Carla Bolin honored with Arthur F. Beyer Distinguished Alumna
Each year, the six colleges of Midwestern State University honor alumni who have made significant contributions to society and whose accomplishments and careers have brought credit to the university. Honorees must be distinguished in their profession or life’s work. They must be a person of integrity and demonstrated ability who will inspire others by their recognition. They must reflect the importance of their education at MSU and show pride and a continuing interest in their alma mater. They must have earned a degree from MSU or completed at least 12 semester credit hours at MSU.
In addition to the Distinguished Alumni honors, the Arthur F. Beyer Distinguished Alumnus Award is presented to a recipient who has continually brought honor to MSU through his or her accomplishments. It emphasizes lifetime achievement in a field. College award recipients are eligible for the Arthur F. Beyer award the following year.
Arthur F. Beyer Distinguished Alumna
Carla Bolin
Carla is an MSU Texas retiree – a mass communications and theatre professor. Carla continues to be very involved in the Wichita Falls community. She was on the first committee to launch Texoma Gives, which has raised millions of dollars for local nonprofits. She served on the Board of Directors for Hospice, the Board of Directors for the Wichita Falls Area Community Foundation, and the Annual Fund Chair for Midwestern State University – to name a few. She and her husband, Dr. Dan Bolin, live in Wichita Falls. She earned her Bachelor’s in Mass Communication and Theatre from MSU in 1974 and her master’s degree in 1985.
Dillard College of Business Administration
Wayne Gensler
Wayne retired from Abbott Laboratories after overseeing its 600 million dollar sales revenue. He did stints with Ticketmaster, Chili’s, Mary Kay, and Shakey’s Pizza, where he implemented a turnaround plan that took Shakey’s from a $1 million loss to a $1 million profit in one year. Wayne and his wife, Glory, live in Orange, California. Wayne graduated from MSU in 1967 with a Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting.
Lamar D. Fain College of Fine Arts
Brandon Smith
Brandon is an Assistant Vice President with the Gardner Institute after more than a decade of higher education experience as a professor, program coordinator, and academic affairs administrator. He advises institutions on many things as he aims to help them imagine a better future and design the systems required to make that future a reality. Brandon is also a former MSU Texas theatre instructor. He and his wife, Sara, have one son, Charlie, and live in Pisgah Forest, North Carolina. Brandon earned his Bachelor of Fine Arts in Theatre in 2002.
Gordon T. & Ellen West College of Education
Pedro Lerma Jr.
Pedro is the owner of LERMA/ Advertising Agency. Pedro considers it a cross-cultural agency. With brands increasingly needing to connect with a more multicultural America, he sees his agency as uniquely equipped to help brands navigate the future. His clients include high-profile accounts such as Avocados from Mexico, Instacart, and the Salvation Army – each having spots in the biggest ad showcase – the Super Bowl. He and his wife Jennifer, a 1993 & 1996 MSU Texas graduate, live in Dallas. Pedro completed his BAAS at MSU Texas in 2022.
McCoy College of Science, Mathematics & Engineering
Hunter Adams
Hunter is the Water Source & Purification Superintendent for the City of Wichita Falls and is a Double-A licensed Water and Wastewater Operator by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality. He is also a Certified Water Professional and Certified in Infrastructure Protection and Infrastructure Disaster Management by the Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service. Hunter and his wife, Emily, have a son, Jack, and live in Wichita Falls. Hunter earned his bachelor’s in biology in 2008 and his Master of Science in 2013.
Robert D. & Carol Gunn College of Health Sciences and Human Services
Drew Hill
Drew is the owner of Endunamoo Strength & Conditioning of Wichita Falls. He earned his Bachelor of Science in Exercise Physiology from the Robert D. & Carol Gunn College of Health Sciences & Human Services in 2014 and his master’s degree in 2016. Drew was the People’s Choice Award winner of the 2019 IDEA Wichita Falls program. He and his wife, Erica, have two children, Coulter and Cade. The family lives in Wichita Falls.
Prothro-Yeager College of Humanities and Social Sciences
Sylvia Burks
Sylvia is a partner with Burks Johansson LLP International Law Firm in San Francisco. She represents domestic and foreign technology companies in structuring, business combinations, mergers and acquisitions, and other collaborations. When the U.S. changed restrictions, as it did after the Ukraine conflict began, she worked to help companies divest Russian subsidiaries. She and her husband, Lloyd, live in Belmont, California. Silvia earned a Master of English at MSU Texas in 1979.
GOLD Award (Graduate of the Last Decade)
Emma Johnson
Emma is the first UT Southwestern respiratory therapist to ever receive a PHIL (Pulmonary Health and Illnesses of the Lungs) award. It is the only nationally recognized hospital-based recognition program dedicated to honoring outstanding respiratory therapists who provide exemplary care and treatment for patients with respiratory illnesses. The award honors and recognizes unsung heroes who understand that each breath matters. She and her wife, Sharissa, live in Coppell. Emma graduated with her Bachelor of Science in Respiratory Care in 2022.
Alumni Spirit Award
Sharon and Carl Nichols
Sharon and Carl have been a constant, driving force on the MSU Texas campus since the early 1960s, and the love affair they have with their University is almost as strong as the love they have for each other after 60-plus years of marriage.
Carl was a member of Kappa Sigma fraternity, and Sharon was in Sigma Kappa sorority. Their first date was building floats for the 1961 Homecoming parade.
Carl was a founding member of the MSU Kiowa Kooks, and Sharon was behind the scenes organizing the Kookettes.
Carl began announcing MSU basketball games in 1987, eventually adding football, softball, and volleyball. Sharon managed the on-campus concession stands.
“Midwestern has always been a part of our lives,” Sharon said. “We’ve always enjoyed being around the people, the surroundings. It’s just us, that’s it. That’s who we are.”
Carl graduated from MSU in 1966, and Sharon graduated in 2007.
