West Texas A&M University a Beautiful Treasure in the Panhandle

When it comes to higher education, it's always great to have a university close to home and we are lucky enough to have West Texas A&M University in our backyard.

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The birth of West Texas A&M University started in 1910 as West Texas Normal College.  Then on March 25, 1914, the building caught fire and was destroyed.  It was the only building that held everything, administration, classes, and labs.   A new building was built in 1916 and named "Old Main" which is still standing today.

In 1922 the name was changed to West Texas State Teachers College, and in 1949 the Teachers was dropped from the name. Fast forward to 1963 when the name was changed to West Texas State University.  On the first of September in 1990, WTSU joined the Texas A&M University System, and the name was changed to what we know today, West Texas A&M University or WTAMU/WT for short.

WTAMU is a fast-growing university and has seen many changes in the last 20 years that are bringing it into the 21st Century.  The WT 125 plan was instituted under the watch of the current president Dr. Walter Wendler.  The university has added a new doctoral program in education. He started a tour of the top 26 counties, going and speaking to high school students about what WT has to offer.   WTAMU now has a brand new nursing division in downtown Amarillo.  The Ag program at the school has grown by leaps and bounds.  Dr. Wendler has also worked to make attending WT affordable for everyone.

Half of the Texas Panhandle has attended the little college that could, which has grown into an amazing university with highly successful graduates.  Plus, those moving to Canyon to attend school from all over the state and country are making waves in the world today.