By Ashley Miller
Assistant editor

From a cotton farm south of Lubbock to the tip of the Panhandle, Dr. Lance Kieth came to WTAMU in 2002 to serve as an associate professor of agriculture.

Kieth grew up in New Home and now resides in Canyon with his wife Kelli and their two children.

He received his undergraduate, masters and Ph.D. in agricultural education from Texas Tech University.

Kieth’s biggest passion is advising the WT Collegiate FFA.

“We utilize our FFA as a training tool to show how an organization runs, operates and conducts meetings,” Kieth said. “We try to put our students in leadership positions, which is good training ground.”

Collegiate FFA is a University based organization set up to promote and foster those things that relate to a degree in agricultural education, which meets twice a month.

This organization is open to all majors and tries to focus on leadership activities.

“It is a time for students to relax, hang out and meet new people,” Clete Vanderburg, senior agricultural education major and Collegiate FFA state reporter, said.

The objectives of Collegiate FFA, according to its Constitution, are to be an integral part of the organized instructional programs in agriculture education, to strengthen the confidence of students and to provide agriculture-related programs and activities.

FFA members are to also encourage and recognize achievements in supervised agricultural experience programs, scholarship, leadership and other individual and group activities by providing awards.

In Collegiate FFA, the advisor is seen as “the owl,” a time-honored emblem of knowledge required to be successful in the industry of agriculture.

“Every club at the University needs a strong advisor,” Kieth said. “My job is to advise and I have to know what is going on even from a physical appearance.”

Aside from advising Collegiate FFA, Kieth also advises the agricultural ambassadors program and is a member of the Vocational Agricultural Teachers of Texas Association, the Association of American Agricultural Educators and the Texas 4-H Alumni Association.

Collegiate FFA meetings are set up just like any preliminary meeting, where the officers and advisors have an opening and closing script to follow.

Vanderburg believes that Kieth dedicates a lot of time to this organization.

“He cares about his students, has never been discouraging and is there if we ever have any questions,” Vanderburg said.

Throughout the year, Collegiate FFA participates in a variety of community service projects like “Clean Up Day,” where members went to the local high school and helped clean off their agriculture farm by hauling off 20 loads of manure.

During the summer, WT FFA members get an opportunity to go to the state FFA competition.

Last year the Collegiate FFA won first in chapter presentation. Students are given a topic and only have 30 minutes to prepare and present.
“Every year we do an official training and plan the activities for the upcoming year,” Kieth said. “Our overall essence is to prepare students to go into the world of work.”

Kieth thinks that there is a great opportunity to recruit at livestock shows because it can be used as a live learning lab.

To be involved with Collegiate FFA, members must be familiar with agriculture and crops and can use agricultural education to create real-world success.

“I enjoy getting to shape the lives of youth,” Kieth said. “These kids are talented and I enjoy seeing that.”

FFA can be extremely time consuming and takes lots of effort, especially for the advisor.

“Kieth is pretty personable and to him we’re not just another group of kids,” Vanderburg said.

Kieth is privileged to advise Collegiate FFA and cares a lot about his students.

“The students don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care,” Kieth said. “Their best interest is what your concerned about and I hope to live and operate this way.”

Ashley Miller
Assisstant Editor

PHOTO BY BLAKE HENDERSON. ETERNAL FLAME: Blake Henderson and his brother, Justin Hebert, join in the revelry of Homecoming in front of the bonfire. Building the bonfire is just one of the many activites that are set up by the Residence Hall Association and supervised by Henderson.

For three years, Blake Henderson has dedicated his time and effort to the Residence Hall Association (RHA).

Henderson grew up in Boys Ranch where he enjoyed a variety of academic, vocational, spiritual and extra-curricular activities.

He earned his degree in recreation in Dec. 2000 and is currently working on his master’s in higher education – student affairs at WTAMU.

Outside of RHA, Henderson is the coordinator at Buff Hall, the new upperclassman residential quarters next to Terrill lawn and is happily married to his wife, Donna Henderson.

As RHA advisor, Henderson supervises the four officers, helps out with program planning, the budget side of things and reserves facilities for upcoming events.

“He’s guided us well over the past three semesters through programs and helped with what to do and how to get it done,” James Porter, sophomore SES major and RHA national communications coordinator said.

RHA stands to give each residence hall student a representative voice in the programming for the residence halls of the university and the opportunity to participate in the planning and running of the programs.

