Engler’s donation 'plants a crop for the future, confidence in the programs' at WT

Nell Williams
Updated ·4 min read
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CANYON — On Wednesday, Paul Engler, donor for much of West Texas A&M University's (WT) agricultural and business programs, presented his sixth check in an annual $1 million disbursement ceremony.

Also attending were Dr. Kevin Pond, Dean of Paul Engler College of Agriculture & Natural Sciences, WT President Walter Wendler, and Dr. Amjad Abdullat, Dean of Paul & Virginia Engler College of Business.

The latest annual disbursements — $500,000 each to the Engler College of Agriculture & Natural Sciences and the Engler College of Business — were made during a private luncheon Aug. 30 in WT’s Old Main building.

Dr. Paul Engler, second from left, joins West Texas A&M University school officials including Dr. Kevin Pond, Dean of Paul Engler College of Agriculture & Natural Sciences, WT President Walter Wendler, and Dr. Amjat Abullat, Dean of the Paul & Virginia Engler College of Business, at the yearly presentation of a disbursement for $1 million, with half going to the agriculture school and half to the business school.

The impact of the historic $80 million gift to WT from Dr. Engler continues to resonate six years after the initial announcement. In 2017, Engler and the Paul F. and Virginia J. Engler Foundation agreed to donate $1 million a year for at least 80 years to the university’s Paul Engler College of Agriculture & Natural Sciences and the Paul and Virginia Engler College of Business, with half going to each entity.

So far, the continuing gift has made possible the Agricultural Sciences Complex on Russell Long Boulevard, which continues the university’s expansion in the northeast area of the campus. Since then, the Veterinary Education, Research and Outreach and Texas Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory facilities have been constructed, as well as the Texas A&M University AgriLife Research and Extension Center. The Natural Sciences Building also expanded in its recently renovated home on the southeast corner of the campus.

West Texas A&M University President Walter Wendler describes how Paul Engler's donations have planted seeds for success in agricultural and business schools at the Wednesday morning presentation of the sixth installment of $1 million.
West Texas A&M University President Walter Wendler describes how Paul Engler's donations have planted seeds for success in agricultural and business schools at the Wednesday morning presentation of the sixth installment of $1 million.

“Dr. Engler’s gift is transformative in many ways,” Wendler said. “Because of its earliness in our campaign progress, it showed people that a local leader had confidence in the future of West Texas A&M University. And I don’t think there’s anything more important than that when you’re seeking resources to move a system forward. For this group of disciplines, agriculture, business and natural sciences, the gift is transformative. It provides a margin of excellence … and that makes it an extraordinary commitment on the part of the Engler Foundation."

“The Engler gift was the first one in our campaign and kicked off our goal to reach the $125 million campaign," Wendler added of the One West campaign. "We have reached and exceeded that goal and, just for the record, we use a principal called 'net present value' when we value the gift. We did not say what the gift was in total, but rather what its present net value was, and that was about $25 million. This gift is one-sixth of our total campaign, and that’s an important distinction. What Paul Engler did is to establish confidence and plant a crop for the future."

Dr. Paul Engler, left, makes his annual presentation of $1 million to agricultural and business colleges at West Texas A&M University, with President Walter Wendler, right, at the disbursement ceremony Wednesday in Canyon.
Dr. Paul Engler, left, makes his annual presentation of $1 million to agricultural and business colleges at West Texas A&M University, with President Walter Wendler, right, at the disbursement ceremony Wednesday in Canyon.

Paul Engler’s move to Texas Panhandle from Nebraska

“Actually I was born, raised and educated in Nebraska. I came down here in 1960 to what has always been known as the first commercial feed yard in the state," said Paul Engler, the 2019 Amarillo Globe-News Man of the Year. "When funds became available, I made a gift to the University of Nebraska, slightly over $20 million to set up an entrepreneur program there, which they did. They were in the eleventh year of that program, and it was extremely successful. I actually came to Hereford when I first arrived."

Pond, dean of the Paul Engler College of Agriculture & Natural Sciences, said “We were very sensitive about the contribution being made to Cactus Feeders, and that’s one of the reasons WT was getting a request for this program. It was a little overdue, but it’s turned out to be extremely successful and we’re all very proud of it.”

WT projects ahead, according to the Engler colleges' deans

“We’ll be using this year’s funds for scholarships,” Dr. Pond of the Dean of Paul Engler College of Agriculture & Natural Sciences said, "and actually doing matches with people who give money to increase our foundations and scholarships. We’re actually going to use money for a feedlot we’re constructing here for WT to build a water pipeline. It will provide water for cattle around the feedlot."

The program has grown to more than $15 million, thanks in part to the Engler gift and additional fundraising successes it has inspired, according to Pond.

Dr. Paul Engler, second from left, presents his annual disbursement of $1 million to West Texas A&M University at a ceremony Wednesday. Dr. Kevin Pond, Dean of Paul Engler College of Agriculture & Natural Sciences, left, and Dr. Amjat Abullat, Dean of the Paul & Virginia Engler College of Business, far right, hold checks at the yearly presentation, as WT President Walter Wendler looks on.

Abdullat, of the Paul & Virginia Engler College of Business, said, “For the College of Business, we are going to use the money for scholarships, and we have a new program called the Engler Edge, a program to enhance students' engagement over five years and increase their attention. Part of the money will be used for high school students' entrepreneurial projects in high schools and research in the Panhandle."

The Engler College of Business enjoys the largest enrollment of any college at WT, which was at 2,662 in 2021. More than $500,000 in scholarship funds are awarded to students annually, and its innovative programming ranges from community partnerships tackling issues such as cybersecurity to a specialized MBA track in procurement.

Related: Beilue column about the One West campaign early on at $107,755,000 with more to reach

This article originally appeared on Amarillo Globe-News: Engler’s donation to WT 'plants a crop for the future'