WT Ag Day Breaks Fundraising Record

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

CANYON, Texas — Ag Day, West Texas A&M University’s celebration of Texas Panhandle agriculture, broke a record Sept. 6, raising $269,000 for the WT Department of Agricultural Sciences and the Ag Development Association.

The event, held Sept. 6 in the Bain Event Center in WT’s Agricultural Sciences Complex, attracted hundreds of supporters from around the region, who took part in extensive live and silent auctions throughout the day.

Funds raised at Ag Day support recruitment efforts for the ag department, including scholarships, travel and merchandise. 

In the past 25 years, ADA has raised more than $2.2 million for the department. Enrollment has risen from a few hundred students to more than 1,150, with 20 straight years of growth. The previous record of $268,000 was set in 2021.

“The support that the Department of Agricultural Sciences continues to receive from our Agriculture Development Association, alumni and friends is simply amazing,” said Dr. David Lust, department chair. “This year’s annual Ag Day and auction once again showcased the tremendous hard work and generosity of the community. These funds directly contribute to our recruiting success and allow our department to grow and relentlessly pursue excellence. Our department is humbled to receive this unprecedented long-term level of support and confidence in our programs. We are very blessed.”

On Sept. 5, the department awarded more than $1 million in scholarships to 372 ag students — also a record-breaking success.

“This is the highest amount of scholarship dollars we have ever awarded to students,” said Dr. Lance Kieth, associate dean of external relations and recruiting for the Paul Engler College of Agriculture and Natural Sciences. “This milestone could not have been achieved without the leadership and support of the Ag Development Association, the Board of Ag Advisers, and the Spicer Gripp, the Engler and the WTAMU foundations. With their help, we continue to rapidly grow our scholarship funds and matching dollars, enabling more students to benefit from scholarships.”

The reception also paid tribute to this year’s First Choice Award recipients and Graduate of Distinction.

First Choice Award recipients included Rebekah Bachman, who retired in 2025 as the assistant dean of the Engler College of Agriculture and Natural Sciences; and Chris Cabbiness, a Canyon businessman and WT supporter.

The First Choice Award recognizes successful professionals that are easily identified with WT and who have contributed to WT Ag through leadership, service, financial support or advocacy.

Graduates of Distinction honored were Harold Grall, a 1979 graduate, farmer and prominent Dumas resident; Marcel Fischbacher, a 1984 graduate and longtime Texas A&M AgriLife extension agent; and Ben Weinheimer, a 1994 graduate and president and CEO of Texas Cattle Feeders Association.

The Graduate of Distinction Award goes to WT Ag alumni who have displayed proven success and contributions in their profession, and who have contributed to WT Ag with leadership, financial support and as a spokesperson for WT Ag in their profession and community.

“Ag Day and ADA’s auction proceeds have been and will continue to be the catalyst for enrollment growth,” Kieth said. “These funds are used for student recruitment, and every penny raised at the annual auction is spent every year. This model has produced an outstanding return on our donors’ investments in our University.” 

ADA currently is the largest department-affiliated chapter for WT’s Alumni Association. 

WT’s efforts to recruit, retain and reward exceptional students is a centerpiece 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 $170 million.

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: Auctioneer Ty Cranmer solicits bids during the successful live auction at West Texas A&M University's Ag Day on Sept. 6. The fundraiser, the largest single-day fundraiser in the region, broke its own record this year, netting $269,000 in donations.

—WT—