WT Communication Department Inducts 2 to Hall of Fame

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

CANYON, Texas — Two former journalists were inducted into West Texas A&M University’s Department of Communication Hall of Fame at a pre-commencement ceremony.

Christy Bertolino, a former NewsChannel reporter who now works as director of donor relations for Family Support Services of Amarillo, and Carroll Wilson, a longtime editor at the Wichita Falls Times Record News and the Temple Daily Telegram, both were honored at the May 11 celebration at the Amarillo Botanical Gardens.

Also honored were Stephanie Price, director of marketing and communications for the Cultural Foundation of the Texas Panhandle and Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum, who was named the department’s Rising Star for 2023; and Lauren Gaston, former community outreach and event coordinator for the Sybil B. Harington College of Fine Arts and Humanities, who was named Eternal Flame winner for her significant impact on the department. La Bella Pizza in Canyon was recognized as a community partner for its consistent support of KWTS 91.1 The One and National Electronic Media Association chapter meetings.

Bertolino, a 1999 WT graduate, also has worked as district director for Texas Sen. Kel Seliger and as coordinator of district communications for Canyon Independent School District.

“I have known Christy for many years and have learned that she is a consummate highly respected communication professional and believes in using her skillset to help improve the lives of area residents,” said Jim Womack, Family Support Services CEO, who nominated Bertolino.

Wilson, a 1969 graduate who earned master’s degrees in political science and English in 1975 and 1980, respectively, also worked for eight years as associate publisher and editor of the Canyon News and was a journalism instructor at WT in the 1980s.

“I have worked with many talented journalists—including some who have won Pulitzer Prizes and some who have gone on to work at the New York Times, Washington Post and Los Angeles Times, or teach at major journalism schools around the country—but I have never met another journalist I would rather work with than Carroll,” said classmate and nominator John DeBaun. “He is bright and creative, has a sharp wit and excellent judgment, and is one of the most energetic people I have met—and he was just fun to work with.”

The Hall of Fame, which was established in 2013, includes 30 other WT alumni and several other award winners. Nominations for the 2024 inductees will close Feb. 16.

The Hall of Fame winners typify the self-reliant, courageous and resourceful students WT produces, a key value 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 campaign — which publicly launched in September 2021— has raised more than $125 million and will continue through 2025.

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.

Photo: West Texas A&M University alumni Carroll Wilson, left, and Christy Bertolino, center, are the 2023 inductees in the WT Department of Communication Hall of Fame. Lauren Gaston, right, was named Eternal Flame winner at the May 11 celebration.

—WT—