RESOLUTION 

Expressing Appreciation to Mrs. Voncille James Cleary,

Dr. Johanna Cleary, and Susan Cleary Sommers and establishing

The James R. Cleary Endowed Support Fund in Pre-Law Studies and

The James R. Cleary Endowed Honors Day Award in Economics 

            WHEREAS, Birmingham-Southern College has received a generous gift of $35,000 from Mrs. Voncille James Cleary, together with her daughters Dr. Johanna Cleary and Mrs. Susan Cleary Sommers, to create the James R. Cleary Endowed Support Fund for Pre-Law Studies and the James R. Cleary Endowed Honors Day Award in Economics; and 

WHEREAS, James R. Cleary was born to Bertie Jones Cleary and Bereman Leroy Cleary on July 16, 1926, in Springville, Alabama, where he spent his formative years, and after high school, he attended BSC as a dual major in history and economics, receiving his bachelor’s degree in 1948; and 

WHEREAS, while in college, he worked from 1945 until 1948 as a mid-day announcer for WSGN-AM, for which he received national recognition, and after graduation, he attended Northwestern Law School where he received his law degree in 1951; and 

WHEREAS, after law school, Mr. Cleary moved to Huntsville to establish the United States Army Legal Office at Redstone Arsenal, working there until 1955 when he entered private practice, and he was a trusted advisor to his clients throughout his career, as well as a member of the Alabama Bar Association and a longtime member of the American Bar Association; and 

WHEREAS, Huntsville became his true home when he met and fell in love with Voncille James, a registered dietitian at Huntsville Hospital and the Fox Army Hospital, and they were married in 1960, and they started their family, first with daughter Johanna and then Susan, and as partners in their home and community they set a tremendous example of civic leadership, kindness, and generosity for their children; and 

WHEREAS, as a firm believer in service to one’s community, Mr. Cleary exemplified the two tenets upon which BSC was founded – academic excellence and selfless service -- and in addition to being a member of the BSC Board of Trustees from 1969 until 1981, he was a driving force in the development of Huntsville’s economy; and 

WHEREAS, he was one of the founding partners in 1959 of WAFG-TV, which stood for “Alabama’s Fastest Growing City,” a station that later became WAAY, and he was one of the founders of The Huntsville News, later sold to The Huntsville Times; and 

WHEREAS, Mr. Cleary was one of the founding directors of Security Federal Savings and Loan and American National Bank, which became AmSouth Bank, serving on the board of directors of both institutions for many years, and he was appointed to the Madison County Airport Authority in 1968, serving until 1986 with a tenure as chairman along the way; and 

WHEREAS, he was the president of the Optimist Club of Huntsville from 1966 to 1967 and served as its lieutenant governor of the Alabama-Mississippi District, and he was a member of First United Methodist Church for more than 50 years and served on the administrative board; and 

WHEREAS, the College was saddened to learn of Mr. Cleary’s passing on February 15, 2010, and he left behind to cherish his memory the love of his life, his two daughters, a host of nieces and nephews, and countless friends, colleagues, and associates on whom he made an impact during his incredible life; and 

WHEREAS, it is the family’s wish that these endowments named for James R. Cleary provide for advisor support for the pre-law studies program and to create the first award for economics majors for BSC Honors Day, thereby supporting students following in Mr. Cleary’s footsteps here on the Hilltop; and 

WHEREAS, to support the purpose of these funds right away, Dr. Johanna Cleary has made an additional and thoughtful gift of $1,750 to provide funding to the pre-law studies advisor and for the inaugural Honors Day award; 

NOW BE IT RESOLVED that the Board of Trustees of Birmingham-Southern College hereby accepts with gratitude these generous gifts and hereby establishes the James R. Cleary Endowed Support Fund for Pre-Law Studies and the James R. Cleary Endowed Honors Day Award in Economics. 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that these endowments are confirmed as permanent funds of the College, managed with other funds as part of the College’s Pooled Endowment Fund under the provisions of the College’s Investment Policy, and that awards will be drawn from the income of the fund, leaving the principal intact. 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this resolution will be entered into the official minutes of the Board of Trustees of Birmingham-Southern College, and that information about Mr. James R. Cleary will be shared with recipients of this generous scholarship so they are inspired to lead lives of significance. 

February 18, 2022

RESOLUTION

Paying Tribute to the Life of Elizabeth Siniard Giles and

Establishing the Robert Clinton and Elizabeth Siniard Giles Endowed Scholarship in Music 

WHEREAS, Birmingham-Southern College has received a generous gift totaling $769,000 from the Estate of Elizabeth Siniard Giles for the creation of an endowment in the Department of Music to support music students, with preference given to those studying piano; and 

WHEREAS, Elizabeth Webster Siniard was born on August 26, 1919, in Collinsville, Alabama, to Emmitt Clarence Siniard and Ora Elizabeth Webster Siniard, and moved briefly to Harlan County, Kentucky, before settling in Birmingham, Alabama, with her parents, brother Emmitt Charles and sister Joyce Clarice; and 

WHEREAS, she graduated from Birmingham-Southern College in 1941 with a degree in education; and 

WHEREAS, Robert Clinton Giles, Jr., was born on October 22, 1913, in Reidsville, Georgia, to Robert Clinton Giles, Sr., and Ethel Bomar Giles, and graduated from Birmingham-Southern College in 1936, where he was a member of Mu Alpha, the music honor society, and the International Relations Club, then studied law at Birmingham School of Law; and 

WHEREAS, two years after the couple married on August 19, 1941, he was drafted into the U.S. Army in 1943, and after serving his country in World War II, he returned to his legal career in Birmingham, serving as an Assistant U.S. Attorney before elected to the Equity Division of Jefferson County Circuit Court in 1954, remaining on the bench until his passing on December 12, 1982 at age 69; and 

WHEREAS, Judge Giles was a gifted pianist whose love of music led his widow to name Birmingham-Southern College’s Department of Music as a beneficiary of her trust, which 

WHEREAS, Mrs. Giles passed away on October 4, 2006, leaving behind a trust of which the College was a beneficiary upon the passing of 

WHEREAS, it is most fitting that this endowment commemorate the Gileses’ passion for music and their desire to support students who are pursuing music studies, and their strong belief in the two tenets upon which BSC was founded – academic excellence and selfless service; 

NOW BE IT RESOLVED that the Board of Trustees of Birmingham-Southern College hereby expresses gratitude to the late Elizabeth Siniard Giles for her planned gift to create the Robert Clinton and Elizabeth Siniard Giles Endowed Scholarship in Music at Birmingham-Southern College with $500,000, and to provide $269,000 in spendable support for the Department. 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this endowment is confirmed as a permanent fund of the College, managed with other funds as part of the College’s Pooled Endowment Fund under the provisions of the Investment Policy; and that the fellowship awards will be drawn from the income of this fund, leaving the principal intact.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this resolution will be entered into the official minutes of the Board of Trustees of Birmingham-Southern College, and that information about Judge and Mrs. Giles will be shared with recipients of this generous scholarship so they are inspired to lead lives of significance. 

February 18, 2022

RESOLUTION 

Expressing Appreciation to Dr. Wayne Worden Killion, Jr.,

for His Service to Birmingham-Southern College 

WHEREAS, the Board of Trustees of Birmingham-Southern College wishes to recognize Wayne Worden Killion, Jr., for his long record of distinguished service to the College; and 

WHEREAS, as an alumnus and a former Trustee, Dr. Killion has brought honor and distinction to the College through his personal and professional accomplishments; and 

WHEREAS, Wayne Worden Killion, Jr., was born in Birmingham on July 19, 1950, to Wayne Worden Killion and Christine Cooper Killion, and after graduating from Indian Springs School in 1968, enrolled at Birmingham-Southern College, where he majored in biology, was a member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon Fraternity, and was inducted into Phi Beta Kappa and Omicron Delta Kappa; and 

WHEREAS, after graduation in 1972, he attended what is now the UAB School of Medicine, from which he graduated in 1975, and then completed his internship year at the University of Louisville and an internal medicine residency at the University of South Alabama Medical Center before returning to Birmingham, where he entered private practice; and 

WHEREAS, Dr. Killion returned to BSC to earn a Master’s Degree in Public and Private Management with a focus on health care management, graduating in 1996; and 

WHEREAS, after serving as Vice President for Medical Affairs at St. Vincent’s Hospital from 1995-2000, he left the practice of medicine to become President and Chief Executive Officer of Shook & Fletcher Insulation Company, which his father and five partners had purchased in 1967 and where his father had served as Vice President of Finance, then President, and finally Chairman of the Board before his retirement in 2002; and 

WHEREAS, since then, the company has been family-owned, and has long been a leading distributor of commercial and industrial insulation across the Southeast; and 

WHEREAS, Dr. Killion retired from Shook & Fletcher in 2020 after 20 years of dedicated leadership; and 

WHEREAS, Dr. Killion joined the Board of Trustees of Birmingham-Southern College in 2000 and served through 2016, serving for three years as the board’s chair and providing wise counsel and steady leadership through some of the College’s most challenging years; and 

WHEREAS, the challenges of those years were sufficient to require the board to empower a small group of trustees to work in close collaboration with the interim president's team to make unprecedented changes in the College's operations to chart a pathway forward; and 

WHEREAS, Dr. Killion's visionary leadership, personal charisma, and conciliatory tone as the Board's chair during such a pivotal time enabled the College to weather that storm and to set a new course, including the selection of General Charles C. Krulak as its 13th president, a decision that led to enrollment growth, faculty and staff cohesion, and an enhanced relationship between town and gown; and 

WHEREAS, Dr. Killion and his wife, Sandra Reever Killion, were married on June 25, 1976, and Mrs. Killion now serves as Chief Executive Officer and Principal of Vulcan Industrial Contractors after a career that began in nursing before transitioning into non-profit leadership, including service as interim director of Children Can Soar, Director of the Nonprofit Resource Center of Alabama, and as Vice President for Grants and Initiatives for the Community Foundation of Greater Birmingham; and 

WHEREAS, the Killions, who are faithful members of Canterbury United Methodist Church, have served the Birmingham community in numerous ways, including as graduates of Leadership Birmingham, members of the Kiwanis Club of Birmingham, and as board members of a wide range of agencies and organizations, as well as Mrs. Killion’s role as president of the Junior League of Birmingham in 1994-1995; and 

WHEREAS, the couple’s greatest joys are found in their children -- Wayne Worden Killion III and his wife Jennifer; Charles David Killion and his wife Katy; and Cooper Reever Killion, who graduated from the College in 2008, and his wife Ashley – and their five grandchildren, Anna, Joseph, Caroline, Clayton and Christine; and 

WHEREAS, the Killion family has a long history of generosity to the College dating to 1981, with significant contributions to the annual fund, named scholarships and in the College endowment, capital projects, athletics, and numerous other programs that enrich the student experience; and 

WHEREAS, the Board of Trustees wishes to recognize this generous alumnus and his wife as beloved members of the campus family and to formally recognize his dedicated service to the College; 

NOW BE IT RESOLVED that the Board of Trustees of Birmingham-Southern College hereby expresses its deepest gratitude for the life, work, and service of Wayne Worden Killion, Jr. 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this resolution will be entered into the official minutes of the Board of Trustees of Birmingham-Southern College and shared with Dr. and Mrs. Killion and their family.

RESOLUTION 

Expressing Gratitude to the Family of Alma Kirby Beason

and Confirming the Alma Kirby Beason Endowed Scholarship 

WHEREAS, in 2013, the Alma Kirby Beason Endowed Scholarship was established by her sons, Edward S. Beason, M.D., of Winston-Salem, North Carolina, and Amos Theodore Beason, of La Grange, Georgia, as a tribute to their mother’s life and legacy; and 

WHEREAS, Alma Pauline Kirby was born on December 16, 1908, on a small farm near Ashville, Alabama, the eleventh child of Lasley Stewart Kirby and Nannie Lee Spradley Kirby, and in 1916, the family moved to Albertville so her older siblings could attend high school; and 

WHEREAS, she started first grade at age eight; however, after recess one day, she decided to take a seat in the second grade class and was later that year promoted to the third grade; and

WHEREAS, after graduating from high school, Alma taught for two years in Crossville even though she was younger than some of her students, and after studying for two years at Alabama College, she transferred to Birmingham-Southern College in 1930; and 

WHEREAS, Alma lived in East Lake at the home of her brother, Dr. Lelias Kirby, Sr., and commuted by streetcar for her classes at BSC, but because funds were scarce during the Great Depression, she was unable to return in 1931 and instead taught at a rural school near Albertville and later worked at Hillman Hospital in Birmingham as a dietitian; and 

WHEREAS, in 1934, she married Edward Early Beason, a 1929 graduate of Howard College, and they settled in Birmingham to start their family; and 

WHEREAS. Alma and Edward were faithful members of East Lake United Methodist Church, where Alma taught Sunday School; and 

WHEREAS, she was an exceptional mother to her children, serving as president of the Barrett Grammar and Woodlawn High School parent-teacher associations and as chair for the Alabama Mothers March of Dimes; and 

WHEREAS, Alma loved to sing and give humorous monologs, and she frequently performed for church and civic groups; and 

WHEREAS, many of Alma’s siblings attended BSC, including former trustees Otis Edgar Kirby, Sr. ’24 and Taylor Herman Kirby, Sr. ’24, and eight of her nieces and nephews also received degrees from the College, as have numerous members of the extended Kirby family across four generations; and 

WHEREAS, Alma and Edward set a tremendous example of excellence for their children to follow, and their legacy of service to their family, their church, and their community made a positive impact on the lives of their children, friends, and strangers; and 

WHEREAS, to express their gratitude to their mother, Ed Beason and Ted Beason established the Alma Kirby Beason Endowed Scholarship in 2013 to benefit those following in her footsteps here on the Hilltop; and 

WHEREAS, the Alma Kirby Beason Endowed Scholarship commemorates Alma’s life through support of students who are pursuing a degree that prepares them for a career in any of the health sciences professions; and

WHEREAS, the Alma Kirby Beason Endowed Scholarship continues to make a powerful and lasting impact on the lives of the students who benefit from the Beasons’ generosity; 

NOW BE IT RESOLVED that the Board of Trustees of Birmingham-Southern College hereby expresses gratitude to Dr. Edward S. Beason and Mr. Amos T. Beason for their generous contributions to create the Alma Kirby Beason Endowed Scholarship. 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this endowment is confirmed as a permanent fund of the College, managed with other funds as part of the College’s Pooled Endowment Fund under the provisions of the College’s Investment Policy; and that the scholarship awards will be drawn from the income of this fund, leaving the principal intact. 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this resolution will be entered into the official minutes of the Board of Trustees of Birmingham-Southern College, and that information about Alma Kirby Beason will be shared with recipients of this generous scholarship so they are inspired to lead lives of significance.

RESOLUTION

Expressing Appreciation to Inez Morgan Calhoun and Creating the

Inez Morgan Calhoun Endowed Scholarship 

WHEREAS, the Birmingham-Southern College Foundation has received a generous gift of $400,000 from the estate of Inez Morgan Calhoun to create the Inez Morgan Calhoun Endowed Scholarship to support BSC students with financial need who are graduates of any public high school in Jefferson County, Alabama; and

WHEREAS, Inez “Nez” Morgan Calhoun spent her formative years in Tifton, Georgia, before attending the University of Georgia, where she earned both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees before moving to Birmingham to work for the Jefferson County Board of Education; and 

WHEREAS, Nez spent 42 years as Public Information Director for JCBE – working with 16 different superintendents of education, and she served with distinction until her retirement in 2017; and 

WHEREAS, she earned her Accreditation in Public Relations in 1980 and was a member of the National School Public Relations Association beginning in 1976, serving in numerous leadership roles for the organization; and 

WHEREAS, Nez was a charter member of the Alabama School Public Relations Association and is past recipient of the Communicator of the Year award, the highest honor bestowed by Association members, and she also was the Association’s inaugural recipient of the Nez Calhoun Distinguished Service Award named in her honor for her many years of devoted service; and

WHEREAS, she was a leader in her profession and was involved in numerous educational workshops to train new principals, assistant principals, and school public relations professionals in communication techniques and media relations; and 

WHEREAS, a trailblazer and mentor to many women, Nez was a member of Forum Women’s Network for more than 30 years, and she was known affectionately to her friends and colleagues as “Duchess” for her love of exquisite art, fine food, and a whimsical wardrobe; and 

WHEREAS, Nez passed away on August 27, 2020, leaving behind to cherish her memory her brother Wes Calhoun of Dunwoody, Georgia, and through her establishment of this scholarship, her loyalty to and belief in education will carry forward through all the students who benefit from it; and 

WHEREAS, the College and the Foundation are deeply grateful to attorneys Richard Augustin Storm III ‘67, William M. Dawson Jr. ‘66, and Bruce F. Rogers ‘80, and to J. Wray Pearce of the accounting firm of Pearce, Bevill, Leesburg Moore, P.C., for their stewardship of Inez Morgan Calhoun’s affairs, which brought these funds to Birmingham-Southern College so that the College can honor her life through the awarding of scholarships in her name; 

NOW BE IT RESOLVED that the Board of Trustees of Birmingham-Southern College hereby expresses gratitude to Inez Morgan Calhoun for her generous contributions to create the Inez Morgan Calhoun Endowed Scholarship. 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this endowment is confirmed as a permanent fund of the Foundation, managed with other funds as part of the Pooled Endowment Fund under the provisions of the Investment Policy; and that the scholarship awards will be drawn from the income of this fund, leaving the principal intact. 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this resolution will be entered into the official minutes of the Board of Trustees of Birmingham-Southern College, and that information about Inez Morgan Calhoun will be shared with recipients of this generous scholarship so they are inspired to lead lives of significance.

October 29, 2021

RESOLUTION

Expressing Appreciation to Mr. and Mrs. Michael Nix Chappell for the

Sarah Spencer Chappell and Michael Nix Chappell Endowed Scholarship 

WHEREAS, Birmingham-Southern College has received a generous gift of $50,000 from Michael Nix Chappell and Sarah Spencer Chappell of Huntsville, Alabama, for the creation of the Sarah Spencer Chappell and Michael Nix Chappell Endowed Scholarship; and 

WHEREAS, Michael Nix Chappell was born on February 25, 1960, and was raised in Madison County, attending and graduating from Huntsville High School and then enrolling at BSC, where he was a member of Theta Chi; and 

WHEREAS, Sarah Frances Spencer was born on July 7, 1961, and also spent her formative years in Madison County before graduating from Huntsville High School and attending BSC, where she was a member of Zeta Tau Alpha; and 

WHEREAS, Mike graduated in 1982 with his bachelor’s degree in psychology, followed by Sarah who received her bachelor’s degree in business in 1983, and shortly thereafter, they were married and settled back home in Huntsville; and 

WHEREAS, although Mike only took one theatre course while at BSC, both he and Sarah were in the chorus of the College’s production of Annie, which prompted him to return to BSC for his teaching certificate in 1984 and thereafter began teaching drama and producing plays; and 

WHEREAS, he spent the next 31 years teaching at Butler High School and then Huntsville High School, directing more than 60 productions, and he has appeared in more than 30 plays during his distinguished theatre career; and 

WHEREAS, after college, Sarah joined one of her family’s businesses, The Spencer Companies, which for nearly a century offered gasoline and convenient items at MinitMan stores throughout the northern Alabama area; and 

WHEREAS, in 2005, she joined Laughlin Services Funeral Home, a business bought in 1948 by her grandfather, John L. Purdy, to carry forward the family’s commitment to the community; and 

WHEREAS, in addition to the success each has had in their careers, Sarah and Mike have raised two sons, John Michael and Spencer, setting for them a tremendous example of excellence, and John Michael attended BSC, graduating in 2013 with a bachelor’s in musical theatre; and 

WHEREAS, to celebrate their connection to and love for the College, Sarah and Mike are creating a scholarship to assist those following in their footsteps, and in order for the award to have an immediate impact, they have made an additional gift to fund the first scholarship while the endowment grows; and 

WHEREAS, the Sarah Spencer Chappell and Michael Nix Chappell Endowed Scholarship will stand as a lasting tribute to Sarah and Mike, commemorating their commitment to education and, in particular, to BSC, and it will make a powerful and lasting impact on the lives of the students who benefit from this generosity; 

NOW BE IT RESOLVED that the Board of Trustees of Birmingham-Southern College hereby expresses gratitude to Sarah and Mike Chappell for their generous contribution to create the Sarah Spencer Chappell and Michael Nix Chappell Endowed Scholarship. 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this endowment is confirmed as a permanent fund of the College, managed with other funds as part of the College’s Pooled Endowment Fund under the provisions of the College’s Investment Policy; and that the scholarship awards will be drawn from the income of this fund, leaving the principal intact. 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this resolution will be entered into the official minutes of the Board of Trustees of Birmingham-Southern College, and that information about the Chappell Family will be shared with recipients of this generous scholarship so they are inspired to lead lives of significance. 

October 29, 2021

RESOLUTION

Expressing Gratitude to the Howard Family

and Confirming the Reverend Charles H. Howard Endowed Scholarship 

WHEREAS, in 2000, the Reverend Charles H. Howard Endowed Scholarship was established at Birmingham-Southern College by his children, his family, and his friends throughout the North Alabama Conference of The United Methodist Church as a tribute to Rev. Howard’s life and legacy; and 

WHEREAS, Charles Henry Howard was born on April 26, 1932, to Cora and Henry Howard in Tuscumbia, Alabama, and he attended BSC, where he graduated in 1955 with a bachelor’s degree in religion; and 

WHEREAS, he continued his studies at Emory University Candler School of Theology where he completed seminary and became an ordained minister; and 

WHEREAS, in 1955, Rev. Howard met his future wife, Mary, and they were married on June 6, 1955; and 

WHEREAS, with his wife by his side, Rev. Howard served as the minister of various churches in the North Alabama Conference for more than 43 years; and 

WHEREAS, together they set a tremendous example of excellence for their children, Charles Henry Howard, Jr. (Joan), Anita Howard Fendley (Steve), and Jennifer Howard Waters ‘86 (Thomas E. Waters ‘86), and their grandchildren, including Mary Kathryn Waters-Wright ‘16 and Martha Louise Waters, a current BSC student, and encouraged them in their life pursuits; and 

WHEREAS, Rev. and Mrs. Howard’s legacy of service to their family, their church, and the communities in which they lived has made a positive impact on the lives of their children and grandchildren, of friends, and of strangers; and 

WHEREAS, to express their gratitude to Rev. Howard for his selfless service, his children, family, and friends established the Reverend Charles H. Howard Endowed Scholarship to benefit those following in his footsteps here on the Hilltop; and 

WHEREAS, the Charles H. Howard Endowed Scholarship commemorates Rev. Howard’s life through support of students active in the Methodist church who are pursuing a degree that prepares them for a career in the ministry and who are planning to enroll in seminary after graduating from BSC; and 

WHEREAS, the Reverend Charles H. Howard Endowed Scholarship continues to make a powerful and lasting impact on the lives of the students who benefit from this generosity; 

NOW BE IT RESOLVED that the Board of Trustees of Birmingham-Southern College hereby expresses gratitude for these generous contributions to create the Reverend Charles H. Howard Endowed Scholarship. 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this endowment is confirmed as a permanent fund of the College, managed with other funds as part of the College’s Pooled Endowment Fund under the provisions of the College’s Investment Policy. 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this resolution will be entered into the official minutes of the Board of Trustees of Birmingham-Southern College, and that information about the Howard Family will be shared with recipients of this generous scholarship so they are inspired to lead lives of significance.

