Students can find it tough to get accepted into any tier-one research university, including Texas A&M University.

The launch of the new Pipeline to Graduate Studies at West Texas A&M University this past year is designed to create a pathway to assist students interested in graduate school to extended opportunities in master’s and doctoral programs at Texas A&M University in College Station.

“We have over 40 exceptional and highly competitive graduate programs here at WTAMU,” said Tracy Helbert, senior graduate academic advisor. “Because we are invested in our students and our community, we have partnered with the colleges and schools at Texas A&M University to create a pipeline to graduate studies program for students to pursue graduate education in programs that we may not offer.”

The Pipeline to Graduate Studies is a program that enhances collaboration between West Texas A&M University and Texas A&M University in College Station. Through Memorandum of Agreements (MOAs) between WTAMU and various schools and colleges at TAMU, the Pipeline offers extended graduate educational opportunities for academically qualified WTAMU students at TAMU in master’s and doctoral programs as well as other student educational and recruitment opportunities. Currently, those schools and colleges include the Bush School of Government and Public Service, the Colleges of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Architecture, Education and Human Development, Engineering, Geosciences, Liberal Arts, Medicine, Science, and Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, as well as the Mays Business School and the School of Public Health. The School of Law is pending final approval. Each of these colleges and schools at TAMU manages their own graduate admissions.

“Students come to WTAMU from local to international geographical regions. They come for our outstanding programs and faculty and our affordability,” explains Dr. Angela Spaulding, vice president for research and compliance and dean of graduate school. “After four years at the University, many consider the Texas Panhandle home and stay here to build a career and raise a family. Campus administration, led by President Wendler, recognized the value for our students to have increased options in continuing their educational journey at the graduate level in order to support individual career and workforce goals and to help build a stronger Texas Panhandle economy.”

“The Pipeline to Graduate Studies is designed to bolster and encourage a student to continue their education through extended opportunities in master’s and doctoral programs to reach desired career and workforce goals – here in the Texas Panhandle and beyond,” Helbert said.

In fact, the plan is already at work. Last year, nine WT undergraduate students enrolled in the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine program at TAMU, the TAMU College of Engineering currently has a handful of WT graduates in the Ph.D. program, and many others have participated in summer research experiences. Some students who have participated in Pipeline events include Liliana Vasquez and Joshua Castro, two McNair Scholars for WT, and Kryn McLain and Jenna Stewart. Casto and Vasquez participated in the Texas A&M College of Medicine fall recruiting event as part of Aggie Recuit Day. McLain and Stewart took part in the Public Service Institute in the Bush School of Government and Public Service.

For more information on the Pipeline to Graduates Studies program, students can contact Tracy Helbert at 806-651-2727 or also at [email protected].