Top Business Students, Community Leaders Honored by WT’s Engler College of Business

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

CANYON, Texas - Outstanding students and community leaders were honored at a recent year-end event for West Texas A&M University's Paul and Virginia Engler College of Business.

Dozens were commended as outstanding students or inducted into honor societies ahead of May 15 and 16 commencement ceremonies at the University.

"This symposium is really about celebrating our students and the community that stands behind them. Their success comes not only from a lot of hard work, but also from the people and partners who support them along the way," said Dr. Amjad Abdullat, dean of the Engler College of Business. "Through our community awards, we recognize those individuals and organizations who show up, invest in our students, and make a real difference-not just in their lives, but in the future of our region."

Maylee Wertz, a senior marketing major from Balko, Oklahoma, was named outstanding undergraduate student. She also won a leadership award for the Engler Ambassadors student organization.

"Maylee is notable not only for her intelligence, but also for her ability to work with other people in a team setting," said Dr. Robert A. King, WT's Wilder Professor of Marketing and associate dean of undergraduate business programs. "The College is better with her in it."

Landry Ritchey, a graduate student in finance and economics from Abilene, was named outstanding graduate student.

"Landry has consistently excelled and demonstrated a professional demeanor," said Dr. Jeffry Babb, WT's Stan Sigman Professor of business and associate dean of graduate business programs. "His dedication to mentoring fellow students and spreading kindness has fostered a supportive community."

Seven undergraduates also were recognized as outstanding students across the several disciplines in the Engler College of Business:

• Accounting: Austin Gabel, a December graduate from Amarillo;
• Computer Information Systems: Jesus Torres, a senior from Amarillo;
• Economics: Scott Miller, a senior from Schertz;
• Finance: Tory Trahern, a senior from Sunray;
• General Business: Leah Aviles, a senior from San Bernadino, California;
• Management: Kelsie Cox, a senior from Mineral Wells; and
• Marketing: Heidi Giesbrecht, a senior from Seminole.

Five graduate students also were honored as outstanding students:

• Accounting: Yudith Aranda from Seagraves;
• MBA: Holly Cordell from Amarillo;
• Computer Information Systems and Business Analytics: Oscar Martinez from Amarillo;
• Finance and Economics: Paul Harrington from Friendswood; and
• Strategic Human Resource Management: Viola Boyd from Canyon.

Abdullat also presented significant community leaders with special awards.

Anupam "AJ" Johri, managing director with Morgan Stanley Wealth Management, was given the Ambassador Award, celebrating his commitment to the University since earning his MBA in WHEN. His team manages $1.8 billion for its clients, and Johri has been ranked in Forbes' best in state list of wealth advisers since 2018 and in Barron's Top 1,500 Financial Advisers in America since 2014.

Bell Textron Inc. in Amarillo was given the Employer of the Year Award for advancing internship and employment opportunities for Engler College students.

Brenda Schroer, who earned an accounting degree in 1998 and was named a 2024 Distinguished Alumna, was given the Legacy Award. A prominent figure in the oil and gas industry, she was named one of the 25 Influential Women in Energy in 2020.

Student leadership awards were presented to outstanding members of various organizations: Gizelle Borunda, a senior accounting major from Sunray, for Accounting and Finance Association; Gavin Rinehardt, a senior finance major from Arlington, Washington, for the Chartered Financial Analysts Research Challenge team; Anthony G. Hernandez, a senior marketing major from Amarillo, for American Marketing Association Club; Torres for BuffTeks Club; Aviles for Society for Human Resource Management; Angel Lopez, a sophomore from Canyon, for Association of Latino Professionals for America; Caitlin Zanchettin, a graduate student in communication from Amarillo, for Economics Club; Giesbrecht for MindSpark; and Kathryn Wilson, a junior accounting major from Olton, for Women in Business.

Benjamin Mosley, a senior computer information systems major from Borger, won the Carey Lyles Emerging Technology Award.

Isaac Silvey, a graduate student in accounting from Canyon, won the Texas CPA Accounting Education Foundation Accounting Excellence Award. Josue Banda, a graduate student in finance and economics from El Paso, won the Engler Edge Award.

