Upcoming WT Conference to Highlight Research in Rural Education

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

CANYON, Texas — West Texas A&M University doctoral students will take part in an upcoming intensive conference designed to increase research into education in rural communities.

The WT Doctor of Education Summer Immersion Experience will be held July 18 and 19 on the University’s Canyon campus, featuring speakers from around the country who will discuss how rural schools respond to social and economic change, ways to conduct relevant education research and how to impact education through innovative partnerships, among other topics.

“These nationally recognized speakers will highlight the importance of scholarly research and leadership in rural settings,” said Dr. Gary Bigham, Regents Professor of Education and dean of WT’s Terry B. Rogers College of Education and Social Sciences. “Our cohort of doctoral students will have the opportunity to learn and engage in meaningful interactions with national leaders, peers and WT faculty members.”

The immersion experience ties into WT’s role as a Regional Research University and its participation in the National Rural Education Association’s rural research agenda, which aims to shed light on innovative rural practices, address unique rural challenges and continue to build on the strengths of rural people and places.

“Our Ed.D. program promotes all-important student research on rural educational leadership which serves as a unique lens in understanding the varied educational needs of rural communities and the schools they serve,” said Dr. Janet Hindman, WT’s Dyke Rogers Professor of Educational Leadership and the Ed.D. program director for higher education. “Although challenges in students’ academic performance emerge often due to high rates of child poverty, limited access to resources, and difficulties in attracting and retaining highly qualified teachers and leaders for sparse and remotely located populations, our students’ research provides an even deeper understanding and offers potential solutions to these challenges for rural areas.”

WT recently was named a Research College and University by the American Council on Education and the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, recognizing the amount of funding the University provides on research activities.

WT’s fully online Ed.D. degree program was launched in 2018, preparing educational leaders for rural schools and those in higher education and educational organizations. Students may study public education leadership, higher education leadership, or education business and finance leadership. Students also may earn a Texas superintendent certificate as part of the program.

“The program is designed to support working professionals in accomplishing their advanced leadership goals,” said Dr. Eddie Henderson, WT’s Myrna Raffkind Professor of Global Education and the Ed.D. program director for early childhood through 12th grade and for business and finance. “As a Regional Research University, WT prepares aspiring leaders through the acquisition of content knowledge, empirical research skills, academically advanced written and oral communication, and relevant professional development experiences to excel in rural and small urban leadership roles.”

Since the degree program was launched, 80 students have earned their doctoral degree; 95 students currently are enrolled.

The application deadline for the program’s eighth cohort is Sept. 15. To apply or for more information, click here.

Full-time employees at school districts within Region 16 who wish to seek their Ed.D. degree are eligible for a 50-percent discount on tuition and mandatory fees thanks to the newly launched WT Educators Excellence Initiative. Several prospective students already have applied for the program through the new initiative since its launch just over a month ago.

In addition to faculty members from WT’s Department of Education, speakers are scheduled to include Dr. Catherine Biddle, director of the School of Educational Leadership at the University of Maine; Dr. Mark Olofson, director of educator data, research and strategy for the Texas Education Agency; Brian Cordeau, deputy assistant commissioner for data strategy for the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board; Dr. Sarah Beal, executive director of University School Partnerships for the Renewal of Educator Preparation; and Dr. Kim Alexander, founder of Collegiate Edu-Nation.

WT opened in 1910 as West Texas State Normal College, a school that trained teachers. Today, about 75 percent of all teachers and administrators throughout the Panhandle region have at least one degree or certificate from WT.

The immersion experience and WT’s Ed.D. program in general both help the University address regional issues, the key mission of 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 more than $165 million.

About West Texas A&M University

WT, a Regional Research University, is redefining excellence in Canyon, Texas, on a 342-acre residential campus, as well as the Harrington Academic Hall WTAMU Amarillo Center in downtown Amarillo. 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 more than 9,000 and offers 66 undergraduate degree programs, including eight associate degrees; and 44 graduate degrees, including an integrated bachelor’s and master’s degree, a specialist degree 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 14 men’s and women’s athletics programs.

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