“RHA is a great place for students to meet new people and get involved with on campus life,” Blake Henderson, RHA advisor said.

RHA is made up of representatives from the various on campus residence halls, who are selected by their peers to represent their hall.

The biggest program that RHA puts on is the bonfire building, which occurs in the fall semesters.

To receive a free bonfire shirt, students must build for six hours and guard the bonfire for one night.

In November, RHA went to the annual Southwest Affiliate of College and University Residence Halls (SWACURH) conference at the University of Arkansas to meet other students and bring back new ideas to WT campus.

SWACURH is a student run organization whose purpose is to provide leadership development opportunities for student leaders and advisors in residence hall systems in the southwest region of Arkansas, Louisiana, Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas

“For students wanting to make any changes, hall council would be there avenue to go to,” Henderson said.

Hall council is set up for WT students living in the residence halls to have an opportunity to voice their opinion about on campus entities.

RHA puts on over 10 programs every semester to get students involved on campus.

“The interaction with other halls is the best part,” Henderson said. “I get to serve on some committee’s where you get to work with other halls.”

For the first time, RHA and Campus Organizations, Resources and Entertainment (CORE) are teaming up for Casino night, which this year’s theme is Casino Royale.

Other events that are coming up is Lip Sync with the Comedy Club, Feb. 18 at 8 p.m., Best Dressed Space contest, Mud Pull and the Cookout at the AC Patio the day before dead day.

“Henderson has given us some pointers. What to do and what hasn’t worked in the past,” Porter said.

The program that has been a success over the past several years is the Final Exam Kits, where parents can send their kids goodies before the end of semester exams.

“Henderson’s experience makes him a great advisor,” Porter said. He’s been around the block many of times and has been there for the good years and the bad.”

While knitting a blanket, Sang Hwang, rehearses for her favorite past times – karaoke singing.

“I love to sing karaoke,” Sang Hwang, associate professor of education, said. “New songs or old songs, I love to sing.”

Hwang also enjoys sewing and knitting.

She owns seven sewing machines.

Hwang is from South Korea and received her bachelor’s degree from Chonbuk National University.

Hwang came to the U.S. in 1984 as a newlywed to study abroad.

Her first daughter, Lee Hwang, was born in 1985.

After getting her master’s degree in curriculum and instruction in 1988 from the University of Missouri-Columbia, Hwang went back to Korea to pursue her doctorate admission.

There was a requirement of at least three years of teaching experience to get in, Hwang said.

“In Korea it’s protected and the parents sacrifice everything for their kids,” Hwang said. “In America, there’s more adventure and better opportunities. I had more chances to challenge myself.”

Hwang expected the cultural shock when moving from Korea to Missouri, but did not expect another shock between Missouri and Texas.

“In Missouri there is a lot more diversity so we watched what we said and had to be very careful,” Hwang said. “In Texas, it’s more conservative and seven years ago it was a little harder, but now I have seen lots of changes in accepting diversity.”

In 1995, Hwang came back to Missouri for her doctorate with her daughter Lee and her second daughter Lyahn Hwang.

“When my daughters and I came back, Lee had to learn English as a second language again and my husband had to stay in Korea to support us and pay for my tuition,” Hwang said.

Hwang’s husband, Un Hak Hwang, is a physics professor in Chonan, South Korea.

At this time, Hwang was a full-time student and taking care of two girls.

“I had to spend more time with my kids learning how to speak English first and then adapt to their school life,” Hwang said.

While living in Amarillo, Hwang said that her first daughter was the only Asian at her high school.

“When she came up to me and said ‘mom when I got there first, I was the only child who sat in the cafeteria eating a hamburger with tears,’ that was a really big shock and very sad. I am really thankful for her being successful and making friends,” Hwang said.

Lyahn is now at Southwestern medical school in Dallas where she is pursuing to become a neural surgeon.

“I like to watch the medical discovery channel to see what my daughter will be going into,” Hwang said. “I watch it every night and I also read newspapers online to keep up with what’s going on here and in Korea.”

Hwang attained an educational specialist degree in curriculum and instruction from UMC in 1997.

In 2000, Hwang received her doctoral degree in curriculum and instruction in reading education from UMC.

Hwang had three offers, one from WTAMU and two from Missouri State.

“I applied for WT in 2001 and the community and faculty members were impressed by me having three publications in one year,” Hwang said.

Hwang took the job for two reasons. The first was for the supportive atmosphere between the faculty members, and the second was public education.

