Alumni Awards
celebrating alumni from every era
The Alumni Awards honor alumni for exceptional achievement and significant contributions to their profession, community, society, or university. Awards are presented annually at an event during Homecoming weekend.
The nomination period for the 2024 Alumni Awards is now closed.
Pictured: Our 2023 Alumni Award recipients (Top to bottom, L-R), C. Thomas Martin ’70, Jeffrey Colbert ’84, ’86 MPA, Eric Durham ’11, Jaren Doby ’07, ’12 MSW, Ann Hayes Tate ’68, Anne Stroud Taylor ’53, Mary Landers, and Penelope Muse Abernathy ’73.
Alumni Award Descriptions
The UNCG Alumni Association established the Lifetime Achievement Award in 2015 to recognize extraordinary accomplishments by an alumna/nus of UNCG. This award is the highest honor bestowed upon an alumna/nus of UNCG, and recognizes those who have made significant professional achievements or have distinguished themselves through service to others.
The WC Legacy Award is given to alumni of either Woman’s College or UNCG. Emphasis is placed on characteristics that were important during the WC era, which included service, social or political activism. Each year, there will be a minimum of one recipient who attended Woman’s College 1934-1963.
The Minerva Award for Distinguished Service recognizes alumni who have given devotion, service, and visionary leadership to UNCG, the UNCG Alumni Association, academic colleges, or the Greensboro community at large.
The Young Alumni Award recognizes exceptional achievement and significant contributions made to the recipient’s profession, community, society, or the University. This award is given to UNCG alumni who are 40 years or younger when nominated.
The Professional Achievement Award recognizes outstanding achievement in any professional field. The award is given to alumni with records of notable career accomplishments and histories of outstanding contributions to their professions. These achievements have brought distinction to themselves, credit to the University, and benefit to their communities.
The Honorary Alumni Award is a special consideration bestowed on friends of UNCG who embody the Spartan spirit and have made significant contributions to the University’s welfare through loyal service and support. To discuss this opportunity, please contact us at [email protected].
2023 Alumni Award Recipients
Anne Stroud Taylor '53
WC Legacy Award
Anne Stroud Taylor is an esteemed educator, community leader, and advocate for heritage preservation from Faison, North Carolina. Her lifelong commitment to education and community service has left an indelible mark on her town and county. With a legacy defined by educational excellence, historic preservation, and community enrichment, Anne Stroud Taylor’s impact on Duplin County is an inspiring testament to a life dedicated to service and progress.
Anne Hayes Tate '68
WC Legacy Award
Anne Hayes Tate’s dedication to service began with her transformative years at UNCG, where she earned her math degree in 1968. Following her UNCG years, Anne’s dedication extended to her professional life. She served as an Assistant Director of Admissions, tirelessly promoting UNCG across North Carolina and facilitating the admissions process for incoming students. Anne’s journey exemplifies her profound dedication to service, preserving the Alumni Association’s significance, and fostering a vibrant UNCG community.
M. Jeffrey Colbert '84, '86 MPA
WC Legacy Award
For over three decades, Jeff has been a guiding force at UNCG, where his commitment to students and the University shines brightly. His journey began in 1986 as the “Coordinator of Cooperative Education” while pursuing his MA, and in 1988, he began a 36-year career of teaching at UNCG. Guided by his passion for teaching and advising, Jeff’s devotion to students and his institution remains steadfast. As a person of faith, he credits God for the opportunity to fulfill his purpose at UNCG, a place he deeply loves.
Eric Durham '11
Young Alumni Award
Eric graduated from UNCG in 2011 with his BA in Music and his BS in Business Administration. During his tenure at UNCG, he participated in a wide variety of campus activities, including serving as a Founding Father and President of Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity, and held leadership positions in the Student Government Association. He is also an active cyclist, musician, and community volunteer and serves on the Board of Directors for the Bryan School Alumni Association, the Board of Directors for the Association of Fundraising Professionals, and is an active member in the local Rotary chapter.