RESOLUTION 

Expressing Appreciation to the Birmingham-Southern College Class of 1971

and Establishing The Class of 1971 Endowed Scholarship 

WHEREAS, the Class of 1971 has given Birmingham-Southern College Foundation a total of $31,189 as of October 22, 2021, to establish The Class of 1971 Endowed Scholarship to benefit the students of Birmingham-Southern College; and 

WHEREAS, as loyal and dedicated donors to BSC, members of the Class of 1971 chose to celebrate the 50th anniversary of their graduation from BSC by assisting others who are following in their footsteps on the Hilltop; and 

WHEREAS, since graduation, these alumni have engaged with the world in their professional careers and within their communities and have continually sought to lead lives of significance; and 

WHEREAS, their collective gifts are an expression of their daily work to carry out the twin principles of upon which BSC is founded—academic excellence and selfless service; and 

WHEREAS, this endowed scholarship will have an enduring effect on its recipients, supporting them through their studies, enhancing their college experience, and providing the cornerstone of their foundation for life; 

NOW BE IT RESOLVED that the Board of Trustees hereby expresses its profound gratitude for the tremendous commitment to Birmingham-Southern College by the members of the Class of 1971 and recognizes and pays tribute to their 50 years of service to their communities and to their alma mater and herewith approves establishment of The Class of 1971 Endowed Scholarship. 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the endowment is confirmed as a permanent fund of the Birmingham-Southern College Foundation to be managed with other funds as part of a pooled endowment fund under the provisions of the Investment Policy; and that the scholarship awards will be drawn from the income of the funds, leaving the principal intact.  

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this resolution will be entered into the official minutes of the Board of Trustees of Birmingham-Southern College.

October 29, 2021

RESOLUTION 

Expressing Appreciation to the Doggett Family for the

Dr. William E. Doggett, Jr., and Mildred C. Doggett Endowed Scholarship 

WHEREAS, in 1979, Birmingham-Southern College received a generous gift from Dr. Wynelle Doggett Thompson ‘34, a faculty member in the chemistry department for more than 29 years and trailblazer for women in the sciences, along with her husband, Davis Hunt Thompson ‘34, to establish an endowed scholarship in honor of Dr. Thompson’s brother and sister-in-law, Dr. William Edward Doggett, Jr. ‘41 and Mildred Clotfelter Doggett; and 

WHEREAS, William Edward Doggett, Jr. was born December 8, 1919, in Birmingham, Alabama, and he attended BSC, earning his bachelor’s degree in biology in 1934 and then Emory University School of Medicine, graduating with his medical degree in 1943; and 

WHEREAS, Dr. Doggett served his country with distinction in the United States Army Medical Corps, where he was stationed in China from 1947 through 1948, and earned the rank of captain, and after returning to the states, he joined Tarrant Medical Clinic, where he practiced family medicine for more than 50 years; and 

WHEREAS, it was in Birmingham where he met the love of his life, Mildred Clotfelter, while attending Ensley High School; and 

WHEREAS, Mildred Clotfelter Doggett was born May 31, 1919, in Birmingham, Alabama, , and after high school, she attended and graduated from Alabama College, now the University of Montevallo; and 

WHEREAS, Dr. and Mrs. Doggett raised five children – William III, Connie, Margaret, David, and Tim – setting for them a tremendous example of selfless service and lifelong learning; and 

WHEREAS, the Doggetts were longtime members of both East Lake United Methodist Church and Independent Presbyterian Church, the latter of which was blessed by the service of Mrs. Doggett as elder and deacon, and Dr. Doggett was a member and past president of the Alabama Academy of General Practitioners, member of the Jefferson County Medical Society, and served two terms as president of the staff at Medical Center East; and 

WHEREAS, when Dr. Doggett passed away on July 18, 2000, he was the oldest practicing general physician in Alabama at the age of 80, and was deeply committed to his practice and community until the very end, passing away from a heart attack while seeing his last patient of the day; and 

WHEREAS, after her husband’s death, Mrs. Doggett found comfort among the friends she had made as a member of the Palladian Club, took classes at UAB through the New Horizons program, and enjoyed time with her children and six grandchildren prior to her death on October 27, 2013, at age 94; and 

WHEREAS, through a testamentary gift, Mrs. Doggett added significantly to the endowed fund established by her sister-in-law, and her son, David E. Doggett, has continued his family’s tradition of support to BSC, recently giving $100,000 to enhance the endowment commemorating the life and legacy of his parents; and 

WHEREAS, it is most fitting that the Dr. William E. Doggett, Jr. and Mildred C. Doggett Endowed Scholarship continues to provide exceptional support to deserving BSC students with financial need who are majoring in biology, chemistry, health sciences, math, or physics, thereby walking in Dr. Doggett’s footsteps here on the Hilltop; 

NOW BE IT RESOLVED that the Board of Trustees of Birmingham-Southern College hereby expresses gratitude to the Thompson Family and the Doggett Family for their generous contributions to create and enrich the Dr. William E. Doggett, Jr. and Mildred C. Doggett Endowed Scholarship. 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this endowment is confirmed as a permanent fund of the College, managed with other funds as part of the College’s Pooled Endowment Fund under the provisions of the College’s Investment Policy; and that the scholarship awards will be drawn from the income of this fund, leaving the principal intact. 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this resolution will be entered into the official minutes of the Board of Trustees of Birmingham-Southern College, and that information about the Thompson and Doggett families will be shared with recipients of this generous scholarship so they are inspired to lead lives of significance. 

October 29, 2021

RESOLUTION 

Expressing Gratitude for the Life of Dan Edgar Douglas and

Creating the Howard Gray. Douglas and Lois Boozer Douglas Endowed Scholarship 

WHEREAS, the Birmingham-Southern College family was saddened to learn of the passing of former student Dan Edgar Douglas, D.M.D., on March 18, 2019; and 

WHEREAS, Dan Edgar Douglas enrolled at BSC in the late 1940s at the age of 16, where he joined Sigma Alpha Epsilon, and continued his studies at age 19 at the University of Alabama School of Dentistry at what is now UAB, where he obtained his Doctorate of Medical Dentistry in 1953; and 

WHEREAS, after graduation, he worked at the United States Steel Dispensary before serving two years of active duty in the United States Navy at Parris Island, S.C., then later in the U.S. Navy Reserves, attaining the rank of Lieutenant Commander; and 

WHEREAS, after his active duty ended in 1956, Dr. Douglas practiced general dentistry on Birmingham’s Southside for 34 years, and served on the adjunct faculty of Birmingham University School, where he taught science classes in the mid-1960s; and 

WHEREAS, Dr. Douglas was a generous patron of the fine and performing arts, especially theater; was a lifelong member of the United Methodist Church; and traveled extensively throughout his life and especially after his retirement; and   

WHEREAS, a donor to BSC since 1967, Dr. Douglas faithfully supported the College throughout his life, and he provided for a generous bequest of $100,000 at his death to create an endowed scholarship to pay tribute to his parents, Lois Boozer Douglas and Howard Gray Douglas; and 

WHEREAS, the Howard Gray Douglas and Lois Boozer Douglas Endowed Scholarship at the Birmingham-Southern College Foundation will provide critical support to needy and worthy students at the College and will provide for a perpetual tribute to the parents of Dr. Douglas, benefitting those who follow in his footsteps here on the Hilltop; 

NOW BE IT RESOLVED that the Board of Trustees of Birmingham-Southern College, on behalf of the Birmingham-Southern College Foundation, hereby expresses gratitude to the late Dr. Dan E. Douglas for his generous contribution and herewith creates the Howard Gray Douglas and Lois Boozer Douglas Endowed Scholarship. 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this endowment is confirmed as a permanent fund of the Birmingham-Southern College Foundation, managed with other funds as part of the Foundation’s Pooled Endowment Fund under the provisions of the Investment Policy; and that the scholarship awards will be drawn from the income of this fund, leaving the principal intact. 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this resolution will be entered into the official minutes of the Board of Trustees of Birmingham-Southern College, and that information about Dr. Douglas will be shared with recipients of this generous scholarship so they are inspired to lead lives of significance. 

May 7, 2021

RESOLUTION 

Expressing Appreciation to Peggy Haywood Hair and the Hair Family for the

Hair Family Fellowship Endowment for Service Learning 

WHEREAS, the Birmingham-Southern College Foundation has received a generous testamentary commitment from Peggy Haywood Hair of Birmingham for the creation of the Hair Family Fellowship Endowment for Service Learning to support students engaged in service learning field work or projects addressing human rights, civil rights, voting rights, and other social justice and equity issues; and 

WHEREAS, the Hair Family has carried forward a tradition of excellence of serving others and for ensuring equitable treatment of others, and for generations, family members have advocated for rights for those who have traditionally been treated unfairly, in many cases risking their lives and their livelihoods; and 

WHEREAS, from driving Black individuals to voting centers to fighting for the preservation of land to giving benevolently to organizations that call for diversity and inclusion and that provide the groundwork for others to rebuild their lives, the Hair Family has not only asked, “What would Jesus do?”, but also has demonstrated that motto through their actions; and 

WHEREAS, Dr. Shawn Rogers Hair ’99, a dentist, and Dr. Heather Hair Meissen ’03, a nurse, have benefitted from the traditions of the Hair Family, and because their service learning experiences at BSC were transformative for their education and choice in future careers, Mrs. Hair has chosen to invest in future students who will benefit from service learning opportunities; and 

WHEREAS, it is most fitting that this endowment commemorate the Hair Family’s commitment to humane, compassionate service, to social justice, and in particular, to BSC, and their strong belief in the two tenets upon which BSC was founded – academic excellence and selfless service; 

NOW BE IT RESOLVED that the Board of Trustees of Birmingham-Southern College hereby expresses gratitude to Peggy Haywood Hair for her planned gift to create the Hair Family Fellowship Endowment for Service Learning. 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this endowment is confirmed as a permanent fund of the Foundation, managed with other funds as part of the Foundation’s Pooled Endowment Fund under the provisions of the Investment Policy; and that the fellowship awards will be drawn from the income of this fund, leaving the principal intact.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this resolution will be entered into the official minutes of the Board of Trustees of Birmingham-Southern College, and that information about the Hair Family will be shared with recipients of this generous scholarship so they are inspired to lead lives of significance. 

October 29, 2021

RESOLUTION 

Expressing Gratitude to Dr. Donald C. Harrison

and Confirming the Donald C. Harrison Endowed Scholarship and the

Donald C. Harrison Honors Program Endowment

WHEREAS, as an expression of his love for Birmingham-Southern College and his belief in helping others achieve a similar educational experience as his own, Donald C. Harrison, M.D., has given more than $1.15 million to support the College and, specifically, to create the Donald C. Harrison Endowed Scholarship for Health Sciences in 1987 and the Donald C. Harrison Honors Program Endowment in 2008; and 

WHEREAS, with its interdisciplinary approach to topics, issues, and questions, the Donald C. Harrison Honors Program helps attract the best and brightest students to the College; and 

WHEREAS, Donald C. Harrison was born in 1934 to Sovola and William Carey Harrison, Jr. in Forrest Gap, Alabama, a rural community in Blount County, and was joined in 1936 by his sister, Ann, who also attended BSC, receiving her degree in 1958 and later becoming Ann Harrison Walker; and 

WHEREAS, having a mother who believed in education gave Don as solid a foundation as available when, at the time, he recalls that many from rural Alabama dropped out of school at an early age, and during his formative years, he enjoyed hunting, fishing, frog-gigging, and playing baseball, football, and golf; and 

WHEREAS, in first grade, Don became friends with Laura McAnnally, whom he met at Sunday School, and since they were the same age, they were in the same class at school, with both being double promoted twice in second and third grade; and 

WHEREAS, while at Hanceville High School at the age of 15, Don entered an oratorical contest sponsored by The Birmingham News on the campus of BSC, and won a one-year scholarship to attend the College; and 

WHEREAS, during his time on campus, he was a member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon, where he made lifelong friends; credits his success to pre-medicine advisor Charles Blair; and, in three years, achieved his bachelor’s degree in chemistry in 1954 and was named to Phi Beta Kappa; and 

WHEREAS, on July 24, 1955, after his first year of medical school at The University of Alabama School of Medicine at UAB, he married his childhood love and best friend Laura McAnnally, who had earned a B.S. degree from Florence State Teachers College, now the University of North Alabama;  and 

WHEREAS, Don interned under the tutelage of Dr. Champ Lyons, a distinguished cardiovascular surgeon, and Dr. Tinsley Harrison, a world-famous physician with a focus on cardiology and the pathophysiology of heart disease who was the founding editor of the first five editions of Harrison’s Principles of Internal Medicine and who was instrumental in Don’s choice of cardiology as his specialty; and 

WHEREAS, after completing medical school, Don and Laura moved to Boston, where he began his postgraduate residency at Peter Bent Brigham Hospital, and where he also completed a fellowship in cardiology, and they started their family, with son Walter Douglas arriving in 1959 and daughter Elizabeth Jane in 1960; and 

WHEREAS, in 1961, Don and Laura moved to Bethesda, Maryland, so Don could build his research skills with the National Institutes of Health, and they welcomed their third child, Donna Marie, in 1963; and 

WHEREAS, in that same year, Don was recruited to Stanford University School of Medicine as Chief Medical Resident, rising quickly through the ranks to become, in 1967, the Chief Cardiologist, a position in which he served until 1986, and in 1979, he and Laura formed Medical Education Consultants, which still exists today; and 

WHEREAS, after building an internationally renowned program at Stanford, Don was recruited to the University of Cincinnati where he was named Senior Vice President of Medicine and Provost, overseeing an extraordinary growth in research and services offered by the University until his retirement in 2003; and 

WHEREAS, during his career, Don oversaw and witnessed extraordinary medical advancements in cardiology and cardiovascular surgery; was a prolific researcher and presenter with academic publications and honors too numerous to list; and served others with integrity, honor, and care, taking the most pride in the countless students affected by his work; and 

WHEREAS, after retiring from his academic and medical positions, Don remained active, partnering with a group of friends to form Charter Life Sciences, a venture capital fund; writing his autobiography, Mending Broken Hearts, published in 2008; and spending time traveling and working on projects with his beloved Laura; and 

WHEREAS, throughout their long life together until her passing on September 27, 2018, Laura was well known as his true partner, a gracious hostess, a kind and empathetic friend, a loving mother of three and grandmother of eight, and a committed volunteer at their churches and in their communities, including raising thousands of dollars for scholarships awarded by the P.E.O. Sisterhood to assist young women in higher education; and 

WHEREAS, Don credits his success to the solid foundation he received at BSC, so he and Laura made a commitment decades ago to give to the College annually and to create support for students following in Don’s footsteps here on the Hilltop, and the College was honored to recognize him with the 1972 Distinguished Alumni Award, to have him as commencement speaker in 1996; and, in the same year, to award him an honorary Doctor of Law degree; and 

WHEREAS, the endowments established at BSC by the Harrisons continue to make a powerful and lasting impact on the lives of the Harrison Scholars who benefit from their generosity; on the recruitment and retention of outstanding students to BSC; and on the communities where our graduates live and serve; 

NOW BE IT RESOLVED that the Board of Trustees of Birmingham-Southern College hereby expresses profound gratitude to Dr. Donald C. Harrison and the late Laura McAnnally Harrison for their generous contributions in support of the College and to confirm the Donald C. Harrison Endowed Scholarship and the Donald C. Harrison Honors Program Endowment. 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that these endowments are confirmed as permanent funds of the College, managed with other funds as part of the College’s Pooled Endowment Fund under the provisions of the College’s Investment Policy; and that the scholarship awards will be drawn from the income of this fund. 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this resolution will be entered into the official minutes of the Board of Trustees of Birmingham-Southern College, and that information about the Harrison family will be shared with the Harrison Scholars so they are inspired to lead lives of significance.

RESOLUTION 

Expressing Appreciation to Peggy Haywood Hair and the Haywood Family and Renaming of the Dr. James L. “Scooter” Haywood Endowed Scholarship as a Fellowship for Service Learning 

WHEREAS, the Birmingham-Southern College Foundation has received a generous testamentary commitment from Peggy Haywood Hair of Birmingham for the enhancement of the existing endowment in memory of Dr. James L. “Scooter” Haywood, so that the fund may be converted from a scholarship to a fellowship in support of students engaged in service learning in the medical field; and 

WHEREAS, James Leon Haywood was born in Birmingham, Alabama, and attended BSC, where he was involved in Alpha Tau Omega, was inducted into Omicron Delta Kappa and Phi Beta Kappa, and received his bachelor’s degree in 1977, and he married his longtime sweetheart Paulette Logan, a 1976 BSC graduate; and 

WHEREAS, after earning his medical degree from UAB in 1982, he completed his pediatric residency at Children’s of Alabama and a neonatology fellowship at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee, which cemented his future career in the care of newborn infants, especially those who are ill or premature; and 

WHEREAS, after the fellowship ended, Dr. Haywood returned home to Birmingham in 1987 to practice neonatology, and he joined the faculty in the UAB Division of Neonatology, where he conducted research, treated patients, and mentored students throughout his distinguished career; and 

WHEREAS, Dr. Haywood was a prolific researcher, and his work has had a lasting impact, helping reduce infant mortality due to the underestimation of survival for premature babies with outcomes being far better than those often anticipated; and

WHEREAS, referred to as “Dr. Scooter” by colleagues, students, patients, and friends, Dr. Haywood was a teacher and mentor to countless pediatricians and neonatologists, and his making rounds with residents was a familiar site in pediatric intensive care units across the city; and 

WHEREAS, Dr. Haywood loved BSC, having a strong belief in the College’s mission of higher learning, and he served on the BSC Norton Board of Advisors for numerous years and often took BSC undergraduates, known by hospitals throughout the city as Scooter’s Ducklings, on rounds to expose them to the field of medicine; and 

WHEREAS, it is for all these reasons that family, friends, and colleagues established the Dr. James L. "Scooter" Haywood Endowed Scholarship following his untimely death from cancer on November 24, 2000, to assist others following in Dr. Haywood’s footsteps here on the Hilltop; and 

WHEREAS, it is most fitting that this endowment, when enriched by the generosity of Dr. Haywood’s sister, Ms. Peggy Haywood Hair, be converted to an endowed fellowship to commemorate Dr. Haywood’s commitment to education and service and, in particular, his loyalty to BSC and its students; 

NOW BE IT RESOLVED that the Board of Trustees of Birmingham-Southern College hereby expresses gratitude to Peggy Haywood Hair for her planned gift to enhance the Dr. James L. “Scooter” Haywood Endowed Fellowship for Service Learning. 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this endowment is confirmed as a permanent fund of the Foundation, managed with other funds as part of the Foundation’s Pooled Endowment Fund under the provisions of the Investment Policy; and that the fellowship awards will be drawn from the income of this fund, leaving the principal intact. 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this resolution will be entered into the official minutes of the Board of Trustees of Birmingham-Southern College and shared with members of Dr. Haywood’s family, and that information about the Haywood and Hair Families will be shared with recipients of this generous scholarship so they are inspired to lead lives of significance.

October 29, 2021

RESOLUTION 

Expressing Gratitude to Dr. Karen C. McKoy and Dr. Paul B. Lesser

and Creating the Karen McKoy and Paul Lesser Endowed Scholarship 

WHEREAS, Dr. Karen C. McKoy ’71 and Dr. Paul B. Lesser of Dover, Massachusetts, have contributed a generous gift of $25,000 to establish the Karen McKoy and Paul Lesser Endowed Scholarship in the Health Sciences at Birmingham-Southern College; and 

WHEREAS, Karen McKoy grew up in North Florida and Alabama, the daughter of Martha Johnson and James Benjamin McKoy, and she attended Decatur High School before enrolling at BSC; and 

WHEREAS, during college, she was a member of Pi Beta Phi Fraternity, graduating in 1971 with a bachelor’s degree in chemistry, and was then admitted to The University of Alabama School of Medicine at UAB; and 

WHEREAS, after earning her medical degree in 1974, she accomplished an internship at Yale-New Haven Hospital, residencies at Yale-New Haven Hospital and Massachusetts General Hospital, and a Master of Public Health at Harvard School of Public Health; and 

WHEREAS, while at Massachusetts General, Karen met Paul Lesser, who was working as a gastroenterologist at Cambridge Hospital, and they fell in love and were married on May 30, 1982, in Newnan, Georgia; and 

WHEREAS, Paul Lesser was raised in New York City, the son of Edith and Jack Lesser, and he attended Stuyvesant High School before attending Union College; and 

WHEREAS, during college, he was a member of Phi Sigma Delta Fraternity and graduated magna cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in the sciences and was named to Phi Beta Kappa and Sigma Xi, and he then attended New York University School of Medicine, where he completed his medical degree; and 

WHEREAS, Paul finished his medical training at Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami, Irwin Army Hospital at Fort Riley, Kansas, and Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston; and 

WHEREAS, Karen and Paul settled in Dover so that they could practice and teach medicine – Karen as a dermatologist at Lahey Hospital and Medical Center in Burlington and as an assistant professor at both Tufts University School of Medicine and Harvard Medical School, and Paul as a gastroenterologist at Cambridge Health Alliance Medical Specialists, as Chief of Gastroenterology at Cambridge Hospital, and as an assistant professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School; and 

WHEREAS, Karen, along with Paul, has carried forward the two tenets upon which BSC was founded – academic excellence and selfless service; and together they have given their time and talents to their patients, made contributions to numerous charitable organizations over the years, including BSC, served in various roles within their professional and civic organizations, taught and mentored countless students, and lived lives of significance within their communities; and 

WHEREAS, it is most fitting that this scholarship be named the Karen McKoy and Paul Lesser Endowed Scholarship in the Health Sciences to pay tribute to the lifelong commitment shared by Karen and Paul to serving others and to benefit those following in Karen’s footsteps here on the Hilltop; and 

NOW BE IT RESOLVED that the Board of Trustees of Birmingham-Southern College hereby expresses gratitude to Dr. Karen McKoy and Dr. Paul Lesser for their generous contribution and herewith creates the Karen McKoy and Paul Lesser Endowed Scholarship in Health Sciences. 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this endowment is confirmed as a permanent fund of the College, managed with other funds as part of the College’s Pooled Endowment Fund under the provisions of the College’s Investment Policy; and that the scholarship awards will be drawn from the income of this fund, leaving the principal intact. 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this resolution will be entered into the official minutes of the Board of Trustees of Birmingham-Southern College, and that information about Dr. Karen McKoy and Dr. Paul Lesser will be shared with recipients of this generous scholarship so they are inspired to lead lives of significance.

