Top WT Faculty, Staff Members Honored at Convocation

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

CANYON, Texas — A professor in the “upper echelon” of faculty members and an administrator with a golden touch were honored at a ceremony commemorating the start of the academic year at West Texas A&M University.

During an Aug. 18 faculty and staff convocation ceremony on the WT campus in Canyon, Dr. Leslie Ramos Salazar, the Abdullat Professor of Business Communication and Decision Management, was named Magister Optimus, the highest honor for a WT faculty member.

Pam Young, assistant vice president for human resources, was given the Clarence E. Thompson Staff Excellence Award, the University’s highest staff honor.

“Our success would not be possible without our remarkable faculty and staff,” WT President Walter V. Wendler said. “They are the heart of WT—showing up every day with dedication, passion and pride.”

Classes resume Aug. 25 on both the Canyon campus at Harrington Academic Hall WTAMU Amarillo Center. Following the official Move-In Day on Aug. 21, new and transfer students will take part in Buff Branding activities Aug. 21 to 23.

“Convocation is a time to mark a new beginning; renew our commitment to teaching, research and service; and strengthen our bonds as one academic community,” said Dr. Todd Rasberry, vice president for philanthropy and external relations.

Photo: Gregg Lawler, left, assistant director of academic success, and Assistant Chief Kyle Hawbaker of the University Police Department were given staff excellence awards Aug. 18 at West Texas A&M University's faculty and staff convocation.

Ramos Salazar and Young are prime examples of WT’s commitment to its students and mission, speakers said, as are the winners of two staff excellence awards: Assistant Chief Kyle Hawbaker of the University Police Department, and Gregg Lawler, assistant director of academic success.

Ramos Salazar joined the Paul and Virginia Engler College of Business in 2015 after earning degrees from California State University at Long Beach and Arizona State University.

The Magister Optimus winner is voted on by the Faculty Senate and must have taught at WT for at least six consecutive years. To be considered for the award, faculty must display expertise in their subject area; innovation, flexibility and use of evidence-based teaching methods; and an ability to instill a hunger to learn in their students, among other attributes.

One nominator said that Ramos Salazar is deeply invested in her students’ education.

“Her courses offer a wonderful mix of concepts and practical application. She has many activities that engage students of all learning styles,” wrote Dr. Anne Macy, WT’s Gene Edwards Professor of Finance and director of the Amarillo National Bank School of Accounting, Economics and Finance. “She is an incredible partner and one of the nicest people you will ever know.”

Ramos Salazar said the award, which recognizes her work for the previous academic year, “is such a deep honor.”

“To receive such recognition, to be able to do my passion, which is teaching, and to do the research that enhances my teaching: All of that has been such a huge blessing in my life,” Ramos Salazar said. “I hope award allows me to be a source of inspiration for others in the WT community.”

The Thompson Award is named for a former mayor of Canyon who worked at WT for decades, ultimately serving as vice president for business and finance.

Young joined WT in December 2022 and has worked for years in human resources and risk management.

“She has taken on some big projects and made them even bigger and better over the past couple of years,” wrote Warren Pitt, assistant vice president for budget, in a nomination letter.

One such project was the Student Employee of the Year award, which had double the number of nominees this year and more than six times the number of attendees at the reception.

Another project was the WellWT Health Fair, which had double the number of vendors and double the number of attending employees.

Young said she was “humbled and honored” by the award.

“It is just an honor to work for WT,” Young said. “It is a great University and a great place for staff to work. I hope to serve here for many more years to continue supporting the mission of the University.”

A commitment to excellence among faculty and staff is a key component 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 16 men’s and women’s athletics programs.

Top photo: During West Texas A&M University's Aug. 18 faculty and staff convocation ceremonies, Pam Young, left, assistant vice president for human resources, was given the Clarence E. Thompson Staff Excellence Award. Dr. Leslie Ramos Salazar, right, the Abdullat Professor of Business Communication and Decision Management, was named Magister Optimus.

—WT—