Fred Selfe Distinctive Service to Emory & Henry Award
2022: Cyndi Jennings
Cyndi is a member of the E&H Class of 1991. She has served as a member of the E&H Alumni Board of Directors, has volunteered as a leader for E&H in the City, has assisted with a large on-campus reception for E&H faculty and staff, attends sporting events, and always responds affirmatively when asked to serve her alma mater.
2021: E&H in the City Volunteers
Normally the award is given to a single individual, the awards selection committee elected this year to recognize a group of volunteers. Annually for more than 10 years now, more than 50 (and as many as 70) alumni volunteer to make our E&H in the City event a success. The event is a worldwide happy hour event that encourages alumni to gather for a cocktail at a local watering hole and meet other alumni in the region. The event has grown from just over 100 participants the first year to more than 600 participants who gather with friends, or post a solo photo when no other alumni live nearby. A recent survey of alumni indicated that E&H in the City has become the second most popular event with alumni (coming in behind Homecoming, of course). And the event has very quickly become an Emory & Henry tradition.
2020: Bobbie Frentz Larkins
Bobbie Frentz Larkins (Class of 2003) serves as Business Process Improvement Lead at Eastman Chemical in Kingsport. She has gone above and beyond to make real world work connections for E&H students by attending on-campus career networking events and by organizing events at Eastman for Emory & Henry students.
2019: Jay Rosser
Aubrey J. “Jay” Rosser III (’03) received his master’s degree in economics from New York University in 2006. He is a Certified Financial Planner and financial advisor for Northwestern Mutual, and is the managing director of their Tysons, Va. office. He is a member of the board of directors for Graffiti Community Ministries in Manhattan, New York, and serves on the board for the Chamber Dance Project in Washington, D.C. He is a four-year winner of the Pathfinder and Summit Award for financial advisors from Northwestern Mutual in New York City and Washington D.C.
2018: Virginia “Ginny” Rowland Barker
Ginny Barker is a 1959 graduate of Emory & Henry College. As a student, she was a member of the Alethian Literary Society, Cardinal Key, Kappa Phi Alpha, the cheerleading squad and the women’s basketball team. She has served the College in innumerable volunteer roles including service on the Holston Conference Colleges Board of Trustees, the E&H Parents Council, the J. Stewart French Alumni House Committee, various capital campaign committees, ad hoc alumni committees, and the Emory & Henry Board of Visitors. She has served on College selection committees, was a presenter at and has assisted with the summer alumni college, More Than A Vacation, and has assisted with the annual alumni-sponsored faculty/staff social. She was named for lifetime membership in the Abingdon Garden Club for outstanding service and dedication, and is chair of their annual Historic Abingdon Garden Tour. She is on the Antiques and Patrons Committees of the Virginia Highlands Festival, is a volunteer for the William King Museum of Arts, is a past president for Abingdon Random Arts, and is in leadership roles at Abingdon United Methodist Church.
2017: Rose Neese Houk
Rose graduated from Emory & Henry in 1981 with a degree in physical education. She has served as a physical education teacher in Galax City Schools in Virginia for 36 years, teaching at the high school, middle school, and elementary school levels. She has taught at Galax Elementary School for 26 years while simultaneously coaching the Galax High School volleyball team for 31 years. During her coaching tenure she amassed 364 wins, led the team to a district championship 12 times, made 18 regional appearances, two state appearances, won the Mountain Empire District Tournament 10 times, won the Fort Chiswell Invitational Tournament 13 times, and coached 6 undefeated seasons. She was named Virginia High School Coaches Association State Coach of the Year in 2009, was Mountain Empire District Coach of the Year ten times, was named Outstanding Virginia Female Coach of the Year in 2009, and Southern District Sport Professional of the Year in 2013. She and her husband, Donald, have a son Tyler Houk (E&H ’13).
2016: Jon Crutchfield graduated from Emory & Henry in 1991. He serves as an administrator for Franklin County High School in Rocky Mount, Virginia. He has served the Franklin County system as associate principal, director of operations, teacher, coach, and athletics coordinator. He has also served as an adjunct professor for James Madison University. He has served on the Staff/Parish Committee of Redwood United Methodist Church in Rocky Mount, is a member of the Franklin County Recreation Advisory Board, and is a past member of the Emory & Henry Alumni Board of Directors. He and his wife, Anne Wright Crutchfield (E&H ’89) have three daughters, Haley (E&H ’15), Emily and Maggie.
