Walter Wendler

Canyon

President, WTAMU and Columnist at Freelance

President West Texas A&M University

Articles

Opinion: Here's why regional universities matter, as well as their values

1 week ago | amarillo.com | Walter Wendler

Regional universities are vital to our nation for several reasons, particularly in promoting localized economic development, enhancing social mobility and fostering community engagement. Regional universities matter. They provide a connection to higher education with greater geographical accessibility, serving students who cannot relocate or afford larger, more centralized universities.
Part 10 of comparing Texas' two triangles, rural vs. urban

2 weeks ago | amarillo.com | Walter Wendler

By Walter WendlerSpecial to the Amarillo Globe-NewsTenth and final in a series on the Texas Triangles. Rural contributions significantly affect a state's Gross Domestic Product (GDP), though the impact varies depending on the state's economic structure and level of urbanization. Rural areas are often the backbone of agriculture, forestry, mining and fishing, all vital to state and national economies.
Regional universities help promote local economy, community engagement

2 weeks ago | myplainview.com | Walter Wendler

Regional universities are vital to our nation for several reasons, particularly in promoting localized economic development, enhancing social mobility and fostering community engagement. Regional universities matter. They provide a connection to higher education with greater geographical accessibility, serving students who cannot relocate or afford larger, more centralized universities.
Opinion: Part 9 - safety and security in the Texas Triangles

3 weeks ago | amarillo.com | Walter Wendler

Ninth in a series on the Texas Triangles. Texas is two states. The Megaregion Triangle is defined by the area between DFW, Houston and San Antonio, which supports 66% of the population and is home to 53 Fortune 500 companies. Around this core, at its "edges," is rural Texas. The Food, Fuel and Fiber Triangle is an important "edge" of Texas that helps define the state's core values. In ways different from urban areas, the rural edges provide safety and security to those living there.
Opinion: An open letter to the high school Class of 2025

3 weeks ago | amarillo.com | Walter Wendler

By Walter WendlerSpecial to the Amarillo Globe-NewsOriginally published over a decade ago in the Chicago Tribune (May 17, 2012), but updated here. Dear Graduating Senior,I am begging your pardon for a somber reflection amidst the joy of the near completion of high school, not to be a wet rag on that accomplishment, but a bright light on the realities of post-secondary education. Suppose you are going to a state university.
Opinion: Texas Triangles, part 8: Participation in civic leadership

1 month ago | amarillo.com | Walter Wendler

Eighth in a series on the Texas Triangles. "The problem with socialism is that you eventually run out of other people's money," said Margaret Thatcher, according to the American Enterprise Institute. With great caution, I would add that a problem with any form of government other than a constitutional republic is that it's second-best. For example, "Participatory democracy is a great idea, but most people don't have the time for it." Therein lies the genius of a republican form of government.
Texas triangles and how universities have regional impact

1 month ago | amarillo.com | Walter Wendler

By Walter WendlerSpecial to the Amarillo Globe-NewsSeventh in a series on the Texas Triangles. Location plays a significant role in college attendance. Post-secondary educational attainment levels are higher in Tom Green (Angelo State University), Lubbock (Texas Tech University), El Paso (The University of Texas at El Paso) and Ector (The University of Texas-Permian Basin) counties compared to "further out" rural counties in Texas.
Part 6: Regional educational attainment in the Texas Triangles

1 month ago | amarillo.com | Walter Wendler

By Walter WendlerSpecial to the Amarillo Globe-NewsSixth in a series on the Texas Triangles. Drawing lines from Dallas to San Antonio to Houston forms the Megaregion Triangle while connecting Amarillo to San Angelo to El Paso creates the Food, Fuel and Fiber Triangle. The two Texas Triangles are very different. The impact of educational attainment on food, fuel and fiber production is complex and multifaceted.
Regional Educational Attainment in the Texas Triangles

1 month ago | moorenews.com | Walter Wendler |Wtamu President

Drawing lines from Dallas to San Antonio to Houston forms the Megaregion Triangle while connecting Amarillo to San Angelo to El Paso creates the Food, Fuel and Fiber Triangle. The two Texas Triangles are very different. The impact of educational attainment on food, fuel and fiber production is complex and multifaceted. There is a demand for a knowledge and science-driven workforce in production agricultural communities and the hydrocarbon industries.
West Texas culture: The Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum and the power of one triangle

2 months ago | yahoo.com | Walter Wendler

Fourth in a series on the Texas Triangles. The Texas Panhandle is rich and complex, shaped by Native American cultures, Spanish explorers, frontier settlers, ranchers and the development of railroads and the oil industry. It has been inhabited for over 10,000 years. Paleo-Indians hunted mammoths and bison on the High Plains. The Texas State Historical Association tracks the Apache, Comanche and Kiowa, who dominated the region before European colonization.