Keith and Thyra Thomson Honors Convocation at UW Oct. 2

University of Wyoming faculty, staff and students are invited to the 2025 Keith and Thyra Thomson Honors Convocation Thursday, Oct. 2, at 2 p.m. in the College of Arts and Sciences auditorium. The event is free and open to the public.

The Keith and Thyra Thomson Honors Convocation is a long-standing tradition within the College of Arts and Sciences, celebrating the success of undergraduate students. The event will honor undergraduate students on the 2024-25 honor roll.

This year's keynote speaker is Kara Calvert, vice president of U.S. policy at Coinbase, the largest crypto exchange in the U.S. Calvert works with lawmakers, regulators and the crypto community across the country to advocate for sensible crypto policy.

Most recently, she was a partner at the Franklin Square team, where she represented the world's most innovative and impactful technology companies for 13 years. Before her time at the Franklin Square Group, she worked for the Information Technology Industry Council.

Calvert, who grew up in Riverton, has been at the intersection of public policy and the innovation industry for over 20 years, beginning her career in Washington working for U.S. Sen. Mike Enzi.

The convocation also will feature student speakers DJ Lueloff and IylieMae Hobbs.

Lueloff, of Jefferson, Wis., is pursuing a bachelor's degree in anthropology. During his time at UW, Lueloff has been part of the Honors College, a McNair scholar, president of the anthropology club and a member of the club tennis team.

After graduation, he aspires to pursue a Ph.D. in paleogenetics at Harvard University. His grant-funded project that he will present during the event is titled "Neanderthals and Modern Human Population Structures Defined by Bottlenecks."

Hobbs is completing her bachelor's degree in English literary studies and is from Elk Mountain. During her two and a half years at UW, Hobbs has participated in three study-abroad programs in four different countries. One of the programs focusing on Shakespeare and theater helped her develop her senior honors thesis about the portrayal of 17th-century marital law in Shakespeare's plays.

After completing her bachelor's degree, Hobbs plans to pursue a joint Master of Public Administration and law degree. During the event, Hobbs will present her senior honors thesis, titled "Shakespeare's Plays: An Early Modern Commentary on Marital Law and Marriage."

This convocation will feature a performance by the Happy Jacks. A reception will be held immediately after in the A&S auditorium lobby.

For more information about this event, visit www.uwyo.edu/as, call the A&S Dean's Office at (307) 766-4106, or email [email protected].