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Agriculture Development Association

The Ag Development Association is being revived after a several year absence. The Association encourages information flow and events for WTAMU alumni and friends involved in agriculture. The Ag Development Association also serves as a resource and support unit for the students, faculty and administrators in the WTAMU Department of Agricultural Sciences. We are excited about all that is happening and want you to be excited, too.

Membership in the Ag Development Association is open to all alumni, ex-students, and supporters of the WTAMU Department of Agricultural Sciences. Membership dues provide a concurrent membership in the WTAMU Alumni Association, a subscription to The West Texan magazine, discounts to all WTAMU home athletic events, other valuable discounts and invitations to special activities throughout the year. The balance goes into a fund to support recruiting and scholarships in the Department of Agricultural Sciences.

Mission Statement:

The WTAMU Agriculture Development Association will provide support and resources for the Department of Agricultural Sciences, its students, faculty and administrators and will serve as liaison for the flow of information about the Department of Agriculture to WTAMU alumni and friends.

The Agriculture Development Association will accomplish its mission by these methods:

  1. Increasing membership in the Agriculture Development Association.
  2. Promoting the WTAMU Department of Agricultural Sciences as premier program.
  3. Implementing an ongoing program of events, publicity and communication.
  4. Coordinating with faculty and administrators to recruit new students from high schools and junior colleges.
  5. Assisting both University and Department of Agricultural Sciences administrators in developing beneficial relationships with key individuals and businesses in this region.
  6. Exploiting the slogan "WT Is Our First Choice".

Goals and Objectives:

  1. Increase membership in the Ag Development Association to 200 individual members and 20 corporate members by September 30, 2005.
  2. Work with the University, Ag faculty and recruiters to increase the number of ag majors from 400 currently to 650 by the Fall semester 2006.
  3. Provide a sustainable, on-going fund of not less than $7, 500 by September 30, 2006, to assist in recruitment of new faculty and students.
  4. Increase the balance of the Smallwood Leadership Award fund to $20,000 by September 30, 2004.
  5. Develop an annual program to encourage prospective graduates to join the Ag Development Association.
  6. Develop a program to communicate more regularly and frequently with WT alumni and friends.
  7. Host an interpretive event anually for the TAMU Board of Regents, top administrators, legislative delegation, commodity groups and other VIPs to update them to the Department of Agricultural Sciences accomplishments and future needs. (This would be in addition to the annual Ag Reunion and membership meeting at Homecoming)
  8. Fund an ongoing 1/4 time assistantship at $5,500 anually, for information services.
  9. Continue to explore the addition of an annual Ag Day.

For more information, please contact Dr. Dean Hawkins at 806-651-2563 or dhawkins@wtamu.edu.