For the 10th time, the College of Humanities and Social Sciences gathered to honor faculty and former students who have distinguished themselves. This year, two alumni and one faculty member received the honor: Ron Gay, Lt. Col. Vanessa Hicks-Callaway, and Dr. Terry Thibodeaux.
With 100 people on hand, Mac Woodward–already on the Wall of Honor–served as host, introducing speakers and honorees, and keeping the event moving along. In fact, in its new mix-and-mingle format, the event was shortest on record at approximately an hour and a half.
President White was generous with her time and on hand, and Dean Li also said a few words, with both setting a tone of graciousness and warmth.
The CHSS Advisory Board was also on hand, with two of the Board members having a direct connection to LEAP Ambassadors: Blake Roach was a Junior Fellow, a forerunner to LEAP;
…and Lupe Cuellar was one of the first Sam Houston Austin Interns. Mac Woodward, of course, has been a long-time supporter of the students. It was great to see all of them.
Ron Gay graduated with bachelors and masters degrees in political science at SHSU. He worked for Scott & White for more than two decades, before going into financial advising, and he now owns Ron Gay Financial Services.
He served on the College Station City Council, is the President of the CHSS Advisory Board, and has served the Lions Club for more than 40 years.
Lt. Colonel Hicks-Callaway…
…who majored in political science, has served in the military (where she saw combat in two tours), served as a two-time Governor appointee, and has worked on the Veterans Commission, serving veterans. She thanked President White, Dean Li, the CHSS Advisory Board, civil rights leaders, and others who have helped her along the way–chief among them her husband, also an SHSU graduate.
Dr. Terry Thibodeaux has taught at SHSU for more than 35 years, and he continues to teach in an adjunct capacity and advisor, despite “retiring” in the last couple of years.
Thibodeaux served as an advisor in the Sam Center for many years, Interim Dean for the College of Humanities and Social Sciences, and Chair of the Department of Communications, touching many lives along the way. One such student was Princess Spikes, who was featured in Thibodeaux’s video…
…and who also was on hand to see her Professor accept the award in person. After hearing the nice things she said about Professor Thibodeaux, we thanked her for speaking on his behalf, to which she responded, “I’d do anything for that man.”
Dr. Brandau…
…who succeeded him as Communications Department Chair, had similar notes of esteem, and she was also in the video and on hand, making the evening one of particular poignance.
The night was also a poignant one for us. We had recently attended a presentation by David Brooks, in which he argued that life fulfillment derived primarily from relationships with–and service to–others. Thus, it was particularly special to spend time with some of the people at SHSU whom we have developed relationships with, and to meet others who have spent much energy serving others.
Center for Law, Engagement, and Politics 