RESOLUTION 

Expressing Gratitude to the Morgan Family

and Confirming the Christopher T. Morgan Endowed Service Award 

WHEREAS, in 1999, the Christopher T. Morgan Endowed Service Award was established at Birmingham-Southern College by Chris Morgan’s family, classmates, and other friends as a tribute to his life and legacy; and 

WHEREAS, Christopher Thomas Morgan was born March 31, 1968, in Birmingham to Mary Morgan and Rev. Dr. Thomas Michael “Mickey” Morgan, and he grew up moving with his family to various United Methodist churches where his father ministered; and 

WHEREAS, after graduation from Benjamin Russell High School in Alexander City, Chris enrolled at BSC, where he was a member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon and enjoyed pursuing his studies in a liberal arts environment where he could explore various career options; and 

WHEREAS, he was actively involved in Religious Life, where he was able to serve through programs of the Yeilding Chapel, and with Service Learning, where he traveled to Bolivia and Zimbabwe and where he realized that with service comes purpose as well as joy; and 

WHEREAS, after he graduated with his bachelor’s degree in accounting in 1990, Chris began his career as a compliance officer at SouthTrust Bank and served as a leader in programs throughout the United Methodist Church; and 

WHEREAS, he returned to school to complete a Master’s in Business Administration; and he started a relationship with the love of his life, Rev. Denise Baker ’93; and 

WHEREAS, in 1997 at the prime of his life with a bright and prospective future, Chris was unexpectedly faced with a health crisis when he was diagnosed with an aggressive cancer, and he faced his treatments with optimism, bravery, and grace; and, 

WHEREAS, Chris and Denise were ever hopeful that his treatments would be successful, and with the intention of building a long and happy life together, they were married in February 1998 at Yeilding Chapel – a special place to them both; and 

WHEREAS, after a courageous battle and with his family by his side, Chris passed away on May 30, 1998, at age 30; and 

WHEREAS, in all that he did during his short but impactful life, Chris carried forward the two tenets upon which BSC was founded – academic excellence and selfless service, and it is the wish of the donors to the Christopher T. Morgan Endowed Service Award to commemorate him through support of students following in his footsteps here on the Hilltop; and 

WHEREAS, in honor of his birthday, the family joined with the BSC Advancement team for Forward Ever Day 2021 to raise more than $15,000 for the Service Learning program as a reflection of Chris' love and dedication to service and ministries, and the service award named in his honor continues to provide critical support to students who wish to experience the immeasurable opportunities that are offered by BSC Service Learning; 

NOW BE IT RESOLVED that the Board of Trustees of Birmingham-Southern College hereby expresses gratitude to for these generous contributions to create the Christopher T. Morgan Endowed Service Award. 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this endowment is confirmed as a permanent fund of the College, managed with other funds as part of the College’s Pooled Endowment Fund under the provisions of the College’s Investment Policy; and that the awards will be drawn from the income of this fund. 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this resolution will be entered into the official minutes of the Board of Trustees of Birmingham-Southern College, and that information about Chris Morgan will be shared with recipients of this generous award so they are inspired to lead lives of significance.

RESOLUTION 

Expressing Appreciation to Mrs. Sue A. Newton and
Approving Renaming of the Sue A. Newton Endowed Music Scholarship to the

Sue A. Newton Endowed Support Fund for the Department of Music 

WHEREAS, in 2001, the late Alexander Worthy Newton, a prominent Birmingham attorney, gave a generous gift to Birmingham-Southern College to establish the Sue A. Newton Endowed Music Scholarship in honor of his wife’s love for music; and 

WHEREAS, as a high school student, Sue Aldridge took voice lessons from Martha Dick McClung and then attended BSC for one term in 1948 where she studied history and participated in music studies under James F. Hatcher, Jr. ‘43; and 

WHEREAS, Mrs. Newton continued her voice training at Hollins College in Roanoke, Virginia, and later transferred to the University of Alabama, where she graduated with her bachelor’s degree in history; and 

WHEREAS, Mr. and Mrs. Newton met in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, in 1951, and were married on December 22, 1952, settling in Birmingham to raise their family; and 

WHEREAS, through a lifelong commitment to community, to giving, and to service, and through their marriage until his death on December 25, 2015, Mr. and Mrs. Newton set a tremendous example of excellence for their children Lamar Aldridge Newton, Kelly Newton Hammond, Jane Worthy Newton, and Dr. Robins Jeffry Newton to follow; and 

WHEREAS, Mrs. Newton has again chosen BSC as the recipient of her generosity through a recent gift totaling more than $70,000 to enhance the endowment she and her husband created and to broaden its purpose for the benefit of the Department of Music, currently under the leadership of Dr. Lester C. Seigel; and 

WHEREAS, it is the hope of the donor that this fund will provide the Department of Music the financial support needed to allow for the best equipment, productions, and other needs as identified to elevate the Department and the education it continues to offer and to support others following in Mrs. Newton’s footsteps here on the Hilltop; 

NOW BE IT RESOLVED that the Board of Trustees of Birmingham-Southern College hereby expresses its appreciation to Mrs. Sue Aldridge Newton and her late husband, Mr. Alexander Worthy Newton, and accepts with gratitude this additional generous gift, and herewith approves the renaming of the Sue A. Newton Endowed Scholarship to the Sue A. Newton Endowed Support Fund for the Department of Music. 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the endowment is confirmed as a permanent fund of the Birmingham-Southern College to be managed with other funds as part of a pooled endowment fund under the provisions of the Investment Policy; and that distributions will be drawn from the income of the funds. 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this resolution will be entered into the official minutes of the Board of Trustees of Birmingham-Southern College, and that information about Sue Aldridge and Alexander Worthy Newton will be shared with those impacted by this fund so they are inspired to lead lives of significance.

RESOLUTION 

Expressing Appreciation to Canterbury United Methodist Church for the

Rev. Dr. Oliver Watson Clark, Jr., Endowed Scholarship 

WHEREAS, Birmingham-Southern College has received a generous gift from Canterbury United Methodist Church of Birmingham for the creation of the Rev. Dr. Oliver Watson Clark, Jr. Endowed Scholarship; and 

WHEREAS, Oliver Watson Clark, Jr. was born on March 5, 1937, in Vicksburg, Mississippi, to Mildred and Oliver Clark, Sr., and he grew up in Birmingham, attending Avondale School, Phillips High School, where he played football, and the Georgia Institute of Technology; and 

WHEREAS, while at Georgia Tech, Oliver began engineering classes; however, after taking part in a Bible Study, he felt called to serve God through ordained ministry and transferred to BSC as a pre-ministerial student; and 

WHEREAS, at BSC, he met and married Elaine Myers, BSC 1960, an education major and member of Pi Beta Phi; and   

WHEREAS, after graduating in 1959 with his bachelor’s degree, Oliver studied theology at Duke Divinity School, earning his seminary degree in 1962 and becoming ordained as a deacon in what would become the United Methodist Church, and upon graduation, he was selected by Dean James Cleland to be the associate minister for a year in St. Michael’s Church of Scotland in Dumfries; and 

WHEREAS, when he returned to the States, Oliver began his appointments with the North Alabama Conference of the United Methodist Church, and he was ordained an elder in 1963 and served as associate minister at East Lake United Methodist Church; and 

WHEREAS, in 1965, he became the founding pastor for a new church, Valley United Methodist Church, in the space-booming city of Huntsville before Elaine and he felt called to serve as missionaries in Monrovia, Liberia, West Africa; and 

WHEREAS, while in Africa, Oliver was chaplain of the College of West Africa, taught religion, and was pastor to a congregation of U.S. expatriates and Kru and Bassa tribal Liberians; and 

WHEREAS, in 1971, Oliver returned to the academic community, earning a Doctorate of Sacred Theology from Candler School of Theology at Emory University, after which he and Elaine returned to Valley United Methodist in Huntsville, then to Lanett First United Methodist, and in 1979, Forest Lake United Methodist in Tuscaloosa, for which he served six years; and 

WHEREAS, together with Elaine, Oliver was always interested in outreach ministries through church and community organizations, and he served as president of the Mental Health Association in Tuscaloosa for three years and was appointed Sylacauga District Superintendent in 1985, where he was a mentor to many young ministers and provided guidance as they began their ministry; and 

WHEREAS, in 1987, he began six years as senior minister of Anniston First United Methodist Church, and was involved with Interfaith Ministries of Calhoun County, for which his leadership, service, and dedication was recognized, and in 1993, he began a seven-year term as senior minister at Highlands United Methodist Church in Birmingham, for which his outreach ministries were a perfect fit; and 

WHEREAS, Oliver later served the North Alabama Conference on the Bishop's Cabinet (2000) as Anniston District Superintendent, and upon his retirement, Oliver had the opportunity to join the clergy staff at Canterbury United Methodist, the church that had nurtured him and prepared him for his call to ministry; and 

WHEREAS, for the next twelve years, Oliver found great fulfillment leading the Canterbury Academy, teaching and providing studies for a deeper understanding of theology, biblical interpretation, and church history; and 

WHEREAS, known for his deep, quiet nature and his hope-filled outlook and eternal optimism, Oliver believed wholeheartedly in God's love for all persons and was a beloved pastor and inspirational preacher; and 

WHEREAS, the BSC community was saddened to learn of Oliver’s passing on December 26, 2020, and he leaves behind to cherish his memory his loving wife of 59 years Elaine, son David Oliver and daughter-in-law Donna, brother William N. Clark and sister-in-law Faye, sister Cathy Clark Tapp  and brother-in-law Reggie, and a host of nieces, nephews, and friends; and 

WHEREAS, it is most fitting that this endowed scholarship commemorate Rev. Dr. Clark, his commitment to his family, church, and community, and his strong belief in the two tenets upon which BSC was founded – academic excellence and selfless service; 

NOW BE IT RESOLVED that the Board of Trustees of Birmingham-Southern College hereby expresses gratitude to Canterbury United Methodist Church for this gift to create the Rev. Dr. Oliver Watson Clark, Jr. Endowed Scholarship. 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this endowment is confirmed as a permanent fund of the College, managed with other funds as part of the College’s Pooled Endowment Fund under the provisions of the Investment Policy; and that the scholarship awards will be drawn from the income of this fund, leaving the principal intact. 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this resolution will be entered into the official minutes of the Board of Trustees of Birmingham-Southern College, and that information about Rev. Dr. Clark will be shared with recipients of this generous scholarship so they are inspired to lead lives of significance. 

October 29, 2021

RESOLUTION 

Expressing Appreciation to Thomas N. “Tom” Carruthers, Jr., and

Approving Naming of the Tom Carruthers Darwin Collection

at the Nathan E. Miles Library 

WHEREAS, longtime friend of Birmingham-Southern College Thomas N. “Tom” Carruthers, Jr., has generously donated an extensive Charles Darwin book collection to the Charles Andrew Rush Learning Center at Nathan E. Miles Library; and 

WHEREAS, Tom Carruthers received his education at Princeton University and Yale Law School, and he is a retired partner and former managing partner of Bradley Arant Boult Cummings, LLC; and 

WHEREAS, during his extensive professional career, his practice focused on mergers, acquisitions, estate planning, and corporate taxation, and in 2001, he was named Outstanding Lawyer of the Year by the Birmingham Bar Association; and 

WHEREAS, Tom is a Fellow of the American College of Tax Counsel, American Bar Foundation, and Alabama Bar Foundation; a member of the American Law Institute, Alabama Law Institute, and International Law Association; and an alumnus of Leadership Birmingham and Leadership Alabama (1992-1993), for which he served as President and Chairman and currently serves on the Board of Trustees; and 

WHEREAS, he has been involved with civic organizations and community growth during his career, and he currently serves on the Advisory Committee for the State School Superintendent and is a member of the Board of the Greater Birmingham Visioning Program (Region 2020), the Birmingham Business Leadership Group, and Birmingham Rotary Club, for which he served as President (1992-1993) and received the Club’s prestigious Spain-Hickman Award in 2003; and 

WHEREAS, generous with his time, skills, and resources throughout his life, Tom has served – and continues to serve – on the boards of many charitable and worthy organizations, including Birmingham Museum of Art, where he was chair for many years during his current tenure; Children’s Hospital of Alabama, where he is a member of the Executive Committee and served as chair (1996-1997); Lakeshore Foundation, where he has served as chair (2008-2009); Community Foundation of Greater Birmingham, where he also served as chair; and Birmingham Boy Scout Council, where he is on the Executive Advisory Committee and has been recognized with the Silver Beaver Boy Scout Award and the Distinguished Eagle Scout Award; and 

WHEREAS, Tom has been recognized by his peers and for his extraordinary work in the community through membership in the Alabama Academy of Honor (serving as its chair from 1999 until 2009); commendations from Jacksonville State University and the Alabama Commission on Higher Education; The Brotherhood & Sisterhood Award for Outstanding Community Service by the Alabama Region of the National Conference for Community and Justice (2000); and the Medal of Honor given by BSC for public service; and 

WHEREAS, this gift of extraordinary work by Charles Darwin will be a welcome addition by the staff of the Nathan E. Miles Library, by the faculty and students of the campus; and by all who will be able to challenge their thinking, gain new perspectives, and learn from these works; 

NOW BE IT RESOLVED by the Board of Trustees of Birmingham-Southern College that it hereby expresses its grateful appreciation for this donation and hereby names a space within the Nathan E. Miles Library to house this collection to be called the Tom Carruthers Darwin Collection at Birmingham-Southern College; 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this resolution will be spread upon the permanent minutes of the Board.

 RESOLUTION 

Expressing Appreciation to and Commemorating the

Birmingham-Southern College Class of 1970 and

Approving Establishment of

The Class of 1970 Endowed Scholarship 

WHEREAS, the Class of 1970 has given Birmingham-Southern College Foundation $28,050.00 to establish The Class of 1970 Endowed Scholarship to benefit the students of Birmingham-Southern College; and 

WHEREAS, loyal and dedicated donors to BSC, members of the Class of 1970 chose to celebrate the 50th anniversary of their graduation from BSC by assisting others who are following in their footsteps on the Hilltop; and 

WHEREAS, since graduation, these alumni have engaged with the world in their professional careers and within their communities and have continually sought to lead lives of significance; and 

WHEREAS, their collective gifts are an expression of their daily work to carry out the twin principles of upon which BSC is founded—academic excellence and selfless service; and 

WHEREAS, this endowed scholarship will have an enduring affect on its recipients, supporting them through their studies, enhancing their college experience, and providing the cornerstone of their foundation for life; 

NOW BE IT RESOLVED that the Board of Trustees hereby expresses its profound gratitude for the tremendous commitment to Birmingham-Southern College by the members of the Class of 1970 and recognizes and pays tribute to their 50 years of service to their communities and to their alma mater and herewith approves establishment of The Class of 1970 Endowed Scholarship. 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the endowment is confirmed as a permanent fund of the Birmingham-Southern College Foundation to be managed with other funds as part of a pooled endowment fund under the provisions of the Investment Policy; and that the scholarship awards will be drawn from the income of the funds, leaving the principal intact.  

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this resolution will be entered into the official minutes of the Board of Trustees of Birmingham-Southern College.

RESOLUTION

Expressing Appreciation to and Commemorating the Life of

David Remember Baker 

WHEREAS, on March 20, 2020, the faculty and staff of Birmingham-Southern College were saddened to learn of the passing of David Remember Baker ’51, an alumnus and Trustee Emeritus of the College who served with foresight and distinction and gave considerable contributions to the College during his lifetime; and 

WHEREAS, Mr. Baker was born in Durham, North Carolina, on January 17, 1932, the first son of Eleanor Ussher Baker and Roger Denio Baker, M.D., a pathologist, and his unusual middle name was after his fifth-generation grandfather, Captain Remember Baker, of the Vermont “Green Mountain Boys” from the Revolutionary War; and 

WHEREAS, in 1945, Mr. Baker’s father was recruited as chair of the new Department of Pathology at the University of Alabama at Birmingham and moved his wife and three sons to a home on Glenwood Avenue, and while working a part-time job as a newspaper carrier for the Birmingham Post Herald, Mr. Baker earned a $700 cash scholarship that enabled him, at age 14, to attend the University of Chicago, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in philosophy in 1949; and 

WHEREAS, while in Chicago, Mr. Baker decided to pursue a law degree at his father’s alma mater, Harvard University; however, he soon learned that his application was rejected because Harvard would not consider him until he had a “proper” baccalaureate degree; and 

WHEREAS, Mr. Baker chose Birmingham-Southern College because of its proximity to his family and its reputation for higher learning, and after he completed his degree in history in 1951, he scored exceptionally on the admission exam used by Harvard Law School at that time and earned his juris doctorate from Harvard University in 1954; and 

WHEREAS, Mr. Baker served his country in the United States Army, where he was assigned to classified communications on the base in Herzogenaurach, Germany, and his fiancé Myra Mullins ‘61, a schoolteacher from Birmingham, joined him in Germany where they were married; and 

WHEREAS, the young couple enjoyed their time in Europe, traveling the continent in their Volkswagen, often packing the tiny car with friends and family members as they toured the countryside, documenting their journeys through taking slides that they happily showed to others upon their return to the States; and 

WHEREAS, upon their return to Birmingham, Mr. Baker took a position as an associate with the law firm of Cabaniss & Johnson, and in 1962, the cultural advantages of New York City caught the couple’s interest, so they moved to New York, where Mr. Baker worked for the law firm Chadbourne, Parke, Whiteside & Wolff until 1967; and 

WHEREAS, in 1986, he became a partner at Jones, Day, Reavis & Pogue, and his Birmingham and New York City legal career included positions as of counsel to Haskell, Slaughter, Young & Rediker and in New York City at Kayser & Redfern; and 

WHEREAS, Mr. Baker was recognized by Marquis Who’s Who as a Lifetime Achiever, and he served as the principal representative to the United Nations for the International Bar Association from 1993 to 2010; and 

WHEREAS, he was active in civic and charitable causes in both cities, serving as president of the New York Legislative Service (1975-1998), director of Junior Achievement of New York (1973-1999), director of Junior Achievement of Greater Birmingham (1999 to 2007), general counsel for the Economic Club of New York (34 years), and a trustee of BSC (1985 to 2013); and 

WHEREAS, in 2009, BSC was able to pay tribute to Mr. Baker for his service to his alma mater and his community through the awarding of an Honorary Doctor of Law; and 

WHEREAS, after Myra’s passing in 2010, Mr. Baker married Lois Avery Gaeta in 2011, and she is a writer and retired public information officer from the American Medical Association; and 

WHEREAS, Mr. Baker was a formidable bridge player, enjoying it since his college days in Chicago, and he enjoyed exploring the Birmingham Botanical Gardens and attending performances of the Alabama Symphony Orchestra and services at Unitarian Universalist Church of Birmingham; and 

WHEREAS, he leaves behind his wife, Lois, his brothers, Douglas Ussher Baker (Janice Chen Barber) and Stephen Denio Baker, PhD (Paula Eisenstein), as well as his nieces and nephews, Rachel Beal Baker (Len Parker), Nicholson Baker (Margaret Winslow Brentano), Hannah Baker Hitzhusen (Michael Hitzhusen), and Sarah Baker Topper (David Topper); and 

NOW BE IT RESOLVED that the Board of Trustees hereby expresses its profound gratitude for the tremendous commitment to Birmingham-Southern College by David Remember Baker and herewith recognizes and pays tribute to his lifetime of service to his profession, to his friends and family, to his community, and to his alma mater. 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this resolution will be entered into the official minutes of the Board of Trustees of Birmingham-Southern College.

May 14, 2020

RESOLUTION

Honoring the Centennial Birthday of Dorothy Gillespie and

Expressing Appreciation 

WHEREAS, the centennial birthday celebration for nationally and internationally recognized artist Dorothy Gillespie is occurring in 2020, and it is the desire of Birmingham-Southern College to honor and recognize Dorothy for her impact on the BSC Art Department and countless art students who have studied her work and created their own contributions for the cultural benefit of our state and beyond; and 

WHEREAS, Dorothy Gillespie was born to Lillian and Earl V. Gillespie on June 29, 1920, in Roanoke, Virginia, and dedicated herself to being an artist from an early age, and after graduating from Jefferson High School in Roanoke in 1937, she attended both Radford University near her hometown and the Maryland Institute College of Art in Baltimore; and 

WHEREAS, she moved to New York City in 1943, where she worked at the B. Altman department store as assistant art director, and she joined the Art Students League of New York and created works at Atelier 17, the printmaking studio of Stanley William Hayter, who encouraged her to experiment with her own creativity; and 

WHEREAS, in 1946, Dorothy married Bernard Israel, and together they had three children, raising them in Greenwich Village where they opened a restaurant and nightclub; and 

WHEREAS, in 1957, she returned to making art and dedicated herself to it full time after the nightclub was sold in 1970, and she began her work as Artist in Residence at Women’s Interart Center in 1972, igniting her passion for the women’s art movement, and started giving lectures at the New School for Social Research in 1977, providing a lecture series there through 1982; and 

WHEREAS, Dorothy was a Visiting Artist at her alma mater from 1981 through 1983; she gave Radford University artwork to start its permanent art collection; she was a Woodrow Wilson Visiting Fellow from 1985 through 1994, visiting small private colleges like BSC to give public lectures and teach young artists; and she taught at Radnor University as Distinguished Professor of Art from 1997 until 1999; and 

WHEREAS, among her many honors, Dorothy received the Alice Baber Art Fund, Inc. Grant Award; a Doctor of Pedagogy from Niagara University (1990); a Doctor of Fine Arts (Honoris Causa) from Caldwell College (1976); a Distinguished Alumni Award from the Maryland Institute College of Art (1983); an Outstanding Services Award from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock (1983); a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Women’s Caucus for Art (2001); and a Distinguished Woman Award from BSC (1987) honoring women who have made lasting contributions to our society in various fields of endeavor; and 

WHEREAS, Dorothy maintained art studios in Florida and New York, and she served on numerous boards including for the Maryland Institute College of Art and the Maitland Art Center, as well as serving on the Art in Public Places Committee for the Broward Cultural Affairs Council; and 

WHEREAS, her art career spanned over seven decades, during which time she created, exhibited, and sold her art nationally and internationally with her work encompassing many significant 20th-century trends in art, such as abstract expressionism, decorative abstraction, the women's movement, and art in public spaces, and she is best known for large-scale, colorfully painted arrangements of cut aluminum strips that radiate, undulate, or curl like giant arrangements of ribbon, enchanted towers, or bursting fireworks; and 

WHEREAS, Dorothy’s art has been installed at museums, colleges, universities, and many public places, as she was one of the first artists to offer her creations to the world through displays in lobbies of public institutions and governmental centers including Mayo Clinic, Epcot Center, Warren Wilson College, the Ft. Lauderdale Airport and Museum of Art, the United States Mission to the United Nations, and Birmingham-Southern College, among others; and

WHEREAS, upon her death on September 30, 2012, in Coral Gables, Florida, the Dorothy Gillespie Foundation was established to carry forward her rich tradition of excellence in the arts by supporting, developing, and encouraging the talents of young and emerging female artists, and because of this generosity, BSC art students are chosen annually to spend a summer in residency at Dorothy’s studio in New York City to explore their personal path for the art they wish to create; 

NOW BE IT RESOLVED that the Board of Trustees hereby recognizes the profound impact of Dorothy Gillespie in the art profession, as a cultural trailblazer for women in the arts, and as a shaper of art programs throughout the United States and, most especially, at Birmingham-Southern College and that it herewith celebrates her life and legacy during this centennial celebration year of her birth. 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this resolution will be entered into the official minutes of the Board of Trustees of Birmingham-Southern College.