2015: Dean Newman graduated from Emory & Henry in 1962 with a bachelor of arts degree in psychology. He has served on the Emory & Henry Alumni Association Board of Directors as a representative for the 1960s decade. He is currently the Owner Operator of Newman Sales, a dealer network for several major heating and barbecue manufacturers in Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, Delaware and Pennsylvania, and he owns several patents for heating products. He and his wife, Judy, live in Harrisonburg, Virginia and have two children, including Paige who is a 1991 Emory & Henry graduate.
2014: Arthur B. Scott, ’07, earned his bachelor’s degree in geography at Emory & Henry, with a minor in business management. Before taking his career to Washington D.C., the Scott County native learned the business workings of southwest Virginia by studying the Virginia wine industry and by working with the regional planning district commission in Lenowisco. He managed the grassroots outreach programs for the campaigns of former Congressman Rick Boucher and also Senator Tim Kaine, and he helped design and execute field programs to address the diverse geographic and demographic landscapes of Virginia. He was Assistant to the Chief of Staff for Senator Jim Webb, handling all federal appointment processes including judicial nominations. He also coordinated most of Senator Webb’s political and civic outreach initiatives. He is Chair of the Campaign for Renewed Rural Development (CRRD) and serves on the Southern Rural Development Center’s Technical and Operational Assistance Committee (TOAC).
2013: Ellis Sasser graduated from E&H in 1968. She received a master’s degree from Virginia Commonwealth University, and is now retired after 32 years as a teacher of the gifted for the Henrico County Schools. She is published in Teaching Exceptional Children, is a member of Who’s Who in American Education, a recipient of an R.E.B. Award for Teaching Excellence, and a PTA Distinguished Teacher Award. She is a past Chapter President of Delta Kappa Gamma International Society and a Museum District Association member and volunteer.
Betsy Farris Hulcher graduated from E&H in 1968 and earned a master’s in education degree from Virginia Commonwealth University. She was a decorated educator, and served as a middle school and elementary teacher in Henrico County Schools for 26 years. She was employed by the Miller and Rhoads Co. as a Seasonal Trainer, and has worked for Weight Watchers International for 17 years. She is a past officer in the VFWC Sycamore Women’s Club and is a volunteer for the American Heart Society.
Ruth Anne Farley Davis graduated from E&H in 1968, and served as a mathematics teacher in the Henrico County School System for 30 years. She was the math department chair person for 12 years, and an administrative aid and teacher for 14 years. She has taught a mathematics education course at Cape Breton University in Sydney Nova Scotia. In 1987 she received the Gilman Teacher of the Year Award from the Henrico County Public Schools. She has been a member of Heartstrings Choral Group in Richmond, served for 7 years on the Board of Impromptu Classical Concerts of Key West, and was on the board of the Key West Woman’s Club.
2012: J.D. and Patsy Fitts Reed, E&H 1968 and E&H 1970, are staunch volunteers for Emory & Henry College. The pair has served on the E&H Parents Council, they have been active admissions volunteers, and they attend every home and away football game to show their pride in E&H sports. Additionally, Patsy served on the alumni board of directors from 2006-2011. J.D. is retired from the Tennessee Social Security and Disability Determination office, and Patsy is retired from various roles in office management.
2011: Todd Woodall, E&H 1994, is an Executive Customer Representative for Merck Pharmaceuticals. He is a member of Merck’s Hall of Fame, Diamond Club, and President’s Club. He has been Merck’s Sales Representative of the Year seven times. He is a member of the E&H Prelude to Performance Campaign Committee and was named 12th Man for the E&H Football Team. He is a Little League coach and supports Diabetic Education in Southwest Virginia through Merck’s “Journey for Control” program.
2010: Donna Proffit Vaughn, Class of 1968, received a Bachelor of Arts degree in English and Latin from Emory & Henry. She received a Master’s degree in Liberal Studies from Hollins University in 1991. She taught in the Roanoke County Schools, Botetourt County Schools, and Alleghany Count Schools. Upon her retirement she was serving as director of guidance for Alleghany County. She is a current member of the Emory & Henry Board of Trustees, a former member of the E&H Board of Visitors, and a former member of the E&H Alumni Association Board of Directors.
2009: Paul Hubble, Class of 1968, is retired from Roadway Express, Inc., where he served as facility manager for the Harrisonburg/Charlottesville division. Mr. Hubble served as president of the Emory & Henry Alumni Board of Directors during 2005 and 2006 and was the first alumnus to serve on the College’s Strategic Planning Committee.
