WT, Education Credit Union to Recognize Top Area Teachers

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

CANYON, Texas — Nominations are now open for a West Texas A&M University contest to award the region’s top educators.

WT Football and Education Credit Union will name their 2025 Educators of the Year during Educators Night at the Nov. 1 game against Texas A&M–Kingsville.

Game time is at 4 p.m. Nov. 1 at Bain-Schaeffer Buffalo Stadium on WT’s Canyon campus.

The award will recognize outstanding educators from the Texas Panhandle who have made an impact on the lives of their students and have advanced the field of education through leadership, vision and advocacy. The number of honorees will depend on the number of nominations received.

“We are honored to celebrate the incredible work our local educators do every day,” said Doug Lipinski, WT vice president for athletics. “Educators shape the future, and we’re thrilled to welcome them to Buff Nation for a day of celebration and the best game-day atmosphere around. This is just a small way for us to say thank you for their dedication to our students and communities.”

ECU is happy to take part, as well, said Tiffany Sharpensteen, vice president of marketing.

“Education Credit Union is proud to celebrate the educators who inspire and shape the future of our communities,” Sharpensteen said. “Honoring them alongside WT is a meaningful way to give back to those who give so much.”

Nominations are due at 11:59 p.m. Oct. 20. They may be submitted at gobuffsgo.com/sb_output.aspx?form=1066.

All area educators and their families will enjoy free admission to the game.

Before game day, tickets may be claimed in person between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Mondays through Fridays in the Athletics Ticket Office, located upstairs in the Virgil Henson Activities Center at WT.

On game day, tickets may be claimed from 1 to 3:30 p.m. at Gate 1 at Bain-Schaeffer Buffalo Stadium in a special designated line.

Educators are at the heart of WT.

The University 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.

Most recently, WT has launched the Educators Excellence Initiative, which offers half-off tuition and mandatory fees for all full-time teachers, administrators, librarians, nurses, counselors or paraprofessionals in Regions 16, 17 and 18 Education Service Centers, as well as full-time employees of the ESCs. The offer also is extended to the same employees at 1A and 2A schools around the state.

Serving the people of Texas, primarily in rural regions, is 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 has raised more than $175 million and will continue through 2025.

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.

—WT—