Honoring Excellence: Texas A&M’s College Of Arts And Sciences Celebrates Scholarship Recipients, Distinguished Former Students And Exceptional Faculty

Texas A&M University’s College of Arts and Sciences honored hundreds of scholarship and fellowship recipients and their benefactors at its annual Spring Banquet on campus. 

Held on Feb. 27, the event featured a reception, multi-course dinner and award ceremony recognizing recipients of the college’s signature honors: Outstanding Young Former Student, the Michel T. Halbouty Medal for Geosciences, the Cynthia & George Mitchell Medal for Sciences, the Susanne & Melbern Glasscock Medal for Humanities and the Medal for Social Sciences. 

Celia Emmelhainz received a Master of Arts in cultural anthropology from Texas A&M University in 2011 while studying under Dr. Cynthia Werner, before earning a Master of Science in library and information science from Kent State University. While studying under Werner, she conducted National Science Foundation-funded ethnographic fieldwork in Mongolia where she led Institute of Museum and Library Services-funded workshops on ethnographic data archiving. 

She served as a U.S. Fulbright specialist in 2018, leading workshops on data analysis and data management for librarians and faculty in Kazakhstan. Continuing her life of service, she was appointed to the Smithsonian taskforce for ethical treatment and returns of human remains, aiding in the post op-ed and coverage at sites. Her contributions were highlighted in the Smithsonian Museum’s blog, Smithsonian Voices, in the article, “Honoring the Overlooked Contributions of Women Anthropologists in the National Anthropological Archives.” 

Previously, she worked as a research librarian at the Anthropology and Qualitative Research Library at the University of California Berkely and is currently serving on the national board for the Society of Humanistic Anthropology, where she continues to approach anthropological studies from the lens of human experiences and interpretations. She is on the Council for the Preservation of the Anthropological Record and is currently the supervisory archivist for the National Anthropological Archives at the Smithsonian Institution. 

A pioneer of scientific advancement, Dr. Richard Feely is recognized for his long-lasting contributions to oceanography, specifically in understanding ocean carbon cycling and the ramifications of acidification. His research and scholarship continue to shape the field of oceanography, with lasting impacts on future generations.  

An affiliate full professor at the University of Washington School of Oceanography, Feely has amassed extensive shipboard experience, including 58 expeditions by ship, each of various degrees of intensity and length, across the Gulf of Mexico, the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific Ocean. His extensive time at sea reflects his longstanding partnership with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). He is a senior fellow at the NOAA Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory in Seattle, through which he has developed a NOAA Ocean Acidification Research Plan as well as an AR5 Climate Change Report, which directly reports to the United Nations regarding the severity of our ecosystem’s downfall. 

Feely received the 16th Heinz Award with Special Focus on Global Change, which is bestowed on those who make monumental advances in the fields of the arts, the economy and the environment. The award recognized his scientific and public policy leadership in ocean acidification, a significant environmental challenge caused by the absorption of excess carbon dioxide from the atmosphere into seawater, which harms marine life, disrupts fisheries and ecosystems, and worsens the effect of climate change. He also is the recipient of the 2021 NOAA Distinguished Scientist Award and the 2017 and 2022 NOAA Bronze Award. 
 
In 2022, the U.S. Office of Personal Management named Feely with the Presidential Rank Award for Meritorious Service, which is bestowed on individuals who have a long-spanning career of civic engagement and sustainable contributions to society. Likewise, in 2007, he contributed to the production and resolution of the Nobel Peace Prize on the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Although the award was primarily associated with former U.S. vice president and environmentalist Al Gore, Feely’s extensive research on ocean acidification played a critical role in the scientific findings that contributed to the honor.  

Feely holds a Bachelor of Arts in chemistry from the University of St. Thomas and graduate degrees from Texas A&M, including a Master of Science in chemical oceanography and a Ph.D. in chemical oceanography.  

Dr. Edward Fry’s passion for ensuring students and faculty have sufficient funding for their education and teaching programs has helped raise more than $100 million for the Department of Physics and Astronomy. He was essential in cultivating the $89 million donated to the physics and astronomy program by the George P. & Cynthia Woods Mitchell family and the Mitchell Foundation. Although his initial conversations with George Mitchell involved a much smaller donation, Fry’s passion for the creation of a physics learning hub at Texas A&M encouraged Mitchell to consider a more significant gift than he first envisioned.  

The Mitchells’ generosity laid the foundation for what is now known as the George P. Mitchell ’40 Physics Building and the George P. & Cynthia Woods Mitchell Institute for Fundamental Physics and Technology. As a result of his dedication to private funding for the study of physics and astronomy, Fry is also a recipient of the 2019 Partner in Philanthropy Faculty Award. 

Serving as the dean of the Department of Physics and Astronomy for more than a decade, Fry adeptly balanced his duties as a professor and administrator while producing high-quality research and nurturing the minds of tomorrow. He has supervised 19 students during the completion of their doctoral degrees while contributing to a 50% graduate student enrollment. 

While many in academia focus on one discipline, Fry is distinguished in many fields. Although best known for his work in physics and astronomy, he is well-received in engineering and oceanography. In 2020 he received the Nils Gunnar Jerlov Award, bestowed by The Oceanography Society to those contributing significant advancements in interdisciplinary ocean science research, as well as education within ocean optics.

Fry received bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees in physics from the University of Michigan before teaching thermal physics and research courses at Texas A&M beginning in 1969. He has authored over 100 publications that have contributed to advancing scientific knowledge and educational dedication to the sciences earned him the Distinguished Science Award from Sigma Xi, a professional society that elected him as a fellow in 1996, underscoring his commitment to scientific scholarship. 

