Keith and Thyra Thomson Honors Convocation Oct. 21 at UW

The University of Wyoming College of Arts and Sciences annual Keith and Thyra Thomson Honors Convocation will be from 4-6 p.m. Friday, Oct. 21, in the A&S auditorium.

The Honors Convocation is a yearly event established through the generosity and support of the Thomson family to celebrate academic achievement for UW College of Arts and Sciences undergraduate students.

A legacy event for the College of Arts and Sciences, the Keith and Thyra Thomson Honors Convocation is an integral part in celebrating the college’s past, present and future. In addition to the honored students, the convocation will include a keynote address from UW President Ed Seidel and performances by UW’s Western Thunder Marching Band and UW Department of Theatre and Dance students.

UW Department of Theatre and Dance students will open the event with a performance of “Sixth Breath.” Former UW faculty member Lawrence Jackson choregraphed the piece, and Ezio Bosso composed the music. The marching band will close the program with a spirited rendition of “Cowboy Joe.”

More than 1,600 College of Arts and Sciences students listed on UW’s various 2021-22 honor rolls will be honored during the Honors Convocation. Irelynn Holland and Blake Watson have been selected to present special student presentations on projects that were an essential part of their recognized academic honor year.

Holland is a senior double majoring in sociology and communication. A McNair Scholar, she is originally from Reno, Nev., but completed her high school senior year in Cheyenne. Her research focuses on the marketing and consumption of popular music.

Watson, from Bozeman, Mont., is a senior in the Department of Theatre and Dance with a theater concentration. He has worked as a freelance theater artist, actor, director and scenic carpenter for several years. He also served three years as an assistant speech and debate coach at Belgrade (Mont.) High School.

To RSVP for the Honors Convocation, visit the registration page here. For more information about the convocation, including the event’s history and speakers, go to www.uwyo.edu/as/honors-convocation.

About Keith and Thyra Thomson 

Keith and Thyra Thomson were married in 1939 and became one of Wyoming’s most notable couples. Recognized for exemplary service and dedication to UW, the Thomsons “paid it forward” before the term was coined.

Keith was the first UW graduate elected to the U.S. House of Representatives. In 1960, he was elected as a U.S. senator but, before he could assume office, he died of a heart attack.

Thyra was the first woman elected as Wyoming’s secretary of state, serving six terms. When she retired in 1987, she had served 24 years -- longer than any statehouse official in Wyoming’s history. In 1997, Thyra and her family and friends established an endowment to ensure that academically successful UW College of Arts and Sciences undergraduates be recognized annually for their achievements. She died in June 2013.