Spring ’24 Attebury Honors Graduates Celebrated at WT

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

CANYON, Texas — Eleven of West Texas A&M University’s most accomplished spring graduates were recognized April 30 at a pre-commencement reception.

Students from the William H. and Joyce Attebury Honors Program celebrated their accomplishments and saluted their advisers during the reception in Legacy Hall in the Jack B. Kelley Student Center on WT’s Canyon campus.

“It is a pleasure to recognize these Attebury Scholars,” said Dr. Carolyn Baum, Attebury Honors director and assistant professor in the Department of Communication. “These students come into the program seeking enrichment opportunities that will help them grow personally and professionally, share interesting ideas, and make connections that last a lifetime.”

The program was established in 2001 to provide an enriched learning community for some of WT’s best and brightest students.

The students have taken specially designed courses under faculty from across the University, completed a capstone project unique to their skills and majors, and displayed leadership in their respective disciplines, Baum said.

Those honored included:

• Nathaniel Berkes, an English major from Cameron;
• Barrett Bright, a civil engineering major from Borger;
• Kassidee Clark, an agriculture major from Tucumcari, New Mexico;
• Jaden Davenport, an agribusiness major from Lubbock;
• Katherine Davis, a psychology major from Borger;
• Emily Field, a biology major from Whitesboro;
• Josiah Kinsky, a history major from Canyon;
• Emily Klein, a biochemistry major from Amarillo;
• Kayla Monds, a studio art major from Pampa;
• Riley Moore, an agribusiness major from Roswell, New Mexico; and
• Roy Thomason, a biochemistry major from Childress.

The graduating seniors will receive a special designation in the commencement program and a medallion at the May 11 commencement ceremonies in the First United Bank Center on the Canyon campus.

The program presented Dr. Matthew Harrison, associate professor of English, with the first Fanning the Flame Faculty Excellence Award, recognizing a faculty member who has “gone above and beyond to promote academic leadership, support student goals, and encourage student inquiry and critical thought.”

Attebury Honors students initially enroll in honors sections of core curriculum courses taught by honors faculty that encourage development of exceptional written and oral communication skills with expanded content.

After taking courses within their major, students enroll in upper-level interdisciplinary honors seminar courses, where they critically consider local and global issues both past and present. Students are mentored throughout their degree by honors faculty from across the institution and complete an honors capstone research project or experience that showcase their unique talents. 

Honors students also receive peer mentoring, priority registration and support for engagement in research conferences, internships and study abroad, and live in an honors-only residence hall.

The Attebury Honors program currently includes 170 students.

Currently, 75 students come from the Paul Engler College of Agriculture and Natural Sciences, eight from the Paul and Virginia Engler College of Business, 22 from the Terry B. Rogers College of Education and Social Sciences, 20 from the College of Engineering, 28 from the Sybil B. Harrington College of Fine Arts and Humanities, and 17 from the College of Nursing and Health Sciences.

It was endowed in 2007 by William H. and Joyce Attebury.

The honors program is part of the rigorous educational environment laid out in the University’s long-range plan, WT 125: From the Panhandle to the World.

That plan is fueled by the historic One West comprehensive fundraising campaign, which reached its initial $125 million goal 18 months after publicly launching in September 2021. The campaign’s new goal is to reach $175 million by 2025; currently, it has raised nearly $160 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.

Photo: May 2024 graduates of the Attebury Honors Program include, front from left, Katherine Davis, Kayla Monds, Riley Moore, Emily Field, Kassidee Clark, Emily Klein; and back from left, Josiah Kinsky, Nathaniel Berkes, Barrett Bright, Roy Thomason and Jaden Davenport.

—WT—