WT Business Students Honored at Year-End Symposium

Chip Chandler Apr 28, 2023

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WT Business Students Honored at Year-End Symposium

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

CANYON, Texas — More than 100 West Texas A&M University business students this week were inducted into honor societies and commended as outstanding students.

Students in the Paul and Virginia Engler College of Business were honored April 28, ahead of the May 13 spring commencement ceremonies at the University. Community leaders also were celebrated for their support of the College.

“Recognizing our outstanding graduates is our way of celebrating success and excellence,” said Dr. Amjad Abdullat, dean. “These students exemplify exceptional leadership, academic excellence and dedication to their fields of study. They have set the bar high for themselves and others and have shown us what is possible when we strive for greatness. We are proud to honor their achievements and look forward to seeing the impact they will undoubtedly make in business and beyond.”

The Ware Family of Amarillo—owners of Amarillo National Bank, which in February established the ANB School of Accounting, Economics and Finance with a $3 million gift—which was given the Ambassador Award in recognition of their notable societal impact, extensive public service and lifetime achievements that exemplify character, leadership and high integrity.

Rebecca Warner, a senior finance major from Lakeview, Oregon, was named outstanding undergraduate student.

“Rebecca has been a leader in the College, culminating in her role as president of Accounting & Finance Association for 2022-23,” said Dr. Jonathan Shaffer, Pickens Professor of Management and associate dean of undergraduate business programs. “She always has a positive attitude, she is outgoing, always professional, and has been one of the hardest working students in the college.”

Letricia “Puff” Neigos, an MBA student from Amarillo, was named outstanding graduate student.

“There were few students who had as much impact on their program as Ms. Niegos, given the professionalism and experience that she brings to the classroom,” said Dr. Robert A. King, Wilder Professor of Business and associate dean of graduate business programs. “Consistently, faculty mentioned that she was at the top of the class and was continually able to be the rising tide that raised all ships.”

Seven undergraduates also were recognized as outstanding students across the several disciplines in the Engler College of Business:

Accounting: Karla Arenas Flores, a senior from Bugambilias, Mexico;
Computer Information Systems: Bailee Gerlich, a senior from Canyon;
Economics: Patrick McFall, a senior from Frisco;
Finance: Hannah Goss, a senior from Russellville, Kentucky;
General Business: Nitzana Solberg, a senior from Grandview;
Management: Tiffany Albarez, a senior from Brownsville; and
Marketing: Rashidat Oladipupo, a senior from Dallas.

Four graduate students also were honored as outstanding students:

Computer Information Systems and Business Analytics: Richard Sullivan from Woodson;
Finance and Economics: Bryan Modisette from Amarillo;
MBA: Charissa Harden from Amarillo;
Professional Accounting: Samuel Plumley from Fritch.

Pantex was named Employer of the Year for advancing internship and employment opportunities for Engler College students.

Amy Henderson, who earned a bachelor’s in finance and an MBA from WT and now works for Amarillo National Bank, was given the Horizon Alumnus Award for reaching significant career advancement in an early stage of a career.

Pat Richmond was given the Legacy Award for providing support to the Engler College students.

Dr. Ron Hiner and Dr. Dale Pulliam, both former professors of accounting, were named to the Faculty Hall of Fame for their years of service to the College.

John DeFore, a senior computer information systems major from Wichita Falls, was awarded the Carey Liles Emerging Technology Award. Emma Weinheimer, a graduate accounting student from Lark, was given the CPA Accounting Education Foundation Award.

Student leadership awards were presented to outstanding members of various organizations: Warner, for Accounting & Finance Association; Gabriella Young, a senior marketing major from Amarillo, for American Marketing Association Club; Flores for Association of Latino Professionals for America; McFall for the Chartered Financial Analysts Research Challenge team; Brody Sanders, a senior from Stinnett, for Economics Club; Christopher Brooks, a senior economics major from Amarillo, for Enactus; Emily Lake, a senior marketing major from Amarillo, for Media Minds; Katelyn Pierce, a junior management major from Elk City, Oklahoma, for Society for Human Resource Management; and Alex Waters, a senior finance major from Elk City, Oklahoma, for Student Managed Investment Fund

Members of the Engler Business Ambassadors team recognized were Cristian Bustillos, a senior finance major from Muleshoe; Landry Overby, a junior management major from Anson; and Gaston Yobol, a senior general business major from New Carrollton, Maryland. Ambassadors are responsible for leading and engaging students to create community within the College.

