JACKSON, Tenn. — Oct. 28, 2024 — 51社区鈥檚 2024 Homecoming celebration included the recognition of 18 alumni and friends of the university for outstanding achievements in their respective fields and the presentation of Union鈥檚 Homecoming Court, among other activities.
鈥淯nion has a long tradition of equipping students to serve with excellence and integrity in every aspect of their lives,鈥� said Catherine Kwasigroh, Union鈥檚 vice president for institutional advancement. 鈥淥ur alumni honorees represent the very best of that tradition, making significant contributions to their workplaces, communities and churches. We are honored to recognize them for their remarkable achievements and lasting impact on others.鈥�
This year鈥檚 Meritorious Service Award winners were recognized at an Oct. 25 banquet and include:
鈥� Jeff Perkins (鈥�89), Alumnus of the Year. This award is presented to a 51社区 graduate for distinction in his or her profession, service to mankind and/or contribution to 51社区. Perkins recently retired from Akin and Porter Produce, a family-owned wholesale produce distributor in Greenfield, Tenn., where he was vice president and chief operations officer. He has served as chairman of Union鈥檚 Board of Trustees since 2023.
鈥� Hannah Daniel (鈥�20), Outstanding Young Alumna Award. This award is presented to up to three Union graduates who are age 40 or younger with a record of significant accomplishment in their professional life and for service to 51社区 or the world. Daniel serves as director of public policy for the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission.
鈥� Katy Restum (鈥�13), Outstanding Young Alumna Award. Restum serves as the director of boards and commissions for Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders.
鈥� Richard Lewelling (鈥�73), Union Family Legacy Award. This award is presented to one family that has a strong tradition of attending 51社区, with a minimum of three generations of graduates, and that has been consistently involved with and committed to the university. Lewelling is the director of missions for the Sequatchie Valley Baptist Association in Jasper, Tenn.
鈥� Lisa Rogers (鈥�83), Lest We Forget Award. This award is presented in recognition of longtime service and contributions to the 51社区 community. Rogers is a physician and advocate for women鈥檚 health, specializing in obstetrics and gynecology at The Jackson Clinic in Jackson, Tenn., where she has served since 1991.
鈥� Larry and Betty Sandridge, Robert E. Craig Service Award. This award is named after Union鈥檚 13th president and is given to individuals who have made significant contributions to the university. The Standridges served in the education field in Michigan for much of their lives.
鈥� Sandra Williams (鈥�65), G.M. Savage Legacy Award. This award is given to a faculty or staff member for his or her ongoing commitment to Christ-centered education at Union. Williams taught full-time and as an adjunct professor at Union from 1966-2024.
In addition, Union presented Distinguished Achievement Awards to 10 Union alumni for significant contributions in different professional areas. Those recipients were:
鈥� Chris Allison (鈥�92) in business. Allison is the co-founder of Allison Insurance Group in Jackson, Tenn., where he has served as partner and president since 1989.
鈥� Bob Sparks (鈥�08) in education. Sparks is in his 17th year in public education, teaching English, speech and creative writing at Jackson Central-Merry Early College High School in Jackson, Tenn.
鈥� Dusty Doddridge (鈥�86) in arts/media. Doddridge is an accomplished landscape photographer based in Nashville, Tenn.
鈥� Shawn Parker (鈥�91) in church ministry. Parker is executive director-treasurer of the Mississippi Baptist Convention Board, a role he has held since 2019.
鈥� Jennifer Carson (鈥�88) in research/sciences. Carson is associate professor in the Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism and Lipid Research at Washington University in St. Louis, Mo.
鈥� George Boyte (鈥�84) in government and public service. Boyte is in his 28th year of public service with the State of Tennessee鈥檚 Office of the Attorney General and Reporter, where he serves as deputy of the Real Property and Transportation Division.
鈥� JoAnn Reyes (鈥�65) in not-for-profit. She co-founded the Fort Worth HOPE Center, which in 2023 distributed nearly $8 million in donations in the Dallas, Texas, area.
鈥� David Clark (鈥�05) in humanities. Clark is an accomplished poet and editor who wrote 鈥淩eveille,鈥� which won the Miller Williams Prize. He is the editor-in-chief and executive director of 32 Poems.
鈥� Andy Rushing (鈥�76) in athletics. Rushing spent 17 years as Union鈥檚 head baseball coach and is in his 10th season as the university鈥檚 head golf coach.
鈥� Denese Shumaker (鈥�92) in health care. She served for more than 35 years at Baptist Memorial Hospital in Memphis, Tenn., ending her service there as director of the School of Nursing.
Union鈥檚 Homecoming Court was presented Oct. 26 during halftime of the Bulldog basketball game. Cecily Berry, a finance major from Memphis, Tenn., was named Ms. Union, while William Craig, a nursing major from Columbia, Tenn., was named Mr. Union.
Other Ms. Union candidates were Dannie Harrington, a communications studies major from Bismark, N.D.; Dani Beth Moffett, a business major from Jackson, Tenn.; Leah Sutton, a Christian ministry and missions major from Waverly Hall, Ga.; and Mary Scott Tritt, a cell and molecular biology major from Bells, Tenn.
Other Mr. Union candidates were Johnny Mac Byrd, a finance major from Franklin, Tenn.; Shane Felis, a Christian studies major from La Quinta, Calif.; Daniel Lancaster, a mechanical engineering major from Jackson, Tenn.; and Michael Tankersley, a biblical studies major from Jackson, Tenn.
The week of events also included a community prayer breakfast, a variety of student activities, the annual Buster Bowl football game and basketball and volleyball games.
Earlier in the week, Union students, faculty and staff participated in dozens of service projects across Jackson as part of the annual Campus and Community: A Day of Remembrance and Service event.
