Across the vast stretches of West Texas, small rural towns stand as testaments to resilience. At the heart of these communities, Texas Tech University cultivates a spirit of service that extends far beyond the classroom. Its graduates gain an education that prepares them to lead, innovate and give back to the places that raised them.
These Texas Tech alumni are not just returning home; they are helping to transform the future of rural Texas.
Mary Jane Buerkle
A little girl perched on the counter of The Haskell Drug Store; the scent of old-fashioned candies and freshly stocked medicine filled the air as she flipped through the crisp pages of the Wall Street Journal. Passing customers paused in admiration, smiling at the sight of a child reading well beyond her years.
Mary Jane Buerkle would one day return to this very counter, not as a local shopper, but as a business owner and community leader. Today, she and her husband are at the helm of the town’s pharmacy, supporting a vital service for Haskell, Texas, and exemplifying the power of Texas Tech alumni investing in their rural communities.
Mary Jane Buerkle grew up in Haskell, Texas, and inside The Haskell Drug Store, where her mother, Linda Short, began working when Mary Jane was just four years old. One day, while picking up a prescription, her mother mentioned to Doyle High, the store owner, that she would be willing to help with keeping the books.
“He said, ‘Well, can you start tomorrow?’” Mary Jane said. “And she did.”
Mary Jane’s early memories include spending time at the store, reading newspapers at the counter, and helping her mother with tasks like counting the cash drawer.
This was where she learned the buying aspect of the business, a role her mother had taken on that led to eventually managing the gift shop.
Leaving home encouraged her to explore new opportunities, Mary Jane’s journey to Texas Tech University began with a semester at Oklahoma State University. However, she was led back to West Texas and Texas Tech’s agricultural communications program.
“People kept telling me, ‘Go find yourself and find something you love to do,’ and plus, I kind of wanted to get out,” she reflected. “After growing up there, you kind of think, ‘Well, what else can I do?’”
However, she quickly realized four hours was farther than she wanted to be.
“I realized just how far from home it was and how much I wanted to be closer to my family,” she said.
After transferring to Texas Tech, she pursued a degree in agricultural communications, while Nathan Buerkle, now her husband and pharmacist at The Haskell Drug Store, studied pre-pharmacy before receiving his doctorate in pharmacy.
During her time at Texas Tech, Mary Jane was an active member and the national president of National Agricultural Communicators of Tomorrow.
“I made friends I still keep in touch with today and that is where I learned how to plan,” she said. “But honestly, probably one of the things that shaped me just as much as anything was my time at the Avalanche-Journal when I was in college.”
She said her work at the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal strengthened her love for storytelling, taught her attention to detail and gave her a front-row seat to history in moments like the 9/11 attacks.
“I skipped going to class. I went straight to work because I knew that was where I was going to be needed,” she said. “And so, I spent the day going around town and talking to people for stories. It was very surreal.”
After earning her Master of Science in Agricultural Education, Mary Jane’s passion for community involvement started early in her career, even when her roles didn’t seem obviously connected to agriculture.
“My first job out of college was at the Lubbock Chamber of Commerce, and that was so much fun,” she said.
She spent much of her time was spent organizing large community events like the Business Expo, the golf tournament, and the now Hub City BBQ Cook-off. Those experiences taught her the power of relationship-building and local engagement.
“It was an amazing job for making connections,” she said. “I feel like sometimes it’s in those jobs where it’s not directly ag-related where we can often make the most impact.”
Later, at Plains Cotton Growers, Mary Jane found herself advocating for farmers on a much broader scale, this time as director of communications and public affairs.
“I got to work with some of the most incredible people in the industry,” she said. “I learned so much about their needs. Being able to advocate for them and really see what they go through – it was eye-opening.”
In each role, she found herself building strong relationships and gaining a better understanding of the people she was serving.
“I just had a really good opportunity to have a good rapport with people and understand what we as an organization could best be doing on their behalf,” she said.
Despite a career she loved, the call home proved stronger. In 2016, she and Nathan moved back to Haskell, a decision solidified by an opportunity to purchase the very pharmacy where her mother had worked for decades.
In a place without many 24-hour services, their commitment goes beyond regular business hours.
“You’re never really off,” Mary Jane said, “and that’s okay with us because that’s taking care of your community and meeting the needs in a place without a lot of 24-hour service for anything.”
The transition was not without the challenges of learning the intricacies of small-town business ownership, navigating the complexities of rural healthcare and adjusting to a different pace of life, but for Mary Jane and Nathan, it was never just about running a business.
“We are going to do everything in our power to keep this place open and thriving because we owe it to our community,” she said.
As an active member of the Rotary Club and Haskell Chamber of Commerce, where she served as president until April 2025, Mary Jane has found new ways to give back. She played a crucial role in community efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic, ensuring residents had access to medications and vaccinations.
“Pharmacy is facing some of these challenges right now, and I think we’re just proud to still be here,” she said.
With sick patients coming in to pick up their prescriptions, Mary Jane and her team had to find new ways to protect both staff and customers. Even when the pandemic forced the closing of the storefront twice, they persevered and continued operations with a drive-through system.
“We went Chick-fil-A style on the drive through,” she said with a laugh. “I mean, we had people standing outside.”
Through it all, Mary Jane was most proud of her team’s resilience.
“The thing that I am most proud of is our team, our employees and what they did to help us keep this train moving,” she said. “We were able to be kind of that mainstay for people in the middle of COVID while everybody was at home.”
