Inaugural 30 Under 30 Cohort

Texas Tech University’s Davis College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources has named its inaugural 30 Under 30 cohort, recognizing young alumni making early impacts. Representing six departments and 11 undergraduate majors, these graduates are refining the ‘From Here, It’s Possible’ mentality as they thrive as communicators, scientists, educators and leaders.

Bringing Alumni Together

The Davis College’s 30 Under 30 program was created in the spring of 2025 to recognize young alumni and keep them connected to the college, said Sandra Addo, assistant director of recruitment and career development for the Davis College.

“30 Under 30 is our opportunity to engage young alumni and make sure that their accomplishments are noted early in their career,” Addo said. Addo said the program plays a key role in celebrating alumni success at the beginning of their professional journeys.

“Students graduate from college and get right off to doing really cool things,” Addo said. “It’s important for us to recognize that early.”

Recognition in the 30 Under 30 program began with the recipients submitting a self-nomination. Addo said this consisted of an application and an optional video submission, both of which opened in late May of 2025 and were reviewed by members of Davis College departments and granted to the awardees by mid-July.

“The idea for the award originated from a desire to strengthen connections with Davis College alumni,” Addo said.

She explained the cohort was inspired by a similar initiative, Cowgirl Magazine’s 30 Under 30, and was designed to recognize young alumni while also keeping them engaged with the college.

“They’re still pretty big Red Raiders. They’re still interested in coming back to campus. So, capturing that early makes sure we stay in contact with them,” Addo said.

With that goal in mind, the idea quickly moved from concept to action. In February of 2026, Addo said organizers hosted a Professional Development Day that brought this vision to life. This event featured three speakers, both from on and off campus, with a lunch panel where university leaders shared updates on the Davis College’s PRIME campaign and the university’s On&On initiative.

Recipients Conner McKinzie, Claire Cleveland, Conner Watts and Alexandra Salinas were four of the 30 recipients recognized in the inaugural 30 Under 30, who are succeeding in their chosen career fields.

Back to High School

Before he stepped into a classroom as a teacher, Conner McKinzie was already succeeding in the show barn and on the national judging stage. His early experiences built a strong foundation in both leadership and livestock evaluation. Today, McKinzie teaches in Lubbock ISD’s Agri-STEM program.

Raised in Stephenville, Texas, McKinzie said his background is rooted in agriculture, where he said he found his place in meat judging. He went on to win state titles, national competitions and ultimately an individual championship along with a team national title in various judging contests.

He earned both his bachelor’s degree (2021) and master’s degree (2023) in animal science at Texas Tech while competing on multiple meat and livestock evaluation teams — experiences he said still structure the way he teaches today.

“I would say just about every experience I had in Davis College has somehow shaped how I teach and approach things today,” McKinzie said.

McKinzie said teaching was not his first plan, but after graduate school, an opening for a teaching job in education at the Agri-STEM changed everything.

“This has been one of the best jobs ever; it’s so fulfilling,” McKinzie said. “You truly get to make a difference in a student’s life.”

McKinzie said he enjoys the variety of tasks in his day-to-day role where he teaches multiple courses focused on hands-on learning and student engagement.

“I want it to be fun,” he said. “I want it to be something that they look forward to.”

His impact has not gone unnoticed. McKinzie was named Lubbock ISD Secondary Teacher of the Year in the spring of 2025, an honor he describes with modesty.

“I really didn’t feel like I deserved it, nor was I qualified to get it,” McKinzie said. “I teach with so many awesome teachers every single day.”

McKinzie said the recognition for the 30 Under 30 award was less about personal achievement and more about community.

“What makes this program different is probably what makes Davis College different in general,” McKinzie said. "It’s just the people, the relationships and the experiences you get to have.”

Lubbock Local Beyond the Field

Lubbock native and 2019 Davis College agricultural communications graduate, Claire Cleveland, has built a career rooted in her agricultural background and passion for service as marketing director at Brady and Hamilton, LLP, where she leads outreach and community engagement.

In the fall of 2015, Cleveland enrolled at Davis College to pursue a degree in agricultural communications, where her involvement extended well beyond the classroom. Cleveland said she participated in Pi Beta Phi, President’s Select and Mortar Board. She also worked in the Davis College’s Dean’s Office and the Bill Bennett Student Success Center – roles she said helped her build strong relationships and a deeper understanding of the college community.

“What I was doing then has put me where I am now and also has led me to places, I want to go and things I want to do, professionally and involved in the community,” Cleveland said.

After graduating, she remained at Davis College as the scholarship administrator in the Dean’s Office. In 2021, she stepped into her current role at Brady & Hamilton LLP.

Throughout her day at Brady and Hamilton, Cleveland said she oversees the firm’s marketing efforts, from print campaigns to outreach initiatives to connect mailings with landowners affected by important domain projects, linking them to the firm’s services.

