WT Black History Month Activities to Wrap with ‘Navigating Student Success’ Discussion

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CANYON, Texas — A panel of Black alumni of West Texas A&M University will take part in the latest installment of the Courageous Conversation series for WT’s Office for Diversity and Inclusion.

The event, to be led by counselor and life-coach Dr. Curtis Hill, will begin at 6 p.m. March 2 in Legacy Hall inside the Jack B. Kelley Student Center on WT’s Canyon campus.

It wraps up the University’s Black History Month celebrations, which also have included a reading of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s “Letter from Birmingham Jail” and a panel discussion about its call to action, a trivia night and other activities.

“Navigating Student Success” will feature the five alums and Hill talking about life on a college campus as a Black student, touching on such topics as racism, student success, leadership, generational wealth and more.

Participants will include Eric Collins, a 2021 graduate who is now sales professional at All-Star Dodge; Paticus Henderson, a 2019 graduate who is band director at Fannin Middle School and Caprock High School in Amarillo Independent School District; Khashari Wilson, a 2019 graduate who is a WT admissions counselor; Jennifer Tuttor, a 2022 graduate who is marketing and creative assistant for WT’s Killgore Research Center; and Aurora Garcia-Comer, a 2022 graduate who is biochemistry and chemistry supplemental instructor at WT.

“Each alumnus represents a different experience, background, major and end goal,” said Angela Allen, chief officer for diversity and inclusion. “We hope to have the panelists provide the audience with different viewpoints of diverse students and how they were able to create a successful college experience while navigating through WT.”

Hill, a professional counselor at Dallas College and proprietor of counseling and life-coaching business Relationships Refocused, also will lead a professional development workshop for WT faculty and staff at 2:30 p.m. March 2 in the JBK Senate Chamber.

All events are free and open to the public.

For information, call 806-651-8482 or visit wtamu.edu/diversity.

Being reflective of and responsive to a diverse student body, faculty and staff is a key principle of the University’s 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 in September 2021 — has raised more than $120 million.