NC Alumni Awards Presented On Saturday
The Newberry College Alumni Association presented its annual outstanding alumni awards Nov. 2, as part of the college’s 102nd Homecoming celebration.
The association honors graduates who have distinguished themselves in service to their communities, professions, churches and alma mater. The awards were presented by the Rev. David W. Coffman ’97, campus pastor, and Jessica Beam Shealy ’12, president of the association.
The Alumni Distinguished Service Award was presented to Dr. James Ann Lynch Sheley ’76. Sheley is an accomplished retired educator and school administrator who has played numerous active roles in service to Newberry College. She has been a member of the Alumni Board of Managers, Women’s League, and chaired the Speers Street School Campaign Committee, which helped create what is now the Center for Teacher Education. Among her many honors, she was inducted into the Newberry College Hall of Master Teachers in 2014.
She is a member of St. Andrews Lutheran Church in Columbia. She is married to Michael Brooks Sheley and they have two sons, Kyle Lynch ’12 and Chad Lynch, and three grandchildren.
The Thomas A. Epting Outstanding Alumni Award was presented to Dr. Laura Neath Black ’71. Black has celebrated her 55th year in education, with 45 of those as an educator of future teachers. At Newberry, she has served on the college’s Board of Trustees, the Alumni Board of Managers, and advisory committees for the Division of Teacher Education, the Newberry College Women’s League, and the Scarlet & Gray Athletic Club. She was inducted into the Newberry College Hall of Master Teachers in 2016, and received the Outstanding Young Alumni Award in 1984.
She is a member of University Lutheran Church in Clemson. She has a son, John Vinson, a stepdaughter, Leanne Broome, and two grandsons.
The Philip T. Kelly Jr. Outstanding Young Alumni Award was presented to Samantha Dorsey Mullis ’12. Mullis celebrates a decade of work in the legal field. She currently serves as assistant general counsel for a university and performs pro bono work, most recently in service to Hurricane Helene disaster relief cases in Georgia, among other community service efforts. She has served on the Alumni Board of Managers since 2018.
Mullis resides in Augusta, Georgia, with her husband, Justin, and their two sons, Conner and Asher.
The association also recognized the reunion classes of 1964, 1974, 1984, 1999, and 2014 for their respective anniversary milestones.
The Newberry College Alumni Association presented its annual outstanding alumni awards Nov. 2, as part of the college’s 102nd Homecoming celebration.
The association honors graduates who have distinguished themselves in service to their communities, professions, churches and alma mater. The awards were presented by the Rev. David W. Coffman ’97, campus pastor, and Jessica Beam Shealy ’12, president of the association.
The Alumni Distinguished Service Award was presented to Dr. James Ann Lynch Sheley ’76. Sheley is an accomplished retired educator and school administrator who has played numerous active roles in service to Newberry College. She has been a member of the Alumni Board of Managers, Women’s League, and chaired the Speers Street School Campaign Committee, which helped create what is now the Center for Teacher Education. Among her many honors, she was inducted into the Newberry College Hall of Master Teachers in 2014.
She is a member of St. Andrews Lutheran Church in Columbia. She is married to Michael Brooks Sheley and they have two sons, Kyle Lynch ’12 and Chad Lynch, and three grandchildren.
The Thomas A. Epting Outstanding Alumni Award was presented to Dr. Laura Neath Black ’71. Black has celebrated her 55th year in education, with 45 of those as an educator of future teachers. At Newberry, she has served on the college’s Board of Trustees, the Alumni Board of Managers, and advisory committees for the Division of Teacher Education, the Newberry College Women’s League, and the Scarlet & Gray Athletic Club. She was inducted into the Newberry College Hall of Master Teachers in 2016, and received the Outstanding Young Alumni Award in 1984.
She is a member of University Lutheran Church in Clemson. She has a son, John Vinson, a stepdaughter, Leanne Broome, and two grandsons.
The Philip T. Kelly Jr. Outstanding Young Alumni Award was presented to Samantha Dorsey Mullis ’12. Mullis celebrates a decade of work in the legal field. She currently serves as assistant general counsel for a university and performs pro bono work, most recently in service to Hurricane Helene disaster relief cases in Georgia, among other community service efforts. She has served on the Alumni Board of Managers since 2018.
Mullis resides in Augusta, Georgia, with her husband, Justin, and their two sons, Conner and Asher.
The association also recognized the reunion classes of 1964, 1974, 1984, 1999, and 2014 for their respective anniversary milestones.
