WTAMU homecoming events to celebrate accomplishments through the decades

Brianna Maestas, Amarillo Globe-News
·6 min read

West Texas A&M University is inviting the community and WT alumni to celebrate the university's largest annual celebration with several upcoming homecoming events.

The community-open events are all themed “WT Through the Decades,” with major events to be held Thursday, Sept. 29, through Saturday, Oct. 1.

"Homecoming helps to build a sense of pride for the community, not only for WT, but also the town of Canyon. We have a lot of people travel to WT from all over the nation for Homecoming. So far, we have individuals from Florida, Pennsylvania and all the way from California traveling, so this really does bring the community together and show off not only what WT has to offer, but also what Canyon has to offer," said Ronnie Hall, executive director of the WT Alumni Association.

WT hosts several homecoming community events, themed to honor past accomplishments, Thursday through Saturday at the WT campus in Canyon.
WT hosts several homecoming community events, themed to honor past accomplishments, Thursday through Saturday at the WT campus in Canyon.

The Phoenix

Major upcoming events will kick off Thursday, from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Legacy Hall inside the Jack B. Kelley Student Center with The Phoenix, a celebration of WT’s Distinguished Alumni Class of 2022.

The event will include a dinner and program, followed by jazz and desserts, with the afterparty scheduled around Buffalo Fountain on the Charles K. and Barbara Kerr Vaughan Pedestrian Mall.

The award of Distinguished Alumni is the highest award that can be bestowed by an individual by the WT Alumni Association.

Alumni who will be honored during the event include Col. Steven McCraw, director of the Texas Department of Public Safety; ranchers and philanthropists Val and Pat White of Wellington; and longtime educational leader Betty Solis of Amarillo.

"With this event, we are able to honor individuals that have attended WT that have each made an outstanding impact on the community, so this is a chance for us to recognize and honor them in a fun way that also plays in with our homecoming events," said Brittny Lee, assistant director, alumni relations and university engagement.

Tickets for The Phoenix event are $75; tables are $500 to $1,500, and can be purchased by phone: 806-651-2311 or online at https://give.communityfunded.com/o/west-texas-am-university/i/join-the-wtamu-alumni-association/s/the-phoenix .

WT hosts several homecoming community events, themed to honor of past accomplishments, Thursday through Saturday. Events include alumni dinner receptions and awards and the annual homecoming parade and game.
WT hosts several homecoming community events, themed to honor of past accomplishments, Thursday through Saturday. Events include alumni dinner receptions and awards and the annual homecoming parade and game.

Homecoming Scholarship Golf Classic

The following day, WT will host its Homecoming Scholarship Golf Classic. On Friday, the event will begin with a lunch at 11:30 a.m. followed by tee-off at 12:30 p.m. The event will be held at the Palo Duro Creek Golf Course at 50 Country Club Drive in Canyon.

According to WT, they are hoping to raise $10,000 this year with the classic to benefit university student scholarships.

Entries to participate are still being accepted. The deadline to register is by 5 p.m. Thursday. Cost is $125 for individuals or $500 for teams of four. To register Call 806-651-2400 or go online tohttps://app.eventcaddy.com/events/2022-homecoming-golf-classic .

Celebration of Color

That evening, the university will honor four WT alumni of color and two Amarillo businesses during its dinner event, to be held at 6 p.m. Friday in Legacy Hall.

"Homecoming is one of the most special weeks of the year, especially for WT students. Myself as alumni can remember so many unique homecoming memories, so for students it's creating these really great memories that they will have for a lifetime, and as alumni it's coming back and reminiscing on fond memories," Lee said.

Honorees will include Dinga/Hollingsworth Group at Morgan Stanley; the Education Credit Union; educator and civic leader Pearlene Martin; attorney J.E. Sauseda; urban developer Dr. David Willis; and U.S. Department of Defense civilian leader Jimmie Vaughn-Adams.

Tickets to attend the dinner event are $30 per individual. For more information or to purchase a ticket, visit wtamu.edu/diversity or call 806-651-8482.

WT hosts several homecoming community events Thursday through Saturday, with this year's theme being “WT Through the Decades.”
WT hosts several homecoming community events Thursday through Saturday, with this year's theme being “WT Through the Decades.”

Don’t Bring Me Down

Amarillo all-star band Flashback! will join with the WT Symphony Orchestra for a pops concert titled “Don’t Bring Me Down” Homecoming Rock Concert, featuring music by Electric Light Orchestra and other ’70s favorites. The concert will begin at 7:30 p.m. Friday in Mary Moody Northen Recital Hall.

General admission tickets are $10; a portion of proceeds will benefit the orchestra. Call 806-651-2840 for more information or to purchase admission.

Homecoming Day

The Through the Decades-themed Homecoming parade will begin at 1 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 1 and will follow a route from the First United Bank Center to the Sybil B. Harrington Fine Arts Complex along Russell Long Boulevard.

"The parade is a lot of fun and is an opportunity for people to visit the square and their favorite shops. And the students work very hard on their floats, which we actually allow the crowd to vote on, so it's interactive, it's great for the community and the family," Lee said.

Immediately following the parade, the community is invited to attend the Countdown to Kickoff Block Party, including tailgating activities along 26th Street across from the Bain-Schaeffer Buffalo Stadium on campus. The Alumni Association will host an open house and scavenger hunt, as well.

"This year we have expanded the scavenger hunt to make it more family friendly, and it is spread put across the entire campus for everyone to enjoy — alumni, students and community members. Each person or team will look for specific places with clues throughout the campus, and at the end, they'll have the opportunity to participate in a big drawing for the grand prize," Hall said.

During the tailgating events, community members are encouraged to tune in to WT's student-run noncommercial radio station The One 91.1 FM. The local radio station will be celebrating its 50th anniversary and making the official switch to an all-’90s format during this party.

As a part of the event, former alumni DJ's will take on-air shifts with the station, playing music from the decade that they were originally involved with the station.

Individuals can also celebrate the station's golden anniversary in person at the grand lobby of the Sybil B. Harrington Fine Arts Complex.

To attend, individuals can RSVP online at https://give.wtamu.edu/o/west-texas-am-university/i/wt-general-donation-page/s/kwts-50th-anniversary or call 806-651-2807. Click the link at the bottom of the page to listen to the station online via streaming.

Then, Saturday evening, WT's football team, The Buffs, will take on UT–Permian Basin at 7 p.m. in the Bain-Schaeffer Buffalo Stadium. For tickets, visit gobuffsgo.com.

Previous student activities so far this year have included Paint the Town Maroon on Sept. 23, with students decorating windows and vehicles around the community; a “Battle of the Decades” karaoke party Sept. 26-29 in the JBK Commons; Homecoming King and Queen elections; and a water fight on Sept. 26 on the lawn of Terrill Hall. Pigskin Revue, the annual spirit rally, takes place at 8 p.m. Friday in The Box.

For more information or to see a complete list of activities, visit them online at wtamu.edu/homecoming.

This article originally appeared on Amarillo Globe-News: WTAMU homecoming celebrates accomplishments through the decades