WT Students Win Thousands in Scholarships Through ECU Partnership
Copy by Chip Chandler, 806-651-2124, cchandler@wtamu.edu
CANYON, Texas — West Texas A&M University students won nearly $15,000 in scholarships after completing a seminar series on financial responsibility.
A total of 59 students each won a $250 scholarship from either WT or Education Credit Union following the conclusion of the University’s Money Management Bootcamp.
The six-week series, sponsored by the ECU Buff $mart program, celebrated the end of its fall session with an Oct. 14 graduation reception.
ECU became a naming sponsor of WT’s Buff $mart Program in September 2020. The program helps students improve their understanding of financial literacy and empowers them to make informed choices to improve their financial well-being.
“Education Credit Union remains committed to empowering students to take charge of their financial futures,” said Marcus Smith, president and CEO. “Our continued partnership with WT’s Buff $mart Program reflects our dedication to helping students build lasting financial confidence and success.”
In all, ECU and WT jointly provided $14,750 in scholarship funds for the students.
The bootcamp offered six sessions on topics such as paying for college, building credit responsibly, overcoming financial obstacles and more.
To be eligible for a scholarship, students received points for attendance, participation, completing assignments, and attending a one-on-one coaching session.
“We are so grateful for Education Credit Union’s continued generosity and support of WT students,” said program coordinator Meghan Williams. “Thanks to their support, these students not only get some assistance in paying for their education, but they also get invaluable life skills that they’ll carry with themselves long after graduation.
The ECU Buff $mart program offers one-on-one coaching sessions with trained peer financial coaches via webinar or in person; classroom and organizational presentations on money management, budgeting, planning to pay for college and more; and outreach programs and money management workshops on credit cards, credit scores, identity theft, budgeting and more.
Scholarship recipients include:
Brianna Baeza, a freshman pre-nursing major from Wheeler; Camryn Beinhaur, a freshman equine industry and business major from Dillsburg, Pennsylvania; Fisher Boone, a junior music education major from Monahans; Ashlee Buck, a freshman marketing major from Roswell, New Mexico; Miranda Calderon, a freshman graphic design from Amarillo; Yazmyn Campos, a sophomore pre-nursing major from Hereford; Patricia Cantu, a junior agribusiness major from Sealy; Eloy Ceballos, a freshman animal science major from Hereford; Phoenix Crume, a sophomore psychology major from Amarillo; Iana Delfyette, a junior theatre major from Lovington, New Mexico; Biridiana Diaz Hernandez, a freshman digital communication and media major from Tulia; Alexia Eilenstine, a junior education major from Clovis, New Mexico; Truett Flood, a freshman pre-engineering major from Pampa; Kaile Garcia, a senior pre-nursing major from Albuquerque; Joli Goebel, a senior music major from Canyon; Lilibeth Hernandez, a freshman pre-nursing major from Plainview; Kairi Kincheloe, a freshman animal science major from College Place, Washington; Mya Kossie, a freshman animal science major from Houston; Luzinda Ledezma, a senior psychology major from Canyon; Tia Lee, a senior psychology major from Amarillo; Angel Lopez, a sophomore accounting major from Canyon; Jocelyn Macias, a junior speech and hearing sciences major from Amarillo; Joshua Mangum, a junior psychology major from Grand Prairie; Robert Marrs, a freshman agriculture major from Wichita Falls; Brylee Mays, a freshman speech and hearing sciences major from Haslet; Marcelyn Mervyn, a junior English major from Borger; Denton Moore, a freshman animal science major from Littlefield; Ally Morphis, a freshman agricultural business and economics major from Needville; Joseph Noble, a freshman economics major from Gunnison, Colorado; and Emmanuel Nwokike, a graduate student in computer information systems and business analytics from Canyon.
Also, Geovanni Ochoa, a freshman sports and exercise sciences major from Perryton; Chukwuemeka Okafor, a senior computer science major from Austin; Chimuanya Okorafor of Collinsville, Illinois, pursuing a second bachelor’s degree in nursing; Arianna Olivas, a freshman wildlife biology major from Olton; Oluwademilade Oluwafemi, a graduate student in computer information systems and business analytics from Nigeria; Charles Otwere, a graduate student in computer information systems and business analytics from Accra, Ghana; Olivia Peavey, a sophomore finance major from Dalhart; Daniel Perez Vazquez, a freshman animal science major from Amarillo; Alexandria Peterson, a senior education major from Manor; Gabrielle Powell, a junior political science major from Pueblo, Colorado; Evalynn Ramirez, a freshman pre-engineering major from Houston; Sadie Ray, a junior English major from Claude; Lillian Reese, a junior pre-nursing major from Pueblo West, Colorado; Maritza Rivera, a freshman pre-nursing major from Pampa; Liliana Rivera, a senior accounting major from Humble; Natalie Rodriguez, a freshman pre-engineering major from Bovina; Aaron Rosales, a freshman computer science major from Booker; Yarely Santillan Favela, a freshman pre-nursing major from Olton; Allison Schneeberger, a freshman agricultural business and economics major from Ponca City, Oklahoma; Carson Smith, a sophomore agricultural business and economics major from Simla, Colorado; Alexis Soto, a freshman management major from Hereford; Kelsy Stribling, a freshman health sciences major from Rye, Colorado; Kaiden Tarango, a sophomore pre-nursing major from Hereford; Genevieve Villanueva, a junior physics major from Amarillo; Kimberly Villarreal, a freshman pre-nursing major from Tulia; Emma Wagner, a freshman sports and exercise sciences major from Coweta, Oklahoma; Johnny Trey Wetzel, a freshman agriculture major from Winnsboro; Danielle Yarbrough, a sophomore biology major from Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland; and Kyrie Yarbrough, a freshman biology major from Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland.
Students represent all six of WT’s Colleges: the Paul Engler College of Agriculture and Natural Sciences, the Paul & Virginia Engler College of Business, the Terry B. Rogers College of Education and Social Sciences, the College of Engineering, the Sybil B. Harrington College of Fine Arts & Humanities and the College of Nursing and Health Sciences.
Creating a commitment to being self-reliant, courageous, resourceful and part of something larger than one’s self in its students is a 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
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.
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