Dr. Lynn Hagan has long known the timeless value in studying human existence and supporting others in their own exploration of what it means to be human. As an undergraduate student at Texas A&M in the early 1970s, she became one of the first students to enroll in the anthropology program when it was created in 1975, eventually earning her bachelor’s degree in the subject in 1977. 

Four and a half decades later, she established the Lynn Hagan ’77 Endowment for Museum Studies at Texas A&M in the Department of Anthropology. The $25,000 endowment, which will be bolstered by a $1 million planned gift, is intended to enhance the educational experiences of undergraduate students by funding internships, field trips, travel and research projects related to museum studies.  

Hagan’s gift reflects her deep commitment to advancing education in museum studies and anthropology. Through her initial gift and broader legacy contribution, she hopes to create more opportunities for students to engage directly with the world of museum work. By supporting internships, field trips and research projects, she aims to help students gain the practical experience needed to pursue careers in museums and cultural institutions. Hagan believes that these hands-on opportunities will inspire a new generation of students to explore the connections between cultural and natural heritage while also equipping them with the skills to interpret these resources for the public. 

With her husband, Don, she also has endowed scholarships to benefit undergraduate physics students as well as the first endowment for the Women’s Resource Center at Texas A&M in 2019. 

A native of Houston, she received her bachelor’s degree at Texas A&M, a Master of Science in recreation and a Master of Social Work from University of Southern Mississippi and a doctorate in psychology from California Southern University. She has worked with trauma survivors in various settings for over 25 years.  

Hagan received the 2010 Aggie Women Network’s Legacy Award, is a member of the University of Southern Mississippi’s Class of 2020 Alumni Hall of Fame and is the recipient of a Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Association of Social Workers. 

Former coaches of the Aggie Women’s Basketball team call her an “unsung hero” of the 2019-2020 season, and in recognition of her work with women and girls, the 1996 Olympic Committee named her a Community Hero. In honor of this recognition, she carried the Olympic flame through Slidell, Louisiana for the summer games in Atlanta. 

The Hagans fund endowments at the University of Southern Mississippi, where she serves on the alumni board. She volunteers with the American Red Cross, the American Association of University Women and the Aggie Women Network.  

Lynn’s career took her across the globe, including Kuwait, where she directed Discovery Place, an interactive educational facility within the Scientific Center of Kuwait. After moving to Aberdeen, Scotland, she worked with Childline, training students and teachers in the prevention of bullying, peer-support and mediation. She also trained agency hotline volunteers in how to handle difficult and violent calls. 

Luke Soules earned a Bachelor of Arts in both economics and mathematics from Texas A&M University before earning a Juris Doctorate from the University of Texas School of Law in 1967. During his time at Texas A&M, he was a member of the Corps of Cadets, and following his graduation, he assisted his father, L. H. Soules, Jr. and brother, Joe C. Soules, to found their food brokerage firm which achieved great heights under Joe Soules’ direction. 

After earning his law degree, Soules served as the court-appointed law clerk to the Supreme Court of Texas Chief Justice Robert W. Calvert. Afterwards, he began his 57-year career as a business and commercial trial and appellate courtroom lawyer in San Antonio. He tried to verdict as lead trial counsel in more than 100 jury cases and argued as lead appellate counsel in over 50 appellate court decisions. His service to the courts and State Bar of Texas includes 30 years as a member of the Supreme Court of Texas Rules Advisory Committee, appointed successively by six Chief Justices and as Chair for 20 of those years, and chaired many state bar standing practice and ethics committees, Chair of the Litigation Section and on the State Bar of Texas Board of Directors. 

In 2001, The Luther “Luke” H. Soules III Award for Outstanding Service to the Practice of Law was established in Soules’ honor. It is presented each year by the Litigation Section to one Texas lawyer “who embodies excellence in the practice of the law and exemplary service to the State Bar. It is designed to recognize Texas legal practitioners who demonstrate outstanding professionalism and community impact.” 

Soules and his wife, Andrea, established and founded the Luke and Merle Soules Family Foundation in honor of Soules’ late parents in 1999, as well as the visionary Luther H. “Luke” Soules III ’61 Endowed Chair for Global Economics Theory and Policy in 2024. The Soules family are generous supporters of youth organizations, performing and fine arts, and Texas A&M programs. Soules has been a proud Boy Scout for 77 years and served many years on the board and as president of Alamo Area Boy Scouts of America. 

Last year, the Soules partnered with the Luke and Merle Soules Family Foundation to establish the Luther H. Soules III '61 Endowed Chair for Global Macroeconomics Theory and Policy in the Department of Economics at Texas A&M. The $1 million faculty chair, created by a gift to the Texas A&M Foundation, will support future professors in the department whose work focuses on global macroeconomics theory and policy, enabling them to advance teaching, research and service in related disciplines. The first chairholder is Dr. Sarah Zubairy, Texas A&M professor of economics, whose research interests include macroeconomics, monetary economics, fiscal policy and housing.  

Soules also has provided over 6,000 hours of pro bono legal services and now restricts his practice to representing pro bono defenses of foreclosures and evictions. He is engaged at the moment with the Texas A & M School of Law with a common goal to establish an academic Chair To Develop Law & Policy For Access To Equal Justice Under Law committed to research and means, and the consequences of failing, to provide direly needed resources for legal services to disadvantaged and underserved persons. 

He is a business trial and appellate lawyer at Soules & Wallace, a San Antonio- based business litigation and transaction law firm. 

Visit the event gallery to explore all photos.