| Feb. 7, 2012
COPY BY: Rana McDonald, 806-651-2129, rmcdonald@wtamu.edu
Thomas Named Geneva Schaeffer Professor of Education and Social Sciences
CANYON, Texas—The College of Education and Social Sciences at West Texas A&M University has named Dr. Conn Thomas as the Geneva Schaeffer Professor of Education and Social Sciences. The appointment becomes effective Sept. 1. Schaeffer, a distinguished WTAMU alumna and philanthropist, established the professorship in 2010 to stimulate academic excellence and enhance scholarship, research and instruction for faculty in the College of Education and Social Sciences. The professorship is a three-year appointment, and funds from the endowed account will provide Thomas with approximately $5,000 for travel, graduate assistants, computer software and hardware, database and/or journal subscription s or any other resources for enhancing scholarly activity. “Dr. Thomas’ excellence in teaching, research and professional service make him the perfect choice for the Geneva Schaeffer Professor of Education and Social Sciences,” Dr. Eddie Henderson, dean of the College of Education and Social Sciences, said. “His expertise and national reputation in the field of learning disabilities also contributes to the mission of the WTAMU Partnership for Learning Disabilities which is a significant initiative supported by Mrs. Schaeffer. We are very fortunate to have Dr. Thomas as a member of our faculty and congratulate him on this professional achievement.” Thomas joined the WTAMU faculty in 1993. His teaching fields and research interests include evidence-based instructional practices in academically diverse classrooms as well as the performance of bilingual and special education students on high-stakes tests. He has been an invited speaker at national and international conferences and is the author and co-author of numerous publications including Special Education Case-by-Case, Accommodations and Modifications for Students with Disabilities and TExES Success: A Comprehensive Guide to the Texas PPR Examination of Educator Competencies. Thomas is the recipient of the Gordon Alley Partnership Award from the Institute for Research on Learning. He earned a bachelor’s degree in social sciences in 1969 from Northwest Missouri State University and a M.Ed. in psychology and counseling services in 1975 from Georgia State University and a M.Ed. in special education from Columbus State University in 1976. He received his Ph.D. in 1995 from the University of Mississippi. Endowed chairs and professorships are created through generous donor contributions to the University and benefit an academic department designated specifically by the donor. The University’s first endowed position was established in 1984 with the Gene Edwards Professorship. Today the University is home to three endowed chair positions and 17 endowed professorships.
—WTAMU— | 