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Copy by Chip Chandler, 806-651-2124, cchandler@wtamu.edu
CANYON, Texas — A new student-run podcast will help those who love West Texas A&M University share their passion for the school with listeners around the globe.
The “I Am WT” podcast will launch its eight-episode first season Jan. 19. New episodes will drop biweekly on Thursdays through April 27.
Episodes will be available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and SoundCloud, as well as at wtamu.edu/IAmWTPodcast .
Student hosts Tearanee’ Lockhart, a senior advertising/PR major from Amarillo, and Brae Foust, an Amarillo native pursuing his second bachelor’s degree in broadcast journalism, will interview WT faculty, staff, students and alumni about what WT means to them.
Audiences will hear stories about how attending or working at WT changed the lives of the guests, and how they’re paying it forward by making a difference in their community.
The idea for the podcast first was broached during a meeting of the leadership committee of WT’s historic, $125 million One West comprehensive fundraising campaign, campaign co-chair Sherry Schaeffer says in the first episode.
Photo: David and Sherry Schaeffer, center and right, are interviewed by host Brae Foust for the first episode of the new "I Am WT" podcast.
“What if we celebrate people from WT that have walked through these halls, graduated from here, that are out in the world living their life and making a difference?” Schaeffer says in the episode. “How about we celebrate those people? Let’s let the rest of the world know .. that they all have this educational DNA that they share, and that’s WT. Let’s find those people and hear those stories.”
Lockhart and Foust thanks to their leadership and involvement, said producer and instructor Dane Glenn. Foust is general manager for KWTS 91.1 The One, the student-run radio station, and has classroom experience in hosting podcasts. Lockhart has extensive experience in speech and debate, and served on the presentation team for Buffalo Advertising.
“Everybody has a story, and everybody wants to share it with the world,” Foust said. “This podcast gives these amazing people the chance to share their stories about WT, and it's a blast getting to listen to them.”
Lockhart said it’s “amazing getting to learn about the people who have made WT what it is today.”
“As a host, I’ve learned so much about what goes into the process of putting together a podcast as well as the importance of researching your guest,” Lockhart said.
Real-world, hands-on experiences are vital for WT media communication education, Glenn said.
“With the ‘I Am WT’ podcast, the student hosts learn how to organize, operate and facilitate in practical situations, work with actual clients, and engage with an audience beyond the campus,” Glenn said. “These experiences offer invaluable lessons the classroom cannot.”
Schaeffer and husband David Schaeffer also discuss the origins of the One West campaign and the Schaeffer family’s long history of giving to the University—and why others should join them.
“Every gift is important, whether it’s $10 or a million-dollar gift,” David Schaeffer said. “Those are important steps that help educate our future leaders.”
Future guests will discuss service learning, rural nursing and other topics.
“Like our internal ‘I Am WT’ giving campaign, the ‘I Am WT’ podcast connects the University family through stories of service, education and community,” said Lesly Annen, assistant vice president for leadership gifts and development.
The “I Am WT” podcast embodies WT’s commitment to people first, one of the key principles of the University’s long-range plan, WT 125: From the Panhandle to the World .
That plan is fueled by the One West comprehensive fundraising campaign. To date, the five-year campaign — which publicly launched in September 2021 — has raised more than $115 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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