WT Opera to Honor Supporter Patrick Swindell at Jan. 31 Gala

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

CANYON, Texas - Supporters of West Texas A&M University Opera will have a swinging time celebrating a longtime advocate of the arts at an upcoming fundraiser.

WT Opera's annual gala, this year themed "New York, New York," will honor Patrick Swindell, an Amarillo attorney and musician with a long record of support of arts groups in Canyon and Amarillo.

"Honoring Patrick Swindell as our third 'Ever-Shining Star' was a no-brainer," said Dr. Sarah Beckham-Turner, WT Opera director and assistant professor of music in WT's School of Music. "Patrick has been a massive supporter of the arts in the Panhandle, and his support for WT Opera over the past few years has been overwhelming. We are so fortunate to have Patrick in our community, and WT Opera would not be where it is without his help."

The gala will begin at 5:30 p.m. Jan. 31 in the Alumni Banquet Hall on WT's Canyon campus. Tickets are $100. Sponsorships, which include tables of eight, begin at $1,000. For tickets, visit wtamu.schoolauction.net/operagala26. Deadline is Jan. 27.

Previous honorees are Dr. Robert Hansen, retired Regents Professor of Music and director of the WT School of Music, and Mila Gibson, founder of Amarillo Opera.

"I feel incredibly humbled to be recognized for simply supporting and being involved in something that I love and from which I have received so much joy," Swindell said. "The arts are absolutely essential to the quality of life in any society, and I am passionate about supporting the arts in Amarillo and Canyon because of the vital role they play in enriching our entire community."

Swindell is the owner of the Swindell & Associates PC, where his practice focuses on bankruptcy law and civil litigation. He graduated from West Texas State University in 1977 and earned a Doctor of Jurisprudence from Texas Tech University in 1980.

He is a member of the State Bar of Texas, the State Bar Bankruptcy Section, the Amarillo Area Bar Association and the American Bankruptcy Institute.

An Amarillo native, he is active in his community. He is the chairman of the board of regents and founder of Ascension Academy, a member of the Buffalo Club, and part of the boards of directors of Llano Cemetery and the WTAMU Foundation Board. He is past president of the Amarillo Opera board of trustees and past president of the Sybil B. Harrington College of Fine Arts and Humanities advisory board at WT.

He and his wife of 50 years, Roni Swindell, have five children, all of whom also are dedicated supporters of the arts.

The gala will feature music provided by WT Opera students and faculty, as well as some surprise guests.

Fostering an appreciation of the arts is a key mission 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, which is now winding down, has raised more than $175 million.

About West Texas A&M University

A Regional Research University, West Texas A&M 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 boasts an enrollment of more than 9,000 and offers 66 undergraduate degree programs, including eight associate degrees; and 44 graduate degrees, including an integrated bachelor's and master's degree, a specialist degree and two doctoral degrees. WT recently earned a Carnegie Foundation classification as a Research College and University. The Buffaloes are a member of the NCAA Division II Lone Star Conference and offers 16 men's and women's athletics programs.

-WT-