Honors Convocation

Grant Dillivan

Presentation Title: Public Perceptions of Private Prisons

Grant is originally from Powell, WY and began at the University of Wyoming in 2020. He has dual bachelor’s degrees in Criminal Justice and Psychology; and Minors in Honors and Sociology. He currently works as a Cowboy Coach Student Peer Mentor in the Student Success and Graduation Department and will soon be starting as a SOAR Mentor for the Honors College. He is president of the Criminal Justice Club, a member of the Psi Chi chapter, and an avid participant of intramural flag football. His dream is to work for the FBI as a Special Agent, and in his Junior year, he had his first criminal justice career opportunity working as a Student Intern with the Wyoming Department of Corrections. He has also conducted research as an undergraduate research assistant in the Legal Decision-Making Lab (Director: Dr. Narina Nuñez). He is now conducting his own independent research project in the Social Cognition & Law Lab (Director: Dr. Kayla Burd). In this project, he is investigating public perceptions of private prisons. Specifically, he is examining how perceptions might change when participants are better informed about private prisons. He has had many unique opportunities through the Honors College, such as studying abroad on the Stealing Culture course, attending the Western Governor’s Leadership Institute, and working as a Program Coordinator for the High School Summer Institute. In his free time, he enjoys reading, spending time with friends, spending time outdoors, and playing video games.

Veronica Garcia

Presentation Title: Que Picante! The Sexualized Language of Latina Women on Social Media

Veronica is originally from Casper, WY and is currently a senior at the University of Wyoming studying International Studies with minors in Statistics, Japanese, and Honors. She previously received an A.S. in Psychology from Casper College. In the summer of 2022, Veronica had the honor of being selected as a McNair Scholar at the University of Wyoming. This gave her the opportunity to conduct a summer research project titled Que Picante! The Sexualized Language of Latina Women on Social Media under the direction of faculty mentor Dr. James Alan Johnson. Veronica has also been actively involved with the Wyoming Latina Youth Center since 2019 under the direction of Cecilia Aragon. In the future, Veronica hopes to attend graduate school and aims towards working in foreign affairs.

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.