FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, April 2, 2008
Contact: Dave Wellman, Director of Communications, (304) 696-7153
 

‘Building on the Past, Building for the Future’
theme of annual Alumni Weekend at Marshall

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – “Building on the Past, Building for the Future” is the theme of Marshall University’s Alumni Weekend 2008, highlighted as always by the annual Alumni Awards Banquet and Celebration.

Alumni Weekend activities run Thursday, April 10 through Sunday, April 13. The 71st annual awards banquet starts at 6:30 p.m. Saturday, April 12 in the Memorial Student Center’s Don Morris Room.

Marshall University students and alumni will be honored at the banquet. Cost to attend the banquet, which will be preceded by a social at 6 p.m., is $45 per person or $75 per couple. Music will be provided during the social by the John Marshall Fife and Drum Corps.

This year’s Alumni Weekend activities are sponsored by Bank of America and SODEXHO.

Here is a brief look at each alumni award winner:

The Distinguished Alumni Award will be presented to Beth McVey, who has enjoyed a successful 28-year career performing and starring in numerous shows on Broadway and across the country.

McVey attended Marshall from 1971 through 1975 before transferring to the College-Conservatory of Music at the University of Cincinnati, where she earned her bachelor of fine arts degree in musical theatre. In 2004, McVey moved back to Huntington to broaden her life to include teaching, directing and serving as executive director on the board of ARTS. She also is on the executive board of the Keith-Albee Performing Arts Center.

This award is given to Marshall alumni for outstanding national achievements in their particular fields of endeavor.

Mark George will receive the Distinguished Service to Marshall Award. George, unit manager for Pepsi Bottling Co., serves as president of the Marshall University Quarterback Club and the Big Green Scholarship Foundation.

This award is given for loyal and unselfish service to Marshall University.

The Distinguished Service to the Community Award will be presented to Dr. Jeffrey St. Clair, assistant clinical instructor in emergency medicine at New Oreleans’ Charity Hospital. He is being honored for his contribution to the community of New Orleans during Hurricane Katrina and his excellent representation of the Marshall community. He is a 1992 graduate of Marshall’s School of Medicine.

This award is given to alumni for success in their fields of endeavor and personal contributions to their respective communities.

Rachel Folden of Riverside, Calif., a senior history major and standout catcher on Marshall’s softball team, will receive the Cam Henderson Scholarship Award. Folden is a three-time National Fastpitch Coaches Association’s All-American, was Mid-American Conference Freshman of the Year, was Conference USA Player of the Year and is a two-time first-team all-Conference USA member.

This scholarship was established by the Alumni Association in the name of legendary football and basketball coach Cam Henderson. It is given yearly to the student athlete who best exemplifies the spirit of scholarship while participating in athletics.

Dr. Michael Little, chairperson of the Department of Integrated Science and Technology at Marshall, will receive the Carolyn B. Hunter Distinguished Faculty Service Award. Little has been with Marshall for 34 years and has taught a variety of courses in the Biological Sciences department.

He was the 2002-2003 Drinko Fellow at Marshall and recipient of a National Award for Innovative Excellence in Teaching, Learning and Technology presented at the Ninth International Conference on College Teaching and Learning.

This award was created by the MUAA for the purpose of recognizing outstanding achievements and providing incentives for continued service from faculty to the community, the university and students in their respective fields. Award nominees are evaluated on their professional service to the community and their service to the university and its students.

The Nancy Pelphrey Herd Village Scholarship will be awarded to Huntington native Kristen O’Neal, a 2004 graduate of Spring Valley High School. O’Neal, who has played clarinet for the Marshall Marching Thunder for three years, graduated with her first degree (medical transcription) from the Marshall Community and Technical College in 2007. She will finish her degree in medical assisting in summer 2008.

This scholarship was established in 1998 by the MUAA board of directors in honor of Nancy Pelphrey, Herd Village coordinator. Funds from the scholarship come from the  proceeds from Herd Village.

Jennifer Pritt of Atlanta will receive the Young Alumni Award. She is an English as a Second Language (ESL) teacher at South Cobb High School, which was recently featured on Good Morning America for its many honors and awards. At Kennesaw State University, she teaches ESL Literacy to students from Brazil, Columbia, El Salvador, Mexico and even Bulgaria.

The criteria for the Young Alumni Award are that the person must be 35 years old or younger; an active member of the alumni association; show outstanding in his or her field of endeavor; have a personal commitment to his or her community; and demonstrate service to Marshall University and its students.

Joshua L. Curry and Kacy R. Winans will receive the Nate Ruffin Scholarship Award. Curry, a sophomore from Ranson, W.Va., is a criminal justice major with a 3.73 GPA. He is a member of the Society of Black Scholars at Marshall.

