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Farmers Bank Foundation Makes Donation to A&M-Texarkana, Announces Speaker for the 2024 Distinguished Speakers Series
TEXARKANA, Texas – Officials from Farmers Bank & Trust, Texas A&M University-Texarkana, Texarkana College, and the University of Arkansas Hope-Texarkana were on hand January 25th as the Farmers Bank Foundation presented a check to the university with funds raised at the 2023 Distinguished Speaker Series event. The donation of over $73,000 goes towards scholarships to students graduating from Texarkana College and the University of Arkansas Hope-Texarkana who are continuing their education at Texas A&M University-Texarkana.
“We are very thankful to have the support of Farmers Bank & Trust and the Farmers Bank Foundation as we serve students from the Texarkana area,” said A&M-Texarkana President Dr. Ross Alexander. “By generating scholarship funds for students from our local partner institutions, the Farmers Bank Foundation is helping students fulfill their goal of attaining a bachelor’s degree, while also keeping more of our talented students here in the area.”
"This remarkable gift allows UAHT students, many of whom are placed bound due to family obligations and other reasons, to continue their studies,” said Dr. Christine Holt, Chancellor of the University of Arkansas Hope-Texarkana. “By continuing their studies and earning a credential, our students will acquire skills and knowledge to successfully enter and excel in the workforce. We are grateful for the generosity of Farmers Bank and the Farmers Bank Foundation."
“Texarkana College students benefit from the support of Texas A&M University-Texarkana and the partnership with Farmers Bank and Trust to provide scholarship funds to continue pursuing their higher education goals,” said Dr. Jason Smith, Texarkana College President. “Financial obstacles prevent many TC students from pursuing a bachelor’s degree, and these transfer scholarships will help ensure students have affordable access to achieve their dreams. We are so grateful to have such great partners in education in our community.”
In addition to presenting the scholarship check from the 2023 event, the announcement was made that the 2024 Distinguished Speaker Series scheduled for April 11, 2024, will feature Olympic and Professional boxing champion Sugar Ray Leonard.
“The Farmers Bank & Trust Speaker Series for 2024 is excited to announce our speaker as Olympic Light Welterweight Gold Medalist Boxing Champion Sugar Ray Leonard,” said James Bramlett, Farmers Bank & Trust Texarkana Market President. “During his 20-year professional career, Leonard won world titles in the welterweight, junior middleweight, super middleweight, and light heavyweight divisions— the first boxer to win world titles in five different weight classes. In 2009 Mr. Leonard founded The Sugar Ray Leonard Foundation that is committed to funding research and creating awareness for childhood type 1 & 2 diabetes and to help children lead healthier lives through diet and exercise,” Bramlett added. “We are looking forward to the event and invite the community to be there with us.”
“We are excited about the 2024 Distinguished Speaker Series event featuring Sugar Ray Leonard. Each of the past three speaker series events have raised more scholarship funds than the previous, and we expect that trend to continue with another wonderful event hosted by our partners at the Farmers Bank Foundation,” said President Alexander.
The 2024 Distinguished Speaker Series event will kick off at 5:00pm on Thursday April 11th with a private cocktail reception to meet Sugar Ray Leonard at Farmers Bank & Trust, 2900 St. Michael Drive in Texarkana, TX. The dinner and lecture portion of the event will take place at 7:00pm at The Hilton Garden Inn Texarkana Convention Center, 2910 South Cowhorn Creek Loop, Texarkana Texas.
Tickets for the dinner and lecture are $125 each, and tickets for the private reception, dinner, and lecture are $250. Tickets may be purchased online at www.tamut.edu/farmers. Sponsorship packages are also available.
For additional information please contact LeAnne Wright, A&M-Texarkana Vice-President for University Advancement at lwright@tamut.edu.