RESOLUTION 

Honoring the Life and Legacy of Elise McWilliams Penfield and

Affirming the Renaming of the Dr. H. Irvin Penfield Endowed Scholarship to the

Dr. H. Irvin Penfield and Elise McWilliams Penfield Endowed Scholarship 

WHEREAS, the faculty and staff of Birmingham-Southern College were profoundly saddened to learn of the passing of Elise McWilliams Penfield ‘61, a beloved member of the College family who, with her late husband, Dr. H. Irvin Penfield, taught countless students and made the Hilltop their lifelong home, living on Greensboro Road for more than five decades; and 

WHEREAS, Elise McWilliams was born June 9, 1939, in Birmingham, Alabama, and she attended BSC where she was named to Zeta Tau Alpha before graduating in 1961; and 

WHEREAS, in 1963, she received her master’s in speech arts from the University of Alabama, and as a lifelong learner, she also completed a master’s in education at the University of Alabama at Birmingham in 1980; and 

WHEREAS, Elise was a trailblazer in numerous ways, with a career that impacted various organizations and causes and, therefore, numerous individuals, carrying forward in all she did the twin principles upon which BSC is founded – academic excellence and selfless service; and 

WHEREAS, she was an instructor, director of children's theater, public school teacher, producer of instructional television programs, founder and director of Birmingham's Meals-On-Wheels, Executive Director of the Birmingham Partnership Assistance to the Homeless (PATH), and Executive Director of Leadership Birmingham; and 

WHEREAS, Elise also taught at the University of Alabama and BSC, mentoring countless students alongside her late husband, Dr. H. Irvin Penfield, who joined the BSC faculty as an assistant professor in 1967; and 

WHEREAS, as Elise’s entrepreneurial spirit took her career in numerous directions, Irvin was building the political science and sociology programs at BSC, as well as the graduate program in business, prior to serving the College as Dean of Academic Affairs, later renamed Provost, from 1985 until 2004, when he was honored at his retirement with the establishment of the Dr. H. Irvin Penfield Endowed Scholarship; and 

WHEREAS, the couple’s home was always at BSC, where Elise and Irvin raised their two children, Russell and Matthew ’92, and even after Irvin’s death in 2010, Elise stayed in her home on Greensboro Road and participated in various campus events, volunteering her time and sharing her resources to enhance the College and its students; and 

WHEREAS, of the awards she received, she was most especially proud of the Distinguished Alumna Award from BSC and the Brotherhood and Sisterhood Award from the National Conference for Community and Justice, as she dedicated herself to advancing justice and equality through her service on the board of directors of the National Council of Churches and as vice president of the General Commission on Christian Unity and Interreligious Concerns of the United Methodist Church; and 

WHEREAS, Elise was an amazing woman who also enjoyed teaching children as a docent at the Birmingham Museum of Art, being a member of the Speech Arts Club, traveling, cooking, entertaining, theater performances, poetry, her church, and spending time with her family; and 

WHEREAS, the BSC community mourns the loss of this generous and spirited member of our campus family, alongside her sons and other family members, and ensures that her legacy will carry forward in others who follow in her footsteps here on the Hilltop; 

NOW BE IT RESOLVED that the Board of Trustees of Birmingham-Southern College hereby expresses sorrow on the passing of Elise McWilliams Penfield, as well as gratitude for her lifelong service to the College and the greater community, and herewith affirms the renaming of the Dr. H. Irvin Penfield Endowed Scholarship to the Dr. H. Irvin Penfield and Elise McWilliams Penfield Endowed Scholarship. 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the endowment is confirmed as a permanent fund of Birmingham-Southern College to be managed with other funds as part of a pooled endowment fund under the provisions of the Investment Policy; and that the scholarship awards will be drawn from the income of the funds, leaving the principal intact.  

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this resolution will be entered into the official minutes of the Board of Trustees of Birmingham-Southern College, and that information about Elise and Irvin Penfield will be shared with recipients of this generous scholarship so they are inspired to lead lives of significance. 

RESOLUTION

Expressing Appreciation to and Commemorating the Life of

Dr. Abe Fawal

WHEREAS, on August 11, 2020, the faculty and staff of Birmingham-Southern College were saddened to learn of the passing of Dr. Abe Fawal ‘54, alumnus, former professor, and long-time donor of Birmingham-Southern College; and 

WHEREAS, Ibrahim Salem Fawal, known fondly by all who knew him as Abe, was born to Salem Mansour Fawal and Fareedeh Ankar Fawal on July 29, 1933, in Ramallah, Palestine, and in 1951, he immigrated to the United States where he attended BSC, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre in 1954; and 

WHEREAS, Abe pursued his Master of Arts in Film at the University of California, Los Angeles, after which he worked in Jordan, as First Assistant Director on the classic film Lawrence of Arabia; and 

WHEREAS, Abe married the love his life, Rose Rahib, in Ramallah in 1961, and together, they settled in Birmingham, Alabama, where they raised their four children, three of whom graduated from BSC – Salem, Gina ‘86, Freeda ‘89, and Rima ‘90; and 

WHEREAS, in 1967, Abe was honored to become a United States citizen, as he loved America and his adopted hometown of Birmingham; and 

WHEREAS, he established the first film studio in Alabama, Interlock Film Studio, in the 1970s, where he produced several award-winning documentaries, and for more than 25 years, he taught writing, film, and literature at both the University of Alabama at Birmingham and BSC; and 

WHEREAS, Abe was a co-founder of the Birmingham International Educational Film Festival, where he served as chairman during his tenure, and he was a 26-year advisory board member of the Writing Today Conference, held for many years on the BSC campus, a program that engaged writers of all ages throughout and beyond the community and attracted internationally renowned authors to campus; and 

WHEREAS, in 1998, Abe published his first novel, On the Hills of God, which won the PEN Oakland Award for Excellence in Literature; set in Palestine in and before 1948, this work of historical fiction is Abe's loving tribute to his homeland and was his proudest professional achievement; and 

WHEREAS, the book was followed by a sequel, The Disinherited, which describes the experiences of Palestinians shortly after their diaspora, and Abe was a staunch and dedicated advocate for justice and peace for the Palestinian people throughout his life; and 

WHERAS, at the age of 63, Abe enrolled in St. Cross College at the University of Oxford, where he earned his doctorate, examining Arab culture through the work of Egyptian filmmaker, Youssef Chahine, and the British Film Institute published Abe's book, Youssef Chahine, in 2001; and 

WHEREAS, a long-time member of Saint Francis Xavier Catholic Church, Abe is remembered as a faithful servant, masterful storyteller, voracious reader, and lifelong learner, inspiring many with his intellect, his passion for literature and film, and his sense of humor, and he was a mentor to countless students, a most adoring father and grandfather, and a loving uncle and cousin; and 

WHEREAS, Abe leaves behind to cherish his memory and carry forward his legacy his four children and their spouses: Salem and Cheryl Fawal, Gina and Philip Jaber, Freeda and Samer Farah, and Rima and John Hartman; his grandchildren: George, Matthew (Alyssa), Elizabeth, and Nicholas Jaber; Rose, Elie, and Rania Farah; and Luke, Peter, Ella, and Charles Hartman; his many cousins, nieces, and nephews; and numerous alumni and colleagues of the Hilltop; 

NOW BE IT RESOLVED that the Board of Trustees hereby expresses its profound gratitude for the tremendous commitment to Birmingham-Southern College by Dr. Abe Fawal and herewith recognizes and pays tribute to his lifetime of service to his profession, to his friends and family, to his community, and to his alma mater. 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this resolution will be entered into the official minutes of the Board of Trustees of Birmingham-Southern College.

RESOLUTION

Expressing Gratitude to Guy Ward Hubbs, Ph.D. and Patricia A. Hubbs, M.D.

and Confirming The Patricia A. Hubbs Endowed Library Support Fund and

The Hubbs Endowed Award 

WHEREAS, Guy Ward Hubbs, Ph.D., Archivist and Professor Emeritus of Birmingham-Southern College, and his wife, Patricia A. Hubbs, M.D., have been ardent and steadfast supporters of BSC for more than two decades, and together they have so far contributed nearly $400,000 to the College; and 

WHEREAS, Guy and Pat, together with Guy’s mother, have established two endowments for perpetual support of the College – the Patricia A. Hubbs Endowed Library Support Fund and the Hubbs Endowed Award; and 

WHEREAS, the Patricia A. Hubbs Endowed Library Support Fund is used to promote and host Library events; to purchase materials, including specific books for faculty to enhance scholarly pursuits; to fund and promote Library-sponsored publications; and to purchase supplies and equipment; and 

WHEREAS, the Hubbs Endowed Award was first given at the 2006 Honors Day Convocation during the College’s Sesquicentennial Celebration Year, and it honors the student who best exemplifies the twin principles on which BSC was founded – academic excellence and selfless service; and 

WHEREAS, in addition, Guy and Pat support other initiatives critical to the advancement of the College, including gifts on Forward Ever Day, BSC’s day of giving, in support of the Library, as well as Giving Tuesday – an annual effort of the Young Alumni Council that, for the past two years, has supported a student from Birmingham and a first-generation student each with a four-year scholarship to attend the College; and 

WHEREAS, Guy was born in Anchorage, Alaska, on May 12, 1952, to Louise Ward Hubbs and Guy LaMar Hubbs, and he attended Baylor University and earned his Ph.D. at the University of Alabama; and 

WHEREAS, Guy met the former Patricia Phillips of Peterborough, Ontario, Canada, in 1974 when they were both at Queen’s University at Kingston, Ontario – he in graduate school and she in medical school; and 

WHEREAS, Pat, after earning her medical degree, went on to complete her residency at the University of Alabama Family Practice Program, Tuscaloosa, and then spent her career providing exceptional care to her patients at the University of Alabama Student Health Center for more than 35 years; and 

WHEREAS, Guy and Pat married in 1976 in Peterborough, Ontario, and settled in Tuscaloosa to raise their family even while Pat served full time as a physician, and they have set a tremendous example of excellence and philanthropy for their three daughters – Jessica, Molly, and Claire – and their granddaughter – Charlotte (Lottie) Gray; and 

WHEREAS, Guy came to BSC in 1999 and has taught and mentored students who have studied at the College while at the same time creating the College’s historical archive, documenting the faculty’s scholarship, and tracing the BSC’s longstanding mission of educating students and instilling in them a love for serving others; and 

WHEREAS, Guy’s numerous publications are too abundant to list; some of the highlights include: A Compelling Idea: Birmingham-Southern College; Tuscaloosa: 200 Years in the Making, as well as a children’s book in honor of Tuscaloosa’s Bicentennial; Guarding Greensboro: A Confederate Company in the Making of a Southern Community; and Searching for Freedom After the Civil War: Klansman, Carpetbagger, Scalawag, and Freedman; 

NOW BE IT RESOLVED that the Board of Trustees of Birmingham-Southern College hereby formally recognizes the establishment of the Patricia A. Hubbs Endowed Library Support Fund and the Hubbs Endowed Award, and extends its profound appreciation to Patricia A. Hubbs, M.D., and Guy Ward Hubbs, Ph.D., for their steadfast generosity to the College. 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that these endowments are confirmed as permanent funds of the College, managed with other funds as part of the College’s Pooled Endowment Fund under the provisions of the College’s Investment Policy; that the Trustees may elect to move the fund into the Birmingham-Southern College Foundation to ensure the preservation of principal; and that the distributions will be drawn from the income of the funds per the gift agreements with the donors, leaving the principal intact. 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this resolution will be entered into the official minutes of the Board of Trustees of Birmingham-Southern College, and that information about Pat and Guy Hubbs will be shared with beneficiaries and recipients of this generosity so they are inspired to lead lives of significance.

February 28, 2020

RESOLUTION 

Expressing Appreciation to Charles Hugh Hudgins and

Confirming the Hudgins Endowed Scholarship

WHEREAS, Birmingham-Southern College would like to pay special recognition to Charles Hugh Hudgins ’62 for his generous spirit and loyalty to the College and his 56 years of consecutive contributions, which total more than $700,000 and which make his years of giving the longest of any other donor to BSC; and 

WHEREAS, Charles Hudgins was born March 17, 1941, and he grew up on a small cotton farm on Sand Mountain, near Albertville, in northeast Alabama, where he spent his formative years; and 

WHEREAS, after high school, Charles wanted to attend BSC but was afraid the cost would be prohibitive to his parents, who were already paying for his older brother, Jerry, to attend Auburn University; however, because of the scholarship support Charles received, the ultimate cost to his parents was less than that of Jerry; and 

WHEREAS, Charles was an active member of the Hilltop community, and within three years, he graduated summa cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in economics in 1962, before attending the University of Virginia as a Thomas Jefferson Fellow, receiving his master’s degree in economics in 1963; and 

WHEREAS, after completing his education, Charles began his career in data processing in 1964 with Dow Chemical Company in Williamsburg, Virginia, and in 1968, he became director of data processing for Mason and Company, a member firm of the New York Stock Exchange as well as a systems engineer for IBM; and 

WHEREAS, after his time on Wall Street, Charles took a faculty position at the University of Virginia in 1974, where he was professor of management science and assistance vice president for communications, and he taught at UVA for nine years in order to impact students the way his life was transformed by his BSC professors, such as H.R. Butts, Lola Kiser, Henry Randall, and Evelyn Wiley; and 

WHEREAS, he continued that tradition of academic excellence when he joined the University of California, San Diego, as director of information systems and where he retired in 1993 as director of administrative computing; and 

WHEREAS, Charles began giving to BSC just three years after his graduation in 1962, and in 1989, he established The Hudgins Endowed Scholarship at BSC to provide, as he calls them, “enablement awards,” since his attendance was enabled by the financial aid he received; and 

WHEREAS, Charles reflects on his days at BSC as the happiest and most rewarding of his life, and it is his desire that the funds he is providing, both during his lifetime and through a generous testamentary gift, bolster the education of countless individuals who might not otherwise be able to attend BSC, helping other students succeed who are following in his footsteps on the Hilltop; 

NOW BE IT RESOLVED that the Board of Trustees of Birmingham-Southern College hereby expresses its profound appreciation to Charles Hugh Hudgins for his steadfast loyalty and consistent generosity to the College, and herewith affirms the establishment of the Hudgins Endowed Scholarship. 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the endowment is confirmed as a permanent fund of Birmingham-Southern College to be managed with other funds as part of a pooled endowment fund under the provisions of the Investment Policy; and that the scholarship awards will be drawn from the income of the funds, leaving the principal intact. 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this resolution will be entered into the official minutes of the Board of Trustees of Birmingham-Southern College, and that information about Charles Hugh Hudgins will be shared with recipients of this generous scholarship so they are inspired to lead lives of significance. 

May 14, 2020

RESOLUTION

Expressing Gratitude to Betty and Joe Hughes and Establishing

The Dr. H. Joseph Hughes, Jr. and Betty Ray Price Hughes Endowed Scholarship 

WHEREAS, Betty and Joe Hughes have been ardent and steadfast supporters of Birmingham-Southern College for many years, and they have made a recent gift of $25,000 for the establishment of The Dr. H. Joseph Hughes, Jr. and Betty Ray Price Hughes Endowed Scholarship; and 

WHEREAS, Hugh Joseph “Joe” Hughes, Jr. was born June 11, 1928, in Birmingham, Alabama, at St. Vincent’s Hospital to Mary Arnold Hughes and Hugh Joseph Hughes, Sr., and he attended BSC, graduating in 1949 with a bachelor’s degree in biology, and then the University of Pennsylvania, where he completed his medical degree in 1953; and 

WHEREAS, Dr. Hughes interned at Evanston Hospital in Evanston, Illinois, and shortly after receiving his degree, he entered the Air Force where he was stationed at Boiling Air Force Base in Washington, D.C., from 1954 until 1956; and 

WHEREAS, for the next three years, he held a fellowship in Internal Medicine at the Mayo Clinic and, afterward, began practicing at Norwood Clinic in Birmingham, where he stayed until his retirement in 1997 and during which time he spent many years as a Clinical Associate at the UAB School of Medicine, teaching and mentoring students for a decade after closing his clinical practice; and 

WHEREAS, Elizabeth Ray “Betty Ray” Price was born April 12, 1928, in Birmingham, Alabama, at Norwood Hospital to Mary Pauline Ballard Price and Daniel Ray Price, a distinguished alumnus of BSC who received his Doctor of Humanities in 1947; and 

WHEREAS, Betty Ray also attended BSC, graduating with her bachelor’s degree in religion and philosophy in 1950, and she went on to George Peabody College, where she completed her master’s degree in early childhood education; and 

WHEREAS, Joe and Betty Ray met while attending BSC and were married August 14, 1952, at The Cathedral of St. Paul in Birmingham, and after Joe’s medical training and military service, they returned to Birmingham to raise their four children – Ann Hughes Hamilton, Michael Roberts Hughes, Elizabeth Ballard Hughes Elrod, and Charlie Hughes – for whom they have set a tremendous example of excellence; and 

WHEREAS, both Joe and Betty Ray have demonstrated a lifetime of meaningful service to their family, to their church, to their community; and to the College, where Joe has served as an advisor to those students in the pre-health sciences and provided medical consult to students, and where Betty Ray has served as co-chair of the Pi Phi Sorority Townhouse Project and as a member of the Pi Phi Lunch Bunch; and 

WHEREAS, Betty Ray is a lifetime member of the United Methodist Women (UMW) and has been an active participant at Canterbury United Methodist Church, where she and Joe are members of the congregation, and at Trinity United Methodist Church, and she is a gracious friend of time and resources to BSC and Camp Winnataska; and 

WHEREAS, after his retirement, Dr. Hughes became involved at the M-POWER Clinic, a service of
M-POWER Ministries that is the only free medical clinic in Jefferson County, Alabama, and since its inception, volunteer medical professionals like Dr. Hughes have provided quality medical care valued in the millions of dollars; and 

WHEREAS, in addition, Betty Ray and Joe helped secure financial aid for Piper Place, a daycare program for mental health patients who primarily live in group homes, while Joe also provided flu shots for many of these participants; and 

WHEREAS, in recognition of his service and career, Joe received a resolution from the State of Alabama House of Representatives for Outstanding Professional Achievement and a Certificate of Distinction from the Medical Association of the State of Alabama for 50 years of medical practice, and he has been named a Distinguished Alumnus of BSC; and 

WHEREAS, Betty Ray and her sisters were able to attend BSC because of scholarship support, and it is the wish of Joe and Betty Ray that this scholarship perpetuate the values and focus for life taught and embodied at BSC and assist others who follow in their footsteps here on the Hilltop; 

NOW BE IT RESOLVED that the Board of Trustees of Birmingham-Southern College hereby formally establishes the Dr. H. Joseph Hughes, Jr. and Betty Ray Price Hughes Endowed Scholarship, and extends its profound appreciation to Joe and Betty Ray Hughes for their steadfast generosity to the College. 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this endowment is confirmed as a permanent fund of the Birmingham-Southern College Foundation, to be managed with other funds as part of a pooled endowment fund under the provisions of the Foundation’s Investment Policy; and that the scholarship awards will be drawn from the income of this fund, leaving the principal intact. 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this resolution will be entered into the official minutes of the Board of Trustees of Birmingham-Southern College, and that information about Joe and Betty Ray Hughes will be shared with beneficiaries and recipients of this generosity so they are inspired to lead lives of significance.

February 28, 2020

RESOLUTION

Expressing Appreciation to the Kuester Family and

Establishing The Mildred E. Kuester Endowed Scholarship 

WHEREAS, the Kuester Family, represented by Rick Kuester, has made a generous gift of more than $250,000 to Birmingham-Southern College for the establishment of The Mildred E. Kuester Endowed Scholarship; and 

WHEREAS, Mildred Entwistle Kuester was born on March 6, 1924, to Mildred Armstrong Entwistle and Thomas E. Entwistle in Pensacola, Florida, where she was raised, and regrettably, her father never had a chance to meet his daughter, as he was called to duty as a U.S. Navy pilot and gave his life serving his country; and 

WHEREAS, Mildred was inspired by her grandmother, who helped raise Mildred while her mother worked, and after graduating high school, Mildred began her career writing for the Pensacola News Journal; and 

WHEREAS, later in life after moving to Birmingham, Mildred went on to attend BSC, all while raising her children, where she was a member of Phi Beta Kappa and received her bachelor’s degree in English in 1970, and after continuing her education at Samford University, Mildred taught English and mass communications at Jefferson State Community College for 20 years, where she also was the faculty sponsor of the college newspaper and mentored countless students during her career; and 

WHEREAS, Mildred passed away on July 27, 2002, leaving behind to treasure her memory four children and their spouses, Rick Kuester, Mark and Deborah Kuester, Mary and Preston Willis, and Jane and Mark Golden; three granddaughters, Laura Golden, Erin Adler, and Allison Golden; and one grandson, Zack Willis – all for whom she set a tremendous example of excellence; and 

WHEREAS, because of Mildred’s love for BSC and the incredible influence she had on her family through the promotion of a strong education and commitment to family and community, it is the Kuester Family’s desire that this scholarship pay tribute to Mildred through the education of others following in her footsteps on the Hilltop; and 

WHEREAS, the Mildred E. Kuester Endowed Scholarship will benefit those students who are pursuing a degree in English and who may not otherwise have the opportunity to attend BSC, giving them encouragement to reach for their dreams and carry forward a spirit of helping others achieve success which will be a fitting commemoration to the life and legacy of Mildred E. Kuester; 

NOW BE IT RESOLVED that the Board of Trustees of Birmingham-Southern College hereby accepts with gratitude this generous gift from the Kuester Family, and herewith establishes The Mildred E. Kuester Endowed Scholarship.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this endowment is confirmed as a permanent fund of the Birmingham-Southern College Foundation, to be managed with other funds as part of a pooled endowment fund under the provisions of the Foundation’s Investment Policy; and that the scholarship awards will be drawn from the income of this fund, leaving the principal intact. 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this resolution will be entered into the official minutes of the Board of Trustees of Birmingham-Southern College, and that information about Mildred E. Kuester will be shared with recipients of this generous scholarship so they are inspired to lead lives of significance.