Other Engler Ambassadors recognized, in addition to Wertz, Trahern, Aviles and Borunda, were Luis Martinez, a senior general business and finance major from Pampa; Romie Rubio, a senior finance and accounting major from Amarillo; Emma Boazman, a senior general business major from Lubbock; Ribbin Saisason, a senior computer information systems major from Amarillo; and Cesar Cabrera, a senior finance major from Dumas.

Ten students were inducted into Beta Gamma Sigma, an international business honor society. Students must be in the top 5 to 10 percent of all College of Business students and receive a faculty recommendation. Inductees included Aviles, Boazman, Borunda, Geibrecht, Rubio, Trahern and Wertz, as well as:

• Elvis Owusu, a graduate student in finance and economics from Accra, Ghana;
• Alan Anaya Lopez, an MBA student from El Marqués, Mexico; and
• Oluwademilade "Demi" Oluwafemi, a graduate student in computer information systems and business analytics from Ogun, Nigeria.

Seven students were inducted into Alpha Mu Alpha, the marketing honor society of the American Marketing Association. Inductees included Geibrecht, Hernandez and Wertz, as well as:

• Gracelyn Word, a senior marketing major from Amarillo;
• Canon Gwin, a senior marketing major from Canyon;
• Malysa Vongrasmy, a senior marketing major from Amarillo; and
• Alyssa Hays, a senior marketing major from Arlington.

Three students were inducted into Omicron Delta Epsilon, one of the world's biggest international academic honor societies, which recognizes scholastic attainment and honors outstanding achievements in economics. Inductees included Luis Martinez, as well as:

• Joseph McPherson, a graduate student in finance and economics from Oakland, Tennessee; and
• Miranda Perry, a graduate student in finance and economics from Athens.

Nineteen students were inducted into Upsilon Pi Epsilon, the only international honor society in computing and information disciplines. WT's chapter has won an excellent chapter award for six consecutive years. Inductees included Oscar Martinez, Oluwafemi and Torres, as well as:

• Alexandra Barahona Amador, a graduate student in computer information systems and business analytics from Humble;
• Brittani Castle, an MBA student from Lewisville;
• Patricia Enaholo, an MBA student from Amarillo;
• Oluwakemi Innocent, a graduate student in computer information systems and business analytics from Portharcourt, Nigeria;
• Evgenii Korsak, an MBA student from Greenwich, Connecticut;
• Alexis Lopez, a graduate student in computer information systems and business analytics from Amarillo;
• Melvin Nieves Rivera, a graduate student in computer information systems and business analytics from Baytown;
• Francis Kelechi Njoku, a graduate student in computer information systems and business analytics from Canyon;
• Emmanuel Nwokike, a graduate student in computer information systems and business analytics from Canyon;
• Ray Rigoni, an MBA student from Amarillo;
• Christine Sandifer, a graduate student in computer information systems and business analytics from Amarillo;
• Jacque Saucedo, a graduate student in computer information systems and business analytics from Amarillo;
• Sanchi Srivastava, an MBA student from Georgetown;
• Jennifer Westfall, a graduate student in computer information systems and business analytics from Odessa;
• Robert Lozanski, a senior computer information systems major from Cypress; and
• Madison Sloan, a senior computer information systems major from Pampa,

The 2025 student and community awards symposium was held April 22 in Legacy Hall in the Jack B. Kelley Student Center.

Recruiting, retaining and rewarding excellent students 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 One West comprehensive fundraising campaign, which raised more than $200 million dollars, the largest such campaign in Texas Panhandle history.

About West Texas A&M University

West Texas A&M University is a Regional Research University 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 boasts an enrollment of more than 9,000 and offers multiple options for students to graduate and succeed: 66 undergraduate degree programs, including eight associate degrees; and 44 graduate degrees, including an integrated bachelor's and master's degree, a specialist degree and two doctoral degrees. WT recently earned a Carnegie Foundation classification as a Research College and University. The Buffaloes are a member of the NCAA Division II Lone Star Conference and offers 16 men's and women's athletics programs.

Photo: West Texas A&M University's Paul and Virginia Engler College of Business recently honored students at a year-end symposium. Student awardees included, back from left, Maylee Wertz, Heidi Giesbrecht, Oscar Martinez and Paul Harrington; and, front from left, Tory Trahern, Leah Aviles and Viola Boyd. Not pictured are Jesus Torres, Scott Miller, Kelsie Cox, Austin Gabel, Landry Ritchey, Holly Cordell and Yudith Aranda.

-WT-