An echo of legacy and pride

By Blair Williamson

Family influences and scholarships impact legal career goals

Nancy Diana Davis ’07, Bryan local and fourth generation Aggie, reflects on her most memorable moment at Texas A&M University as the time when her grandfather, the late A.W. Davis ’45, was honored at the 2005 Muster ceremony.

“Clayton Williams (known in my family as “Claytie”) mentioned him during his speech as ‘a man for all seasons.’ It was an honor to hear him remembered in such a way and moved me to take more pride in my time here at Texas A&M,” said Davis.

Davis, a communication major with a double minor in history and English, comes from a line of lawyers, including her father and grandfather. By seeing the difference they made in the lives of others, she began to survey the possibility of her own legal career.

“Their passion for justice has inspired me to pursue fairness in all areas of academic study,” said Davis. “Accordingly, I see myself as an agent of change in this world and want to be well equipped to make a difference.”

Davis was the recipient of a President’s Endowed Scholarship and an Undergraduate Research Fellowship, both of which helped finance her education and challenged her academically.

The late A.W. Davis '45, Nancy Diana Davis '07

As an undergraduate research fellow, Davis studied corporate reputation management by looking specifically at Wal-Mart in a thesis entitled “Corporation Reputation Management, The Wal- Mart Way: Exploring Effective Strategies in the Global Market Place.” Davis chose Wal-Mart since it is one of the world’s largest corporations (with $312 billion in sales FY 2006) whose actions and standards set the stage for capitalism in the 21st century.

Through her research, Davis determined that corporations should conduct frequent reputation management campaigns in order to pacify stakeholders and gain public trust.

“In 25 years of working with honors students, I have not encountered a more impressive student,” said Charles Conrad, professor of communication and Davis’ Fellows adviser. “Diana is extremely bright, self-disciplined and genuinely pleasant to have around.”

After graduation, Davis spent the summer of 2007 studying Spanish in Costa Rica. This fall she began law school at the University of Texas as “an Aggie through and through.”