The siblings knew they wanted to attend Texas Tech, but they didn’t plan to all graduate from the College of Media & Communication.
Ever since Amanda and Clark Crawford welcomed their triplets into the world, it was important to them for each child to feel like an individual. They encouraged their children to consider different colleges – to follow their own muse. But when they visited Texas Tech University, Truman, Cate and Ava found endless possibilities.
“When we first toured the university together, it just made sense,” Cate said, “even though we never thought we’d all end up at the same school.”
More than that, they all are graduating from Texas Tech’s College of Media & Communication.
“The fact the college had so many diverse programs that we all found something we like, says a lot,” said Truman.
This week the triplets will be walking the stage and celebrating the end of this season of life the way they started it – together.
One, Two, Three
When Clark and Amanda Crawford went in to get a routine sonogram in 2003, they got a surprise. The sonographer wasn’t far into the exam when she got up and walked out.
“The doctor walked in and picked up the probe and said, ‘There’s a baby… there’s another baby… Oh wait, there is another,’” remembers Clark.
The parents adjusted to the idea of going from a family of two to a family of five. Their world was forever changed when they welcomed Cate, Ava and Truman into the world in August of 2003.
Their parents say Ava is a classic middle child, while her brother and sister embody some traits of youngest and oldest siblings.
“When they were just babies, Cate and Truman would be crying about something and Ava would just be standing next to them with her thumb in her mouth and this look on her face like, ‘Get it together, you guys,’” said Amanda.
Ava’s entrance essay on her Texas Tech application started with, “I was the youngest for 30 seconds but then I was destined to be a middle child.”
Clark and Amanda love the differences that make their children unique. They try not to refer to them as “the triplets,” opting rather to use their names. They said even by six months each child had their own distinct personality and interests.
Cate tried lots of hobbies growing up, but settled into more laid-back interests like playing guitar, writing and knitting. And while Cate hated dance, Ava loved it.
“I’ve always been drawn to expressing myself creatively through art and dance,” Ava said.
Later on, she also picked up photography and even started her own creative brand.
Truman refers to his childhood as a mixed bag of interests. While he leaned into sports, he also loved playing percussion. This was in addition to being a Boy Scout and eventually becoming an Eagle Scout.
As much as individualism was celebrated, efficiency still had to be considered.
“At mealtime it was usually, ‘This is what you’re eating,’” Amanda said laughing.
There were no a la carte options.
Destined to Be Red Raiders
Clark’s parents, Joe and Betty Crawford, met each other at Texas Tech in 1966 through mutual friends at Gates Hall. Though they were dating other people at the time, they eventually became an item.
Joe graduated in 1969; Betty followed suit in 1970. They stayed in Lubbock while Joe attended Texas Tech’s School of Law, which was only three years old at the time.
These were the stories Cate, Ava and Truman heard growing up.
Their dad, Clark, didn’t end up attending Texas Tech, and Amanda didn’t either. In fact, Clark hoped to get at least one of his kids to Texas State University, where he’d gone, much to his parents’ chagrin.
Clark grew up swimming at his parents’ house in northwest Austin, where Joe had a Double T placed at the bottom of the pool in their backyard. And if that weren’t enough, he rigged the door to his garage, so it played “Fight Raiders Fight” every time it opened.
Clark is still amazed his parents were ever able to sell that house in Longhorn territory.
Once in 2012, the whole family, grandparents and all, traveled to Lubbock for a Texas Tech football game.
“I’d put the kids in Texas State gear that day,” Clark recalled. “Well, their grandpa took one look at that and decided to take the kids to Red Raider Outfitters.”
Pretty soon, the kids were taking off the Texas State clothes and tossing them at their dad. They emerged from the store in scarlet and black, donning foam fingers.
“They even had little face tattoos,” Clark said with a grin, defeated.
That was the same trip Truman decided he wanted to become a Red Raider. The kids were quite young, so college was a distant idea. But when Truman saw the Masked Rider gallop onto the field, as his parents say, his 8-year-old heart was sold.
Home Away From Home
When Cate, Ava and Truman visited the Texas Tech campus in 2021, the girls were only along for the ride.
