Dean’s Legacy Dinner: UW CALSNR recognizes awardees at annual event
On Oct. 10, the University of Wyoming (UW) College of Agriculture, Life Sciences and Natural Resources (CALSNR) honored a series of exceptional alumni, valued partners and generous supporters of the college with Ag Appreciation Awards, presented during the annual Dean’s Legacy Dinner.
Awards were presented in three different categories in recognition of the honorees’ significant contributions to CALSNR, UW and the ag industry as a whole.
Dean’s Legacy Dinner
In his opening address, CALSNR Farm Credit Services of America (FCSAmerica) Dean Kelly Crane welcomed awardees and guests including faculty, UW alumni and supporters to the dinner.
Crane’s comments highlighted the “profound generosity” of the CALSNR community and emphasized the important role supporters and alumni play in advancing the college’s mission and legacy.
“We call this the Dean’s Legacy Dinner, but the legacy of our college belongs to everybody in this room and those who came before us,” Crane began. “We owe a lot to the people who came before us and certainly to the students, faculty members and staff who will come after us.”
“Tonight, we come together to honor distinguished alumni and recognize our partners and those whose support continues to advance the mission of this college and of the university,” Crane continued.
“The support of our alumni, friends and partners allows us to provide a world-class education; be relevant, responsive and accountable to Wyoming and serve the state and communities far beyond us,” he concluded.
Dr. Alan Knapp
The awards portion of the evening kicked off with the presentation of Outstanding Alumni Awards. The first award was presented to Dr. Alan Knapp, a global leader in rangeland ecology.
As noted in the 2025 edition of UW’s Roots and Ranges magazine, Knapp earned both his master’s and doctoral degrees in botany from UW, where he laid the foundation for a career that would change how researchers understand and manage rangelands on a global scale.
Known for groundbreaking research on topics like precipitation variability and land use, Knapp has published over 300 peer-reviewed papers and his research has been cited more than 48,000 times.
Knapp currently serves as a university distinguished professor at Colorado State University and remains deeply connected to UW as a lifetime member of the UW Alumni Association, a mentor to Wyoming scientists and a past board member of the Program in Ecology and Evolution.
Dr. Brent Ewers, department head of the UW Botany Department, called Knapp “one of the most respected ecologists of his generation” ahead of presenting Knapp with his award.
“Despite his international acclaim, Knapp has never forgotten where it all began,” Ewers said. “He remains a devoted Wyoming Cowboy, a lifelong supporter of UW and an ambassador for our university’s spirit of curiosity and resilience.”
In conclusion, Ewers praised Knapp as “a true leader in science, mentorship and the proud embodiment of what it means to be a CALSNR Outstanding Alumni.”
Dolly and Wes Watson
An Outstanding Alumni Award was also presented to Dolly and Wes Watson for their respective research in soil microbiology and livestock entomology.
UW Professor Emeritus Stephen Williams presented the awards to the husband-and-wife duo, who met at UW during their time in graduate school.
Dolly earned her bachelor’s degree in botany from UW in 1976 and a master’s degree in agronomy in 1987.
Williams served as Dolly’s graduate committee chair and noted her research on mycorrhizal fungi “set a huge standard” in his lab, laying the groundwork for her successful research career spanning labs throughout the country.
Wes earned a master’s degree in livestock entomology from UW in 1984. His graduate research on cattle lice still informs U.S. Food and Drug Administration protocols today, and his input has been instrumental in developing pest management options, including a walk-through fly vacuum system which provides a way for organic livestock producers to control cattle pests.
Prior to retirement, Wes served as president of the Entomological Society of America and head of the Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology at North Carolina State University.
Wes emphasized the couple’s time in graduate school at UW “led to decades of scientific inquiry, research, Extension and teaching” for them both as he accepted the awards.
Western EcoSystems Technology, Inc.
Next, the Outstanding Partner Award, honoring a corporation with deep Wyoming roots which shares CALSNR’s passion for educating students, was presented to Western EcoSystems Technology, Inc. (WEST).
According to Roots and Ranges, WEST was co-founded in 1990 by UW Researchers Lyman McDonald and Dale Strickland and offers environmental and statistical consulting services both nationally and internationally for projects focusing on ecology.
The company’s specialties range from environmental permitting, vegetation and reclamation to wetlands, water and wildlife research.
WEST has employed 43 UW alumni over the years and has engaged in research collaborations with UW on at least 10 different projects in addition to providing philanthropic support to UW.
“Since 2000, WEST has been a valued partner of UW and our college, advancing programs in environmental statistical analysis and data science through the creation of data science internships,” Crane explained. “They sponsor research awards and quantitative analysis and support projects with real meaningful impacts across Wyoming.”
“WEST exemplifies a true partnership and shared purpose,” Crane continued, emphasizing WEST’s work helps “transition science into policy and management strategies” which benefit the state of Wyoming and beyond.
Strickland and Chief Financial Officer Deby Forry were present to accept the award on behalf of WEST.
Farm Credit Services of America
Finally, FCSAmerica was honored with the Legacy Award, which is presented annually to an individual or organization whose financial support has been instrumental to the growth and advancement of CALSNR programs.
“These gifts are truly transformational in countless ways,” Crane said. “They really make a difference in our college and allow us to do things we would never otherwise be able to.”
As emphasized in Roots and Ranges, the recently-established FCSAmerica CALSNR Deanship at UW reiterates the company’s commitment to both the college’s mission and Wyoming’s agricultural legacy.
Endowed deanships secure the resources necessary to continue innovation and faculty and student support. For CALSNR, this deanship has improved access to high-impact teaching, resources and community engagement across critical areas such as natural resource management, food systems, environmental stewardship and rural resilience.
Crane and UW Foundation Chief Executive Officer and President John Stark provided background on these factors before introducing FCSAmerica Senior Vice President Jason Edelman to accept the award.
“CALSNR has been fortunate to create a strong relationship with FCSAmerica,” said Stark, who called the company “one of the very best corporate partners” in his introduction.
“Over the years, they’ve supported our students through scholarships, and they’ve supported our faculty and programs,” Stark continued. “They’ve also hired our students, because FCSAmerica recognizes the value of a UW education.”
Stark further called the named deanship a vital source of support in retaining and recruiting great talent and leadership in the college.
Edelman emphasized the importance of giving back in his acceptance address, highlighting FCSAmerica’s status as a cooperative organization and crediting customers with their continued support.
“Without us supporting the community, we won’t exist and we can’t give back,” said Edelman. “As continuing partners in developing agriculture, we are excited to partner with UW and excited to see where everything goes in the future.”
Closing comments
The evening concluded with a closing address from Crane, who once again thanked attendees for their continued support of UW.
“We are fortunate at the college, in this country and at this university to have a dedicated community supporting our efforts,” Crane concluded. “Generosity of both resources and time makes an extraordinary difference to me, our college, our university and our state.”
Grace Skavdahl is the editor of the Wyoming Livestock Roundup. Send comments on this article to roundup@wylr.net.
