Three WT Faculty Members Appointed to Hill Institute Professorships

Copy by Chip Chandler, 806-651-2124, [email protected]

CANYON, Texas - Three professors at West Texas A&M University have been appointed to positions under the aegis of the University's Hill Institute.

Dr. Maxine De Butte is now the Dyke Rogers Professor of Psychology, Dr. Jenifer Kunz is the Dyke Rogers Professor of Sociology, and Dr. Judy Williams is the Dyke Rogers Professor of Education (Science of Teaching Reading).

In their positions, the three will serve as professors within WT's Terry B. Rogers College of Education and Social Sciences and as scholars for the Hill Institute.

"I am pleased with the selection of these three outstanding faculty members to be among the first appointed as scholars within the Hill Institute," WT President Walter V. Wendler said. "The role of Hill Scholars is to understand and promulgate how the values outlined in the Institute enable living in our region and across the country, as well as understand how these values impact the food, fuel, and fiber production central to our region, and the nation's, economy."

The Hill Institute, an interdisciplinary academy of researchers, teachers and students funded via private donations, was formally announced following a $20 million gift from Cheryl and Alex Fairly in October 2023. To date, theirs is the largest family gift to WT's One West comprehensive fundraising campaign and in University history.

Other donations may support the work of the Hill Institute, as was a portion of the $5 million gift by Dyke Rogers announced in 2022 to name the Rogers College.

In May, Dr. Janet Hindman was named the Dyke Rogers Professor of Educational Leadership and was the first WT professor named a Hill Scholar.

Dr. Gary Bigham, dean of the Rogers College of Education and Social Sciences, lauded the three professors as "values-driven individuals who have proven themselves as outstanding instructors and scholars in their fields."

"Dr. De Butte engages in research at such a level that she should, one day soon, find herself competing for funding from the National Institutes of Health. Dr. Kunz was recently awarded the Faculty Excellence Award by the college and the Distinguished Innovation in Teaching Award by the University, a testament to the quality of instruction received by her students. Dr. Williams was largely responsible for WT becoming one of only 10 programs in Texas that is a Texas Reading Academies provider to preservice teachers, as recognized by the Texas Education Agency," Bigham said. "Although their disciplines vary, all of the Dyke Rogers professors embrace West Texas values, in alignment with the Hill Institute, that make WT distinctive."

De Butte joined WT in 2009. She earned degrees at Trent University and Carleton University in Ontario, Canada. She teaches biological psychology courses and is a member of the Society for Neuroscience. Previous research includes the role of hormones such as estrogen on brain injuries.

In May, De Butte was named WT's first Twanna M. Powell Fellow and received a $50,000 award to further her research into the effects of psychiatric medications on developing brains.

"Being awarded the Dyke Rogers professorship in psychology is both an incredible honor and opportunity. It not only recognizes the work that I am passionate about but also provides the resources to expand my research and teaching that will have a lasting impact," De Butte said. "This professorship will enable me to explore new areas of research, mentor students in research, and allow me to continue contributing scholarly work to the academic community."

Kunz joined WT in 1993 after earning degrees in Spanish and sociology from Brigham Young University. She teaches courses in sociology, racial and ethnic minorities, contemporary families, gender, research and statistics.

She has received numerous awards for teaching and has been an international visiting professor several times at the University of Calgary in Alberta, Canada for the Department of Sociology. She is a member and past officeholder in several national and international associations, and she has served as a consultant and facilitator for various governmental and independent agencies.

"I am humbled, grateful and honored to be named as the Dyke Rogers Professor in Sociology within the Hill Institute," Kunz said. "This professorship offers a platform to explore and contribute to students, the University and the community. I'm excited to have more opportunity to positively shape future leaders, engage in different perspectives, have a focused research agenda and collaborate with others, in a supportive environment."

Williams joined WT in 2009, having earned her bachelor's in education and master's in reading at WT, and her Ph.D. in curriculum and instruction at Texas Tech University. Previously, she served as head of WT's Department of Education from 2013 to 2016 and as associate dean of the Rogers College from 2017 to 2022.

She teaches undergraduate and graduate-level courses in reading and early childhood, and serves as the director of the Williams Children's Literature Collection and Reading Room. Her research interests include multicultural children's literature and integrating English language arts in content subject areas.

"The Science of Teaching Reading is an opportunity for the state of Texas to produce highly literate members of the next generation which will, in turn, help create a self-reliant and productive society," Williams said. "Dyke and Terry Rogers are committed to improving the quality of life in the Texas Panhandle, and I am proud to partner with them in this venture. Through this professorship, the Rogers have provided an opportunity to promote a classical, time-honored methodology of teaching reading."

Named for Joseph A. Hill, the second president of WT and its longest-serving leader, the Hill Institute will center on 10 values: trust, family life, hard work, regard for others, personal responsibility, compatriotism and patriotism, virtue, faith, personal and civic loyalty, and rugged individualism.

Endowed professorships enhance opportunities for faculty members with extra resources in teaching, research and professional growth.

As scholars associated with the Hill Institute, De Butte, Kunz and Williams will teach, research and conduct service projects centered on how the values outlined in the Hill Institute impact the educational mission of an institution and its students.

WT boasts nearly 90 endowed professorships, offering faculty additional funding for research, travel and more.

During the One West campaign, about 60 new professorships and chairs have been endowed throughout the University-an increase of more than 200 percent during the campaign.

The Hill Institute is a direct reflection of the values set out in the University's long-range 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 $160 million.

About West Texas A&M University

WT, a Regional Research University, is redefining excellence in Canyon, Texas, on a 342-acre residential campus, as well as the Harrington Academic Hall WTAMU Amarillo Center in downtown Amarillo. Established in 1910, the University has been part of The Texas A&M University System since 1990. WT, a Hispanic Serving Institution since 2016, boasts an enrollment of more than 9,000 and offers 58 undergraduate degree programs, one associate degree, and 44 graduate degrees, including an integrated bachelor's and master's degree, a specialist degree and two doctoral degrees. The University is also home to the Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum, the largest history museum in the state and the home of one of the Southwest's finest art collections. The Buffaloes are a member of the NCAA Division II Lone Star Conference and offers 14 men's and women's athletics programs.

Photo: Dr. Jennifer Kunz, from left, Dr. Maxine De Butte and Dr. Judy Williams each have been named Dyke Rogers Professors in the Terry B. Rogers College of Education and Social Sciences and have been appointed as scholars in The Hill Institute.

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