Department of Communication Success Stories State Champs. The WTAMU speech team has taken the state title three years in a row by beating out Division I teams from Texas A&M University, the University of Texas and Texas Tech University. And when the team travels to national competition, teams from across the country know the West Texas A&M University forensics team is the one to watch. National Finalist. Megan Loden, a senior speech communication major from Aubrey, earned a fourth-place berth at the 135th Interstate Oratorical Association National Contest in April 2007. This marks the first time a West Texas A&M student has made it to the finals of this contest. Kicks on Route 66. Preservation of stories about famed Route 66 is at the forefront of research being conducted by Dr. Trudy Hanson, professor of speech communication, other members of the communication faculty and graduate students. The Route 66 Research Project is funded through Humanities Texas and ensures that generations to come will be informed and entertained by the many stories surrounding the famous highway that passes through the heart of the Texas Panhandle. Another winner. The WTAMU broadcasting program proved it’s a winner once again in national competition, breaking national records for Model Chapter and Community Service honors and earning top production awards at the 66th annual National Broadcasting Society (NBS) Student Electronic Media Competition. The group wins top awards each year and this year was no exception. The WTAMU chapter received its 11th consecutive Model Chapter of the Year and its ninth consecutive Community Service Award—setting national records in both categories. Emmy Voter. Dr. Leigh Browning, associate professor of mass communication and director of broadcasting, is an official member of the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (ATAS). The one-year appointment givers her prime time and daytime Emmy voting rights as well as opportunities to serve as a volunteer on various committees and ATAS activities. | 