“WT was a good benefit for my daughters and I,” Hwang said. “The environment around my kids is very quiet and we are all Christians.”

Hwang’s husband still lives in South Korea and supports her in every way.

“He is right beside me and thanks to technology he is actively involved in my two daughter’s lives,” Hwang said. “He’s doing some part at a distance and I really appreciate that. I talk to him and see him every day and ask him for suggestions, then we just talk.”

He will ultimately join us in the U.S. in three years, Hwang said.

Hwang teaches evaluation of reading performance and field experience in teaching reading.

“My dream came true,” Hwang said. “I am enjoying what I am doing and when I teach my students, I teach my teachers.”

Students first of all, have to enjoy what they are doing, have a love of teaching and have knowledge of what they are teaching, Hwang said.

“I enjoyed having her as a teacher,” Joslyn Dzik, junior elementary education major said. “ She helped me to understand some areas in reading better and how to teach reading better than what I thought I could.”

Hwang works at the America Reads program, which is a nation-wide federally funded reading program, focused on K-3 grades in area schools to encourage children to read.
Hwang is also the adviser of the Korean Student Association on campus.

“She cares about the students as individuals,” Dzik said. “She is willing to help students in every way whenever they need it.”

By 2007, Hwang had published eight articles during her stay at WT and conducts many presentations at the state and local conferences, according to the WT web site.

Hwang is also a member of the International Reading Association, Texas State Reading Association, Teachers of Applied Whole Language and the Korean Association of Teachers of English.

“You can do anything you want to do if you just reach for it, you can make it,” Hwang said.

Ashley Miller
Assistant Editor

Dr. Pradeep Racherla is used to big cities, but prefers the quietness of a small town. He centers his mind by simple things like playing cricket or reading novels.

Racherla grew up in Hyderabad, India’s fifth largest city with a population of about 6.1 million.

“When people ask me where I’m from I usually tell them that the best way to recognize my city is if you call Dell for company support there’s a 90 percent probably that you will be talking to someone from my city,” Racherla, assistant professor of marketing and management said.

Racherla has been married for three years and his wife has a Ph.D in chemistry.

He has one sister who is a software engineer. His dad is a doctor and his mother is a retired teacher.

Racherla’s family still lives in India.

While living in India, Racherla worked as a channel partner for a major environmental and energy equipment firm in India.

“My most satisfying aspect was late in my grandfather’s life when I still remember people recognizing him and thanking him for being a good teacher,” Racherla said. “I would put being a teacher right up with being a lawyer or a doctor in terms of having an impact on society.”

Racherla has a M.B.A. in management and marketing from SSIHL University and earned his Ph.D in business administration from the Fox School of Business at Temple University.

“I think that the first day I joined my college was really memorable because that’s where I met most of my friends,” Racherla said. “They became my friends for life.”
Racherla joined the College of Business this fall and teaches principles of marketing and marketing in hospitality and tourism.

“I liked the place, it was nice and quiet and I loved the people,” Racherla said. “I thought WT was the perfect fit for me. It’s a different place.”

Racherla enjoys listening to music, especially Indian classical music.

“I love playing games and I used to play a lot of cricket while in the east coast,” Racherla said. “I also play tennis and apart from all of that, I watch a lot of TV and read a lot.”
Racherla said he is looking for a cricket team to join in the Panhandle.

“He is a very fun-loving guy who likes to have fun,” Dr. Andrew Li, assistant professor of management, said.“He is also an excellent cook and he always brings food into work that smells really good.”

Racherla has two typical days.

The first typical day is on Mondays and Wednesdays, which are pretty busy because he teaches three classes in a single day.

On the other hand, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays are usually spent on meeting students, research and grading if there is any.

“He has a lot of passion for teaching and he talks about teaching all the time and how he can improve his teaching skills,” Li said. “That’s what makes him a good teacher.”

Racherla’s main goal is to make his students appreciate that marketing is fun and at the same time a complex subject.

“It’s not just about creativity,” Racherla said. “It’s all about thinking and analyzing things and I try to tell my students that marketing works everywhere.”

Racherla has authored several research papers and technical reports that were published in prestigious journals such as the Cornell Hospitality Quarterly, the International Journal of Hospitality Management and the Journal of Hospitality and Leisure Marketing.

Racherla teaches his students to understand the basic appreciation of marketing and to apply these concepts to what you do in life.

“He’s a very good person and has had a powerful impact on my career.” Li said. “We are very good friends and I really cherish the friendship with him.”