$5 Million Gift to WT’s College of Engineering Will Enhance Regional Research

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

WT’s One West campaign surpasses $175 million goal, will continue through 2025

CANYON, Texas — A $5 million gift to West Texas A&M University’s College of Engineering will establish a research arm that will advance vital innovations in the region.

The gift, from a foundation that wishes to remain anonymous, is the largest single gift to date for WT’s engineering college. It also pushes WT’s historic One West comprehensive fundraising campaign over its $175 million goal.

The foundation’s gift will help establish an institute for engineering research, which will further cement WT’s status as a Regional Research University, the key mission of the University’s long-range plan, WT 125: From the Panhandle to the World.

The gift announcement was held Sept. 9 at the north entrance to the Engineering and Computer Sciences Building.

Under the terms of the gift, the College will continue to secure a minimum of $500,000 for each of the next 10 years in external research funding that will focus on opportunities and issues in the Panhandle region. The foundation then will contribute $500,000 annually for use by the College to establish endowments to support its people, programs and places—the priorities of the One West campaign.

“Research is an essential part of what we do at WT,” President Walter V. Wendler said in prepared remarks. “This donor, like WT, is committed to doing whatever is best for the Panhandle region. We serve regionally by paying attention to the opportunities and challenges inherent in rural communities across the region, state, nation and planet.”

Research such as that to be conducted through the institute, Wendler said, assists in industry growth, job creation and investments in the Panhandle; develops, attracts and retains talent; transfers knowledge across industries; engages communities; and helps shape policy.

“This gift is more than an investment in buildings or labs. It’s an investment in people,” said Dr. Emily Hunt, dean of the College of Engineering and board member for the American Society for Engineering Education’s Engineering Research Council. “Our students are resilient, determined, and already making an impact in industries from renewable energy to advanced aerospace. With this challenge grant and the proposed institute for engineering research, WT is positioned to lead on the issues that matter most to our region—sustainable resources, resilient infrastructure, and innovation that creates opportunity. We’re ready for the challenge, and with our partners’ support, we will deliver.”

See recent WT College of Engineering Research Headlines

Dr. Angela Spaulding, vice president for research and dean of the Graduate School, said the “transformative” investment in the WT College of Engineering will enhance WT’s ability to pursue research that addresses the most pressing challenges facing the Texas Panhandle and similar research worldwide.

In April, WT announced that it had received a coveted Research College and University classification from the American Council on Education and the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, recognizing the resources WT earmarks annually on research activities.

“Investments such as this in research fuels discovery, drives economic growth and equips our students with the knowledge and experience they need to lead in a rapidly evolving world,” Spaulding said. “This gift advances our goal of reaching Carnegie R2 status by 2026, reinforcing our role as a Regional Research University committed to research excellence, innovation and impact.”

Such institutes connect academia with the public, support education and training, encourage and engage in interdisciplinary collaborations, advance specialized research, and enhance the reputation of the University, Wendler said.

Since 2020, engineering research funding at WT has increased by 129 percent, and the value of new research awards has risen by 239 percent, Spaulding said.

“Even more striking, faculty research funding requests have surged 1,477 percent — a clear reflection of the creativity, ambition, and dedication of our engineering administration, faculty and students,” Spaulding said.

The $5 million gift officially means WT’s One West campaign has surpassed its current goal, but the campaign will continue through the end of the year.

See timeline of WT's One West Campaign and major gifts

“The anonymous gift propels the One West campaign to more than $177 million,” said Dr. Todd Rasberry, vice president for philanthropy and external relations. “It is incredible how generous donors have supported the vision and mission of WT as the Panhandle’s university. Our goal is to see how close we can get to $200 million before the campaign ends in December.”

The One West campaign hit its initial $125 million goal in May 2023, 18 months after publicly launching in September 2021.

The $5 million gift is the second major announcement this year about the impact WT’s College of Engineering is making on the Panhandle. In March, Pantex announced the launch of the Palo Duro Research Facility on WT’s campus, which houses approximately 15 members of Pantex’s research- and-development group, with more than 7,500 square-feet dedicated to research and lab areas plus office space.

One key component of the research facility is its availability for students, largely in the College of Engineering, to have access to internship learning.

The WT College of Engineering offers programs in mechanical, civil, electrical, and environmental engineering as well as engineering technology, mathematics and computer science. It was elevated from a school to a college in 2020, making it WT’s sixth college. It currently employs 43 faculty members and, between 2021 and 2024, has seen a 21 percent increase in enrollment.

About West Texas A&M University

A Regional Research University, West Texas A&M 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. A Hispanic Serving Institution since 2016, WT 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. WT recently earned a Carnegie Foundation classification as a Research College and University. The University also is 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.

Photo: Dr. Emily Hunt, dean of theWest Texas A&M University College of Engineering, takes part in the announcment of a $5 million gift to the College as part of the University's One West comprehensive fundraising campaign. Looking on are, from left, Dr. Angela Spaulding, vice president for research and dean of the Graduate School, and WT President Walter V. Wendler.

—WT—