Honors College Staff
Donal Skinner
Dean of the Hobson Wildenthal Honors College and Professor of Biology
Donal Skinner is Dean of the Hobson Wildenthal Honors College and Professor of Biology. He received his PhD from the University of Cambridge, England, followed by post-doctoral fellowships at Cambridge and the Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique, France. His research focused on the mechanisms driving hormone secretion by the brain, especially that of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH). He is passionate about facilitating undergraduate research and study abroad opportunities.
Douglas C. Dow
Associate Dean and Clinical Professor of Government and Politics
Douglas C. Dow is the Associate Director of Collegium V, and Clinical Professor of Government and Politics. He also heads the Office of Distinguished Scholarships, recruiting and advising students applying for nationally competitive scholarships and fellowships. Dr. Dow teaches courses in political theory, American politics and Texas government, Constitutional law and history, ethics and technology, and film and politics. His research interests include the history of political thought and language, human rights, and jurisprudence.
Ph.D., The Johns Hopkins University
Ravi Prakash
Professor of Computer Science
Ravi Prakash is a professor of computer science at the University of Texas at Dallas. His areas of teaching and research include wireless and sensor networking, mobile computing and distributed computing. He is the recipient of multiple research grants from federal agencies and industry including the NSF CAREER award and the NSF Major Research Infrastructure award. He has served the technical and university community in his roles as an editor of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Transactions on Mobile Computing, as the President of the IEEE Dallas section, and as a member of the UT Dallas Faculty Senate and Academic Council.
Ph.D., The Ohio State University
Eva LaDow
Associate Professor of Instruction
Eva LaDow is a Senior Lecturer in Neuroscience with Collegium V. She did her Ph.D. at the University of California San Francisco, focusing on neuronal signal transduction and synaptic plasticity. During her postdoctoral fellowship at the Gladstone Institutes of Neurological Disease, she performed a high content analysis drug-repurposing screen to find potential therapies for ALS. Dr. LaDow teaches courses related to neurobiology, including Cellular Neuroscience and Neuropharmacology.
Christina Thompson
Associate Professor of Instruction
Christina Thompson is a lecturer in Chemistry with Collegium V. She obtained her PhD in chemistry from the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign, where she focused on synthetic organic chemistry and completed the first total synthesis of the natural product Dykellic Acid. From there she went to work at Abbott Laboratories, designing and developing new drugs for Schizophrenia. Dr. Thompson teaches introductory organic chemistry lecture and lab, and works in Dr. Smaldone's research lab developing new materials for energy storage. She is also part of a team at UT Dallas developing Polycraft World, a mod for the popular game Minecraft, designed to teach polymer chemistry and energy science through enhanced game play.
Valerie Brunell
Assistant Dean
Valerie Brunell is the Assistant Dean and Director of the National Merit Scholars Program, the Collegium V Honors Program and the Liberal Arts Honors Programs. She has worked in higher education for almost 15 years both at UT Dallas and Binghamton University. She is a graduate of University of California at Irvine where she received her Master's degree in Chemistry.
Sheila Kelly
Director, Terry Scholars Program
Sheila Kelly is the Director for the Terry Scholars Program. She has worked in the Hobson Wildenthal Honors College at UT Dallas since 2013. Prior to this, she was the Director of Student Affairs for a private French school for ten years. Sheila is a graduate of Saint Mary’s College, Notre Dame, where she received a Bachelors in English Literature. She also holds a Masters of Public Affairs from The University of Texas at Dallas.
Wendi Kavanaugh
Assistant Director, National Merit Scholars Program
Wendi Kavanaugh is the Assistant Director for the National Merit Scholars Program. She is a graduate of Texas A&M University-Commerce where she received a B.S. in Radio and Television. She has a M.A. in Humanities, Aesthetic Studies and an M.F.A. in Arts and Technology from the University of Texas at Dallas. She is the former Membership Outreach Manager for the Dallas Museum of Art.
Cassie Cure
Assistant Director, Terry Scholars Program & Collegium V Honors Program
Cassie Cure is an Assistant Director for the Hobson Wildenthal Honors College. She is a graduate of Lycoming College where she earned a B.A. in Creative Writing and Sam Houston State University where she earned a M.A. in Higher Education Administration. She was previously the Administrative Program Specialist for the Neeley Fellows business honors program at Texas Christian University and the Study Abroad Coordinator at Sam Houston State University.
Traci Rodd
Business Manager
Traci Rodd is the Business Manager for the Hobson Wildenthal Honors College. She is a graduate of Baylor University where she received a B.B.A. in Accounting. She also has a Master of Business Administration from Texas A&M University-Commerce. She has over six years of accounting and finance experience in the private sector and joined the Honors College in 2018.
Aurora Becerra
Honors Program Specialist
Aurora Becerra is a Program Specialist with the Hobson Wildenthal Honors College. She is currently studying Public Affairs (MPA) in EPPS. She is a graduate of Southern Methodist University (SMU) where she earned a Master of Education, and Smith College where she earned a Bachelor of Arts in Latin American Studies and Theatre. Aurora is a former Academic Support Coordinator for the School of Interdisciplinary Studies at the University of Texas at Dallas, and recipient of the 2022 Diversity Leadership Award. She was also an Assistant Director in Global Programs at SMU Cox School of Business, where she traveled the globe with BBA, MBA, and EMBA students.
Lindsey Boeshans
Honors Program Specialist
Lindsey Boeshans is a Program Specialist with the Hobson Wildenthal Honors College. She is a graduate of Texas A&M University where she earned a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology. Lindsey is a former Academic Support Coordinator for the School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences at the University of Texas at Dallas and recipient of the 2019 CARE Award.
B.A., Texas A&M University
Josh Kreuter
Honors Program Specialist
Josh Kreuter is a Program Specialist for the Hobson Wildenthal Honors College. He is currently studying Criminal Justice through Southern New Hampshire University. Prior to UT Dallas, Josh was the Associate Director of Admissions at Bishop Lynch High School in Dallas and Assistant Varsity Volleyball Coach. He assisted the team in winning five state championships.
Steven Hawker
Administrative Assistant II
Steven Hawker is an Administrative Assistant II in the Hobson Wildenthal Honors College. He is a graduate from the University of North Texas where he earned a Bachelors of Science in Geography with an emphasis in Geology and National Parks. He previously worked in the UTD Registrar’s office for five years.