WT Alumni Invited to Take Part in Special Weekend at Ruidoso Downs

Copy by Chip Chandler, 806-651-2124, cchandler@wtamu.edu

CANYON, Texas — West Texas A&M University Alumni Association is off to the races.

The association will host a special weekend June 24 and 25 at Ruidoso Downs in Ruidoso, New Mexico, that’s designed to raise funds for the University, said Ronnie Hall, Alumni Association executive director.

“We’re so happy to return to the beautiful mountains of New Mexico for this exciting weekend,” Hall said. “WT Weekend in Ruidoso Downs is more than just a good time, though. Our alumni and their friends can use the weekend as an opportunity to make targeted donations to the Colleges and units of their choice.”

Tickets are $100 each, and space is limited. The cost includes entry to the track’s Jockey Club, a catered lunch and valet parking, plus a commemorative program.

Tickets should be purchased by June 17.

Nearly 1,000 WT alumni live in eastern New Mexico.

The weekend will offer participants several opportunities to donate to WT’s historic, $125 million One West comprehensive fundraising campaign. To date, the five-year campaign — which publicly launched Sept. 23 — has raised about $110 million.

The One West campaign fuels WT 125: From the Panhandle to the World, the University’s long-range plan.

All attendees at the races, even those not attending with the WT contingent, will learn more about the University between each of the day’s 10 scheduled races. QR codes posted throughout the Jockey Club will direct attendees to buffalum.com/ruidoso, where they will have the opportunity to donate to the WT Alumni Association; Student Enrollment, Engagement and Success; WT Athletics; Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum; the WT Graduate School; or any of WT’s six Colleges: the Paul Engler College of Agriculture and Natural Sciences, the Paul and Virginia Engler College of Business, the Terry B. Rogers College of Education and Social Sciences; the College of Engineering; the Sybil B. Harrington College of Fine Arts and Humanities; and the College of Nursing and Health Sciences.

In addition to the June 25 races, WT alumni will gather for a 6 p.m. June 24 meet and greet at Billy’s Sports Bar and Grill at the track.

The WT Alumni Association will make a donation to the Community Foundation of Lincoln County to help support those impacted by the McBride Fire that struck Ruidoso in April.

“We extend our deepest condolences to the families of those who perished. We are grateful for the fire crews who fought to contain the fires and for the emergency crews who helped care for and safely evacuate those in danger,” Hall said. “For all our alumni who live or own property in the region, you are always part of the Buff family and are in our hearts.”

For information on WT Weekend in Ruidoso Downs, visit buffalum.com/ruidoso.

Photo: West Texas A&M University alumni and supporters celebrated the late Dr. Dean Hawkins at the 2019 WT Weekend in Ruidoso Downs.

About West Texas A&M University

WT is located in Canyon, Texas, on a 342-acre residential campus. Established in 1910, the University has been part of The Texas A&M University System since 1990. WT, a Hispanic Serving Institution since 2016, boasts an enrollment of about 10,000 and offers 59 undergraduate degree programs and more than 40 graduate degrees, including two doctoral degrees. The University is also home to the Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum, the largest history museum in the state and the home of one of the Southwest’s finest art collections. The Buffaloes are a member of the NCAA Division II Lone Star Conference and offers 14 men’s and women’s athletics programs.

—WT—