Boxing Great Coming to Texarkana in Distinguished Speaker Series

Last week officials from Farmers Bank & Trust, Texas A&M University-Texarkana, Texarkana College, and the University of Arkansas Hope-Texarkana gathered as the Farmers Bank Foundation presented a check of over $73,000 to the university.

The money was raised from last year's 2023 Distinguished Speaker Series event and they announced this year's Distinguished Speaker.

The funds raised go towards scholarships to both students graduating from Texarkana College and the University of Arkansas Hope-Texarkana who continue their education at Texas A&M University-Texarkana.

A&M-Texarkana President Dr. Ross Alexander said in a press release,

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.

Also at the event, they made the big announcement of who will be the 2024 Distinguished Speaker Series this year on April 11.

And the Distinguished Speaker is Olympic and Professional boxing champion Sugar Ray Leonard.

James Bramlett, Farmers Bank & Trust Texarkana Market President stated in a press release,

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 which 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.

The 2024 Distinguished Speaker Series event will take place on Thursday, April 11 starting at 5 PM with a private cocktail reception where guests will have the opportunity to meet Sugar Ray Leonard. The private reception will be held at Farmers Bank & Trust located at 2900 St. Michael Drive in Texarkana, Texas.

The dinner and lecture will start at 7 PM at The Hilton Garden Inn Texarkana Convention Center located at 2910 South Cowhorn Creek Loop in Texarkana Texas.

Tickets for the dinner and lecture are $125 each. Tickets for the private reception, dinner, and lecture are $250.

You can buy your tickets online at tamut.edu/farmers.

For more information email LeAnne Wright, A&M-Texarkana Vice-President for University Advancement at lwright@tamut.edu.

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