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A communication professor who leads life-changing, service-oriented trips to Africa and a staff member responsible for wrangling an operating budget with hundreds of accounts were celebrated as the academic year began at West Texas A&M University.
During Aug. 17 convocation ceremonies on the WT campus in Canyon, Dr. Enyonam Osei-Hwere, associate professor of media communication, was named 2022-23 Magister Optimus, the highest honor for a WT faculty member, and Shelly McCune, the University’s budget director, was given the Clarence E. Thompson Staff Excellence Award, the University’s highest staff honor.
“Convocation is the event across higher education that marks the official beginning of another academic year,” said Dr. Todd Rasberry, vice president for philanthropy and external relations. “Today, we will recognize exemplary teaching and service, be inspired as we envision the future, and prepare for fulfilling the educational mission of West Texas A&M University.”
President Walter V. Wendler addressed the gathered faculty and staff, recommitting them to WT’s mission of regional responsiveness.
“As we look ahead and seek to engage with the opportunities and challenges facing higher education today, we at WT continue to be dedicated to making investments that strengthen our community, create an environment for our students, staff and faculty to pursue their passions, and position our University for future success,” Wendler said.
Osei-Hwere and McCune are prime examples of WT’s commitment to its students and mission, speakers said, as are the winners of two staff excellence awards: Amber Black, assistant vice president for student success and engagement; and Krista Posey, WT Lock Shop administrative associate.
Osei-Hwere, a 15-year veteran faculty member, is preparing for a third Study Abroad trip to Cape Town, South Africa. On previous trips, she, her students and other accompanying faculty members have provided invaluable support for fledgling entrepreneurs and provided athletic equipment for a school lacking those resources. On her third trip, scheduled to begin Nov. 11, Osei-Hwere and the Department of Communication are collaborating with the Department of Agricultural Sciences. More than 25 students representing 11 majors will build community gardens, develop media/marketing projects that will benefit surrounding communities, and provide new books for children through Amarillo nonprofit Storybridge.
“Dr. Osei-Hwere … is an amazing professor and adviser, demonstrating a commitment to helping students be successful regardless of their major,” Dr. Kristina Drumheller, head of the WT Department of Communication, wrote in a nomination letter. “One of her students said she was ‘the most brilliant professor’ they’d had at WT.”
The Magister Optimus winner is voted on by the Faculty Senate and must have taught at WT for at least six consecutive years.
“This means everything to me,” Osei-Hwere said. “I never anticipated winning the highest award at anything. Coming to the U.S. from Ghana in 1999 to get my education has opened a lot of doors, leading to this very special honor.”
McCune, who has worked at WT for 27 years, was lauded for her tireless devotion to the sprawling endeavor of overseeing WT’s budget.
In addition to overseeing nearly 800 separate accounts and providing support for administrators and staff, McCune works with Human Resources on payroll matters, made sure WT stayed in compliance when The Texas A&M University System transitioned to a new software platform, and “always looks for opportunities to improve work processes and to make things easier and more efficient,” wrote Mark Hiner, associate director of budgets and reporting, in a nomination letter.
“It’s sad but true that oftentimes, the value of an employee isn’t known or appreciated until they are gone,” Hiner wrote. “When the day comes for Shelly to leave the University, someone is going to say, ‘There is no way that one person can do all of this. But Shelly does it daily and, in doing so, exemplifies the qualities that the recipient of the Clarence E. Thompson Staff Excellence Award should possess and exhibit.”
The Thompson Award is named for a former mayor of Canyon who worked at WT for decades, ultimately serving as vice president for business and finance.
“I’m very shocked but very honored,” McCune said. “WT is a wonderful place to work. It’s family, not just a job.”
Black, who joined the WT staff in 2009, was cited for her “passion for the mission of and loyalty to” WT, particularly in her efforts to find creative ideas for student retention, in a nomination letter from Kim Muller, director of the Office of Career and Professional Development.
Black built a coalition of departments across campus to develop the First Friday Festival, part of WT’s Start Strong initiative that offer engaging activities for new and returning students; studies show that students who make a strong connection to campus in their first three weeks are more likely to remain enrolled through graduation.
Black also developed the Connect Coach program, which pairs incoming students with staff and faculty for one-on-one sessions during New Student Orientation that offer tangible advice on how to get connected to WT, as well as answer questions about financial aid, housing and more.
Posey, a seven-year veteran at WT, was celebrated for her work ethic and customer service skills in a nomination letter from Amy Newton, administrative associate for the Department of Agricultural Sciences.
“She inspires all of us to be better and stay positive,” Newton wrote. “Working with Krista is a pleasure. We can all learn from her great attitude.”
A commitment to excellence among faculty and staff is a key component 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 Sept. 23 — has raised about $110 million.
-West Texas A&M University