WTAMU Diversity Week Set to Spotlight University Core Value

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A soldier-turned-poet, a student organization fair, a party and a discussion led by some top student scholars will highlight Diversity Week 2002 at West Texas A&M University.

The week, part of WT’s Start Strong Initiative, will feature a slate of activities from Aug. 29 to Sept. 1 on the Canyon campus, organized by the Office for Diversity and Inclusion.

“Diversity is one of our core values as a University, as laid out in the long-term plan WT 125: From the Panhandle to the World, and this week really serves as a way to highlight our broad spectrum of students, faculty and staff,” said Angela Allen, WT’s chief diversity and inclusion officer.

The week begins with a performance by Brandon Current, aka Souls Inkpen, a former Marine whose first book of poetry, “Pieces of Me,” was published in 2018.

He’ll perform at 6 p.m. Aug. 29 in Legends Hall in the Jack B. Kelley Student Center. Admission is free and open to the public.

Melodie Graves, an Amarillo-based motivational speaker and advocate, will speak at F1RSTGEN’s kick-off bash at 6:30 p.m. Aug. 30, also in Legacy Hall. F1RSTGEN is a student-run organization for first-generation college students; WT’s student population is approximately 49 percent first-generation. The student party also will feature food, prizes, dancing and more.

New and returning students alike will learn about WT’s diverse slate of student organizations at at a fair that will run from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Aug. 31 in the JBK commons area.

Students from WT’s prestigious McNair Scholars program will discuss their research during the semester’s first We Are One Diversity Talk at 12:15 p.m. Sept. 1 in the JBK Senate Chamber. McNair Scholars prepares underrepresented, low-income and first-generation undergraduate students for doctoral study through research and other scholarly activities.

The week’s activities will end with a screening of “Zootopia,” a Disney animated film that explores issues of diversity and inclusion through anthropomorphic animals. The screening begins at 6:30 p.m. Sept. 1, also in Legacy Hall.

All events are free and open to all students. Souls Inkpen’s performance and the McNair discussion also are open to the public.

For information, call 806-651-8480.

WT 125 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 more than $110 million.

-West Texas A&M University