Gay Gaddis, who received her B.F.A. in Studio Art in 1977, has been named a recipient of Texas Exes' Distinguished Alumnus Award for 2022. The award recognizes alumni who have made significant achievements in their careers and service to the university. Each year, the award is given to only six alumni, and is the university's highest honor. Gaddis is the fourth COFA alum to win in the last 30 years.
Gaddis founded and led T3 for over 30 years, growing it to be the largest woman-owned ad agency in the country. She is also the author of Cowgirl Power: How to Kick Ass in Business & Life, and founded "Women Who Mean Business" at UT's McCombs School of Business. Gaddis was recognized by Texas Monthly as one of “10 Artists to Collect Now,” and her work has been shown in New York and Santa Fe.