Penelope Muse Abernathy '73
Professional Achievement Award
In a career that spans five decades, Penelope (Penny) Muse Abernathy has been a prize-winning journalist; a tenured professor at UNC Chapel Hill; and the author of two books on digital media strategies and five major reports on the state of local news in the United States. She then became one of the first female senior executives on the business side of The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and Harvard Business Review. For her journalism and business accomplishments, she was inducted into the North Carolina Media and Journalism Hall of Fame. With an illustrious career marked by groundbreaking achievements, Penny Muse Abernathy continues to shape journalism’s future while honoring its past.
Jaren Doby '07, '12 MSW
Professional Achievement Award
Jaren “JD” Doby is a psychotherapist currently credentialed as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) with more than 15 years of experience in the mental health field. Jaren currently practices as an Outpatient Mental Health Therapist in the State of North Carolina. In addition to his professional practice, Jaren acts as a mental health consultant for various universities and professional organizations both locally and abroad. Jaren’s professional accomplishments have distinguished him as a leader in his field, and through his efforts to give back to the community, he embodies the spirit of a true Spartan.
Mary Landers
Honorary Alumni Award
Mary Landers began her tenure as the Director of Alumni Engagement and Executive Director of the UNCG Alumni Association in July 2013. The decision to join the UNCG community was the beginning of a ten-year career at the University — a relationship that remains steadfast today. With over 25 years of experience in higher education alumni engagement and admissions, Mary’s enduring passion for building traditions and strong volunteer partnerships served to elevate many of the University’s alumni programs. Mary’s influence will impact future generations of students, staff, and alumni, and we are proud to officially recognize her as a member of the Spartan Alumni family!
C. Thomas Martin '70
McIver Lifetime Achievement Award
Tom Martin’s investment in the culture of Greensboro has etched a profound legacy. Championing athletics and education, he exerted influence as a member of the Greensboro Sports Council’s Executive Committee for eight years and took the helm as President in 2005. In 2003, Tom concluded an illustrious career of over thirty years with the City of Greensboro, where he served in various roles and retired as Greensboro Planning Director. His degree in Political Science from UNCG gave him a strong foundation upon which to build his life’s work of public service.