February 28, 2020

RESOLUTION

Expressing Appreciation to Michael R. and Judy C. Luther and
Establishing The Chris Elton and Kathryn Townsley Luther Endowed Scholarship

WHEREAS, Michael R. Luther ‘67 and Judy C. Luther of Rancho Mirage, California, have made a generous gift of $25,000 to the Birmingham-Southern College Foundation for the establishment of The Chris Elton and Kathryn Townsley Luther Endowed Scholarship; and

WHEREAS, it is the desire of the donors that this endowment pay tribute to Michael’s parents, and that it benefit female and/or underrepresented minority students who are pursuing degrees in science, technology, engineering, or mathematics at the College; and

WHEREAS, Michael Robert Luther was born August 23, 1945, in Los Angeles, California, to Chris Elton Luther and Kathryn Townsley Luther and moved to Alabama at five years of age, where he was raised in Birmingham, and after his formative years, in which his parents provided a supportive environment that allowed the freedom to evolve while encouraging and supporting education, he enrolled at BSC; and

WHEREAS, he completed his undergraduate degree in mathematics on a basketball scholarship and was captain of the basketball team and a member of the baseball team, and after completing his studies on the Hilltop, he went on to complete his M.S. in Applied Mathematics at Auburn University on a teaching fellowship, which gave him a sense of independence and self-reliance; and

WHEREAS, Judy Connor Luther was born November 16, 1945, in Nashville, Tennessee, to Harry Joseph Connor and Rebecca Tabor Connor and moved to Alabama at 12 years of age, where she was raised in Birmingham, and she went on to complete three years of college in the University of Alabama System in fine arts, starting at the University of Alabama on a Scholastic Magazine Art Scholarship and then taking classes at both UAB and UAH before moving out of state; and

WHEREAS, Michael and Judy were married on August 27, 1966, in Birmingham and began their lives together in married housing on the BSC campus; and

WHEREAS, Michael entered the workforce in June 1969 just prior to the Apollo 11 moon landing and was thrilled to get a job working in the space program in Huntsville, Alabama, and over the course of his career, Michael spent 12 years in industry prior to his 32 years of government service with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA); and

WHEREAS, he joined NASA’s Langley Research Center in January 1981 for the development, launch, and early mission operations of a series of Earth remote sensing instruments, and after joining NASA Headquarters in 1987, Michael held various roles including Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite Program Manager, Earth Science Division Flight Program Director, Deputy Associate Administrator in the Office of Earth Science and Deputy Associate Administrator for Programs in the Science Mission Directorate before retiring from NASA in May 2013; and

WHEREAS, during his time at NASA, Michael earned Distinguished (2002) and Meritorious (1998) Presidential Rank Awards for his managerial and leadership skills and received the NASA Distinguished Service Medal (NASA’s highest honor) in 2013, the NASA Outstanding Leadership Medal in 2005, the NASA Exceptional Service Medal in 1992, and the NASA Medal for Exceptional Engineering Achievement in 1985; and

WHEREAS, an artist by training and vocation, Judy was employed by the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation for 10 years doing significant historical work to demonstrate that women worked as engravers in the silversmith shops in colonial times, and she went on to become a merchandise buyer for the Smithsonian Institution shops in Washington, D.C., and then a product development manager for the shops of the National Gallery of Art before retiring after 25 years of service; and

WHEREAS, in her retirement, Judy lends her expertise as a volunteer at the Palm Springs Art Museum in Palm Springs, California; and

WHEREAS, Michael’s father, Chris Elton Luther, was born January 26, 1918, and served in the U.S. Army’s occupation forces in Japan during World War II and earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of North Alabama and a master’s degree from Vanderbilt University’s George Peabody College of Education, now Vanderbilt University; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Lutheer retired after working as an agent with State Farm Insurance Companies for 40 years and passed away peacefully in Mobile, Alabama, on November 13, 2013, at the age of 95; and

 WHEREAS, Michael’s mother, Kathryn “Kay” Townsley Luther, was born January 26, 1924, in Cass County, North Dakota, and she was married to Chris Elton Luther on August 8, 1944, in California and moved to Alabama in 1950 with her husband and sons, Michael and Jeffery; and

WHEREAS, Mrs. Luther passed away at the age of 68 on June 3, 1992, in Jefferson County, Alabama; and

WHEREAS, in honor of the supportive, open-minded view of life and the importance of education instilled in Michael by his parents, Michael and Judy generously give the Chris Elton and Kathryn Townsley Luther Endowed Scholarship to show the importance of encouraging a liberal arts education that emphasizes broad systems-level thinking and individual obligations in our democracy, as well as addressing societal issues; and

WHEREAS, always faithful to the twin principles upon which BSC is founded, academic excellence and selfless service, the Luther family exhorts BSC to be ever-vigilant to protect and maintain the elements of a high-quality liberal arts education producing good citizens who lead lives of significance and impact their communities at large; and

WHEREAS, it is most fitting that this endowment pay tribute to Michael’s parents, whose way of raising him helped him become aware of the injustice and hypocrisy of segregation and racial inequality that he witnessed in Birmingham from the late 1950s through the 1960s and beyond; and

WHEREAS, in gifting a scholarship to a female and/or underrepresented minority student seeking a career in the STEM fields, which they have observed to be historically difficult to diversify, Michael and Judy seek to carry forward the legacy of Michael’s parents by promoting a broader perspective of the world and an increased acceptance of diversity both in STEM and on the Hilltop;

NOW BE IT RESOLVED that the Board of Trustee of Birmingham-Southern College hereby accepts with gratitude this generous gift from Michael Robert and Judy Connor Luther and herewith establishes the Chris Elton and Kathryn Townsley Luther Endowed Scholarship.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this endowment is confirmed as a permanent fund of the Birmingham-Southern College Foundation, to be managed with other funds as part of a pooled endowment fund under the provisions of the Foundation’s Investment Policy; and that the scholarship awards will be drawn from the income of this fund, leaving the principal intact.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this resolution will be entered into the official minutes of the Board of Trustees of Birmingham-Southern College, and that information about the Luther Family will be shared with recipients of this generous scholarship so they are inspired to achieve greatness on the Hilltop and beyond.

October 30, 2020

RESOLUTION

Expressing Appreciation to Michael R. and Judy C. Luther and
Establishing The Chris Elton and Kathryn Townsley Luther Endowed Scholarship

WHEREAS, Michael R. Luther ‘67 and Judy C. Luther of Rancho Mirage, California, have made a generous gift of $25,000 to the Birmingham-Southern College Foundation for the establishment of The Chris Elton and Kathryn Townsley Luther Endowed Scholarship; and

WHEREAS, it is the desire of the donors that this endowment pay tribute to Michael’s parents, and that it benefit female and/or underrepresented minority students who are pursuing degrees in science, technology, engineering, or mathematics at the College; and

WHEREAS, Michael Robert Luther was born August 23, 1945, in Los Angeles, California, to Chris Elton Luther and Kathryn Townsley Luther and moved to Alabama at five years of age, where he was raised in Birmingham, and after his formative years, in which his parents provided a supportive environment that allowed the freedom to evolve while encouraging and supporting education, he enrolled at BSC; and

WHEREAS, he completed his undergraduate degree in mathematics on a basketball scholarship and was captain of the basketball team and a member of the baseball team, and after completing his studies on the Hilltop, he went on to complete his M.S. in Applied Mathematics at Auburn University on a teaching fellowship, which gave him a sense of independence and self-reliance; and

WHEREAS, Judy Connor Luther was born November 16, 1945, in Nashville, Tennessee, to Harry Joseph Connor and Rebecca Tabor Connor and moved to Alabama at 12 years of age, where she was raised in Birmingham, and she went on to complete three years of college in the University of Alabama System in fine arts, starting at the University of Alabama on a Scholastic Magazine Art Scholarship and then taking classes at both UAB and UAH before moving out of state; and

WHEREAS, Michael and Judy were married on August 27, 1966, in Birmingham and began their lives together in married housing on the BSC campus; and

WHEREAS, Michael entered the workforce in June 1969 just prior to the Apollo 11 moon landing and was thrilled to get a job working in the space program in Huntsville, Alabama, and over the course of his career, Michael spent 12 years in industry prior to his 32 years of government service with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA); and

WHEREAS, he joined NASA’s Langley Research Center in January 1981 for the development, launch, and early mission operations of a series of Earth remote sensing instruments, and after joining NASA Headquarters in 1987, Michael held various roles including Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite Program Manager, Earth Science Division Flight Program Director, Deputy Associate Administrator in the Office of Earth Science and Deputy Associate Administrator for Programs in the Science Mission Directorate before retiring from NASA in May 2013; and

WHEREAS, during his time at NASA, Michael earned Distinguished (2002) and Meritorious (1998) Presidential Rank Awards for his managerial and leadership skills and received the NASA Distinguished Service Medal (NASA’s highest honor) in 2013, the NASA Outstanding Leadership Medal in 2005, the NASA Exceptional Service Medal in 1992, and the NASA Medal for Exceptional Engineering Achievement in 1985; and

WHEREAS, an artist by training and vocation, Judy was employed by the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation for 10 years doing significant historical work to demonstrate that women worked as engravers in the silversmith shops in colonial times, and she went on to become a merchandise buyer for the Smithsonian Institution shops in Washington, D.C., and then a product development manager for the shops of the National Gallery of Art before retiring after 25 years of service; and

WHEREAS, in her retirement, Judy lends her expertise as a volunteer at the Palm Springs Art Museum in Palm Springs, California; and

WHEREAS, Michael’s father, Chris Elton Luther, was born January 26, 1918, and served in the U.S. Army’s occupation forces in Japan during World War II and earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of North Alabama and a master’s degree from Vanderbilt University’s George Peabody College of Education, now Vanderbilt University; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Lutheer retired after working as an agent with State Farm Insurance Companies for 40 years and passed away peacefully in Mobile, Alabama, on November 13, 2013, at the age of 95; and

 WHEREAS, Michael’s mother, Kathryn “Kay” Townsley Luther, was born January 26, 1924, in Cass County, North Dakota, and she was married to Chris Elton Luther on August 8, 1944, in California and moved to Alabama in 1950 with her husband and sons, Michael and Jeffery; and

WHEREAS, Mrs. Luther passed away at the age of 68 on June 3, 1992, in Jefferson County, Alabama; and

WHEREAS, in honor of the supportive, open-minded view of life and the importance of education instilled in Michael by his parents, Michael and Judy generously give the Chris Elton and Kathryn Townsley Luther Endowed Scholarship to show the importance of encouraging a liberal arts education that emphasizes broad systems-level thinking and individual obligations in our democracy, as well as addressing societal issues; and

WHEREAS, always faithful to the twin principles upon which BSC is founded, academic excellence and selfless service, the Luther family exhorts BSC to be ever-vigilant to protect and maintain the elements of a high-quality liberal arts education producing good citizens who lead lives of significance and impact their communities at large; and

WHEREAS, it is most fitting that this endowment pay tribute to Michael’s parents, whose way of raising him helped him become aware of the injustice and hypocrisy of segregation and racial inequality that he witnessed in Birmingham from the late 1950s through the 1960s and beyond; and

WHEREAS, in gifting a scholarship to a female and/or underrepresented minority student seeking a career in the STEM fields, which they have observed to be historically difficult to diversify, Michael and Judy seek to carry forward the legacy of Michael’s parents by promoting a broader perspective of the world and an increased acceptance of diversity both in STEM and on the Hilltop;

NOW BE IT RESOLVED that the Board of Trustee of Birmingham-Southern College hereby accepts with gratitude this generous gift from Michael Robert and Judy Connor Luther and herewith establishes the Chris Elton and Kathryn Townsley Luther Endowed Scholarship.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this endowment is confirmed as a permanent fund of the Birmingham-Southern College Foundation, to be managed with other funds as part of a pooled endowment fund under the provisions of the Foundation’s Investment Policy; and that the scholarship awards will be drawn from the income of this fund, leaving the principal intact.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this resolution will be entered into the official minutes of the Board of Trustees of Birmingham-Southern College, and that information about the Luther Family will be shared with recipients of this generous scholarship so they are inspired to achieve greatness on the Hilltop and beyond.

RESOLUTION

Expressing Appreciation to the Malony and Davis Families for the

Establishment of the Amy Malony Samuels Endowed Scholarship and the

Grace and Harold Davis Endowed Scholarship 

WHEREAS, members of the Malony and Davis Families have been loyal and generous supporters of Birmingham-Southern College through endowment gifts and annual scholarship contributions; and 

WHEREAS, in 1969, Amy Malony Samuels contributed funds through her estate to establish the Amy Malony Samuels Endowed Scholarship to carry forward her belief in supporting students striving to achieve a higher education but who may not have the means to achieve their dream; and 

WHEREAS, Mrs. Samuels was a widowed schoolteacher who struggled to provide a college education for her son, H. Newton Malony, who was assisted by scholarship support and work-study aid, and following her son’s graduation from BSC, Mrs. Samuels carefully saved her money and, in an act of great generosity, created the Amy Malony Samuels Endowed Scholarship; and

WHEREAS, while at BSC, H. Newton Malony ‘52 was actively involved on the Hilltop as a member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon, and it is where he met his future wife, Suzanna Davis ’54, who was recognized for her academic accomplishments through induction to Phi Beta Kappa; and 

WHEREAS, after graduation, Dr. Malony attended Yale University, receiving his Master of Divinity in 1955, and then attended George Peabody College, now Vanderbilt University, where he obtained a Master of Science in 1961 and his Doctor of Philosophy in 1964 with a focus on psychology; and 

WHEREAS, after they were married, Mrs. Malony completed her Master of Science in 1969 at the University of Tennessee while Dr. Malony began his teaching career; and 

WHEREAS, it was in 1969 that Dr. Malony was recruited by the Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, California, where he served with distinction from 1969 until his retirement in 2015, rising through the academic ranks to ultimately become Senior Professor, and now Professor Emeritus, of Psychology and shaping and developing the School of Psychology along the way; and                                                                                                       

WHEREAS, Dr. Malony has had numerous research and academic publications, most notably Living with Paradox: Religious Leadership and the Genius of Double Vision, Psychology and the Cross: The Early History of Fuller Seminary’s School of Psychology, Whatever Happened to the Soul?, Christian Counseling: An Introduction; The Amazing John Wesley: An Unusual Look at an Uncommon Life, and Handbook of Religious Conversion, among others, and he is the subject matter of Toward a Christian Clinical Psychology: The Contributions of H. Newton Malony by Louis Hoffman, Ph.D.; and 

WHEREAS, Dr. and Mrs. Malony, together with their three sons, enjoyed their lives in Pasadena, but they never forgot their hometown or the Hilltop, providing gifts to enhance the scholarship established by Mrs. Samuels as well as contributions beginning in 2009 to support the Grace and Harold Davis Sponsored Scholarship in tribute to Mrs. Malony’s parents, for which a testamentary gift will endow the fund in perpetuity; and 

WHEREAS, Grace and Harold Davis were faculty members at Mountain Brook Junior High School for many years – he as a math teacher and administrator and she as an art teacher; and

WHEREAS, Grace Davis was an accomplished artist with paintings and sculptures displayed in Pelham and Columbiana, Alabama, as well as at Roosevelt Library in Hyde Park, New York, and she enjoyed working with clay, sculpting busts of the entire family that are still treasured by her grandsons; and 

WHEREAS, the Davis family lived on a farm in Coosa County, where Mrs. Davis raised boxwoods, some of which were donated to BSC and remain today, a number of which are on the grounds of the art department; and

WHEREAS, Grace and Harold Davis were tremendously proud when their daughter Suzanna received a scholarship to BSC, where she excelled both academically and personally; and

WHEREAS, in 2013, the College was honored to recognize Dr. Malony’s outstanding career achievements through the presentation of the Distinguished Alumni Award, for throughout his professional life he has carried forward the twin principles upon which BSC was founded – academic distinction and selfless service; and

WHEREAS, Dr. and Mrs. Malony set a tremendous example of excellence for their three children – Laurence Edward “Larz” Malony, who works for Pacific Seafood in Portland, Oregon; Allen Davis Malony, who is a professor of computer science at University of Oregon in Eugene; and Michael Newton Malony, who works for Del Monte Foods, Inc. in Springdale, Arkansas – as well as their six grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren; and

WHEREAS, the Hilltop family was saddened to learn of Mrs. Suzanna Davis Malony’s passing in September 2017, and she was fondly remembered at the annual memorial service at Yeilding Chapel; and

WHEREAS, Dr. and Mrs. Malony’s great-niece and great nephew are continuing the family’s tradition of academic pursuit as current students of the College, with Amy Casey as a rising junior biology major and recipient of the competitive Martha Ray and Paul Woodrow Burleson, M.D. Scholarship – a prestigious award covering full tuition for students planning to attend medical school – and Jake Casey as a rising senior urban environmental sciences major who is committed to caring for and preserving our critical natural resources; and

WHEREAS, it is the wish of the donors that these scholarships carry forward the shared commitment of the Malony and Davis families to education and to service through the support of others following in Dr. and Mrs. Malony’s footsteps here on the Hilltop; and

NOW BE IT RESOLVED that the Board of Trustees of Birmingham-Southern College hereby recognizes the longtime loyalty of the Malony and Davis families and herewith acknowledges with gratitude the past gifts to create and enhance the Amy Malony Samuels Endowed Scholarship and the ongoing support of annual awards and the future testamentary gift to endow the Grace and Harold Davis Scholarship.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Amy Malony Samuels Endowed Scholarship is confirmed as a permanent fund of Birmingham-Southern College and that, upon receipt of the testamentary gift, the Grace and Harold Davis Endowed Scholarship will be confirmed as a permanent fund of the Birmingham-Southern College Foundation, with both endowments to be managed with other funds as part of a pooled endowment fund under the provisions of the respective Investment Policy; and that the scholarship awards will be drawn from the income of the funds, leaving the principal intact.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this resolution will be entered into the official minutes of the Board of Trustees of Birmingham-Southern College, and that information about the Malony and Davis families will be shared with recipients of this generous scholarship, so they are inspired to lead lives of significance.

May 14, 2020

RESOLUTION

Expressing Appreciation to Wilmer Smith Poynor III and

Establishing the Poynor Family Endowed Scholarship 

WHEREAS, because of his foresight and his admiration for Birmingham-Southern College, Wilmer Smith Poynor III designated BSC as the beneficiary of a life insurance policy upon his passing, and the College has recently received $137,248 in proceeds from said policy in order to establish the Poynor Family Endowed Scholarship through the Birmingham-Southern College Foundation; and 

WHEREAS, Wilmer Smith Poynor III was born on August 11, 1938, in Birmingham, Alabama, to the late Helen Worrell Poynor and Wilmer Smith Poynor, Jr., and he attended Mountain Brook Elementary School and Indian Springs School before enrolling at the University of Alabama; and 

WHEREAS, Wilmer served with distinction in the United States Army Reserve Quartermaster Corps, rising to the rank of First Lieutenant prior to discharge; and 

WHEREAS, Wilmer joined New York Life Insurance Company in 1961, serving clients in the Greater Birmingham Area for 52 years, and he was active with the Birmingham Life Underwriting Association and the Birmingham Estate Planning Council, serving as president for the leadership boards of both organizations, and with one of his many career highlights including service as president of the Million Dollar Round Table in 1986; and 

WHEREAS, in addition to his professional activities, Wilmer was a member of the BSC Norton Board of Advisors, Leadership Birmingham, and the Monday Morning Quarterback Club, serving as its treasurer for 30 years, and shared his time, talents, and treasure with many other worthy organizations, including St. Vincent’s Hospital, United Way of Central Alabama, and the Alabama Symphony Orchestra, among others; and 

WHEREAS, Wilmer, together with his wife, Carol Perkins Poynor, was a member of St. Luke’s Episcopal Church and served as a Lay Administrator, Junior Warden of the Vestry, and as a member of the Finance Committee; and 

WHEREAS, the Hilltop family was saddened by Wilmer’s passing on January 2, 2020, and he leaves behind to cherish his memory his wife of 61 years, their three children – Helen Crabtree and husband Reaves; Wilmer Poynor IV and wife Elizabeth, and Ham Poynor and wife Kim – and eight grandchildren – Reaves Crabtree, Jr., and wife Caroline, John Crabtree and wife Mackenzie, Will Poynor V, Florence Poynor, Virginia Poynor, Mills Poynor, Cain Poynor, and Crawford Poynor; and 

WHEREAS, it is the donor’s wish that this scholarship will serve as a tribute to the entire Poynor family, and their tradition of philanthropy and service, and that it will continue their belief in helping others achieve; and 

NOW BE IT RESOLVED that the Board of Trustees of Birmingham-Southern College hereby expresses its appreciation to Wilmer Smith Poynor III for his loyal service and dedication and accepts with gratitude his generous gift, and herewith establishes the Poynor Family Endowed Scholarship. 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the endowment is confirmed as a permanent fund of the Birmingham-Southern College Foundation to be managed with other funds as part of a pooled endowment fund under the provisions of the Investment Policy; and that the scholarship awards will be drawn from the income of the funds, leaving the principal intact. 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this resolution will be entered into the official minutes of the Board of Trustees of Birmingham-Southern College, and that information about Poynor Family will be shared with recipients of this generous scholarship so they are inspired to lead lives of significance. 

May 14, 2020

RESOLUTION

Expressing Appreciation to Alabama Power Foundation and

Establishing the Susan and Dowd Ritter Endowed Scholarship 

WHEREAS, Alabama Power Foundation has made a generous gift of $50,000 to the Birmingham-Southern College Foundation to establish the Susan and Dowd Ritter Endowed Scholarship to commemorate the service of the company’s long-time board member, C. Dowd Ritter ‘69, and his wife Susan Burke Ritter ‘69; and 

WHEREAS, Claude Dowd Ritter, Jr., was born to Bessie Gunter Ritter and Claude Dowd Ritter, Sr., on August 13, 1947, in Birmingham, Alabama, and he graduated from Shades Valley High School in 1965; and 

WHEREAS, after high school, Dowd attended Birmingham-Southern College where he majored in economics and was named to Alpha Tau Omega, before receiving his bachelor’s degree in 1969, and during his time on the Hilltop, he met and fell in love with Susan Helene Burke; and 

WHEREAS, Susan majored in education at BSC and was named to Pi Beta Phi, and within weeks of their graduation, Susan and Dowd were married; and 

WHEREAS, Dowd began working for the First National Bank of Birmingham, later renamed AmSouth Bank, where he was quickly placed in the management training program, and he attended the School of Banking of the South at Louisiana State University; and 

WHEREAS, Dowd quickly rose through the ranks of the company, from manager of the Center Point branch in 1971 to supervisor of a group of branches in 1975, and then head of branch administration in 1978, and from that position he was promoted to Executive Vice President for Retail Banking in 1980 and Senior Executive Vice President, Trust Division, in 1988 before being elected to the Board of Directors in 1993; and 

WHEREAS, in 1996, he was named President and Chief Executive Officer, overseeing the restructuring of the bank and the merger of AmSouth with Regions Bank, becoming the Chief Executive Officer of the combined company in 2006; and 

WHEREAS, under his leadership, Regions Bank became Birmingham’s largest private employer and the city’s lone remaining Fortune 500 company; and 

WHEREAS, during his time at Regions and after his retirement in 2010, Dowd and Susan have maintained their involvement with civic and philanthropic organizations, carrying with them throughout their lives the twin principles upon which BSC was founded – academic excellence and selfless service; and 

WHEREAS, some of the many organizations they have served include Birmingham-Southern College – where Dowd served the Board of Trustees with a tenure as Chair of the Board, the Community Foundation of Greater Birmingham, Red Mountain Theatre Company, The Women’s Fund of Greater Birmingham -- where Susan served on the Board of Directors with a tenure as Chair of the Board, UAB Department of Ophthalmology, United Way of Central Alabama, and the YWCA of Central Alabama, and they have been incredibly generous to their community with their time, skills, and resources; and 

WHEREAS, it is the wish of Alabama Power Foundation to honor Susan and Dowd Ritter for the tremendous example of service excellence they have set with the establishment of an endowed scholarship that will assist others who follow in their footsteps here on the Hilltop; 

NOW BE IT RESOLVED that the Board of Trustees of Birmingham-Southern College hereby expresses its appreciation to Alabama Power Foundation and accepts with gratitude this generous gift, and herewith establishes the Susan and Dowd Ritter Endowed Scholarship. 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the endowment is confirmed as a permanent fund of the Birmingham-Southern College Foundation to be managed with other funds as part of a pooled endowment fund under the provisions of the Investment Policy; and that the scholarship awards will be drawn from the income of the funds, leaving the principal intact. 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this resolution will be entered into the official minutes of the Board of Trustees of Birmingham-Southern College, and that information about Susan and Dowd Ritter will be shared with recipients of this generous scholarship so they are inspired to lead lives of significance.

