Katy George

George’s father also lived in Goodwell and attended Panhandle State in 1995. “It didn’t take long for the Panhandle State campus to become like a second home for me growing up,” George reminisced.

She continued, “The professors and art students at the time were always so nice and encouraging when they spoke to me about my love for art as a child. They helped plant that artistic seed in my heart as a young girl and when I was ready to make a change in my adult life, the same professors, Bryon Test and David Elder, as well as one particular alumni, Brent Shoulders, were all there for me, still encouraging me to pursue my artistic dreams. I guess you can say that is what brought me to Panhandle; the amazing people who I truly felt believed in me and wanted to help me reach my goals and create a successful future for myself.”

George was highly involved in Images Art Club and assisted in event traditions still carried on today- Dorm of Doom, Paul Farrell Art Auction and the Panhandle Area Art Jubilee. One of George’s creative painted works can still be seen in the mural on the Pub on the Bricks in Guymon.

She also served as a student aid for Professors Bryon Test and Yvonne Sangster, and assistant taught Fundamentals of Art, Drawing, and Airbrush Illustration courses, and was active as a representative for Panhandle Student Council. “I also worked one summer for the Upward Bound program with Teri Mora, which also helped spark the love I have for working with high school-aged kids,” said George.

She graduated magna cum laude from Panhandle State in the spring of 2013 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree with an emphasis in Painting. George was nominated for the prestigious Who’s Who Among Colleges and Universities and was given the Fine Arts Student of the Year Award by Panhandle State in her senior year.

George then went on to pursue her Masters of Fine Arts at Texas A&M University and had an opportunity to study abroad in Spain and Morocco in 2014. Soon after, George felt the call to teaching and put her MFA on hold when she was hired as the Spearman High School Art Teacher. She was lovingly nominated by her students and received the Teachers on the Rise Award. She currently resides in Spearman with her husband Derek, and they share two beautiful daughters, Hannah and Brynlee. Katy and Derek are soon welcoming a son, Bryson, in late July.