Alumni Awards Archive
- 2021: Dr. JoAnne “Jo” Safrit ’57
- 2020: Carole Boston Weatherford ’92 MFA
- 2019: Linda Arnold Carlisle ’72
- 2017: Dr. Paula Myrick Short ’67
- 2016: Kelly Cherry ’67 MFA
- 2015: Dr. Margaret Bourdeaux Arbuckle ’74 MEd, ’82 PhD
- 2022: Jeff Collins ’84
- 2020: David B. Craft ’85
- 2019:
- Siddiga Ahmed ’16
- Erika B. Schlager ’81
- Richard Sele ’87
- Jana Welch Wagenseller ’76
- 2017:
- Lynn Kendrick Erdman ’77
- Karen T. McNeil-Miller ’80, ’81 MEd
- 2016:
- Rebecca Kasuboski Cook ’66
- David Huffine ’84
- 2015:
- Dr. Karrie G. Dixon ’00 MA
- Dr. Barbara Mitchell Parramore ’54
- 2014:
- Carolyn Burnette Ingram ’69
- Dr. Josephine Alexander Foster ’52, ’55 MEd, ’64 PhD
- 2013:
- Claudia Buchdahl Kadis ’65
- Beth Klinkscales McAllister ’63
- 2012: Mary-Owens Bell Fitzgerald ’55
- 2011:
- Patricia Gibson Garrett ’66
- Susan Whittington ’72, ’74 MEd
- 2010:
- Ann Phillips McCracken ’60
- Louise “Coffee” Maxwell Worth ’40
- 2009: Dr. Sarah Cowan ’65, ’81 PhD
- 2008:
- Dr. Sally Beaver Buckner ’53
- Sue Sigmon Williams ’58
- 2007:
- Dr. Frances Alexander Campbell ’55
- Dr. Jay A. Mancini, ’77 PhD
- 2006:
- Ernest J. Grant ’93 MSN
- Dr. Lynette Boney Wrenn ’49
- 2005:
- Patricia Rothrock ’45
- Dr. Ellen Strawbridge Yarborough ’55, ’83 PhD
- 2004:
- Dr. Cynthia Howard ’74
- Patricia Shore Clark ’58
- 2003:
- Rose Zimmerman Post ’48
- John L. “Jack” Pinnix ’69, ’75 MA
- 2002:
- Nancy Beam Funderburk Wells ’49
- Dr. Rita Hundley Pickler ’79, ’81 MSN
- 2001:
- Marilyn McCollum Moore ’49
- Linda Arnold Carlisle ’72
- 2000:
- Beatrice Goldman Fisher ’42
- Joyce Daughtry White ’60
- 1999:
- Dorothy Ficker Jenkins ’39
- Dr. Myrle Lutterloh Swicegood ’44, ’74 PhD
- 1998:
- Barbara Apostolacus Lipscomb ’49
- Betsy Bulluck Strandberg ’48
- Sue Sherrill Phillips ’33
- Catherine Bernhardt Safrit ’35
- 1997:
- Betsy Buford ’68
- Claudette Burroughs-White ’61
- Nancy Hill Campbell ’49
- Carolyn Black Ferree ’66
- Eleanor Dare Kennedy ’45
- 1996:
- Sarah Young Austin ’47
- Lois Elizabeth Frazier ’42
- Elizabeth “Bibbie” Yates King ’36
- Anne Lillian Pitoniak ’43
- Sarah Denny Williamson ’49
- 1995:
- Elizabeth JoAnne Smart Drane ’60
- Martha Ann Heafner Gaither ’53
- Barbara Jaylee Montague Mead ’51
- Mary Elizabeth Barwick Sink ’44
- 1994:
- Deane Lomax Crowell ’49
- Mary Elizabeth Keister ’34
- Mary Falls Peel McDonald ’42
- Betty Nance Smith ’48
- Jane Baucom Stephenson ’59
- 1993:
- Alice Smith Barkley ’78
- Julia “Judy” Bynum Barrett ’42
- Louise Stirewalt Reynolds ’42
- Faye West Warren ’41
- J. Nancy White ’46, ’63 PhD
- 1992:
- Elizabeth “Betty” Moore Bullard ’52
- Alice Wray Faucette Callahan ’52
- Elisabeth “Betty” Crawford Ervin ’50
- Martha Adams Fowler McNair ’49
- Edna Earle Richardson Watson ’40
- 1991:
- Ann Flack Boseman ’51
- Evon Welch Dean ’42C