Beyond her career, Cleveland said she is devoted to service through the Junior League of Lubbock, local nonprofits and mentoring students for Pi Beta Phi. For Cleveland, the 30 Under 30 recognition is less about personal success and more about the wider Davis College network and its influence.

“The 30 Under 30 is really an honor,” she said. “Going back to being at the Professional Development Day, and just seeing all the people there and hearing about the amazing things that they're doing, I was like, ‘Wow, it's an honor to be in this group.’”  

From the Ground Up

Since graduating from the Davis College in 2022 with a plant and soil science degree, Watts has been serving in the West Texas agriculture industry as a first-generation farmer.

Watts grew up in Slaton, Texas, without a traditional agricultural background. Through FFA and strong mentors, he said he found his way into agriculture.

“I came from a non-farm background, and I was able to learn a lot about what piqued my interest, and then they encouraged me to go to college and pursue an ag degree,” Watts said.

That encouragement led him to Texas Tech, where Watts said he tried several majors before landing on his degree. Along the way, Watts said professors such as Chuck West, Ph.D., Glenn Ritchie, Ph.D., and Katie Lewis, Ph.D., helped shape his path.

“Dr. Lewis’s class is soil chemistry and fertility; that professor and her class were probably my favorite, and I just learned a whole bunch on how to be efficient by growing crops,” Watts said.

Today, Watts grows cotton, grain sorghum, hay and wheat in the Lubbock area through both working for a farmer and managing his own land.

Beyond agriculture, Watts said he also serves as a volunteer firefighter in Slaton.

“I joined the fire department as a volunteer in Slaton in 2019,” Watts said. “I just did it because I needed some excitement. It’s been a lot of fun, and I really enjoy serving the community.”

Watts was awarded Rookie of the Year in 2019. The following year he was Fireman of the Year, and they promoted to Lieutenant He now serves as the Secretary.

Watts said a key part of his success is his partnership with his wife, Kali Mabe Watts. Together, they are expanding a sheep production feedlot, growing from a small starter lot at home towards a much larger operation.

Watts said the recognition as a young alumnus and member of the inaugural 30 Under 30 class is both an honor and a reminder of how far he and his peers have come.

“It’s an extreme honor,” Watts said. “It’s just crazy to think back, like when we were all high school kids into now, and how each one of us have been successful in our own respective careers. To be honored as the inaugural cohort for the 30 Under 30 was really special to me.”

A Student's Continued Success

When she began her college search, Alexandra Salinas said she was uncertain where she would attend. As a first-generation college student, she said the idea of moving nine hours away from home was intimidating, not only for her, but also for her parents.

“You're sending your 17-year-old child to go off to this different part of the state without you,” Salinas said. “It's just a very interesting dynamic.”

Raised in the Rio Grande Valley, Salinas said she grew up knowing about parts of her family’s agricultural roots; her grandparents were migrant farm workers who lived in Mexico. She said her agricultural journey began at age nine and continued through livestock showing, FFA involvement and her passion for leadership.

At Davis College, Salinas said she found more than just an education; it was a learning experience and a sense of belonging. Through the support of faculty and mentors, she succeeded, earning her undergraduate degree in agricultural leadership at 20 and her master’s degree in agricultural education by 21.

“Every faculty member was very involved in who I was and wanted to prepare me as a student, scholar and human,” Salinas said.

Salinas did not stop after earning her master’s degree in agricultural education in 2024. She is now at Ohio State University working on her Ph.D. in agricultural communication, education and leadership with a specialization in community leadership with an anticipated graduation in 2027.

At Ohio State, Salinas said her current research as a doctoral student focuses primarily on systems thinking, complexity, collaborative learning, leadership education and development, and interpreting processing. She said there is a particular focus on understanding how Texas agricultural organizations translate farmers’ and ranchers' needs through collective advocacy actions.

Reflecting on her journey, Salinas said the recognition feels more meaningful.

“It takes me back to who I was when I was 17, not really knowing anything, not even knowing how to apply for college, and now being here several years later, being able to go back to the university and receive an award that recognizes me for things that never would have happened had I not gone to Texas Tech University,” Salinas said.

For Salinas, though, she said her recognition is more than just an award.

“Being 23 years old, I didn't even think that I could be on that list of people,” Salinas said. “As I was sitting in that room and meeting some of the other people in the cohort, I was like, ‘Wow, you are really awesome, and you are doing such amazing things in the agriculture industry, and it is an honor to be here alongside you.’” 

The Next 30

To Addo, she said she does not want the alumni to think they parted ways.

“We want you to know you always have a home here at Texas Tech, and you always have a home here at Davis College,” Addo said.

Going forward, Addo said she hopes these awardees remain connected to Davis College.

“They’ll always be that inaugural class, even after they're past 30,” Addo said. “A lot of them already asked how they can continue to plug in with the college.”

As the program continues to grow, Addo said plans are underway for the next cohort in 2027, giving recent and soon-to-be graduates time to establish themselves in the workforce.