In the last two years, WTAMU has seen growth in student population. The undergraduate student count has increased 4.25 percent from 2009 to 2011. The Agriculture freshman class alone has seen an increase of 25 percent, from 118 freshmen in 2009 to 147 in 2011.
Freshmen in the Agriculture department talk about why they think the increase is happening and why WT is thriving.
“I really like it a lot here, all the professors seem relatable,” Victoria Mundo, a freshmen studying Equine Industry and Business, said.
Mundo looked at other schools too, but said WT suit here interest more.
“The professors are awesome because the classes are small, which gives you that one on one time with them,” she said.
Jonathan Picker, a freshman Bio Technology major, said WT has several qualities that makes it a good university, including the helpful faculty.
“They [professors] don’t ignore the students and are more than willing to help, ” Picker said. “WT is one of the few colleges that offered a degree that I wanted to study.”
Lacey Roberts, a junior Agriculture Communication major, said the increase in student enrollment across all departments can be attributed to the fact that people are getting more motivated.
“The upperclassmen are graduating and influencing the younger generations,” Roberts said. “Parents [are also] encouraging their children to get a better education.”
Tanner Robertson, an Ag Media Communication adviser, believes that the Department of Agriculture has played an active role in recruiting students to the college.
“What I’ve seen is faculty are devoted to the recruitment and retention of students,” Robertson said. “Paired that through the donations of money and the efforts from Ag Development Association and the time they take to recruit students.”
Although student enrollment has seen an increase, so has the construction around campus. New dorms, the JBK expansion, and the engineering building are just a few places where construction can be found.
“[Construction is] a double-edged sword; it is a hindrance but is necessary to expand,” Roberts said. “Adding students is great but more parking is needed. It’s a good problem to have because we are getting more students.”
