CANYON, Texas — A space central to the cutting edge of distance education at West Texas A&M University now has a new name.
The Marmaduke Internet Innovation Center officially was renamed during a Sept. 29 reception celebrating WT’s status as a leader in online education since 1997.
“Today’s grand opening of the Marmaduke Internet Innovation Center is symbolic of WT’s continued quest to integrate technological advances into the exceptional educational experience offered by our faculty,” WT President Walter V. Wendler said in prepared remarks.
The space was known for the last quarter-century as the Hastings Electronic Learning Center, located in the basement of Cornette Library and named for the iconic entertainment store empire that was headquartered in Amarillo and founded by Sam Marmaduke.
The Marmaduke family was for decades a leader in technology and retail, Wendler said.
“Today, we celebrate and thank the Marmaduke family because this event propels WT into the future of digital education,” Wendler said. “We want to be a leader in offering an exceptional educational experience shaped by the technological advances which are shaping our world.”
James Webb, WT’s vice president for information technology and chief information officer, also thanked the Marmadukes for their vision.
“We’ve all seen a lot of technological change in the last 25 years, and this unique place has enabled the University to keep pace and consistently provide students with a technology-rich educational experience, both here in the Texas Panhandle and around the world,” Webb said.
The Marmaduke Internet Innovation Center houses more than 350 top-of-the-line computers.
The center is open daily and contains an open-access computer lab, five computer classrooms, two compressed video classrooms, a compressed video conference room, instructional support areas, offices and lounges. Several courses are taught in the center like computer information systems, art, music, science and physics. It also hosts many media training opportunities.
A substantial commitment to information technology and intellectual resources is a key maxim of the University’s long-range plan, WT 125: From the Panhandle to the World.
That plan is fueled by the historic One West comprehensive fundraising campaign, which reached its initial $125 million goal 18 months after publicly launching in September 2021. The campaign’s new goal is to reach $175 million by 2025; currently, it has raised more than $150 million.
