Investing in Student Discovery: Former Zoology Student Supports Biology CUREs Program

For Bonsall S. Wilton ’72, giving back to the Aggie community isn’t about recognition — it’s about investing in the students who will define the future beyond the campus of Texas A&M University. 

As a proud Aggie and former member of the  Fightin’ Texas Aggie Band, Wilton looks back on his time on campus as one that taught him leadership, resilience, and an enduring love of science. He was conferred with a Bachelor of Science in zoology, a degree that deepened his appreciation for research and discovery. Though he built a successful career in the global energy industry — most recently serving as senior adviser for drilling fluids, with BP America’s deepwater drilling group in Houston — he never forgot about the opportunities that Texas A&M gave him, or those he wished had existed when he was a student. 

“When I was at Texas A&M, undergraduate research wasn’t an option,” he said. “We wanted to do something that would live in perpetuity — something that benefits students we will never meet.” 

This vision inspired him and his wife, Leah, to establish the Bonsall S. Wilton CUREs Excellence Endowment, supporting the Department of Biology’s Course-based Undergraduate Research Experience (CUREs) program. The endowment will provide essential funding for student research, learning materials, and high-impact educational activities in the department’s Heldenfels Hall laboratories. 

The CUREs program integrates authentic, hands-on research into undergraduate courses, allowing students to engage in real scientific inquiry rather than traditional lab exercises. Through the program, students learn to design experiments, analyze data, and communicate findings — skills that prepare them for advanced research and professional careers. Administered by the Texas A&M Center for Teaching Excellence, CUREs expands access to research opportunities across disciplines and supports the university’s mission to enhance undergraduate education through experiential learning. 

Wilton’s motivation for giving is rooted in his belief that every student deserves the chance to apply classroom knowledge to real-world research.  

“I would have loved to have an opportunity like this as an undergraduate,” he said. “It’s one thing to study biology — it’s another to live it, to discover something new. That’s the kind of experience that changes people.” 

The CUREs program allows undergraduate students to conduct meaningful research as part of their coursework, giving them the chance to design experiments, analyze data and present findings — skills that prepare them for graduate school, medical programs, or scientific careers.  

The Wiltons were initially drawn to supporting the department’s physical renovation efforts but realized that their gift could have a broader and more lasting impact by directly funding research opportunities. Conversations with Dr. Alex Keene, professor and head of the Department of Biology, helped them discover how CUREs is transforming undergraduate education.  

“When we learned about CURES and how excited Dr. Keene was about it, we knew it was the right fit,” Wilton said. “This program gives students confidence, develops their analytical thinking , and helps them understand why what they are learning matters.” 

For Keene, the Wiltons’ endowment represents a significant step toward realizing the department’s goal of offering undergraduate students a chance to experience discovery firsthand.  

“Across the country, more students want to do research than there are lab spaces,” Keene said. “CUREs bridges that gap by embedding research into the classroom, and gifts like the Wiltons’ make that possible.” 

The funding will not only sustain day-to-day lab operations but also enhance departmental programs that bring research to life. Elizabeth Lillvis, CUREs program director, plans to use part of the endowment to host an undergraduate poster symposium during which students may share their findings and network with peers and faculty.  

“Our goal is to create a culture in which every student feels capable of doing real science,” Lillvis said. “The Wilton endowment helps make that experience accessible to all, not just a few.” 

 Keene added that the gift will serve as both a catalyst and a model for future support.  

“This endowment shows what’s possible when alumni invest in students,” he said. “It’s helping us build a national model for undergraduate research at scale.” 

For biology junior Kanishka Brahmbhatt, the CUREs program represents more than just a class — it is a rare opportunity to do real science as an undergraduate. 

“In CUREs, you’re not just following instructions in a lab manual — you’re designing experiments, solving problems, and learning through trial and error,” she said. “It is completely independent. You figure out what needs to be done and how to do it.” 

Her research focuses on studying the osmoregulation capacity of crab populations to understand how certain traits help them adapt to new environments. She says the experience has not only strengthened her technical skills but also her confidence as a future medical student. 

“This program lets us focus on the science we love without worrying about funding or access,” she added. “Donations like this make that possible — they give students like me the chance to learn, explore, and grow into the scientists we hope to become.” 

Wilton’s journey from zoology student to international energy executive taught him the value of curiosity and adaptability — qualities he hopes the gift will cultivate in others.  

“I never would have imagined that courses like organic chemistry or aquatic biology would come into play during my career,” he said. “But science teaches you to problem-solve, to think critically, and to adapt. Those are skills that carry through every profession.” 

Through his gift, Wilton hopes to inspire others to invest in the education of students in their own way.  

“Our focus has always been on the students,” he said. “If this helps them find success and later give back themselves, that’s the best legacy we could ask for.” 

The Bonsall S. Wilton CUREs Excellence Endowment reflects more than financial generosity — it embodies the Aggie spirit of service, learning and lifelong commitment to the university community. By funding hands-on research opportunities, the Wiltons are helping transform the Department of Biology into a hub for undergraduate discovery — where students don’t just study science but actively shape it. 

“CUREs is about preparing students to face the unknown,” Wilton said. “And, after all, that’s what science — and life— is all about.” 

For years, Texas A&M and the College of Arts and Sciences have been enriched by the Wiltons’ generosity. Through their recent gift to the CUREs program, Bonsall and Leah Wilton have built a bridge between generations of Aggies: a link between the opportunities they wished for and the opportunities they are making possible.