William Bennett honored at special reception
A longtime friend of Texas Tech University and an outstanding member of the Department of Plant and Soil Science's emeritus faculty was honored July 16 during a special reception in the College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources' animal and food sciences building.
The event honoring William Bennett was held in conjunction with 2008 Texas FFA Convention, and was attended by more than 50 Ag Ambassador alumni, friends and co-workers. Bennett served as CASNR's interim dean during the late 1970s.
Ag Ambassadors. Among his many accomplishments was Bennett's creation of the college's Ag Ambassador program. The group is dedicated to spreading the story of American agriculture, natural resources and their opportunities for youth in these fields. Officials note that each ambassador has extensive experience in public speaking, primarily through 4-H, FFA and various other speaking competitions.
Bennett joined the Texas Tech faculty in 1968. He taught courses in the Department of Plant and Soil Science and later became the college's director of development. During his tenure Bennett worked to raise the college's endowment to nearly $10 million, an amount that was the largest endowment on campus at the time of his retirement in 1997.
Outstanding Agriculturalist. In 2007, CASNR officials selected Bennett as one of the three individuals honored as a Gerald W. Thomas Outstanding Agriculturalists. The award was presented at the college's 80th annual Pig Roast at the Lubbock Memorial Civic Center Banquet Hall.
The annual award, established in 1969, honors individuals for their contributions to Texas agriculture in the areas of agribusiness, production and public service. The award is named for Gerald W. Thomas, who served as dean of Texas Tech's College of Agricultural Sciences from 1958 to 1970.
Tech Trivia. Separately, Bennett is the author of a book packed with Texas Tech tidbits and little known information. Titled Tech Trivia, it contains over 500 facts from athletics to academics.
For example, students often refer to the Tech seal as "the oreo." It weighs in at 89,600 pounds. Also, it took 1,287,000 bricks to build the United Spirit Arena.
Written by Norman Martin
Davis College NewsCenter
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