College of Arts and Sciences
University of Wyoming
1000 E. University Ave, Dept. 3254
Laramie, WY 82071
Phone: (307) 766-4106
Email: asdean1@uwyo.edu
Download photos from the 2024 Keith and Thyra Thomson Honors Convocation here.
The University of Wyoming College of Arts & Sciences will host the Keith and Thyra Thomson Honors Convocation from 2 - 4 p.m. September 27, 2024 in the A&S Auditorium. The Honors Convocation is a yearly event established by the Thomson family to celebrate academic achievement for undergraduate students of the College of Arts & Sciences. Stay tuned to this page for updates regarding registering for the event, details on our speakers and performances at the event, and any other information you may need regarding the Keith and Thyra Thomson Honors Convocation.
WYO CAST
If you are unable to attend, but are still interested in seeing the event, we will also be offering a WYO CAST.
You can watch the 2024 Keith and Thyra Thomson Honors Convocation here.
Please vist https://www.uwyo.edu/tps/parking/index.html before the day of the event to explore your parking options.
Welcome and Introductions
J. Scott Turpen College of Arts & Sciences, Dean
UW Music Department Performance
The Collegiate Chorale
Greetings from the Thomson Family
Bruce Thomson
Keynote Address
John Sargent, Former CEO of Macmillan Publishers
Student Speaker Presentations
Carissa Fostervold
Presentation of Student Honorees
Susan Aronstein, Adrienne Freng, Carolyn Pepper
College of Arts & Sciences Associate Deans
Closing Remarks
J. Scott Turpen College of Arts & Sciences, Dean
University of Wyoming Happy Jacks Send-off
Convocation Reception
Arts & Sciences Lobby
John Sargent was CEO of Macmillan, one of the big five American publishers. At various times he also ran the U.S. operations of Holtzbrinck (Macmillan's parent company), including all the U.S. trade companies, the Macmillan Higher Education group, St. Martin’s Scholarly and Reference, Hanley & Belfus Medical Publishers and Scientific American magazine. He started at Holtzbrinck as CEO of St. Martin’s Press and was with Holtzbrinck/Macmillan for 24 years.
Sargent has also served as CEO of Dorling Kindersley, Inc. and the President of the Children’s Book Division of Simon & Schuster. He was the board chair and longest serving board officer of the Association of American Publishers. He has been on the board of Graham Windham, a New York family and foster care agency for over 35 years, including four years as its chairman, and currently serves as the board chair of the Ocean Conservancy. He has written three books for children and a memoir.
Sargent received a B.A. in economics from Stanford and an MBA in finance from Columbia University. He grew up on a cattle ranch outside of Sheridan, Wyo.
Presentation Title: The Atomic Energy Commission’s Influence in the Social Construction of Uranium
Carissa Fostervold is from Greybull, Wyoming, and is pursuing a BA in sociology at the University of Wyoming. Carissa's grant-funded project is theoretically significant, analyzing the Atomic Energy Commission as an element of the environmental state. According to the environmental state literature, the state is recognized as playing a more significant role in environmental governance and protection. However, the governance and protection processes are not straightforward and are influenced by numerous social dynamics. One contested realm is how nature and natural resources are socially constructed. Historically specific understandings of nature and natural resources influence policymaking and regulation. Organizations within the environmental state play a significant role in the social construction of nature. Carissa's work builds from this theoretical foundation and provides historical specificity through a case study. Specifically, Carissa is analyzing how the Atomic Energy Commission has socially constructed uranium as a source of energy.
The Honors Convocation is a time to celebrate some of our most accomplished students. The College of Arts & Sciences is fortunate enough to have a pool of talented young musicians, dancers, actors and other performing artists that can help honor these students. This year, the Honors Convocation will feature performances from Collegiate Chorale and the UW Happy Jacks.
The Collegiate Chorale is the flagship auditioned choral ensemble at the University of Wyoming. These talented musicians are dedicated to performing compositions from the fifteenth century through the present, including commissions written especially for them. The Chorale has appeared on numerous state, regional and national convention programs of the American Choral Directors Association, Music Educators National Conference and the Music Teachers National Conference. Touring opportunities have led to performances at the Grand Teton Music Festival in Jackson Hole, Wyoming; Boettcher Concert Hall in Denver, Colorado; and Avery Fisher Hall in New York. On the international stage, the Chorale has performed in the finest concert halls and cathedrals of England, Wales, France, Germany, Italy, Austria, Hungary, Poland, Russia, Mexico, and Brazil. The Chorale regularly collaborates with the University of Wyoming Symphony Orchestra as well as regional orchestras in performances of choral/orchestral masterworks.
The University of Wyoming Happy Jacks enjoy a sense of camaraderie and congeniality that permeates rehearsals and performances alike. They are an auditioned tenorbass ensemble that are also members of the UW Singing Statesmen. Through performances of a diverse body of repertoire, the Happy Jacks strive to continually increase their musicianship skills, thereby positively contributing to high-quality musical endeavors.
Keith and Thyra Thomson were married in 1939 and became one of Wyoming's most notable couples. Recognized for exemplary service and dedication to the University of Wyoming, Keith and Thyra Thomson "paid it forward" before the term was coined. Keith was the first UW graduate to be elected to the United States House of Representatives. In 1960, Keith was elected United States senator, but, before he could assume office, he had a heart attack and died. Thyra was the first woman to be elected Wyoming's Secretary of State. Wyoming voters elected her to that office six times. When she retired, she had served 24 years--longer than any statehouse official in Wyoming history. In 1997, Thyra, along with her family and friends, established an endowment to ensure that academically successful College of Arts and Sciences undergraduates be recognized annually for their achievements. Thyra died in June 2013.
After completing a law degree at UW, Keith, a Wyoming native, served in World War II. He received numerous medals, including the U.S. Legion of Merit, the Purple Heart, the Bronze Star, the Italian Cross of Valor, and the Czech Medal of Merit. When he returned home from the war, Keith joined the Cheyenne law firm of Henderson and Thomson. Keith served two terms on the UW Board of Trustees and one term as president of the UW Alumni Association. In 1950 and 1952, he was elected to the Wyoming State Legislature. At age 35, in 1954, Keith was the first UW graduate to be elected to the United States House of Representatives. After three terms in the House, he was elected United States senator in 1960. Tragically, before he could assume office, Keith passed away.
In 1962, Thyra was the first woman to be elected Wyoming’s secretary of state. Although her name repeatedly was suggested for higher office, Thyra chose to remain secretary of state and ex-officio lieutenant governor. When she retired from office in 1987, Thyra had served 24 years—longer than any other statehouse official in Wyoming’s history. She was acting governor in the absence of both Republican and Democratic chief executives, Governors Hansen, Hathaway, and Herschler. Thyra was named a UW Distinguished Alumna in 1969 and College of Arts and Sciences Outstanding Alumna in 1987. Thyra, who died in June 2013, served on many advisory boards throughout the state, including the College of Arts and Sciences Board of Visitors.
College of Arts and Sciences
University of Wyoming
1000 E. University Ave, Dept. 3254
Laramie, WY 82071
Phone: (307) 766-4106
Email: asdean1@uwyo.edu