Winans, a sophomore from Detroit, Mich., is majoring in physical therapy and athletic training and has a 3.5 GPA. She started a new organization at Marshall called Stepping by Faith, which is sponsoring a child from Jerusalem. Winans is the niece of gospel singer CeCe Winans.

Ruffin was a member of the 1970 Marshall football team, but an injury kept him from making the trip to Greenville, N.C., for Marshall’s game with East Carolina on Nov. 14, 1970. The plane carrying the team back from North Carolina crashed near Tri-State Airport, killing all 75 people aboard. Ruffin became an advocate for Black Alumni Inc., as well as the university, until his death in 2001.

Margaret Frances Shrewsbury Brooks will be first recipient of the College of Education and Human Services’ Distinguished Education and Human Service Award. Brooks attended Marshall in the early 1940s, but did not complete her degree because of World War II. Using an emergency certification, she left Marshall and helped fill a grave shortage of teachers. She ended up teaching several years on a permanent certification and moving with her husband, who was in the military.

Brooks will be given an honorary undergraduate degree by the COEHS during the awards banquet, as well as receive the Distinguished Education and Human Service Award. The award honors a deserving COEHS alum who has excelled in his or her field and is representative of the accomplishments and dedication of alumni from Marshall University.

The 2008 Distinguished Alumnus in Manufacturing Award will go to Hank Cox, vice president of media relations with the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM). Cox is responsible for translating the NAM’s viewpoint on complex manufacturing issues into clear language and conveying the information to the news media, the association’s members and the general public.

This award is presented by the Robert C. Byrd Institute for Advanced Flexible Manufacturing in recognition of individuals who have made outstanding achievements in and contributions to the manufacturing sector.

The Greater Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky Club will receive the Alumni Association Club of the Year award. The club has worked endlessly to promote Marshall throughout the southwestern Ohio area. Last fall, the members held a major tailgating event at the football game between the Thundering Herd and the University of Cincinnati Bearcats, feeding and providing entertainment for the fans attending the game. The club later presented a check with proceeds raised at the tailgate to be split between the MUAA and the Big Green.

The MUAA Board Member of the Year will be announced at the MUAA board meeting and recognized at the awards banquet.

Here is a complete list of Alumni Weekend events:

Thursday, April 10

Marshall University’s annual Military Ball will be held at the Don Morris Room in the Memorial Student Center. The Military Ball timeline is as follows: 5:30 p.m., arrival and cocktails; 6 p.m., begin ceremony and dinner.

The cost is $40 per person and $75 per couple. For more details, visit http://www.marshall.edu/rotc/. For more information, contact Maj. Jeffrey Stephens at (304) 696-6450.

Friday, April 11

A meeting of the board of directors of the MU Alumni Association will take place at the Erickson Alumni Center from noon until 4 p.m.

Alumni Weekend will officially begin Friday evening with a Welcome Champagne Reception from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at the Culinary Institute at 917 3rd Ave. to celebrate the 50th Reunion Class of 1958 and university accomplishments.

At 10 p.m., national comedic talent Greg Hahn will be featured at the Funny Bone Comedy Club. The show is rated corporate friendly with a soft R rating. The balcony will be reserved for the Alumni Association. Tickets are $12, but the first 50 to make reservations will receive a free ticket.

Attendees may order from the menu and a there will be a cash bar. Call the alumni office for reservations ((304) 696-2901 or (800) 682-5869. Tickets may be picked up at any time in the alumni office or at the Champagne Reception preceding the show. This event is co-hosted by the MU Alumni Association and the Young Alumni Committee.

Saturday, April 12

An Estate Planning Seminar will take place at 9:30 a.m. in the John Spotts Room, Memorial Student Center. The topic will be: Estate Planning: 2008 and Beyond with guest speakers Howard R. “Buck” Crews Jr. and James G. Graley from Campbell Woods, PLLC of Huntington.

The Class Luncheon will honor the 50th reunion class (1958). It will be joined by the Grand Class – those who graduated before 1958. The event will take place from 11:30 a.m. until 1:30 p.m. in the John Marshall Dining Room, Memorial Student Center. The cost is $20 per person. Lunch is complimentary for members of 50th reunion class.

A Trolley Tour of campus will follow the luncheon.

The annual Alumni Awards Banquet and Celebration starts at 6:30 p.m. in the Memorial Student Center’s Don Morris Room. It will be preceded by a social at 6 p.m.

Sunday, April 13

The Scholarship Honor Reception, which annually recognizes and honors Marshall’s scholarship donors and recipients, is scheduled for 2 p.m. in the Don Morris Room in the Memorial Student Center. For more information, call (304) 696-6781.

For more information about Alumni Weekend events or to reserve a seat at the banquet, persons may call (304) 696-2901 or (800) 682-5869.

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