“Truman really wanted to go to Tech, so we all went to tour as a family, and I think Ava and I were a little hesitant,” Cate recalled. “My perception of Lubbock was there was a lot of dust and that was pretty much it.”
She notes how inaccurate that assumption was.
“When we got to Lubbock and did the full tour and spoke with advisors, it felt like the perfect fit,” Cate said.
Cate knew she wanted to study communications but had no idea which avenue to go. When she discovered the College of Media & Communication had a program called Digital Media & Professional Communication that allowed students to build their own degree, she was intrigued.
Ava learned about Creative Media Industries, another program in the college that fused electronic media with photography and writing; it even offered film courses.
“It wasn't intentional that we all went to the same school, but we couldn't be happier that it worked out that way,” Cate said.
Clark and Amanda said they weren’t more than 15 miles outside of Lubbock on the way home, when all three kids said they wanted to attend Texas Tech.
“We had toured quite a few universities, and Texas Tech was the first place where the kids felt the staff and faculty were interested in them as people, not just another number,” Clark said.
Amanda recounted quite a few other college tours they’d done. She said Texas Tech just felt different.
“The staff and students leading the tour made everyone feel welcome,” Amanda said. “They genuinely wanted you to feel at home.”
All In
Truman completed his degree in Public Relations & Strategic Communication Management in December of 2024. He decided to delay walking in the graduation ceremony though – opting to experience the occasion with his sisters this May.
Since then, he’s already started his career as a clerk and policy analyst for the Texas Senate, working in Sen. Brian Birdwell’s office.
“It was the little things at Texas Tech that set me up for my career,” Truman said. “All those day-to-day interactions add up. I learned a lot in class, but I also learned a lot from working with my fellow students and the faculty.”
All three siblings have built impressive resumes during their time in college. Truman worked for Texas Tech Hospitality Services, joined Chi Psi, a small academic and social fraternity, and eventually worked his way up to manager at Raider Exchange.
Ava has worked for hospitality services as well. She started as a content creator and was recently promoted to student manager. Ava and her team put together the posts marketing everything happening on campus.
Recently, her team won a marketing competition, and the reward was hosting Duke, the BUSH’S® Beans dog, on campus.
“It is a job, so there are hard parts, but it’s a blessing I have that to put on my resume. It’s been so fun, and I’ve created all these amazing connections, so I am going to miss that job,” Ava said.
This past year, Ava also was selected to work in Raider Production House.
A student wrote a feature length film and Ava is serving on the story development team.
“We’re working on casting and pre-production,” Ava said excitedly. “We’re kind of guinea pigs because we’re pioneering this program, but it’s so fun.”
Cate has been an intern at the Texas Tech University System’s Institutional Advancement Office for the past two years, in addition to being a member of President’s Select.
“I love interviewing people and getting to tell their story,” Cate beamed. “If I can do storytelling in some capacity, I’ll be happy.”
One of her proudest achievements was writing a feature on the Texas Tech donor and graduate, Pat Hickman. Cate was able to capture Hickman’s legacy a few months before he passed away.
Going Their Own Way
“I get teary-eyed just thinking about it,” Amanda said, talking about all three of her children graduating together.
Clark and Amanda know their kids will be successful in everything they go on to do. But aside from their successes, they are proud of the people their kids have become.
“They’re amazing young people who will go out and do great things for the world,” Amanda said
And when the going gets tough, Cate, Ava and Truman have something not everyone has to lean on – each other.
“I have two built-in best friends; people I love and can rely on,” Cate said.
Truman said he likes experiencing life with two other people who, for the most part, are going through similar things.
“I’ve learned a lot from Cate and Ava,” Truman said. “We have a lot of memories together.”
Those memories span from the beginning all the way through college, where the three of them were housemates after their first year.
Cate says triplet telepathy is certainly a myth, but there’s something to be said about the rare connection.
“We’ve spent so much time together, so it’s easy to know what Truman and Ava are thinking,” Cate said. “I don’t have that connection with anyone else.”
The siblings plan to relocate closer to their family after graduation by moving back to Austin. But for the first time, each will be going their own way.
What that will look like, time will tell. But they’re prepared for whatever comes.