- Frieda Boger Lane ’44
- Helen Fondren Lingle ’41, ’66 MEd
- Eloise Ward Phelps ’31
- 1990:
- Barbara Parrish ’48
- Cathy Stewart Vaughn ’49
- Kitty Rettew Bregman ’39
- Donna Hill Oliver ’78 MEd, ’95 PhD
- Elizabeth Parker McPherson ’51
- 1989:
- Yvonne Cheek ’67 MM
- Margaret Smith Hunt ’36, ’67 MEd
- Sina McGimpsey Reid ’65
- Phyllis Vreeland Roberts ’46
- Kay Yow ’74 MEd
- 1988:
- Lib Uzell Griffin ’38
- Hilda Weil Wallerstein ’26
- 1987:
- Trudy Rainey Creede ’39
- Lou Hardy Frye ’42
- Nell S. Smith ’51
- 1986:
- Betty Shipman Bennett ’46
- Meredith Mitchum Layer ’68
- Mercer Reeves Hubbard ’35
- Dot Kendall Kearns ’53, ’74 MEd
- Frances Newsom Miller ’42
- 1985:
- Cornelia Jones Privott ’20
- Mildred Templeton Miller ’33
- Elizabeth Reeves Lyon ’38
- Ada Markita Fisher ’70
- 1984:
- Hilda Wallerstein Fleisher ’51
- Ellen Sheffield Newbold ’55
- Mary Boney Sheats ’38
- 1983:
- Evelyn Shepherd Apple ’39
- Jane Bledsoe Davidson ’51
- Maud Gatewood ’54
- York Kiker ’39
- Sarah Hamilton Matheson ’24
- 1982:
- Marjorie Hood ’26
- Lee Kinard ’74 PhD
- 1981:
- Irby Shaw Walker ’36
- Lucy Spinks Keker ’38
- Nancy Hope Willis ’48
- 1980:
- Ellen Griffin ’40
- Martha Kirkland Walston ’43
- Celeste Ulrich ’46
- Maria Richardson Bliss ’55
- Neill McLeod ’57
- 1979:
- Susannah Thomas Watson ’39
- Jeanne Owen ’41
- Betty Dorton Thomas ’44
- Jessie Rae Osborne Scott ’51
- 1978:
- Nolie McDonald ’26
- Rose Pully ’40
- Marian Adams Smith ’49
- Sylvia Wilkinson ’62
- 1977:
- Clyde Fields ’12
- Margaret McConnell Holt ’30
- Betsy Ivey Sawyer ’46
- Jumela Boulus (Sister Mary Michel Boulus ) ’47
- Mary Jo Conrad Cresimore ’57
- 1976:
- Alma Rightsell Pinnix ’19
- Virginia Ward ’29
- Gladys Strawn Bullard ’39
- Jane Harris Armfield ’60
- Heather Ross Miller ’61
- 1975:
- Gladys Avery Tillett ’15
- Judge Susie Sharp
- Bennie Lee Craig Inman ’35
- Mildred Caroon Bailey ’40
- 1974:
- Charlesanna Fox ’30
- Isabelle Moseley Perry ’37
- 1973:
- Moffitt Sinclair Henderson ’12C
- Katherine Taylor ’28
- Mebane Holoman Burgwyn ’35
- 1972:
- Margaret Hayes ’19
- Sadie Molye Suggs ’21
- Helen Dunn Creasy Hunter ’22
- Ruth Clinard ’29
- Elizabeth Langford Davenport ’33
- Betty Brown Jester ’31 (Special Award)
- 1971:
- Kathrine Robinson Everett ’13
- Frances Gibson Satterfield ’28
- Elise Rouse Wilson ’43
- Bonnie Angelo Levy ’44
- Betty Ann Ragland Stanback ’46
- 1970:
- Sue Ramsey Johnston Ferguson ’18
- Mary D. Johnson ’19
- Juanita Kesler Henry ’20
- Reva Mitchell ’32
- Julia Watson Maulden ’33
- The Class of 1915
- 1969:
- Iris Holt McEwen ’14
- Lucy Cherry Crisp ’19
- Elizabeth Hinton Kittrell ’19
- Iola Parker ’23
- Frances Fowler Monds ’33
- 1968:
- Virginia Brown Douglas ’02
- Lula M. Disosway ’18
- Ruth C. Wilson
- Hermene Warlick Eichhorn ’26
- Annie Lee Singletary ’31
