For students growing up in the small towns scattered across the Texas Panhandle, the path to higher education can feel distant, both geographically and financially. But for Wes Shaw, a 19-year-old, fifth-generation rancher from McLean, Texas, those obstacles became stepping stones – thanks to the vision and generosity behind Texas Tech’s Thoma Scholars Program.
Now a junior majoring in agricultural communications at Texas Tech’s Davis College of Agricultural Sciences & Natural Resources, Shaw carries his hometown of 648 residents with him wherever he goes. “Rural interests are shrinking every day. Only two percent of our population are farmers and ranchers. Someone’s got to fight for that two percent. I want to be that voice,” Shaw told Texas Tech Now earlier this fall.
When Shaw was accepted to Texas Tech in the spring of 2023, he found an ally in the Thoma Scholars Program, a scholarship initiative established that same year by Carl and Marilynn Thoma. The Thomas grew up in small towns and sought to create pathways for students who share their rural resilience and determination.
The program provides up to $80,000 over four years, covering tuition, housing, meals, books and other college costs. It is open to students from select counties in the Texas Panhandle, Northwest Oklahoma and Eastern New Mexico – regions whose tight-knit communities often produce talented students with limited access to higher education funding.
Shaw isn’t the sole Thoma Scholar recipient in Davis College. The academic unit has eight other members, including:
- Lynley Albert, a sophomore agribusiness major from Stratford, Texas
- Blair Dahl, a senior natural resources management major from Channing, Texas
- Michael (Joe) Clay, a sophomore agribusiness major from Texline, Texas
- Hattie Gifford, a freshman agribusiness major from Gruver, Texas
- McKayla Pierce, a freshman agribusiness major from Hobbs, New Mexico
- Jett Ramaekers, a junior plant and soil science major from Nazareth, Texas
- Emma Talley, a junior agricultural education major from Memphis, Texas
- Maloree Wann, a junior animal science major from Clarendon, Texas
“Texas Tech has always been an advocate for rural students,” said David Reyes, a senior admissions counselor and recruiter for the Thoma Scholars Program, told Texas Tech Now. “Most universities couldn’t find Lubbock on a map, much less the rural towns we serve. That’s what makes Tech special – we’re right here in the heart of it.”
Before college, Shaw was already a leader in his own right. He served as a Texas 4-H state officer, competed in FFA, and excelled in UIL debate contests. “My mom always told me I was a small-town kid with big-city aspirations,” he recalled.
Now, as a Thoma Scholar, Shaw’s ambitions are on the rise. He hopes to use his degree to advocate for agricultural policy, giving a voice to the farmers and ranchers who, like his own family, work every day to feed the nation. Looking into the new year, Shaw will be shifting locations from the South Plains to Washington, D.C., where he will be interning with Rep. August Pfluger’s office (TX-11) during the spring semester.
“Wes was chosen to be a part of the Davis College Government Internship Program due to his high ambition, hardworking nature, and exceptional professionalism,” said Haley Bekendam, Davis College Program Manager for Academic & Student Programs.
CONTACT: Scott Burris, Chair, Department of Agricultural Education & Communications, Texas Tech University at (806) 834-8689 or scott.burris@ttu.edu
1212NM25 | Editor’s Note: For more information on the Thoma Scholars Program, please click here