WT to Join A&M System Colleagues in Month-Long Focus on Artificial Intelligence

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

CANYON, Texas - West Texas A&M University will join fellow universities in The Texas A&M University System for a month of hands-on learning opportunities to build foundational literacy in artificial intelligence among its faculty and staff.

The AI Learnathon kicks off March 27 on National AI Literacy Day and runs through April 30, and will include several System-wide engagement activities that will offer faculty and staff practical tools for using AI in the classroom and beyond.

The Learnathon will build foundational AI literacy and institutional readiness among System faculty and staff through responsible, hands-on engagement with emerging tools. Faculty and staff across the System will be encouraged to explore artificial intelligence through practical, supported learning experiences.

Faculty and staff will enroll in Learnathon events through April 11, including Grow with Google AI courses and specializations. Faculty and staff can take online courses in AI essentials and prompting essentials. WT students have already been taking Grow with Google courses since spring 2025.

The System's Council on Academic Technology and Innovative Education Faculty Innovation Task Force will host an April 2 webinar to highlight faculty innovations in teaching and learning, including examples of AI-enabled instructional practices.

The Chancellor's Faculty Innovation and Impact Symposium, to be held April 9 and 10, will serve as a system-wide reinforcement point.

At the symposium, Google will lead panels highlighting Google Career Certificates and AI offerings, including AI Essentials and Prompting Essentials, connecting the Learnathon to broader faculty innovation and workforce-aligned priorities. Grammarly and the Association of College and University Educators will similarly lead panels on effective teaching practices, and effective and ethical use of AI in teaching and learning.

During National AI Week, running April 13 to 17, faculty and staff will be encouraged to complete various certifications through highlights of practical AI applications across roles.

The Learnathon encourages thoughtful and ethical exploration of AI tools in a supported environment that prioritizes responsible use and professional development.

By building shared AI literacy across faculty and staff, the System is strengthening institutional readiness to responsibly adopt emerging technologies in academic instruction, research, innovation, and public service.

Building academic excellence is a key mission of 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, which is now winding down, has raised more than $175 million.

About West Texas A&M University

A Regional Research University, West Texas A&M 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 boasts an enrollment of more than 9,000 and offers 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.

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