RESOLUTION

Expressing Appreciation to and Commemorating the Lives of

Ellie and Herb Sklenar 

WHEREAS, in July 2020, the faculty and staff of Birmingham-Southern College were saddened to learn of the passing of both Eleanor Lydia “Ellie” Sklenar and Herbert Anthony “Herb” Sklenar, long-time donors to and friends of Birmingham-Southern College who made transformational contributions to the College; and 

WHEREAS, Herb Sklenar was born in Omaha, Nebraska, on June 7, 1931, to Michael Joseph Sklenar and Alice Madeline Spicka Sklenar and was raised with six brothers and sisters on a small farm in Douglas County, Nebraska, where his formative years were spent in a one-room schoolhouse in which all eight grades were taught by one teacher; and 

WHEREAS, the name Sklenar connected Herb to his Czech cultural heritage which developed into a life-long exploration and celebration of his Czech heritage; and 

WHEREAS, after his parents moved, Herb attended Rosehill Grade School, graduated from Benson High School in 1948, and entered The Municipal University of Omaha – now The University of Nebraska at Omaha – where he was elected to Phi Beta Sigma, Phi Kappa Phi, Omicron Delta Kappa, Delta Sigma Pi, and the varsity basketball “O” Club, and graduated in 1952 summa cum laude with a bachelor’s in business administration with distinction in accounting; and 

WHEREAS, Herb spent the next two years at Harvard University, earning his Master’s in Business Administration before being drafted into the United States Army in August 1954, and he served our country as a member of the Army Audit Agency in St. Louis, Missouri, where he became involved with the Anchor Youth Group at Westminster Presbyterian Church; and 

WHEREAS, he met and fell in love with Eleanor Lydia Vincenz, daughter of Paul and Irene Vincenz who was born on November 2, 1931, who spent her youth in St. Louis, and who also was a member of the Anchor Youth Group, and they were joined in married at Westminster Presbyterian in September 1956; and

WHEREAS, Ellie and Herb settled in Parkersburg, West Virginia, and lived in Boise, Idaho, and Scottsdale, Arizona, before making Birmingham their home in June 1972, when Herb accepted the position of Vice President of Finance for Vulcan Materials Company, and they raised two daughters, Susan Sklenar and Patricia “Tisha” Morris, for whom they set a tremendous example of service and philanthropy; and 

WHEREAS, during Herb's 25-year career at Vulcan, his job responsibilities increased five times, culminating with the title Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, a position in which he remained until his retirement in 1997, upon which he was named Chairman of the Board Emeritus; and 

WHEREAS, Herb was a member of the Board of Distinguished Advisors of The American Committees on Foreign Relations and the National Advisory Board of the National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library, and two of Herb's most gratifying involvements were as leader of the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute's initial corporate capital campaign, and executive vice president and director of the State of Alabama Management Improvement Program; and  

WHEREAS, Herb served as a member of the Board of Trustees of the College and also was chairman for part of his tenure, and he and Ellie loved the Hilltop and believed wholeheartedly in the liberal arts education provided by the College, so they established the Ellie and Herb Sklenar International Endowment Fund in 2006, which created The Sklenar Center for International Programs; and 

WHEREAS, the support provided by Herb and Ellie Sklenar has sustained BSC’s international education initiatives, including study abroad, overseas internships, faculty and staff international opportunities through Fulbright and other travel grants, as well as global engagement initiatives on campus that highlight people, cultures, languages, and global issues; and

WHEREAS, Herb and Ellie enhanced the global opportunities for BSC, and they will continue to do so far into the future through their visionary estate donations to bolster the endowment for continued support of the College and its community; and 

WHEREAS, Ellie was an immediate friend to all she met with a fun-loving and giving spirit and infectious laugh who enjoyed reading, gardening, bridge, tennis, the arts, and her friends, and Herb was admired for his intellect, integrity, and commitment to “doing the right things in the right way,” characteristics shaped by his broad experiences in the business world and in numerous community organizations; and 

WHEREAS, Herb and Ellie loved to travel, both domestically and abroad, and believing in the affects that travel can have on an individual, their commitment to the Hilltop will ensure that, in addition to those already touched by their generosity, countless more will continue to enjoy transformational experiences while studying at BSC; 

NOW BE IT RESOLVED that the Board of Trustees hereby expresses its profound gratitude for the tremendous commitment to and impact on Birmingham-Southern College by Herb and Ellie Sklenar, paying tribute to the lifetime of service they shared, and herewith recognizes the establishment of the Herb and Ellie Sklenar International Endowment Fund and The Sklenar Center for International Programs at Birmingham-Southern College. 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this resolution will be entered into the official minutes of the Board of Trustees and that information about Herb and Ellie Sklenar will be shared with recipients of their generosity so they are inspired to lead lives of significance.

RESOLUTION

Expressing Appreciation to Betty Jane and Larry Taylor and

Establishing The David F. Taylor and Stella Taylor Bergan Endowed Travel Award

WHEREAS, Betty Jane and Larry Taylor of Nashville, Tennessee, have made a generous gift of $50,000 to Birmingham-Southern College for the establishment of The David F. Taylor and Stella Taylor Bergan Endowed Travel Award; and 

WHEREAS, it is the desire of the donors that this endowment pay tribute to their children and to the education they both received at BSC, and that it support students who want to study away and who may not otherwise have the opportunity without financial support; and                                                                 

WHEREAS, Larry Jerome Taylor was born August 7, 1930, in Rockwell, North Carolina, to Leona Mesimer Taylor and Gurley Franklin Taylor, and after his formative years, he completed his undergraduate degree on athletic scholarship at Catawba College, where he is an inductee in the Athletic Hall of Fame, and went on to obtain his master’s degree in physical education at Peabody College, now a part of Vanderbilt University; and 

WHEREAS, Betty Jane Maples was born November 3, 1938, in Nashville, Tennessee, to Stella Hite Maples and David Gilbert Maples, Jr., and she attended Peabody College, obtaining her bachelor’s degree in elementary education; and 

WHEREAS, Larry met Betty Jane on a blind date, and after a courtship, they were married on December 22, 1961, in Nashville; and 

WHEREAS, Larry began his career as a professional baseball player and played in the minor leagues before joining Berry College, where for 14 years he coached baseball and basketball and was a faculty member of the physical education department, and after his time coaching, he worked for a division of Progressive Farmer and Reader’s Digest magazines focused on fundraising for schools; and 

WHEREAS, Betty Jane taught elementary school until their first child was born, after which she devoted herself full time to creating a loving and happy home for the family until her children were older, when she returned to work at Vanderbilt University as a career services advisor for both MBA and undergraduate students, serving the university and its students for 22 years; and 

WHEREAS, together, Betty Jane and Larry are actively involved in their community, where they are members of Belmont United Methodist Church, and several charitable organizations, among which include Berry College, where they have established an endowed scholarship; The National Commodore Club of Vanderbilt University, as well as its Oakleaf Society recognizing their years of support; Luke 14:12, an organization that feeds homeless people; and Meals on Wheels, where they personally deliver to those who need it most; and 

WHEREAS, their first child, David Franklin Taylor, was born on March 16, 1964, and he attended BSC where he earned his bachelor’s degree in mathematics in 1986 and interned for then President Neal R. Berte before attending The Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania; and 

WHEREAS, David is a successful entrepreneur in the hospitality industry in Nashville, where he lives with his spouse, Michael Ward, a partner with Allard Ward, a Nashville-based architecture firm, and is father to Sachi who lives with her mothers in Atlanta, and David also is a community leader, a gifted potter, and a patron of the arts; and

WHEREAS, Stella Taylor Bergan was born in October 13, 1966, and she also attended BSC where she majored in both business and psychology and graduated in 1989, and she furthered her education at the University of Virginia where she earned her master’s degree in counseling psychology; and 

WHEREAS, Stella settled in the California Bay Area in Portola Valley where she is a personal trainer and life coach and where she lives with her spouse, Brent Bergan, a co-founder and partner of Global Mobility Tax; and their four children, Natalie, Matthew, Ethan, and Caroline; and 

WHEREAS, Betty Jane and Larry have set a tremendous example of excellence in education, service, and philanthropy for their children and grandchildren to follow, and they feel BSC provided their children with a superior liberal arts education, as well as a home away from home, that allowed them to both flourish and succeed; and 

WHEREAS, it is most fitting that this endowment pay tribute to their children while helping other students have the transformational educational experience of studying away, resulting in exposure to other countries and cultures, a broader perspective on life, a greater maturity, and an increased acceptance of diversity – all strengths carried forward by their children, and now others who follow in their footsteps here on the Hilltop; 

NOW BE IT RESOLVED that the Board of Trustees of Birmingham-Southern College hereby accepts with gratitude this generous gift from Betty Jane and Larry Taylor and herewith establishes the David F. Taylor and Stella Taylor Bergan Endowed Travel Award. 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this endowment is confirmed as a permanent fund of the Birmingham-Southern College Foundation, to be managed with other funds as part of a pooled endowment fund under the provisions of the Foundation’s Investment Policy; and that the scholarship awards will be drawn from the income of this fund, leaving the principal intact. 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this resolution will be entered into the official minutes of the Board of Trustees of Birmingham-Southern College, and that information about the Taylor Family will be shared with recipients of this generous scholarship so they are inspired to lead lives of significance. 

February 28, 2020

RESOLUTION

Expressing Gratitude to the Family of Barbara Fenn Kirby

and Confirming The Barbara Fenn Kirby Endowed Scholarship 

WHEREAS, the Barbara Fenn Kirby Scholarship was established in 1985 at Birmingham-Southern College by Mrs. Kirby’s beloved husband, Taylor H. Kirby, Jr., M.D.; and 

WHEREAS, a bequest of $50,000 has been received by the College to augment the principal of the endowed scholarship; and 

WHEREAS, Barbara Gail Fenn Kirby was born on January 28, 1933, to Flo and James Fenn of Birmingham, and graduated from Howard College, now Samford University, in 1954 with a bachelor’s degree in music; and 

WHEREAS, Taylor Herman Kirby, Jr., was born in Birmingham on August 20, 1928, to Taylor H. Kirby Sr., and Lucretia Owen Hope, graduating from BSC in 1949 before earning a degree in medicine and serving as a captain in the U.S. Army; and 

WHEREAS, the couple were married on November 26, 1954, and lived for several years in Paris and in Oxford, England, before settling in Gainesville, Florida, where he practiced medicine and she made a loving home for their three daughters, Evelyn Kirby Jones, Elizabeth Kirby Kendrick and Susan Kirby Geiger, who are the parents of their six grandchildren, Daniel, Evan, Ryan, Chelsea, Connor and Sarah; and 

WHEREAS, the Kirbys were devoted to their church, First United Methodist Church of Gainesville, where she taught Sunday School and served as assistant organist, and she also taught piano lessons and was involved with local, state and national music teacher and organist societies; and 

WHEREAS, Dr. Kirby honored his wife and her gift for music through the establishment of the Barbara Fenn Kirby Endowed Scholarship, which is designated for students majoring in music; and 

WHEREAS, Dr. Kirby passed away on May 17, 2006, and Mrs. Kirby passed away on March 29, 2019, leaving a generous bequest to the College for the scholarship in her name; and 

WHEREAS, the Barbara Fenn Kirby Endowed Scholarship continues to make a powerful and lasting impact on the lives of the students who continue to benefit from the Kirbys’ generosity; and 

WHEREAS, the College’s Board of Trustees wishes to pay special tribute to the Kirby family’s long and multigenerational history with BSC over the last century, including (but not limited to) Dr. Kirby’s father, Taylor Herman Kirby, Sr. ‘24; his aunts, Malinda Mae “Madie” Kirby Mason ’31 and Alma Pauline Kirby Beason ’32; his uncles, former Trustee Otis Edgar Kirby, Sr. ’24, Lelias Eugene Kirby, Sr. ’25 and Joseph L. Kirby, Sr. ’39; cousins Otis Edgar Kirby, Jr. ’58 and Lelias Eugene Kirby, Jr. ‘61; sisters, Hope Kirby Patton ’51, Sarah Lee Kirby Phillips ’55 and Louise Kirby Wall ’62; brothers-in-law, G. Thomas Patton ’49 and Benjamin R. Wall ’64; daughter Elizabeth Kirby Kendrick ’82 and son-in-law Timothy E. Kendrick ’80; nephew Benjamin R. Wall ’92; and granddaughter Chelsea Elizabeth Kendrick Ramsey ’14; 

NOW BE IT RESOLVED that the Board of Trustees of Birmingham-Southern College hereby accepts with gratitude this generous bequest of $50,000 from the estate of Barbara Fenn Kirby, to be added to the principal of the Barbara Fenn Kirby Endowed Scholarship. 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this endowment is confirmed as a permanent fund of the College, managed with other funds as part of the College’s Pooled Endowment Fund under the provisions of the College’s Investment Policy; and that the scholarship awards will be drawn from the income of this fund, leaving the principal intact. 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this resolution will be entered into the official minutes of the Board of Trustees of Birmingham-Southern College, and that information about Barbara Fenn Kirby, Taylor J. Kirby, Jr., and their family will be shared with recipients of this generous scholarship so they are inspired to lead lives of significance. 

November 1, 2019

Resolution

Recognizing the Generosity of Robert B. Callahan, Sr., and Virginia C. Callahan

in the Establishment of the Churchill Archive and Churchill Seminar Room

at Birmingham-Southern College 

WHEREAS, Virginia C. Callahan and Robert B. Callahan, Sr., of Point Clear, Alabama, have made generous commitments totaling $58,000 to Birmingham-Southern College to support the development of the Churchill Archive and Churchill Seminar Room; and 

WHEREAS, these gifts were used to support the acquisition of the digitized version of the Churchill Papers – more than 800,000 pages of primary source material related to the life and work of Sir Winston Churchill – as well as the renovation and furnishing of a room in the Rush Learning Center to house the archive and provide a space for its use by students, faculty, and visiting scholars; and 

WHEREAS, in addition, Mr. and Mrs. Callahan arranged a connection between BSC and the Churchill Archive Centre at the University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom; and 

WHEREAS, this project will have a lasting impact, not only on BSC and its faculty and students, but also on the city, state, and region, as BSC is one of only two colleges or universities in the South, and a mere 20 in the country, with access to this material which will allow historians from throughout the Southeast to expand their research and knowledge; and 

WHEREAS, every BSC student will be able to work first-hand with primary sources, reading the same intelligence and government documents that came across Churchill’s desk, and the Churchill scholars who will necessarily be coming to BSC for research will be encouraged to meet with our students and deliver guest lectures; and 

WHEREAS, Mr. Callahan attended BSC, where he played on the basketball team and was a member of Kappa Alpha fraternity, graduating with his bachelor’s degree in history in 1950, and while in college, he met his future wife, Virginia Crider, on a blind date on Halloween in 1946; and                                                                                                                                                                         

WHEREAS, Mr. and Mrs. Callahan, known to all as Bob and Ginger, courted under an oak tree that once faced Munger Hall; married in 1948, and in July 2018 celebrated 70 years of marriage with their four children, nine grandchildren, and 18 great-grandchildren; and 

WHEREAS, their loyalty to BSC has been demonstrated by their pattern of giving to the College over the years, including the establishment of the Virginia C. and Robert B. Callahan Endowed Scholarship in 1996; and 

WHEREAS, Mr. Callahan’s love for history has been a lifelong passion, and after writing to Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, they developed a long-lasting personal friendship that lasted until her passing; and 

WHEREAS, it was through this association that Mr. Callahan was able to create a collaboration between the Churchill Archive Centre and BSC, and thanks to this incredible and priceless gift, both BSC and Birmingham were fortunate to have distinguished guests, Allen Packwood, BA, MPhil (Cantab), FRHistS, Fellow of Churchill College and Director of the Churchill Archives Centre, and Duncan Sandys, great-great-grandson of Sir Winston Churchill, to help celebrate the dedication of the Churchill Seminar Room and Churchill Archive at BSC; and 

WHEREAS, during their visit, Mr. Packwood interacted with the British Studies students of Dr. V. Markham Lester, W. Michael Atchison Professor of History and Law; and 

WHEREAS, without the inspiration and substantial involvement of Mr. and Mrs. Callahan, the Churchill Seminar Room and Churchill Archive at BSC would not have been possible; 

NOW BE IT RESOLVED that the Board of Trustees of Birmingham-Southern College hereby recognizes with deepest appreciation the support provided by Ginger and Bob Callahan and the exceptional gift and distinguished honor of being one of few institutions with access to the life and work of Sir Winston Churchill. 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this resolution will be entered into the official minutes of the Board of Trustees of Birmingham-Southern College, so the impact of the Callahans’ gift may be permanently noted so that their lives may continue to inspire future generations to lead lives of significance.

RESOLUTION

Establishing the Billy Ware and Martha Ann Galloway Ware Endowed Scholarship 

WHEREAS, in 2001, Clarence E. “Billy” Ware and his wife, Martha Ann Galloway Ware, made a generous gift to Birmingham-Southern College to fund an endowed scholarship; and 

WHEREAS, the family has made an additional gift of $5,000 from the estate of Mr. Ware to augment the principal of the endowed scholarship; and 

WHEREAS, Clarence E. “Billy” Ware was born on August 31, 1929, in Detroit, Michigan, but was raised in Minooka, a small community in Chilton County, Alabama, where he was a standout athlete at Calera High School before enrolling at Birmingham-Southern College, where he played varsity basketball and baseball, joined Alpha Tau Omega fraternity and majored in business administration; and 

WHEREAS, on the Hilltop, he met Martha Ann Galloway, a mathematics major from Birmingham who served as president of Pi Beta Phi fraternity for women and as vice president of Mortar Board before graduating in 1952, and whom he married in December 1952 when he was able to get a few days’ leave from the U.S. Air Force, which he had entered after his own graduation in 1951; and 

WHEREAS, after his service in the U.S. Air Force, the couple settled in Birmingham, where he served as vice president at T. M. Burgin Demolition Company and she taught second grade, then algebra and geometry in the Vestavia Hills School System, becoming a member of Alpha Delta Kappa honorary society for women educators; and 

WHEREAS, the Wares – whose talents and personalities were a perfect complement to one another – approached every endeavor as a team effort, including their deep devotion to their church, Trinity United Methodist Church in Homewood, where they taught the Friendship Sunday School, with Billy leading the lessons and Martha Ann coordinating the social activities, and where they served in multiple leadership roles, including implementing Cross Training, an after-school program for middle-school students, while also supporting many worthy causes such as Meals on Wheels and Alabama Ministries, which Billy served as treasurer for many years; and 

WHEREAS, the Wares’ ardent support of the College has never wavered, as demonstrated by their frequent presence at Hilltop events, their membership in the Black Tie Club, and their steadfast history to Pi Beta Phi, Alpha Tau Omega, various scholarships in addition to their own, and their faithful purchase of BSC license plates, which also benefits scholarships; and 

WHEREAS, Mr. Ware’s outstanding contributions to BSC Athletics were recognized in 1994 when he was inducted into the BSC Sports Hall of Fame, and Mrs. Ware remains an active presence in BSC life through her close relationships to her Pi Beta Phi sisters and many other close friends from the couple’s college days; and 

WHEREAS, Mr. Ware passed away on January 25, 2018, survived by his loving wife of 65 years, their three children, William Galloway Ware, Helen Annette Ware Burgin, and Virginia Elizabeth Ware Walker and their spouses, 10 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren; and 

WHEREAS, the family now wishes to continue their support of the College through the additional gift to the scholarship established nearly two decades ago, and to add Mrs. Ware’s name to the fund, which will now support students majoring in business or mathematics, the two disciplines in which they majored; and 

WHEREAS, the Billy Ware and Martha Ann Galloway Ware Endowed Scholarship will continue to make a powerful and lasting impact on the lives of the students who continue to benefit from the Wares’ generosity; 

NOW BE IT RESOLVED that the Board of Trustees of Birmingham-Southern College hereby accepts with gratitude the gift of $5,000 from the estate of Clarence E. “Billy” Ware, and agrees to rename the scholarship as the Billy Ware and Martha Ann Galloway Ware Endowed Scholarship. 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this endowment is confirmed as a permanent fund of the College, managed with other funds as part of the College’s Pooled Endowment Fund under the provisions of the College’s Investment Policy; and that the scholarship awards will be drawn from the income of this fund, leaving the principal intact. 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this resolution will be entered into the official minutes of the Board of Trustees of Birmingham-Southern College, and that information about Billy and Martha Ann Galloway Ware will be shared with recipients of this generous scholarship so they are inspired to lead lives of significance. 

November 1, 2019

RESOLUTION

Establishing The W. B. “Pete” and Sophia M. Clifford Memorial Endowed Scholarship 

WHEREAS, the family of The Reverend Wesley Bryant “Pete” Clifford, together with The Independent Methodist Church of Huffman, gave gifts totaling $25,600 in 2014 to Birmingham-Southern College (BSC) to establish the Wesley Bryant “Pete” Clifford Endowed Scholarship for students who have excelled academically and have financial need; and 

WHEREAS, having his time at Birmingham-Southern interrupted by the Korean War, Pete returned on the G.I. Bill, completing his bachelor’s degree in history and biology from BSC, and later his master’s degree in theology from Emory University; and 

WHEREAS, Pete believed that without the benefit provided by the G.I. Bill his education and a career in service to others would not have been possible, and as a minister, a teacher, and a leader in the community, it was Pete's desire to ensure that those in need are provided the necessary resources and a learning environment in which to succeed; and 

WHEREAS, with the spirit of Pete in mind, his family, and the Church he presided over for more than 40 years, until his passing in 2013, endowed this scholarship to enable students at BSC who demonstrate financial need the opportunity to attend the college and have their world view shaped in a similar way to Pete; and 

WHEREAS, in February 2019, the college was saddened to learn of the passing of Pete’s wife, Sophia Ann Mize Clifford, and the children of The Reverend and Mrs. Clifford requested the addition of Sophia’s name to the scholarship and directed all memorial gifts to the fund; and 

WHEREAS, Sophia Ann Mize Clifford wed the one true love of her life, Pete Clifford, on August 2nd, 1952, at Central Park Methodist Church in Birmingham, Alabama, and they were married for 61 wonderful years and set a tremendous example of excellence for their four children, as well as their 10 grandchildren and three great-grandchildren, to follow; and 

WHEREAS, Sophia graduated from Birmingham Southern College, where she was a member of Alpha Omega Pi and received her bachelor’s degree in chemistry while also minoring in music, and she later obtained a master's degree from the University of Georgia, after which she taught high school physics and chemistry for 50 years – chairing the science department at The Altamont School and later teaching chemistry at Jefferson State Community College until the age of 85; and 

WHEREAS, Sophia also was an avid musician, and she was regularly the church organist, taught piano, instructed the church youth choir, played the harp, and began studying the cello in her early 80s – a love of music that she shared with all her children and grandchildren, many of whom continue to play today; and 

WHEREAS, Sophia also was a scientist and conducted research in protein crystallography under the direction of Dr. Larry DeLucas, and as an avid fan of the space program, she was selected and trained as one of the two NASA Teacher in Space program representatives from Alabama; and 

WHEREAS, this endowed scholarship will be a fitting tribute to Sophia and Pete Clifford, as it will provide support to meritorious students studying religion, music, and/or chemistry who have demonstrated financial need; 

NOW BE IT RESOLVED that the Board of Trustees of Birmingham-Southern College hereby accepts with gratitude the generous gifts to create this scholarship and the additional gifts in memory of Sophia Mize Clifford, and formally establishes The W. B. “Pete” and Sophia M. Clifford Endowed Scholarship; 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this endowment will be established as a permanent fund of the College; that it will be managed with other funds as part of the College’s Pooled Endowment Fund under the provisions of the College’s Investment Policy; and that the scholarship awards will be drawn from the income of this fund, leaving the principal intact; 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this resolution will be entered into the official minutes of the Board of Trustees of Birmingham-Southern College, and that information about The Reverend and Mrs. Clifford will be shared with recipients of these generous scholarships so they are inspired to lead lives of significance. 

