WT Student Government Leaders Preparing for Fall ’22 Semester

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

CANYON, Texas — A trio of West Texas A&M University student leaders are working behind the scenes through the summer to make it easier for their peers to excel during the academic year.

The three were installed as the new leadership team for Student Government Association at the close of the spring 2022 semester following a campus-wide election.

Annie Valicek, a junior agribusiness and economics major from Houston, was selected as president. Jake Cannon, a senior animal science major from Centerville, was chosen vice president, and Tucker Gattis, a senior agriculture major from Pottsboro, was appointed chief justice.

SGA works closely with faculty and staff to ensure an academically challenging University while providing opportunities for fun and community. In addition to the officers, SGA includes student senators elected to represent each of WT’s Colleges, Graduate School and the freshman class.

Over the summer, the team is recruiting potential new SGA members at New Student Orientations, brainstorming Homecoming activities, organizing appointments to University-wide committees and engaging in internal planning, Valicek said.

As president, Valicek represents the student body and is the principal liaison between WT students and faculty, staff and administration. The president also acts as the chief executive officer of SGA and is the official student spokesperson for the University at the local, System, state and national levels.

"Like most WT students, my time in Canyon has provided me with more perspective, relationships and pure knowledge than I could have ever imagined,” Valicek said. “When making the decision to run for student body president, I felt a sense of responsibility to serve in a way that not only allows me to give back but also to challenge the students at our University to strive for excellence in their own lives every day.”

Cannon, who serves as the leader for SGA’s legislative branch and approximately 35 elected student senators, said he wants to help students continue to regain their footing following the Covid-19 pandemic.

“As student body vice president, I envision our new normal as a more community-driven institution that provides engaging opportunities to students inside and outside of the classroom,” Cannon said. “I hope to bring this vision to life by encouraging organizational involvement, creating student engagement events and highlighting resources available to our students.”

Gattis presides over the SGA’s judicial branch and is a member of the Student Judicial Board, overseeing general elections and referendums.

"My plans this year are to continue educating the student body about parking violations and work towards equal and proper representation in student government and the University," Gattis said.

Amanda Lawson, assistant director of new student and transfer orientation and staff liaison to SGA, said she is looking forward to working with the team.

“I am excited about the new SGA exec team and look forward to working with them over the next year,” Lawson said. “They have some great ideas that will benefit our students, and I hope to support them in making those a reality.”

SGA is one way in which WT creates in its students a commitment to being self-reliant, courageous, resourceful and part of something larger than one’s self, a primary goal of the University’s long-range plan, WT 125: From the Panhandle to the World.

That plan is fueled by the historic, $125 million One West comprehensive fundraising campaign. To date, the five-year campaign — which publicly launched Sept. 23 — has raised about $110 million.

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.

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