- 1967:
- Rosa Blakeney Parker ’16
- Euline Smith Weems ’17
- Julia Montgomery Street ’23
- Adelaide Fortune Holderness ’34
- Eleanor Southerland Powell ’42
- 1966:
- Emily Harris Preyer ’39
- Sadie McBrayer McCain ’16
- Juanita McDougald Melchior ’17
- 1965: Virginia Terrell Lathrop ’23
- 1964: Clara Booth Byrd ’13
- 1963: Jane Summerell ’10
- 1962: Emma Lewis Speight Morris ’00
- 1961: May Lovelace Tomlinson ’07
- 1960: Laura Weill Cone ’10
- 2022:
- Alice Garrett Brown ’65
- Susan McDonald ’67
- Ann Thomas ’57
- 2020: Agnes Johnson Price ’62
- 2019:
- Betty Flinchum ’57, ’63 MED
- Emile “Emmy” Mills ’62, ’65 MFA
- 2017:
- Betty Brooks ’52
- Manuel Dudley ’94, ’97 MSES
- Jeannie Daniels Felts ’68
- Gayle Hartis ’65
- Roger Joyner ’73 MS
- Emily Herring Wilson ’61
- 2016:
- Debra Turner Bailey ’79, ’81 MPA
- Nancye Baker Bryan ’66
- Mildred Curlee Cooper ’47
- Mary Jo Conrad Cresimore ’57
- Lois Frazier ’42, ’48 MS
- Anne Ford Geis ’54
- Lena (Anne) Gordon ’57 (awarded posthumously)
- Eleanor Walker Gwynn ’68 MFA
- Sarah Cole Jordan ’56
- Mary Hassell Whisonant ’63
- 2015:
- Anne Prince Cuddy ’64
- Ann Turner Collins ’53
- Gayle Hicks Fripp ’63, ’69 MA
- Martha Kirkland Walston ’43
- Dr. Sue Medley ’65, ’76 MEd, ’85 EdD
- Patricia Wood Davis ’57
- Alice Sink ’59C, ’78, ’81 MFA
- Rev. John A. Robinson, Jr. ’69
- Dr. Jerry Tolley ’82 EdD
- Judy Rosenstock Hyman ’56, ’73 MEd
- 2014:
- Sally Schindel Cone ’72 MEd
- Sadye Dunn Doxie ’57
- Betty Crawford Ervin ’50
- Linda Flowers ’68 (awarded posthumously)
- Eric Hart ’96
- Jessie Donathan Howard ’49
- Tom Martin ’70
- Carol Furey Matney ’63
- C. Neill McLeod ’57
- Whitty Ransome ’67
- 2017: Keith Ayscue ’91, ’03 MBA
- 2016: Amelia Storms Hopkins ’79, ’91 MA
- 2015: Dr. Margaret JoAnne Safrit ’57
- 2014: Judge Beth Keever ’72
- 2022: Jean Lojko ’80
- 2020: Dr. Cherry Callahan ’71, ’78 PHD
- 2019:
- Elizabeth Hudson ’95
- Justin Outling ’05
- Beverly Warren ’71
- 2022: Devon Smith ’13
- 2020: Debora Pleitez ’11
- 2019:
- George Acheampong ’09
- Zimuzor “Zim” Ugochukwu ’11
- 2017: Paul Chelimo ’14
- 2015: Christine “Christy” Johnson ’03, ’05 MA
- 2014: Dr. Cristina Rolo ’04 PhD
- 2013: Katie Marshall ’11
- 2012: LaToya Renee Marsh ’99
- 2011: Dr. Katherine A. Rawson ’99
- 2010: Dr. Brian J. Clarida ’02 MSA
- 2009: Dr. Kelly Hannum ’97 MEd, ’03 PhD
- 2008: Joy Munns ’02, ’04 MBA
- 2007: George Gibbons Hoyle ’90
- 2006: Dr. Brian Strahl ’93
- 2005: George Philip Michael “Mickey” Freeman ’88
- 2004: Deborah Surman ’91, ’95 MS
- 2003: Kelly Link ’95 MFA
- 2002: Anne M. “Meg” Sheehan ’87, ’90 MEd
- 2001: Eric Button ’82,’87 MBA
- 2000: Alexander “Alec” McClure Peters ’83
- 1999: David Brown ’88
Submit a 2024 Nomination
We’re sorry, but the nomination deadline for the 2024 Alumni Awards has passed.