The College of Education and Social Sciences has awarded Dr. Conn Thomas, WTAMU professor of Education, the Geneva Schaeffer Professor of Education and Social Sciences award.

The award will allow Thomas access to $5,000 in funds for the next three years for academic research, travel and equipment to expand his studies and teachings in the scholastic field.

“I think he’s a perfect candidate for that position and I’m absolutely thrilled that he got it,” Dr. James Calvi, associate dean of Education and Social Sciences, said.

Thomas has been with WT since 1993 and focuses on Special Education. Within the past year, Thomas has concentrated his research on children with learning disabilities and dyslexia.He has played roles in conducting conferences to help parents and other teachers understand how to teach learning-disabled children.

“The focus now for me has been expanded over this last year and working with parents of those children,” Thomas said. “Working with them to provide knowledge and some skills for them to work with their kids at home.”

Though Thomas possesses multiple degrees in education, including a Masters in Psychology and Counseling Services and a Masters in Special Education, he said climbing the collegiate ladder to this point was not a professional goal, but became a personal one when his son was identified as learning disabled in third grade.

“One evening he came home and he said ‘Dad, why is school so easy for my sister and so hard for me?”’ Thomas said.

Though he did not have an answer for his son at the time, Thomas said he was determined to find it.

“Ever since, I’ve been searching and working in that area,” Thomas said. “From that moment in time, it became a passion instead of a job.”

So-Hee Choi, a senior majoring in Generic Special Education, said Thomas’ passion is reflected in the classroom.

“He is an active, optimistic, and open-minded facilitator who wants to share any information or ideas with people,” Choi said. “He made the classroom climate comfortable, and the students could communicate with the professor and classmates without anxiety.”
Aside from gaining recognition in the WT community, Thomas also holds a list of other accomplishments including co-authoring a number of publications such as Special Education Case-by-Case, and Accommodations and Modifications for Students with Disabilities and TExAS Success: A Comprehensive Guide to the Texas PPR Examination of Educator Competencies. He also served in the U.S. infantry and has been an invited speaker to national and international conferences.