West Texas A&M University announced that the College of Education and Social Sciences is being renamed the Terry B. Rogers College of Education and Social Sciences after Dyke and Terry Rogers donated $5 million to the college.

“We’re so delighted that Dyke and Terry Rogers have chosen to invest in the preparation of future teachers and future social science professionals,” said Dr. Eddie Henderson, dean of the Terry B. Rogers College of Education and Social Sciences. “We’re honored and we’re delighted and we’re most thankful.”

Terry Rogers was a single mother of two when she earned her master’s degree at WT. She taught at three elementary schools in Amarillo, was the principal at Coronado Elementary School and is currently serving as interim administrator at Dalhart Elementary School.

Terry and her husband Dyke Rogers founded the Dyke and Terry Rogers Leadership Education and Development Program, Rogers LEAD WT, after donating $1 million to WT in 2014.

“My heroes are educators,” Terry Rogers said. “Teachers give us the foundation for learning and growing. I am so pleased that this is the area to which we are investing.”

The donation will help establish about 20 annual scholarship funds for education majors, focusing on providing funds to nontraditional students like Terry Rogers. A portion of the gift will also assist teachers and administrators in rural schools.

The college currently serves more than 1,700 students. Many students in the program are excited about the new opportunities, including Arianna Stadler, junior education major and Rogers LEAD student.

“They inspire us by sharing their experience, and they genuinely care about us and our futures,” Stadler said. “I aspire to be a teacher like Terry Rogers.”

This donation is a contribution to the One West campaign to raise $125 million. The goal is for donors to give to areas they are most passionate about, prioritizing students and faculty.