May 17, 2019

RESOLUTION

Establishing the Crawford and Bette Owen Endowed Seminary Award 

WHEREAS, in 2013, members of the Crawford Owen Sunday School Class at Canterbury United Methodist Church contributed funds to establish an endowed seminary award at Birmingham-Southern College in honor of their longtime teacher, Dr. Walter Crawford Owen, Jr.; and 

WHEREAS, upon the passing of Dr. Owen’s beloved wife, Elizabeth Reed Owen, the class wishes to honor her memory by adding her name to the endowed award; and 

WHEREAS, Elizabeth “Bette” Reed was born on April 25, 1942, in Birmingham, where she lived her entire life, attending Randolph-Macon Women’s College and graduating from the University of Alabama, where she was a member of Delta Delta Delta sorority and earned degrees in mathematics and biology; and 

WHEREAS, Walter Crawford Owen, Jr., was born on March 5, 1938, in Gulfport, Mississippi, graduating from the University of Mississippi, where he earned his medical degree before moving to Birmingham for a medical internship at what is now the School of Medicine at UAB, and serving as commander of the U.S. Naval Hospital in San Diego, California; and 

WHEREAS, the couple married in 1968 and settled in Birmingham, where he specialized in internal medicine and endocrinology and she made a loving home for their three children, Kate Owen Kennedy, Mary Crawford Taylor and Elizabeth Owen Walker, a 1992 BSC graduate, while also teaching high school mathematics, tutoring countless students, and volunteering with the Junior League of Birmingham, the Service Guild, her children’s schools, Girl Scouts and the Linly Heflin Unit; and 

WHEREAS, the Owens were deeply devoted to Canterbury United Methodist Church, where he taught Sunday School for more than 40 years, and where she chaired the altar guild and led a women’s Bible study for more than 20 years; and 

WHEREAS, throughout a busy life, the Owens found their greatest joy in their family, which expanded to include 10 grandchildren; and 

WHEREAS, Mrs. Owen passed away on April 6, 2019, survived by her loving husband of 51 years, their children and grandchildren, and many dear friends; and 

WHEREAS, the Crawford Owen Class at Canterbury United Methodist Church wishes to continue their support of the College through additional gifts to the award established in 2013, and to add Mrs. Owen’s name to the fund, which support a senior student who has been accepted to a seminary affiliated with the United Methodist Church; and 

WHEREAS, the Crawford and Bette Owen Endowed Seminary Award will continue to make a powerful and lasting impact on the lives of the students who continue to benefit from their example; 

NOW BE IT RESOLVED that the Board of Trustees of Birmingham-Southern College hereby formally establishes the Crawford and Bette Endowed Seminary Award, and extends its gratitude to the members of the Crawford Owen Sunday School Class for their generosity to the College. 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this endowment is confirmed as a permanent fund of the College, managed with other funds as part of the College’s Pooled Endowment Fund under the provisions of the College’s Investment Policy; that the Trustees may elect to move the fund into the Birmingham-Southern College Foundation to ensure preservation of principal; and that the scholarship awards will be drawn from the income of this fund, leaving the principal intact. 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this resolution will be entered into the official minutes of the Board of Trustees of Birmingham-Southern College, and that information about W. Crawford Owen and Bette Reed Owen will be shared with recipients of this generous scholarship so they are inspired to lead lives of significance. 

November 1, 2019

RESOLUTION

Establishing the D’Anne McCoy Endowed Scholarship and Expressing Appreciation

for Gifts to Support Sponsored Scholarships and the Forward Ever Fund 

WHEREAS, Dorothy Hayden Maura McCoy provided generous resources to Birmingham-Southern College through a series of Charitable Gift Annuities she had established over many years; and 

WHEREAS, it was Mrs. McCoy’s intent to support the College as a tribute to her late husband, Dr. Walter Clayton McCoy; and 

WHEREAS, Dr. McCoy was born in 1913, completed his bachelor’s degree in mathematics at Birmingham-Southern College in 1933, where he was a member of Alpha Tau Omega, then taught school in Cullman County for three years before graduating from Tulane University School of Medicine in 1940; and 

WHEREAS, after serving in the U.S. Army Medical Corps during World War II, where he attained the rank of Major, Dr. McCoy practiced internal medicine in Birmingham for more than 40 years, serving on the staffs of South Highland Infirmary, Brookwood Hospital, Baptist Medical Center Montclair, UAB (where he served on the teaching staff) and St. Vincent’s Hospital (where he was president of the medical staff); and 

WHEREAS, throughout his distinguished career, he found time to contribute to his profession and community, serving on the vestry and as senior warden at All Saints Episcopal Church, where his mother had been a founding member, and to enjoy his avocations, which included sculpting, fishing and calling friends and patients on their birthdays; and 

WHEREAS, after attempting to retire, Dr. McCoy continued to work well into his 90s, including two days each week as medical director at Plasma Care, visiting members of his church who were hospitalized, and seeing friends at St. Martin’s in the Pines retirement center; and 

WHEREAS, known to her friends and family as D’Anne, Dorothy Hayden Maura McCoy was born on January 17, 1922, in Birmingham, where she lived her entire life, graduating from Ramsey High School and attending Howard College, now Samford University; and 

WHEREAS, after the death of her first husband, John Dunklin Maura, she married Dr. McCoy in 1978, enjoying a 35-year marriage that included traveling, enjoying their blended family, and supporting the arts, health care and higher education; and 

WHEREAS, Dr. McCoy passed away on March 31, 2013, and Mrs. McCoy passed away on July 12, 2019; and 

WHEREAS, upon her passing, the College received funds from Mrs. McCoy’s Charitable Gift Annuities totaling $277,125, with $100,000 to be used to establish the D’Anne McCoy Endowed Scholarship, $20,000 to fund a sponsored scholarship for four years while the endowment builds; and with the balance moving into the College’s Forward Ever Fund; 

NOW BE IT RESOLVED that the Board of Trustees of Birmingham-Southern College hereby accepts with gratitude this generous provision of $277,125 from Dorothy Hayden Maura McCoy, to establish the endowed scholarship, and support current-use scholarships over four years while the endowment builds, and support the Forward Ever Fund. 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the D’Anne McCoy Endowed Scholarship will be a permanent fund of the College; that the Trustees may elect to move it into the Birmingham-Southern College Foundation to ensure the preservation of principal and prudent management; and that the endowed scholarship awards will be drawn from the income of this fund, leaving the principal intact. 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this resolution will be entered into the official minutes of the Board of Trustees of Birmingham-Southern College, and that information about Dr. Walter Clayton McCoy and Dorothy Hayden Maura McCoy will be shared with recipients of this generous scholarship so they are inspired to lead lives of significance. 

November 1, 2019

Resolution

Establishing The Bill Dawson Endowed Scholarship

WHEREAS, Mr. William M. “Bill” Dawson, Jr., has made a generous commitment of $100,000 to establish The Bill Dawson Endowed Scholarship at Birmingham-Southern College to support students outside of the religion major who have demonstrated financial need; and 

WHEREAS, Mr. Dawson was born in Birmingham in 1944 to Sara J. Dawson and William M. Dawson, Sr., a steel worker, and he grew up four blocks from BSC, attended Ensley High School, and worked and paid his way through college and law school, graduating from BSC in 1966 with a bachelor’s degree in economics and from The University of Alabama Hugh F. Culverhouse, Jr. School of Law in 1969; and 

WHEREAS, he practiced law for 50 years, primarily handling criminal and civil rights cases and primarily representing poor people and public employee unions, trying hundreds of jury trials in both state and federal courts, numerous class action cases involving voting rights, police misconduct, First Amendment and due process violations, jail conditions, private probation company abuses, employment discrimination, and economic discrimination in public assistance and in court practices; and 

WHEREAS, he received the Lifetime Achievement Award of the Birmingham Bar Association, was a founding member of the Alabama Criminal Defense Lawyers Association, a recipient of the Roderick Beddow Award, and was elected to the Executive Committee of the Birmingham Bar Association; and 

WHEREAS, he has been a life-long Democrat, being elected four times to the State Democratic Executive Committee; and 

WHEREAS, Mr. Dawson is well renowned for his work in criminal law, labor and employment, personal injury, and most especially, civil rights, and he has dedicated his life to serving those in greatest need; and 

WHEREAS, a loyal alumnus, Mr. Dawson has given gifts annually to the college for 10 consecutive years, supporting various initiatives on campus as well as the Forward Ever Fund, and it is his wish that this scholarship provide the assistance needed for someone who might not otherwise be able to attend BSC, who is facing financial hardship, and who has overcome such obstacles to be able to pursue a degree; and                                                                                   

WHEREAS, this scholarship will have an enduring effect on its recipients, allowing them to walk in Mr. Dawson’s footsteps on the Hilltop and to go on to positively affect the communities in which they live and work; 

NOW BE IT RESOLVED that the Board of Trustees of Birmingham-Southern College hereby accepts with gratitude this generous commitment of $25,000 from Mr. William M. Dawson, Jr., and formally establishes The Bill Dawson Endowed Scholarship. 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this endowment will be established as a permanent fund of the College; that it will be managed with other funds as part of the College’s Pooled Endowment Fund under the provisions of the College’s Investment Policy; and that the scholarship awards will be drawn from the income of this fund, leaving the principal intact. 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this resolution will be entered into the official minutes of the Board of Trustees of Birmingham-Southern College, and that information about William M. Dawson, Jr., will be shared with recipients of these generous scholarships so that their lives may continue to inspire future generations to lead lives of significance.

RESOLUTION

Establishing The George and Betty Likis Endowed Scholarship 

WHEREAS, Elizabeth “Betty” Hight Likis and George Milton Likis have made generous gifts totaling $39,111 to Birmingham-Southern College to establish The George and Betty Likis Endowed Scholarship; and 

WHEREAS, it is the donors’ wish that this scholarship be used to support students with financial need with preference to African-American students who have attended public high school; and                                                                                                                                            

WHEREAS, George and Betty met at Birmingham-Southern College, where they both received their degrees in 1965 in history/political science and education, respectively; and 

WHEREAS, after teaching elementary school for three years, Betty devoted her life to providing a loving home for their family, George spent his career in the financial services industry, holding advisor roles at Davis, Likis, Ingram & Tucker Financial, LLC; Princor Financial Services Corporation; Principal Life Insurance Company; and Davis, Likis Financial, LLC, where he was an investment advisor for Principal Securities, Inc.; and 

WHEREAS, with nearly four decades of experience, George was recognized for his leadership through induction in the Principal Financial Group Hall of Fame and through being named Advisor of the Year in 2001-2002 by the Birmingham Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors; and 

WHEREAS, Betty's passion for mission and social justice has been reflected in a lifetime of involvement with United Methodist Women, where she served as President of the Birmingham East and later the Central Districts; service as a current member and past president of the board of Greater Birmingham Ministries and of Church Women United; longtime support of Urban Ministry, Inc., and Alabama Arise; serving on Volunteers in Mission teams in Mozambique, Cuba, Bolivia, and Panama; and as a recipient of the Louise Branscomb Barrier Breaker Award from the North Alabama Conference of the United Methodist Church’s Commission on the Status and Role of Women in recognition of her willingness to stand up for the rights of women and minorities; and 

WHEREAS, George and Betty are the proud parents of three children -- Kathryn Likis Coltrane, a 1990 alumna of BSC, S. Elizabeth Likis, and Andrew Milton Likis -- and are the happy grandparents of five, and George’s sister Elaine Likis Salapatas is a member of the Class of 1967; and 

WHEREAS, they have set a tremendous example of benevolence, kindness, and service for their family to follow through their involvement with their church; through work with the United Methodist Church Volunteers in Mission teams on projects, such as George helping to lay the foundation for a daycare center in Bolivia; and through their long-time and loyal support of BSC; and 

WHEREAS, while moving forward through life, George and Betty have always remembered the College through their philanthropy and have made provisions for support of BSC through an estate gift, and it is most fitting that this endowed scholarship be named in tribute to their giving spirit as it assists other students who follow in their footsteps here on the Hilltop; 

NOW BE IT RESOLVED that the Board of Trustees of Birmingham-Southern College hereby accepts with gratitude this generous gift of $25,000 from George and Betty Likis and formally establishes The George and Betty Likis Endowed Scholarship; 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this endowment will be established as a permanent fund of the College; that it will be managed with other funds as part of the College’s Pooled Endowment Fund under the provisions of the College’s Investment Policy; and that the scholarship awards will be drawn from the income of this fund, leaving the principal intact; 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this resolution will be entered into the official minutes of the Board of Trustees of Birmingham-Southern College, and that information about George and Betty Likis will be shared with recipients of these generous scholarships so they are inspired to lead lives of significance. 

November 1, 2019

RESOLUTION

Establishing The George Raymond Adams Memorial Endowed Scholarship 

WHEREAS, Dianne Betty Adams, the widow of George Raymond Adams, has made a generous gift of $50,000 to Birmingham-Southern College to establish The George Raymond Adams Memorial Endowed Scholarship; and 

WHEREAS, it is the donor’s wish that this scholarship be used to support students with financial need who are the first members of their immediate family to attend college; and 

WHEREAS, born on May 28, 1933, and known as Ray, George Raymond Adams was a self-made man who dropped out of high school out of financial necessity, helping to support his family as a welder in Detroit, Michigan; and                         

WHEREAS, after serving in the U.S. Army, he worked for the U.S. Postal Service in Birmingham, while attending Birmingham-Southern College, graduating in business administration in 1964, then pursued a master’s in business administration from the University of Alabama; and 

WHEREAS, after working for the Internal Revenue Service, he passed the Certified Public Accountant examination, opened a CPA practice, and joined the faculty at Jefferson State Community College as an instructor, later chairing the Business Division, taking great pride in knowing that many of his students became CPAs, college professors and business leaders and in being nominated many times by his students as Outstanding Instructor; and 

WHEREAS, with his wife of 20 years, he loved nature and gardening, traveling, church work and ballroom dancing, and especially loved his blended family, which included his daughter and son, Rebecca Lea Adams and Kenneth Richard Adams; his stepchildren, Cynthia Clark, Mark Schaefer and David Schafer; and their grandchildren, Jacob, Kyle, Caleb and Arielle Schaefer, Dakoda Clark, and Hailey and Gabriella Garcia; and 

WHEREAS, after he passed away on July 8, 2018, at age 85, his wife chose to make a significant gift to BSC in his memory, as a way to assist other students who face financial challenges as they seek to become the first members of their families to graduate from college; and 

WHEREAS, the George Raymond Adams Memorial Endowed Scholarship will make a lasting and meaningful impact on the students who will benefit from it for generations to come; 

NOW BE IT RESOLVED that the Board of Trustees of Birmingham-Southern College hereby accepts with gratitude this generous gift of $50,000 from Dianne Betty Adams and formally establishes The George Raymond Adams Memorial Endowed Scholarship, using $40,000 for the endowment and $10,000 for current-use scholarships over four years while the endowment grows. 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this endowment will be established as a permanent fund of the College; that it will be managed with other funds as part of the College’s Pooled Endowment Fund under the provisions of the College’s Investment Policy; that the Board of Trustees may elect to move the funds into the Birmingham-Southern College Foundation to ensure preservation and prudent management of the principal; and that the scholarship awards will be drawn from the income of this fund, leaving the principal intact. 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this resolution will be entered into the official minutes of the Board of Trustees of Birmingham-Southern College, and that information about George Raymond Adams will be shared with recipients of this generous scholarship so they are inspired to lead lives of significance. 

November 1, 2019

Resolution

Establishing The Hardin-Churchill Archives Centre Endowed Travel Award 

WHEREAS, several distinguished friends and alumni of Birmingham-Southern College have made gifts totaling $26,250 to establish an endowed travel award to support a BSC student to study at the Churchill Archives Centre at the University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom; and 

WHEREAS, this generous group of donors has chosen to pay tribute to one of their own – their good friend and BSC Trustee Emeritus, Edward L. Hardin, Jr. – with the naming of this fund in his honor; and

WHEREEAS, this superior BSC student, to be known as the Hardin Churchill Scholar, will be chosen annually by the History faculty in consultation with the Director of the Centre, and they will carry out research at the Centre’s impressive home at the University of Cambridge, with access not only to the Churchill material, but also the papers of more than 600 important political, military, and scientific figures from Churchill’s time and later, including those of Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher; and 

WHEREAS, Hardin Churchill Scholars will be supported through the endowed award relative to travel and accommodations at the Centre for two to three weeks during the summer or during BSC’s January Exploration Term, known as E-Term; and 

WHEREAS, Edward Lester Hardin, Jr., was born to Katherine Williams Hardin and Edward Lester Hardin, Sr., on March 29, 1940, in Wetumpka, Alabama, and he attended BSC, graduating in 1962, and then The University of Alabama where he earned his juris doctorate in 1965; and 

WHEREAS, Mr. Hardin has enjoyed more than five decades practicing law from 1971 to 1998 and as executive vice president and general counsel for Caremark Rx, Inc., until its merger with CVS in 2006, also serving as a member of the Caremark Board of Directors; and 

WHEREAS, in 2006, Mr. Hardin joined Burr & Forman while also continuing to serve as a consultant to CVS Caremark, until his retirement, and during his career, he served as lead trial counsel in over 200 civil jury trials in federal and state courts, serving as Special Assistant Attorney General and representing the Alabama Department of Public Safety in multiple litigated matters and investigations for over 20 years; and 

WHEREAS, Mr. Hardin has carried forward the BSC tradition of service throughout his life through his commitment to his profession, to family, to community, and to God; and 

WHEREAS, he has been involved in many professional organizations including the Birmingham, Alabama, and American Bar Associations; Association of Trial Lawyers of America; and Alabama Trial Lawyers Association (President, 1975-1976), among others; and 

WHEREAS, he was invited by the President to serve on The Woodrow Wilson Council, a private-sector advisory group to The Woodrow Wilson Internal Center for Scholars in Washington, D.C., and he is a diplomate of the American Board of Trial Advocates and served as president of the southeastern chapters of the organization; and 

WHEREAS, Mr. Hardin is a founding member of the Board of Directors for both the American Sports Medicine Institute and Children of Slain Police Officers, of which he is chairman of the board, a foundation which has provided college scholarships for over 16 children, to date, of Birmingham police officers killed in the line of duty; he was a member of the Board of Directors for Oasis Counseling for Women & Children; and most notably, he served with distinction as a member of the BSC Board of Trustees from 2005 until 2016; and 

WHEREAS, Mr. Hardin has a strong belief in helping other young people by giving them a hand up through an outstanding education, and to that end, he has established at his alma maters The Hardin Family Scholarship for BSC students, as well as The Ed and Lila Hardin Endowed Scholarship at the UA Hugh F. Culverhouse, Jr. School of Law, which gives first priority to BSC alumni pursuing their law degree; and 

WHEREAS, Mr. Hardin has always enjoyed hunting and fishing; he is an active alumnus of the Alabama Iota chapter of Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity; and he is the owner of Galley & Garden, a fine dining, farm-to-table restaurant in a historic home on Highland Avenue in Birmingham, where he often hosts or underwrites gatherings in support of the College; and 

WHEREAS, during his time on the Hilltop, Mr. Hardin met Lila Manor, class of 1963 and member of Kappa Delta sorority; they were married June 10, 1962; and their family includes four children – Leigh Hardin Hancock, Caroline Hardin Butler ‘89, Laura Elizabeth Hardin, and Edward Lester Hardin III – and three grandchildren – Mary Nobles Hancock, Frances Hughes Hancock, and James Hughes Hancock III; and 

WHEREAS, Mr. and Mrs. Hardin have set a tremendous example of faith, love, and service for their children and grandchildren to follow, and the administration of BSC agrees that the establishment of this endowment in Mr. Hardin’s name will be a most fitting commemoration of his love for the Hilltop, as well as his influence and personal giving toward the fundraising efforts for the endowment; 

NOW BE IT RESOLVED that the Board of Trustees of Birmingham-Southern College hereby accepts with gratitude these generous gifts and additional pledges totaling $33,500 from numerous BSC alumni and friends, and formally establishes The Hardin-Churchill Archives Centre Endowed Travel Award. 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this endowment will be established as a permanent fund of the College; that it will be managed with other funds as part of the College’s Pooled Endowment Fund under the provisions of the College’s Investment Policy; and that the awards will be drawn from the income of this fund, leaving the principal intact. 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this resolution will be entered into the official minutes of the Board of Trustees of Birmingham-Southern College, and that information about the Hardin Family will be shared with recipients of these generous travel awards so that they may continue to inspire future generations to lead lives of significance.

RESOLUTION

Establishing The Johnny Paul Hughes, M.D., Endowed Scholarship

WHEREAS, Sarah Hughes, the widow of Johnny Paul Hughes, has made a generous gift of $25,000 to Birmingham-Southern College to establish The Johnny Paul Hughes, M.D., Endowed Scholarship; and 

WHEREAS, it is the donor’s wish that this scholarship be used to support high-achieving students pursuing degrees in science, technology, engineering or mathematics who have financial need; and 

WHEREAS, known as Paul, Johnny Paul Hughes was born on June 23, 1957, to Leonard Hughes and Sarah Sellers Hughes of Hartford, Alabama, and graduated from Geneva High School in 1974 at age 16 as its valedictorian; and 

WHEREAS, he enrolled at Birmingham-Southern College, where he received the Tinsley Randolph Harrison Scholarship, which had been established by Dr. Arthur M. Freeman ’37, in honor of Dr. Harrison, an Alabama-born and world-renowned physician and medical educator who became the first dean of what is now the School of Medicine at UAB; and 

WHEREAS, Paul Hughes graduated in 1977 from BSC summa cum laude, first in his class, and was inducted into Phi Beta Kappa, and completed his medical degree in 1981 from the School of Medicine at UAB, where he graduated cum laude, in the top five percent of his class, and as a member of Alpha Omega Alpha medical honor society; and 

WHEREAS, after completing a residency in anatomical and clinical pathology at Emory University, he spent the majority of his career as Chief Pathologist and Medical Director of the Clinical Laboratory at Seven Rivers Community Hospital in Crystal River, Florida, until his retirement in 1994; and 

WHEREAS, Paul Hughes married Sarah Hughes in 2012 after 15 years of dating, and found enormous joy in the life they built together, including their two daughters, Kimberly Hunter of Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, and Rebecca Weeks of Wesley Chapel, Florida; their granddaughters, Sarah Hunter and Anastasia Weeks, and his beloved dog Dynamite; and 

WHEREAS, an avid sports fan, Paul Hughes loved to watch hockey, baseball and football, and also was an accomplished musician, golfer and trivia enthusiast known to his family as “The Fact Checker;” and 

WHEREAS, after he passed away on December 22, 2018, at age 61, Sarah Hughes chose to make a significant gift to BSC in his memory, as a way to pay forward the generous support her husband had received through the Tinsley Randolph Harrison Endowed Scholarship, which enabled him to attend BSC and pursue his passion for medicine; and 

WHEREAS, the Johnny Paul Hughes, M.D., Endowed Scholarship will make a lasting and meaningful impact on the students who will benefit from it for generations to come; 

NOW BE IT RESOLVED that the Board of Trustees of Birmingham-Southern College hereby accepts with gratitude this generous gift of $25,000 from Sarah Hughes and formally establishes The Johnny Paul Hughes, M.D., Endowed Scholarship. 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this endowment will be established as a permanent fund of the College; that it will be managed with other funds as part of the College’s Pooled Endowment Fund under the provisions of the College’s Investment Policy; that the Board of Trustees may elect to move the funds into the Birmingham-Southern College Foundation to ensure preservation and prudent management of the principal; and that the scholarship awards will be drawn from the income of this fund, leaving the principal intact. 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this resolution will be entered into the official minutes of the Board of Trustees of Birmingham-Southern College, and that information about Johnny Paul Hughes will be shared with recipients of this generous scholarship so they are inspired to lead lives of significance.

