Amada Alvidrez Has Been Selected as the 2021 Commencement Program Speaker

Amada’s story in the United States began as a fifth-grade student who could speak no English following her family’s move from Mexico. Her hard work and determination quickly propelled her to the top of her class. She excelled academically, graduating with a 4.0 as the valedictorian of her class at Guymon High School.

Panhandle State was a natural choice for her as she looked to continue her education and wanted to stay close to home and family. Amada received an academic scholarship to pay for her tuition and graduated debt-free. She graduated magna cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts in English with minors in Spanish and computer information systems

Amada is currently the regional retail manager at Equity Bank in Guymon, OK.

In 2016, she joined the Government Relations Council for The Oklahoma Bankers Association and was elected to the board of directors. She currently serves as the first vice chair on the board. Not only is she the first Panhandle resident to serve on the board of directors, but she is also the first Hispanic member of the board.

A strong supporter of Panhandle State, Amada became a board member of the Panhandle State Association of Alumni and Friends in 2018. She also became the first platinum life member of the association in 2019.

Amada lives in Guymon with her husband, Sergio, and daughter, Sofia. They enjoy spending family time together playing outside with Sofia and watching her grow up to be an independent little girl.

University President, Dr. Tim Faltyn stated, “We love the tradition of allowing our graduates to hear from outstanding alums. The possibilities are endless for our graduates, and from here you can go anywhere. Amada is an excellent example of how great things can happen in your life when you graduate from Panhandle State and work hard.”