Former Texas Tech Masked Rider and recent agricultural communications graduate Christi Chadwell has been named Communications and Recruiting Coordinator for Texas Tech's Department of Plant and Soil Science. She begins her duties today (Feb. 1), said officials with the College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources.

"I'm excited to start working with students," Chadwell said, "I am very grateful to have received a position where I get to interact with the students of the department every day."

During her time as an undergraduate, Chadwell served as the 2010-2011 Masked Rider, and was active in several other on-campus organizations. The Garland native said her training in agricultural communications will help her succeed in this position, as she will be creating emails, brochures, fliers and promotional materials to recruit students to the department.

Chadwell added that she is excited about working closely with the Fiber and Biopolymer Research Institute and Texas Tech's International Cotton School.

"While I was an undergraduate, I developed strong relationships in the Lubbock area and a strong passion for Texas Tech as a whole," Chadwell said. "I wanted to stay in this area because of the community. Everyone here is so friendly and so supportive of the university, and I wanted to stay a part of that."

Chadwell said during her time in the plant and soil science department, she hopes to help grow the student numbers in the department, while maintaining close bonds to existing undergraduate and graduate students. She would also like to start exploring inner-city school recruitment options to try to attract new students to the department.

Written by Kelsey Fletcher

CONTACT: Richard Zartman, Department Chair and Leidigh Professor of Soil Physics, Department of Plant and Soil Science, Texas Tech University at (806) 742-2838 or richard.zartman@ttu.edu

0202NM12 / PHOTO: Leslie Kitten