TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (WTWO/WAWV)— Cynthia Thomas Kalkomey has been announced as the newest board member at Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology.
Kalkomey has actually been working as a member of the board since the board’s winter meeting. Her connection to the university goes back a generation, with it being her father’s alma mater. Her father, Charles Thomas, was a native of Clinton, Indiana, who graduated with high honors in electrical engineering from the school in 1943 when it was known as Rose Polytechnic Institute. Thomas went on to have a distinguished 28-year career with Texas Instruments’ defense systems division.
In 2023, Kalkomey and her husband honored Thomas’ legacy by making a $500,000 gift to the university to establish a scholarship fund.
“Cindy’s commitment to Rose-Hulman and our mission of helping students achieve their goals in STEM fields is deeply personal,” said Rose-Hulman President Robert A. Coons. “We look forward to her insights and leadership as a trustee.”
Kalkomey brings with her a doctorate in statistics from Southern Methodist University, as well as a master’s and bachelor’s degree in mathematics and statistics from Stephen F. Austin State University in Texas, to the role. This makes her a well-suited member as a supporter of STEM. Kalkomey began her career as a geostatistician for Mobil Oil’s research lab, where she specialized in reservoir characterization and reserves assessment. She also taught technical short courses to Mobil affiliates around the world.
In 1995, Kalkomey and her husband co-founded Kalkomey Enterprises, a Dallas-based company that developed online courses and printed materials for boating, hunting, bowhunting, ATV, and snowmobile certification in partnership with state agencies. they sold a majority interest in 2015, but Kalkomey served on the board for several years after.
