West Texas A&M University marked the reopening of the Geneva Schaeffer Education Building with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Jan. 22, celebrating the transformation of one of the campus’s oldest academic structures into a hub for digital learning, graduate education and research.
Originally opened in 1928, the Education Building is the second-oldest classroom building on the WT campus. After nearly two years of construction and remodeling, the facility has reopened following a $40 million renovation and expansion project that blends historic preservation with new instructional technologies.
In prepared remarks at the event, WT President Walter V. Wendler described the building as central to the University’s future. He said digital technology is at the heart of the project and emphasized the role of digital education in allowing WT to educate more students “in new ways, in more places, through new technology.”
The renovation aligns with WT’s long-range strategic plan, WT 125: From the Panhandle to the World, which emphasizes innovation and expanded access to education. WT has a long history in distance instruction, having pioneered such efforts in 1997. The work is also supported by the University’s One West comprehensive fundraising campaign, which surpassed its original $125 million goal and has raised more than $175 million as it winds down.
Dr. Neil Terry, provost and executive vice president for academic affairs, said in prepared remarks that the opening of the building in 2026 reinforces WT’s efforts to be recognized as a leader in education innovation. He noted that the remodeled facility supports two key aspects of the University’s academic mission: serving as a home for graduate programs and research, and functioning as a center for instructional technology and academic innovation.
The Graduate School is now centralized in the building, bringing together graduate services, research and compliance offices, and Education on Demand. Dr. Angela Spaulding, vice president of research and compliance and dean of the WT Graduate School, said in prepared remarks that the centralized location makes services more accessible and better integrated for graduate students. She added that the building is designed to support both in-person and electronic learning, reflecting the realities faced by students balancing work, family and research responsibilities.
A major feature of the renovation is a new addition clad in matte black metal that houses Buffalo Vision: The Frontier of Learning. Built and designed by Igloo Vision, a United Kingdom–based immersive space company, the near–360-degree virtual reality lab allows users to experience immersive environments without wearing headsets.
James Webb, vice president for information technology and chief information officer, said the facility represents a fundamental shift in how teaching and learning are designed at WT. He described the building as a digital learning ecosystem that integrates extended reality, immersive visualization, instructional design and professional-grade production studios to support both on-campus and distance learning.
The addition also features a large LED video wall on its south exterior, measuring approximately 16.4 feet by 8.2 feet, which will display faculty-created digital content, university promotional materials and other programming.
Inside, the building includes nearly a dozen specialized studios for faculty and students. These include lightboard studios with transparent, touch-screen monitors, one-button recording studios designed for ease of use, multiple production studios, two podcast studios, and The Hiro Anon Studio, a virtual and augmented reality lab. Webb said these spaces allow instructional designers and faculty to collaborate on course design that more fully engages students.
The building’s history spans nearly a century. When it first opened, it housed a demonstration school that provided hands-on training for education majors teaching schoolchildren. That program ended in 1951, and the building continued to host WT classes until 1988, after which it fell out of regular academic use.
In October 2021, WT announced it would receive $45 million through Senate Bill 52, part of a statewide $3.35 billion allocation for capital projects at Texas public universities. Some of WT’s allocation has also been used for campuswide fire safety upgrades. Construction on the Education Building officially began in May 2024.
The building is named in honor of Dr. Geneva Schaeffer, following a $2.5 million naming gift made by the Schaeffer family in February 2022. At the ribbon-cutting, David Schaeffer, the couple’s oldest son, said in prepared remarks that his mother had taken many of her college classes in the former “Old Ed” Building and believed it deserved new life rather than demolition.
Geneva Schaeffer had deep ties to WT, attending the demonstration school as a child and later earning her bachelor’s degree from the University in 1955. She received an honorary doctorate in 2016 from WT’s Terry B. Rogers College of Education and Social Sciences. A public-school teacher for 17 years, she was a longtime advocate for education and a leader in university fundraising efforts.
Her husband, Dr. Stanley Schaeffer, also graduated from WT in 1955 and earned an MBA from the University in 1970. He received an honorary doctorate in 2021 from the Paul and Virginia Engler College of Business and was named a WT Distinguished Alumnus in 2004. Together, the Schaeffers were recognized as WT’s first Pinnacle Award recipients in 2005 and were later named Outstanding Philanthropists by the Association of Fundraising Professionals.
The Schaeffer family’s philanthropic support extends across the campus, benefiting multiple colleges, study abroad programs, athletics and other initiatives. The reopening of the Geneva Schaeffer Education Building marks both a continuation of that legacy and a new chapter for one of WT’s most historic campus landmarks.
