Copy by Chip Chandler, 806-651-2124, [email protected]  

CANYON, Texas — West Texas A&M University alumni in the Houston area are sought to take part in a service project for former foster children as well as to network with their fellow Buffs. 

The WT Alumni Association will host several events in Houston on Jan. 21 and 22. 

The centerpiece of the visit to the Houston metroplex will be a service project at Hope’s Path, a faith-based nonprofit organization that provides a residential program for young men who have aged out of the foster care program after their 18th birthday. 

“We have a large concentration of WT alumni in the North Houston area, so we wanted to target their neighborhood as much as possible,” said Ronnie Hall, executive director of the WT Alumni Association. “This will be our first ‘Serve with the Herd’ project. There’s something special about coming together and serving. We want our Buff alumni to share their love of university life with these Hope’s Path participants so they can see what’s possible for them if they decide to pursue a degree in higher education.” 

WT alumni will take part in the Make a Meal program at Hope’s Path. Alumni will teach the Hope’s Path interns how to cook favorite dishes, then share the meal with the young men. 

Hope’s Path participants, who are ages 18 to 28, agree to an 18-month commitment.. 

Only 3 to 4 percent of youth who aged out of foster care earn a college degree, according to Hope’s Path. One in five of these youth will become homeless after turning 18. Only half will obtain employment by 24. Over 70 percent of female foster youth will become pregnant by 21, and one in four former foster youth will experience PTSD. 

Houston-area alumni also are sought for two WT networking events: Brunch with the Buffs at 10 a.m. Jan. 22 at The Buffalo Grille, 1301 Voss Road, and Buffs & Brews at 6 p.m. Jan. 22 at Buffalo Bayou Brewing Co., 2101 Summer St. 

“We are excited to reconnect with alumni who, while they may live hundreds of miles away, are still very valuable members of the Buff community,” Hall said. 

To register for the free events, visit bit.ly/WTHoustonAlums.  

WT’s commitment to family, faith, hard work and community is a key value of the University and its long-range plan, WT 125: From the Panhandle to the World. 

That plan is fueled by the historic, $125 million One West comprehensive fundraising campaign. To date, the five-year campaign — which publicly launched Sept. 23 — has raised more than $85 million. 

About West Texas A&M University 

WT is located in Canyon, Texas, on a 342-acre residential campus. Established in 1910, the University has been part of The Texas A&M University System since 1990. WT, a Hispanic Serving Institution since 2016, boasts an enrollment of about 10,000 and offers 59 undergraduate degree programs, 39 master’s degrees and two doctoral degrees. The University is also 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 14 men’s and women’s athletics programs.