Thirty-eight students were inducted into Beta Gamma Sigma, an international business honor society. Students must be in the top 5 to 10 percent of all College of Business students and receive a faculty recommendation. Inductees include:

Karla Arenas Flores, a senior accounting major from Bugambilias, Mexico; Carolyn Benson, a senior marketing major from Arlington; Christopher Brooks, a senior economics major from Amarillo; Benjamin Collier, a senior computer information systems major from Hereford; Kyle DeKryger, an MBA student from Cadillac, Michigan; Ruben Flores, a senior general business major from McAllen; Colby Flow, a senior finance major from Amarillo; Lacy Gainey, a junior general business major from Amarillo; John Galindo, an MBA student from Dallas; Jennifer Genson, a senior accounting major from Amarillo; Bailee Gerlich, a senior computer information systems major from Canyon; Pushpender Gupta, an MBA–healthcare management student from Prosser, Washington; Charissa Harden, an MBA–general business student from Amarillo; Nakia Hargrave, a senior computer information systems major from Paducah; Joshua Howell, a senior finance major from Amarillo; John Jennings, a senior general business major from Allen; Paul Kenter, a graduate student in finance and economics from Effingham, Illinois; Brailey Lehning, a senior accounting major from Amarillo; Lawrence Martinelli, an MBA–healthcare management student from Napa, California; Shelby Mayweather, a graduate student in finance and economics from Colonia, New Jersey; Xavier Munoz, a graduate student in finance and economics from Guayaquil, Ecuador; Bethram Ofolete, an MBA student from Camarillo, California; Rashidat Oladipupo, a senior marketing major from Dallas; Evan Rengel, a graduate student in finance and economics from Harker Heights; Aubrey Robinson, a senior marketing major from Amarillo; Oleg Roytman, an MBA student from New York City; Andrew Sauer, an MBA–healthcare management student from Amarillo; Randen Shaw, an MBA student from Fort Worth; Katherine Stengel, a graduate student in finance and economics from Melbourne, Florida; Erik Stromfelt, a senior management major from Stockholm, Sweden; Richard Sullivan, a graduate student in computer information systems and business analytics from Woodson; Joshua Terkelsen, an MBA student from Corinth; Alyssa Vallejo, a senior finance major from Hereford; Rebecca Warner,a. senior finance and accounting major from Lakeview, Oregon; Emarie Waters, a junior general business major from Amarillo; Nicholas Wichman, a graduate student in finance and economics from Seattle; Dalin Williams, an MBA student from Stinnett; and Blake Wilson, a senior management major from Lamar, Colorado.

Two students were inducted into Alpha Mu Alpha, the marketing honor society of the American Marketing Association. Inductees include Brenda Bressler, an MBA student from Grand Rapids, Minnesota; and Rashidat Oladipupo, a senior marketing major from Dallas.

Eleven students were inducted into Omicron Delta Epsilon, one of the world’s biggest international academic honor societies, which recognizes scholastic attainment and honors outstanding achievements in economics. Inductees include:

John Adams, a graduate student in finance and economics from Lake Wales, Florida; Michael Appel, a graduate student in finance and economics from Amarillo; Christopher Brooks, a senior economics major from Amarillo; Randell Johnson, a graduate student in finance and economics from Hemet, California; Joshua Longmire, a graduate student in finance and economics from Plano; Jacob Maiwald, a senior economics major from Amarillo; Carter Miedema, a graduate student in finance and economics from Dayton, Ohio; Xavier Munoz, a graduate student in finance and economics from Guayaquil, Ecuador; Jason Stephens, a graduate student in finance and economics from Flagstaff, Arizona; Justin Williams, a senior economics major from Lockhart; and Lina El Youssef, a graduate student in finance and economics from Abu Dhabi.

Twenty-four students were inducted into Upsilon Pi Epsilon, the only international honor society in computing and information disciplines. WT’s chapter has won an excellent chapter award for three consecutive years. Inductees include:

Carlos Baca, a junior computer information systems major from Spearman; Yotam Balbul, a senior computer information systems major from Haifa, Israel; Benjamin Collier, a senior computer information systems major from Hereford; John DeFore, a senior computer information systems major from Wichita Falls; Bailee Gerlich, a senior computer information systems major from Canyon; Nakia Hargrave, a senior computer information systems major from Paducah; Kevin Jordan, a senior computer information systems major from Amarillo; Jacob Benson, an MBA–computer information systems student from Spokane, Washington; Lana Bracken, a graduate student in computer information systems and business analytics from Friona; Danielle Burkett, an MBA–computer information systems student from Calabasas, California; Nana Ama Essel, an MBA–computer information systems student from Amarillo; Mathew Garkusha, an MBA–computer information systems student from Simpson, South Carolina; Todd Jaco, an MBA–computer information systems student from Dealoge, Missouri; Marc Julot, a graduate student in computer information systems and business analytics from Universal City; Iwona Koszalka-Lufurge, a graduate student in computer information systems and business analytics from Billings, Montana; Samantha Leahy, a graduate student in computer information systems and business analytics from Dimmitt; Megan Moore, a graduate student in computer information systems and business analytics from Boerne; Nathan Nauman, a graduate student in computer information systems and business analytics from Sunpraire, Wisconsin; Ifunanya Obinwanne, a graduate student in computer information systems and business analytics from Imo State, Nigeria; Akila Ramanathan, an MBA–computer information systems student from Cedar Park; Allan Simbajon, an MBA–computer information systems student from San Diego; Michelle Simbajon, an MBA–computer information systems student from San Diego; Richard Sullivan, a graduate student in computer information systems and business analytics from Woodson; and Xing Wang, a graduate student in computer information systems and business analytics from Taian Shandong, China.

Recruiting, retaining and rewarding excellent students is a key component 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.

Photo: Patrick Ware, from left, William Ware and Tol Ware accept the Ambassador Award from the Paul and Virginia Engler College of Business at an April 28 symposium.

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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