The second Farmers Bank Distinguished Speaker Series was held on April 7 at the Texarkana Convention Center. This event is designed to raise scholarship money for students who graduate from Texarkana College and The University of Arkansas Hope-Texarkana and wish to complete their bachelor’s degree at Texas A&M University Texarkana.

The featured speaker was Captain Scott Kelly, a retired naval test pilot and astronaut who made history by spending more than 340 consecutive days on board the International Space Station. Kelly was participating in a study to research the effects of prolonged space travel on the human body, considered essential in enabling future long-term space missions to the moon or Mars.

The event featured a private meet and greet at Farmers Bank & Trust, followed by a dinner and Kelly’s lecture at the Texarkana Convention center. There were 430 tickets to the lecture sold, and the event raised $51,100 for scholarships.

“Wow!,” said Farmers Bank & Trust Texarkana Market President James Bramlett, when asked about the success of the event. “Thank you to the community for the support that made this possible. We raised over $50,000 for scholarships that will go directly back into educating the future of Texarkana.”

“We are so thankful for the support we get from our community partners like Farmers Bank,” said Texas A&M University-Texarkana President Emily Cutrer. “By providing funds for these scholarships, Farmers is helping graduates of Texarkana College and UA Hope-Texarkana fulfill their dream of completing a bachelor’s degree. The educational institutions, the community at large, and the individual students all benefit from events and collaborations like the Farmers Bank Distinguished Speaker Series.”