CANYON, Texas — West Texas A&M University’s grounds team recently was recognized as one of the best in the country.
WT was presented an honor award in the University and College Grounds—Large (500+ acres) category by the Professional Grounds Management Society’s Green Star Awards at its annual conference in Louisville, Kentucky.
This awards program brings national recognition to grounds maintained with a high degree of excellence. The Green Star Awards competition complements other national landscape award programs that recognize outstanding landscape design and construction. During the awards celebration, PGMS presented four grand awards, its highest honor, as well as 12 honor awards.
Duke University in Durham, North Carolina, took the grand award in WT’s category. Utah State University also was presented an honor award.
WT’s SSC Services for Education grounds team manages approximately 350 acres on the main campus, including eight synthetic turf fields and a 70-acre cross-country course.
“WT is proud to have received this special award,” said Stan Pena, assistant vice president for facilities. “We continue to make significant milestones with our campus beautification efforts to provide beautiful and safe grounds for our students, faculty, staff and visitors.”
For a full list of 2023 Green Star winners, visit pgms.org/page/2023GreenStarWinners.
Responsiveness to the Texas Panhandle’s geography makes WT distinctive and ties into the University’s long-term 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.
