CHS Foundation, WT Department of Agricultural Sciences Team to Target Diverse Future Students

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

CANYON, Texas — A new grant will help West Texas A&M University attract diverse regional high school students who want to pursue rewarding agricultural industry jobs.

The CHS Foundation, funded by gifts from CHS Inc., the nation’s leading farmer-owned cooperative, will give $120,000 to WT’s Paul Engler College of Agriculture and Natural Sciences to create curriculum in seven high schools in Randall, Potter and Deaf Smith counties.

“This generous grant will allow us to target diverse students from non-rural, non-agricultural backgrounds and show them how many viable career opportunities are in their own backyards in the agricultural industry,” said Dr. Kevin Pond, dean of the Paul Engler College of Agriculture and Natural Sciences.

Through the program, high school students will have opportunities to meet some of the area’s ag industry leaders, get in-depth presentations on the opportunities the industry presents and more. They’ll be able to participate in person and virtually, at their high schools, on the WT campus and at industry partner locations.

“Agriculture is a vast and diverse industry that is always growing,” said Dr. Kevin Williams, assistant professor of agricultural education and supervisor of the CHS Foundation grant project. “As we move into the future, we need to continually grow our workforce by sharing career opportunities with youth from a variety of backgrounds, including both rural and urban areas.”

WT faculty and graduate students, with the help of undergraduate agriculture students, will create the curriculum and educational materials, which also will be used to promote agricultural technologies and career opportunities to students already enrolled in WT’s Department of Agricultural Sciences.

“We are striving to give local high school students an educational, hands-on experience that caters to their industry interests,” said Courtney Coffman, one of WTAMU's graduate assistants working on the project. “Agriculture is more than just raising animals and crops. It is tied to nearly every part of our everyday lives. It is important that students learn how crucial this industry is and how many ways they can be a significant part of it.”

“This program will also greatly benefit the undergraduate students that work on the project,” said Eric Koennecke, another of WT’s graduate assistants. “They will be showcasing the knowledge they have gained through their degree programs. They also will be further developing essential skills, such as leadership, teamwork and self-confidence, that they will utilize in their futures.”

The CHS Foundation is focused on developing a new generation of agriculture leaders for life-long success, said Nanci Lilja, CHS Foundation president.

“Inclusion is a core value for CHS,” Lilja said. “We recognize that diverse thinking, voices and backgrounds are needed to help make the agriculture industry even more successful. We are excited about the impact the WT program will have on students as they learn there is a place for them in agriculture.”

For information about the CHS Foundation and how it supports future ag leaders, visit chsfoundation.org.

A pursuit of academic excellence and responsiveness to this region’s needs are key components of the University’s long-term plan, WT 125: From the Panhandle to the World.

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. With enrollment of more than 10,000, WT offers 60 undergraduate degree programs, 40 master’s degrees and 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 15 men’s and women’s athletics programs.

—WTAMU—