Short Story ‘Ogallala Aquifer’ in Spotlight for WT’s Great Books Series in November

Copy by Chip Chandler, 806-651-2124, [email protected]

CANYON, Texas - West Texas A&M University's Great Books Series will continue in November with a short story about one of the region's most valuable resources.

Dr. Ryan Brooks, associate professor English in WT's Department of English, Philosophy and Modern Languages, will lead the discussion of Terese Svoboda's "Ogallala Aquifer" from her 2019 collection "Great American Desert."

The Great Books discussion will take place at 7 p.m. Nov. 12 at Burrowing Owl Books, 7406 Southwest 34th Ave., Suite 2B, in Amarillo.

"'Ogallala Aquifer' is a story about a farmer, his daughter and her son grappling with how to respond to corporate pollution that threatens the groundwater under their land. Through this story, Svoboda dramatizes how this issue is perceived differently by members of different generations and by people with differing political perspectives and economic interests," said Brooks, who also serves as WT's director of graduate studies in English.

"I picked this work because it's a great example of a writer using fiction to explore a real-life issue that is hugely important to our region," Brooks said. "My hope is that reading and discussing the story creates an opportunity to discuss the future we want for the aquifer, and therefore the future we want for the High Plains itself."

The discussion series-sponsored by the Department of English, Philosophy and Modern Languages in the Sybil B. Harrington College of Fine Arts and Humanities-is open to those who either have or haven't read the story, said organizer Dr. Daniel Bloom.

WT professors and guest lecturers lead the monthly Great Books discussions.

For information, email Bloom at [email protected].

The series is one way in which WT serves the region by offering engagement with a variety of literary and philosophical texts. Being a learner-centered university is a key principle of the University's long-range plan, WT 125: From the Panhandle to the World.

That plan is fueled by the historic One West comprehensive fundraising campaign, which reached its initial $125 million goal 18 months after publicly launching in September 2021. The campaign's new goal is to reach $175 million by 2025; currently, it has raised more than $160 million.

About West Texas A&M University

WT, a Regional Research University, is redefining excellence in Canyon, Texas, on a 342-acre residential campus, as well as the Harrington Academic Hall WTAMU Amarillo Center in downtown Amarillo. Established in 1910, the University has been part of The Texas A&M University System since 1990. WT, a Hispanic Serving Institution since 2016, boasts an enrollment of more than 9,000 and offers 58 undergraduate degree programs, one associate degree, and 44 graduate degrees, including an integrated bachelor's and master's degree, a specialist degree and two doctoral degrees. The University is also home to the Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum, the largest history museum in the state and the home of one of the Southwest's finest art collections. The Buffaloes are a member of the NCAA Division II Lone Star Conference and offers 14 men's and women's athletics programs.

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