Mary Jane said she sees the narrative of dying rural towns differently. To her, Haskell is a testament to resilience, a place where young families are returning, industries are investing, and people are committed to keeping their community alive.
“Our rural communities do have so much to offer,” she said.
Her advice to Texas Tech students and alumni considering a similar path is simple: take the risk.
“Find your place, roll up your sleeves and jump in to do what you can,” Mary Jane said.
With her spirit of service, Mary Jane’s dedication to her community goes beyond business. It’s her commitment to giving back, helping others and making a lasting impact that drives her to serve Haskell in meaningful ways.
“It’s walking down those aisles and realizing this building, these people, have raised me. Now I guess I’m ready to continue this legacy, and that is both exciting and frightening all at the same time.”
“Find your place, roll up your sleeves and jump in to do what you can.”
Mary Jane Buerkle
Penman Services
The sound of engines hum as cars and trucks idle at Ranchland, a familiar landmark for travelers stationed on the quiet stretch of Highway 82 in Benjamin, Texas. The buzz of the road mixes with the clink of gas pumps as drivers stretch their legs and fill their tanks before stepping inside to the cheerful whir of the ICEE machine and sizzling smell of hot meals.
For most, it is a routine pit stop to refuel before the next leg of their journey. But for the Penman family, it is the result of a generational commitment to serving their hometown and those passing through.
That commitment began with Monty Penman, a World War II U.S. Army veteran who returned home to Rochester, Texas. After his homecoming, he established the area’s first full-service gas station.
Ray Penman, Monty’s son, and a Texas Tech graduate from the 1960s, grew up immersed in the family business. He said he learned the trade firsthand washing cars, running the station and understanding the value of customer service.
“He was one of the first ones around here to do it, and it was real competitive,” Ray said. “There used to be a real thriving community here. I remember Mom and Dad taking the car to town on a Saturday morning, and you had to fight for a parking spot. Now, it’s an extreme difference.”
The family’s connection to Texas Tech runs deep. For generations, they have embodied the Texas Tech spirit, not just as students but as fans, supporters and business owners influenced by the university’s reach.
Ray’s daughters, Jane Ann Bosworth and Lindsey Walker, both Texas Tech graduates, now carry the torch, working side by side in the family business.
“Our grandpa was the first one,” Jane Ann said. “My mom’s dad went to Tech.”
Beyond academics, the family embraces Texas Tech traditions. Jane Ann fondly remembers her grandmother’s passion for Texas Tech basketball.
“My granny was the biggest basketball fan you might have ever met,” Jane Ann laughed. “She was a season ticket holder for as long as I can remember.”
Texas Tech’s impact on the Penman family extends beyond nostalgia. The university has directly shaped their business, Ranchland. What started as a small convenience store expanded as traffic from students and visitors steadily increased. Ray quickly realized the need for growth.
“I had no idea [about] the impact of Tech traffic,” he said, eyes wide. “We’d be having an average day, and the lines to fuel would be backed up. I remember thinking, ‘What the heck is going on?’”
The steady flow of Texas Tech students and families traveling along Highway 82 eventually spurred Ray to expand from a small store to building Ranchland.
Russell Walker, Lindsey’s husband, plays an active role in running the store alongside the family. He said they closely track Texas Tech’s home game and move-in schedules and adjust their staffing accordingly in order to serve the surge of students and parents.
The family’s deep ties with Texas Tech are reflected even in the products they offer. In small towns like Benjamin, where only 196 residents call home, access to quality groceries is limited and requires a 45-minute drive to the nearest well-stocked grocery store.
Craig Bosworth, Jane Ann’s husband, was a student in the Davis College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources and a member of the Texas Tech University Meat Judging Team. Seeing a unique opportunity to service the community’s grocery needs and tie in his love for Texas Tech’s meat science program, he played a pivotal role in bringing Raider Red Meats to Ranchland.
“Every time we would go to Lubbock, we would fill a cooler with Raider Red Meats,” Craig said. “It was a thought to give it a shot and try to support the college and promote a superior product.”
Since introducing this option, Ranchland has become more than just a fuel stop. For many, it serves as a convenient hub, offering quality goods that help meet the community’s needs.
“It’s definitely the only place to buy good quality meat around here for sure,” Lindsey emphasized.
In addition to convenience, their partnership with Raider Red Meats guarantees customers premium cuts of beef sourced from a trusted program within Texas Tech, with the added benefit of meat processed by students gaining hands-on experience.
“For parents going to a tailgate or people heading back home, it’s an easy place to stop and grab something good to take with them,” Craig explained. “A lot of folks already knew the quality of Raider Red Meats from Lubbock, so having it here just made sense.”
Even in a region where big grocery chains are scarce, Ranchland has stepped up to provide locals and those passing through with better options, reinforcing the Penman family’s commitment to serving their community in every way possible.
“We take a lot of pride in it,” Russell said. “The pumps have to be clean. The bathrooms have to be clean. The windshield washing fluid has to be full. It’s second nature to us now, but to hear people say, ‘That’s why we love stopping there,’ that means something.”
Craig said their philosophy is to strive for honor in the pursuit of excellence, a value deeply shaped by their experiences at Texas Tech. This principle not only guides their approach to business but is also something they actively teach their children. For them, it’s not just a set of ideals, it’s a way of living.
At the heart of the Penman family’s success is not just the fuel they sell or the food they serve, it is their unwavering commitment to service. From the beginning, they have understood the little things make all the difference.
Ray leaned forward, his voice firm with conviction.
“Our name is Penman Services,” he said. “And service is what we have to offer that other people don’t.”