2008: Craig Baker, Class of 1968, is the manager and owner of GCB Executive Search, a firm that specializes in finding highly-skilled employees for many of the largest banks and investment firms in the world. At Emory & Henry, Mr. Baker double majored in political science and German, was a member of Sigma Iota, and played varsity baseball.
2007: Betsy Harkleroad is a 1969 graduate of Emory & Henry College. She has been an active member of the Virginia Federation of Women’s Clubs at the local, district and state levels. She served as the Lynchburg Area President of the Virginia Counselors Association and in 1996 chaired their state convention. She is a member of Chi Sigma Iota and was Campbell County (Va.) Schools Teacher of the Year in 1996. She has served E&H in many capacities including chapter coordinator, alumni college coordinator, and president of the E&H Alumni Association Board of Directors. She serves as the coordinator of volunteers for Timberlake United Methodist Church.
2006: Mr. G. Thomas Rudisill is a 1967 E&H graduate. He is a teacher and assistant director at Lord Botetourt High School in Daleville, Virginia. Mr. Rudisill is a member of the Virginia and national associations of Teachers of English, the Virginia High School Coaches Association, and the Virginia Interscholastic Athletic Directors Association. He currently serves as chair of the E&H I-HEY Leadership Board.
2005: Henry C. Dawson, Jr., Class of 1962, serves as secretary for the board of directors of the United Way of Washington County, having formerly served as president and campaign chair. He is past president of the Depot Artists Association board of directors and still serves as an active member. Mr. Dawson is a former member of the Bristol Concert Choir. During his 31 years of service to Emory & Henry, he served as Director of Alumni Affairs, and Executive Assistant to the President.
2004: Shirley H. Wagner, Class of 1952, has been on the security staff at Emory & Henry College for 23 years. In 1998, her hard work and exemplary duty were recognized by assigning her a badge number that would be retired from use. As a student, she was a member of Alpha Beta Chi social sorority and the women’s basketball team.
2003: Lynda Jones Hawkins graduated from Emory & Henry in 1966. In 1988, she retired after 30 years in Virginia education serving as a classroom teacher and counselor for Smyth, Dinwiddie, and Hanover counties. Mrs. Hawkins is a member of the Hanover Rotary Club, Hanover Woman’s Club, Hanover Chapter of the American Cancer Society, Virginia Retired Teachers Association, and Lebanon United Methodist Church in Dinwiddie. She is a Rotary Paul Harris Fellow, serves on the planning committee for her local Relay For Life event, and is project coordinator for Hanover Student Career Resource, Inc. Mrs. Hawkins has served on the E&H Parents Council, has been a class agent for the E&H Development Office, and has been an event planner for Richmond-area alumni. She served as president of the E&H Alumni Board of Directors from 1999 to 2001.
2002: Ann Grim Sparger, E&H ’68, is a member of Emory & Henry Board of Visitors. Ms. Sparger was a member of the Emory & Henry Alumni Board of Directors for ten years, serving as president from 1997 to 1999. She is responsible for the creation of the Alumni Association’s “E&H Worldwide Service Day” and has dedicated countless hours to further the mission of the Alumni Association. In her community, Ms. Sparger has been an active leader in Salem United Methodist Church for 29 years and is a member of the Red Hat Society.
2001: Barbara Creasy Polly, E&H ’56, is well known in her home community of Big Stone Gap, Va., for her work with the outdoor drama, “Trail of the Lonesome Pine” her leadership of the John Fox, Jr. Museum; her service through Trinity United Methodist Church; and her success as owner of Lonesome Pine Realty. At Emory & Henry she was elected the first female Alumni Association president. Mrs. Polly’s leadership of the J. Stewart French Alumni House Committee transformed an old home into a bright, well-utilized guest house and alumni reception hall for the campus.
2000: Dr. Robert McClellan (posthumous award), E&H Class of 1945, was a revered professional in the field of urology. He was inducted into the E&H Sports Hall of Fame in 1979 in recognition of his accomplishments in basketball. He served as a member of the E&H Board of Trustees and as a volunteer for the Nashville Chapter of the E&H Alumni Association. Throughout his life, Dr. McClellan was a generous supporter of E&H academics and student programming.
Mr. F. Winton Lackey, Class of 1955, is president of Mid-Ohio Packaging in Marion, Ohio. He serves on many volunteer boards in his community, including the Red Cross and MARCA Industries (a workshop for persons with disabilities). He is a member of the Rotary Club of Marion and is active in Epworth United Methodist Church. He is a member of the E&H Board of Trustees.