November 1, 2019

RESOLUTION

Establishing The Liles Family Endowed Scholarship 

WHEREAS, on March 4, 2019, a generous gift of $9,200 was received by Birmingham-Southern College (BSC) from the Virginia Rembert Liles Charitable Trust for the establishment of a scholarship to benefit art students at the College; and 

WHEREAS, to preserve the donor’s intent while also meeting the minimum requirement for an endowed scholarship at BSC, the Executor of the donor’s estate has directed the college to combine this gift with an existing, but small, endowment also funded by the Liles Family; and 

WHEREAS, The Dorothy and Kenneth Liles Endowed Scholarship was established by Mr. Raeford Liles, Virginia’s husband, to honor his brother and sister-in-law, and the existing scholarship has a preference of support for pre-law students but allows consideration for art students as well; and                                      

WHEREAS, the combination of the existing endowment with the new gift will allow for greater impact with regard to the scholarship award while also preserving the legacy of service to BSC students exhibited by the Liles Family; and 

WHEREAS, the funds will be combined to create The Liles Family Endowed Scholarship, and each year, the scholarship will alternate between students studying pre-law and art; and 

WHEREAS, in years when an art major is selected, the scholarship will be known as the Rembert & Liles Art Scholarship, to perpetuate the commitment to art students displayed by Raeford Liles and Virginia Rembert Liles throughout their lives; and 

WHEREAS, in years when a pre-law major is selected, the scholarship will be known as the Dorothy and Kenneth Liles Pre-Law Scholarship, to perpetuate the name given to it by Mr. Raeford Liles commemorating his relationship with his brother and sister-in-law;

NOW BE IT RESOLVED that the Board of Trustees of Birmingham-Southern College hereby accepts with gratitude this generous gift of $9,200 from the estate of Virginia Rembert Liles, and formally establishes The Liles Family Endowed Scholarship; 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this endowment will be established as a permanent fund of the College; that it will be managed with other funds as part of the College’s Pooled Endowment Fund under the provisions of the College’s Investment Policy; and that the scholarship awards will be drawn from the income of this fund, leaving the principal intact; 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this resolution will be entered into the official minutes of the Board of Trustees of Birmingham-Southern College, and that information about the Liles Family will be shared with recipients of these generous scholarships so that his life may continue to inspire future generations to lead lives of significance. 

May 17, 2019

RESOLUTION

Establishing The Ashlyn Hines Meneguzzi Endowed Scholarship

WHEREAS, Trustee Ashlyn Hines Meneguzzi, together with her husband Brian, has given a generous gift of $25,000 to Birmingham-Southern College to establish The Ashlyn Hines Meneguzzi Endowed Scholarship; and

WHEREAS, it is the donor’s wish that this scholarship be used to support students preferably who graduated from Battle Ground Academy in Franklin, Tennessee, or from another school in the Greater Nashville Metropolitan Area; and 

WHEREAS, Ashlyn Hines Meneguzzi attended Birmingham-Southern College, where she was a member of Alpha Chi Omega and received her bachelor’s degree in history in 1985; and 

WHEREAS, Ms. Hines Meneguzzi is co-founder and Principal of Bristol Development Group, and she is a prominent real estate industry business leader with over 30 years of experience with specialty in understanding market, development, and design trends; and 

WHEREAS, she also is extensively involved in asset and property management activities of Bristol Development Group, and she previously led the Nashville office of Davis Development from 1991 to 1998 before starting Bristol Development Group with Sam Yeager and Dan Daniel; and 

WHEREAS, while achieving great success, Ms. Hines Meneguzzi has always reached back with one hand to help others, and it is most fitting that this endowed scholarship be named in tribute to her giving spirit as it supports other students who follow in her footsteps here on the Hilltop; 

NOW BE IT RESOLVED that the Board of Trustees of Birmingham-Southern College hereby accepts with gratitude this generous gift of $25,000 from Trustee Ashlyn Hines Meneguzzi, and formally establishes The Ashlyn Hines Meneguzzi Endowed Scholarship; 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this endowment will be established as a permanent fund of the College; that it will be managed with other funds as part of the College’s Pooled Endowment Fund under the provisions of the College’s Investment Policy; and that the scholarship awards will be drawn from the income of this fund, leaving the principal intact; 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this resolution will be entered into the official minutes of the Board of Trustees of Birmingham-Southern College, and that information about Ms. Ashlyn Hines Meneguzzi will be shared with recipients of these generous scholarships so they are inspired to lead lives of significance.

May 17, 2019

RESOLUTION

Establishing The Thomas Leon Precise Endowed Scholarship

WHEREAS, The Canterbury United Charitable Trust has made a generous gift of $50,000 to Birmingham-Southern College (BSC) to establish The Thomas Leon Precise Endowed Scholarship to commemorate Leon’s lifelong service to God, to His children, and to community; and 

WHEREAS, Thomas Leon Precise was born in 1941 in Scottsboro, Alabama, to Lillie Mae Davis Precise and Elbert Samuel Precise, and he graduated from BSC in 1968 and went on to earn a master’s in Christian Education from Emory University’s Candler School of Theology; and 

WHEREAS, in 1968, he married the former Betsy Sue Musfeldt, and together they moved to Birmingham in 1969, where Leon joined the ministry of Canterbury United Methodist Church and where they raised their sons John and Scott; and 

WHEREAS, Leon spent his entire career in the ministry, working at Canterbury UMC in many capacities, including youth director and ministerial supervisor; and 

WHEREAS, Leon committed his life in service to others, and there are numerous individuals, fondly known as Leon’s Kids, who were positively impacted through Leon’s mentorship, many of whom say they are better people because of his counsel and love; and 

WHEREAS, Leon passed away in October 2014, and he leaves behind his wife, Betsy; sons Scott, a 1996 BSC graduate, and John, a 1999 graduate; brother, Rev. Clyde “Bud” Precise, a 1959 graduate; two sisters; four grandchildren; and many others who were touched Leon’s loving and generous spirit; and 

WHEREAS, it is most fitting to pay tribute to Leon through the establishment of an endowed scholarship that will provide support to countless students following in Leon’s footsteps on the Hilltop; 

NOW BE IT RESOLVED that the Board of Trustees of Birmingham-Southern College hereby accepts with gratitude this generous gift of $50,000 from The Canterbury United Charitable Trust, and formally establishes The Thomas Leon Precise Endowed Scholarship; 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this endowment will be established as a permanent fund of the College; that it will be managed with other funds as part of the College’s Pooled Endowment Fund under the provisions of the College’s Investment Policy; and that the scholarship awards will be drawn from the income of this fund, leaving the principal intact; 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this resolution will be entered into the official minutes of the Board of Trustees of Birmingham-Southern College, and that information about Leon Precise will be shared with recipients of these generous scholarships so that his life may continue to inspire future generations to lead lives of significance.

May 17, 2019

Resolution

Recognizing the Alabama Iota Chapter of Sigma Alpha Epsilon Fraternity

on the 140^th Anniversary of its Founding

WHEREAS, the Alabama Iota Chapter of Sigma Alpha Epsilon Fraternity was chartered on at Southern University in Greensboro, Alabama, on November 23, 1878, thereby becoming Birmingham-Southern College’s first fraternity and remaining the sixth longest continually active chapter in the nation; and 

WHEREAS, alumni and collegiate members of Alabama Iota will gather on March 9, 2019, to celebrate the 150^th anniversary of the chapter’s founding; and 

WHEREAS, the Board of Trustees of Birmingham-Southern College wishes to express congratulations to the brothers of Sigma Alpha Epsilon upon this occasion; and 

WHEREAS, Sigma Alpha Epsilon was founded on March 9, 1856, at the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa, the same year that Southern University was founded, and had expanded to seven chapters by the end of 1857; and 

WHEREAS, with only one chapter still intact after the Civil War, the fraternity was revived at the University of Georgia and the University of Virginia in 1865, and had established a total of 49 chapters, including Alabama Iota, by 1886, though many quickly closed during those years; and 

WHEREAS, Southern University was among many small colleges and universities that struggled financially in the post-war South, ultimately leading to its merger with Birmingham College in 1918 to form Birmingham-Southern College on a hilltop on Birmingham’s western side; and 

WHEREAS, since its founding, the Alabama Iota chapter has offered young men the opportunity to join an organization whose stated mission is to promote the highest standards of friendship, scholarship, and service for our members based upon the ideals set forth by their founders and as specifically enunciated in their creed; and 

WHEREAS, in 2014 Sigma Alpha Epsilon became the first major national fraternity to replace the pledging system with "The True Gentleman Experience," a formal education process aimed at helping members become gentlemen, scholars, stewards and leaders in their respective communities; and 

WHEREAS, the Alabama Iota chapter has consistently earned the top Grade Point Average among BSC fraternities, has members serving in numerous campus leadership positions, has received numerous awards from the national fraternity in recognition of scholarship, member education, and alumni advising, and 

WHEREAS, the chapter has produced such notable BSC alumni as lawyer and philanthropist Frank E. Spain ‘10, who was initiated into the chapter in 1908 at Southern University; international tax attorney David R. Baker ’51; Dr. Donald C. Harrison III ’54, former chief of cardiology at Stanford University School of Medicine; Clay C. Long ’58, founding partner of the law and public policy firm of McKenna, Long & Aldridge in Atlanta and Washington, D.C.; Dr. Thomas K. Hearn ’59, former president of Wake Forest University; Howell H. Raines ’62, former editor of the New York Times; music and entertainment executive Miles Axe Copeland III ’66; Rodney K. Ferguson ’86, president and chief executive officer of WinRock International in Washington, D.C.; and many other members who have served the College as members of the Board of Trustees; 

NOW BE IT RESOLVED that the Board of Trustees of Birmingham-Southern College hereby congratulates the Alabama Iota Chapter of Sigma Alpha Epsilon Fraternity upon the 140^th anniversary of its charter at Southern University, and expresses appreciation to the fraternity and its members for their service to the College and the communities in which they lead lives of significance. 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this resolution will be entered into the official minutes of the Board of Trustees of Birmingham-Southern College, so the impact of Alabama Iota Chapter of Sigma Alpha Epsilon may be permanently noted and recognized.

RESOLUTION

Establishing The Sterling Endowed Scholarship

WHEREAS, The Canterbury United Charitable Trust has made a generous gift of $50,000 to Birmingham-Southern College (BSC) to establish The Sterling Endowed Scholarship; and 

WHEREAS, this endowed scholarship was made possible through a request of the William McDonald Family to commemorate the education received by Mr. McDonald’s son, Sterling, from many knowledgeable and caring individuals who received the calling to work with children with special needs; and 

WHEREAS, it is the donor’s wish that The Sterling Endowed Scholarship be used to support students with need who are pursuing a career in Special Education – to assist these students in achieving their dream of a lifetime of service to said children; and 

WHEREAS, this scholarship will provide immeasurable support not only to the countless students who will benefit from its receipt, but also to all the children who are taught by the Hilltop’s outstanding and caring alumni;                         

NOW BE IT RESOLVED that the Board of Trustees of Birmingham-Southern College hereby accepts with gratitude this generous gift of $50,000 from The Canterbury United Charitable Trust, and formally establishes The Sterling Endowed Scholarship; 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this endowment will be established as a permanent fund of the College; that it will be managed with other funds as part of the College’s Pooled Endowment Fund under the provisions of the College’s Investment Policy; and that the scholarship awards will be drawn from the income of this fund, leaving the principal intact; 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this resolution will be entered into the official minutes of the Board of Trustees of Birmingham-Southern College, and that information about the McDonald Family will be shared with recipients of these generous scholarships so that future generations will be inspired to lead lives of significance.

May 17, 2019

RESOLUTION

Establishing The Virginia Harden Bailey Endowed Scholarship

WHEREAS, Dr. Kayron McMinn Laska has committed funds of $25,000 to establish an endowed scholarship in memory of her longtime friend, Mrs. Virginia Harden Bailey, at Birmingham-Southern College; and 

WHEREAS, Dr. Laska is the daughter of Lucile Campbell McMinn and John William McMinn, Jr., and although she is a native of Brevard, North Carolina, she was raised in Opp, Alabama, where she attended public school and went on to attend BSC in fall 1965, graduating cum laude in 1969; and 

WHEREAS, Dr. Laska met Mrs. Bailey during their freshman year on the Hilltop, where they lived on the ground floor of the old Andrews Dorm, and they became fast friends – together becoming Alpha Chi Omega sisters and both serving as president of the chapter, with Dr. Laska serving her junior year and Mrs. Bailey serving her senior year; and 

WHEREAS, after graduation, Dr. Laska went on to earn her doctorate in European History from The University of Alabama, and she became a professor, and later dean, of Wesleyan College in Macon, Georgia, before marrying John Laska and moving to Columbus, where she served for many years as Vice President for University Advancement at Columbus State University; and 

WHEREAS, Virginia Harden Bailey was born on November 5, 1947, in Birmingham, Alabama, to Mary Colidis Harden and Rufus Howard Harden, and she and her husband, Stan, who is a 1971 alumnus of Birmingham-Southern, became the first married couple to graduate together from Samford University’s Business Graduate School with MBA degrees; and 

WHEREAS, Mrs. Bailey spent her career as a successful stockbroker, working with Merrill Lynch and J.C. Bradford & Co. before her retirement in 1998, and she was active in her community, serving many community organizations such as the Birmingham Heart Guild of the American Heart Association (founder and president), Alpha Chi Omega National Foundation, Little Rock Heart Ball of Arkansas (chair), and Daughters of the American Revolution, among others; and 

WHEREAS, known for her love of life, Mrs. Bailey enjoyed every minute of it – spending quality time every chance she had with her family, her friends, especially Kayron and John Laska, and her horses, and she made those things her priorities always; and 

WHEREAS, she was an avid equestrian, having ridden and shown American Saddlebreds in her youth and hunter-jumpers during her adult years alongside her daughter, Brittan Bailey Richardson, who continues with the spirit and competitiveness instilled in her by her mother; and 

WHEREAS, Mrs. Bailey lived a full and fun life and was not afraid to show her spirit through her fashionable attire and opinion sharing, and the Birmingham-Southern community was saddened to learn of her passing on September 22, 2016; and 

WHEREAS, it is Dr. Laska’s wish to commemorate her lifelong friendship with Mrs. Bailey and to recognize her love for Alpha Chi Omega and her leadership in the sorority at both the local and national level through the establishment of an endowed scholarship named in her honor and awarded to a member of the Alpha Omega chapter of Alpha Chi Omega; 

NOW BE IT RESOLVED that the Board of Trustees of Birmingham-Southern College hereby accepts with gratitude this generous commitment of $25,000 from Dr. Kayron McMinn Laska, and formally establishes The Virginia Harden Bailey Endowed Scholarship. 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this endowment will be established as a permanent fund of the College; that it will be managed with other funds as part of the College’s Pooled Endowment Fund under the provisions of the College’s Investment Policy; and that the scholarship awards will be drawn from the income of this fund, leaving the principal intact. 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this resolution will be entered into the official minutes of the Board of Trustees of Birmingham-Southern College, and that information about Virginia Harden Bailey and Karyon McMinn Laska will be shared with recipients of these generous scholarships so that their lives may continue to inspire future generations to lead lives of significance.

Resolution

Approving Renaming of The Dr. Dorothy Cox Ward Scholarship to

The Drs. Richard and Dorothy Ward Endowed Scholarship

WHEREAS, Dr. Richard M. Ward III, together with his children, made a generous gift to Birmingham-Southern College (BSC) in 1994 to establish an endowed scholarship in memory of his wife, Dr. Dorothy Cox Ward; and 

WHEREAS, BSC was saddened to learn of the passing of Dr. Richard Ward on January 17, 2019, and the administration of the college agrees with a request made by the children of Drs. Ward to rename The Dorothy Cox Ward Scholarship to The Drs. Richard and Dorothy Ward Endowed Scholarship; and 

WHEREAS, a Birmingham native, Miss Dorothy Cox attended BSC where she was a member of Phi Beta Kappa, graduating in 1945; she taught French and German in the Department of Modern Foreign Languages from 1946 until 1952; and she earned her master’s and doctorate from Columbia University, returning to BSC in 1954; and 

WHEREAS, during her 42-year career, she chaired the Department for 10 years and for five years was head of the Division of Humanities; she developed several honors courses and published many writings, including Wagner’s Theory on the Gesamtkunstwerk; and she spent a sabbatical year teaching English to high school students in Hamburg, Germany, and performed as a guest soloist with the Alabama Symphony Orchestra; and

WHEREAS, she was a gifted and talented singer, teacher, administrator, and linguist, with a deep love for all languages, and she is remembered by her students as a kind and fun person who provided experiential learning opportunities, such as opening her home for German students to discuss their readings and enjoy an authentic German meal; and 

WHEREAS, while attending BSC as a student, Miss Cox met fellow student Richard M. Ward III, and they married, together sharing four children, Deborah Ward Lucas (Roger), Ingrid Ward Ciucevich (Michael), Rosamond Ward Webb (Jean), and Richard M. Ward IV (Bette), as well as eight grandchildren; and 

WHEREAS, Richard M. Ward III was born in Florence, South Carolina, and received his undergraduate degree from BSC in 1951, and he earned a master’s degree in counseling from Boston University and his juris doctorate and his philosophy doctorate in higher education from The University of Alabama; and 

WHEREAS, he was principal at Ramsey High School and Pizitz Middle School; he was a guidance counselor at Mountain Brook Junior High School; and he taught at Phillips High School, before joining the faculty of both BSC and The University of Alabama at Birmingham; and 

WHEREAS, he was a professor of criminal justice at UAB, and he was an assistant professor of education on the Hilltop from 1969 until 1975; and 

WHEREAS, Drs. Ward set a tremendous example of excellence for their children, grandchildren, and others to follow, and they loved their family, their community, and most especially, to teach and positively impact the youth of Alabama; and 

WHEREAS, the renaming of this scholarship for both Dr. Dorothy Cox Ward and Dr. Richard M. Ward III is a most fitting tribute to their shared dedication to and love for the students of BSC; 

NOW BE IT RESOLVED by the Board of Trustees of Birmingham-Southern College that it hereby recognizes the generosity and impact of Drs. Ward and herewith renames The Dr. Dorothy Cox Ward Scholarship to The Drs. Richard and Dorothy Ward Endowed Scholarship; 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this resolution become a permanent part of the college record and that information about the Ward Family be shared with beneficiaries of the endowment.

Resolution

Recognition of 100 Years on the Hilltop:

A Year-Long Celebration at Birmingham-Southern College

WHEREAS, founded in 1856, Southern University in Greensboro, Alabama, was depleted as young men departed for the trenches of World War I, and Birmingham College, founded in 1898, faced the same challenge; and

WHEREAS, the Methodist conferences overseeing these institutions officially resolved to merge the two schools on May 30, 1918; and

WHEREAS, the newly formed Birmingham-Southern College officially opened its doors to students in September 1918 on land provided by Rose Wellington Owen on the western side of Birmingham; and

WHEREAS, Birmingham-Southern College launched what has become a century of tradition steeped in a stellar liberal arts education, meaningful service, and life-changing experiences; and

WHEREAS, we honor the College’s history through transformative moments—the Great Depression, two world wars, the Civil Rights Movement, the Vietnam War, shifting attitudes toward women, and our move from a regionally respected institution to a nationally ranked liberal arts college; and

WHEREAS, we celebrate a century of achievements by dedicated and ambitious students, staff, faculty, and alumni, as well as a century of leadership under fifteen presidents and thoughtful, forward-thinking oversight by more than 100 distinguished members of our Board of Trustees; and

WHEREAS, we express gratitude for a century of steadfast philanthropic support and generosity; and

WHEREAS, we look ahead to the next century, celebrating bold ideas and innovations for the next 100 years; and

WHEREAS, with the watchword “Forward Ever!” as sung in our alma mater, we inspire pride in our past and light the way for the future, so that our graduates can continue to lead lives of significance; and

NOW, THEREFORE LET IT BE RESOLVED that Birmingham-Southern College will celebrate 100 Years on the Hilltop throughout 2018.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this resolution be entered into the official minutes of the Board of Trustees of Birmingham-Southern College.

Adopted on February 1, 2018

RESOLUTION

Honoring the Life of Benjamin Wilson Sims

and Establishing the John Erwin (Don) Sims Endowed Scholarship

WHEREAS, the late Benjamin Wilson Sims established a Charitable Remainder Annuity Trust in 1990 with the intent to benefit Birmingham-Southern College upon the passing of the last beneficiary of the Trust; and 

WHEREAS, a native of Rome, Georgia, Mr. Sims was the son of Evalina Kathryn Kirton and Fred Powers Sims, and followed both of his siblings – the late John Erwin Sims, Class of 1936, and the late Catherine Anville Sims, Class of 1938 – to Birmingham-Southern College; and 

WHEREAS, Mr. Sims graduated from Birmingham-Southern College with a degree in English in 1947, retired after a long career at Lockheed Aircraft Corporation in Atlanta, and passed away in 2006 at the age of 99; and 

WHEREAS, Mr. Sims is remembered as a soft-spoken Southern gentleman who was a noted expert on azaleas, rhododendrons, and other native Southeastern plants, and who devoted significant time and resources to support the establishment and maintenance of gardens at the Atlanta History center, founding the Cherry Sims Asian American Garden there in memory of his second wife, Rebecca Cherry Sims; and 

WHEREAS, it was Mr. Sims’ wish to honor the memory of his brother, John Erwin (Don) Sims, with the establishment of an endowed scholarship in his name; and 

WHEREAS, after graduating from Birmingham-Southern, where he was a member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon and Omicron Delta Kappa, John Erwin Sims received his law degree from New York University in 1941, then served as an Army counterintelligence officer during World War II, receiving the French Croix de Guerre; and 

WHEREAS, after the war, he served in leadership roles with the University of Georgia system for more than 20 years before assuming the directorship of the Georgia State Financing and Investment Commission, where he oversaw billions of dollars in construction projects for 10 years before retiring in 1979; and 

WHEREAS, John Erwin Sims, known to his family as Don, passed away in 1988; and 

WHEREAS, the liquidation of the Trust has produced a gift to the College of $109,098; and 

WHEREAS, The Board of Trustees of Birmingham-Southern College wishes to express its appreciation for Benjamin Wilson Sims’ foresight and generosity, which will have a lasting impact on the College and on future generations of students; 

NOW BE IT RESOLVED that the Board of Trustees of Birmingham-Southern College hereby accepts with gratitude the proceeds of the Ben W. Sims Charitable Remainder Annuity Trust totaling $109,098, and formally establishes the John Erwin Sims Endowed Scholarship. 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this endowment will be established as a permanent fund of the College; that it will be managed with other funds as part of the College’s Pooled Endowment Fund under the provisions of the College’s Investment Policy; and that the scholarship awards will be drawn from the income of this fund, leaving the principal intact. 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this resolution will be entered into the official minutes of the Board of Trustees of Birmingham-Southern College, and that information about the Sims family will be shared with recipients of these generous scholarships so that their lives may continue to inspire future generations to lead lives of significance.

Adopted on May 15, 2018

RESOLUTION

Honoring the Life of Marilyn Dean DeRamus Blanton

and Establishing The Marilyn Dean DeRamus Blanton Endowed Travel Scholarship

WHEREAS, the late Marilyn Dean DeRamus Blanton provided generous charitable gifts totaling $125,000 prior to her passing, and it was her intent for $25,000 to be used immediately with the remaining funds to be used for the establishment of an endowment to support travel by undergraduate students at Birmingham-Southern College; and 

WHEREAS, it is the donor’s wish that the worry of cost be alleviated by this award for students interested in study abroad programs, Exploration Term, and other summer programs involving travel, as well as to interview for prestigious national and international scholarships to support their scholarly pursuits; and 

WHEREAS, Marilyn Dean DeRamus Blanton was born in Atlanta, Georgia, but grew up in Birmingham, Alabama, where she attended Elyton School and John Herbert Phillips High School, thereafter attending The University of Alabama before she discovered her college home on the Hilltop; and 

WHEREAS, she completed her bachelor’s degree in speech in 1950, and in the same year, she married Robert L. Blanton, whom she first met when she was 13, and taught at Fairfield High School for two years before settling into life as a homemaker; and 

WHEREAS, she and Mr. Blanton lived in Lake Charles, Lafayette, and New Orleans, Louisiana; Houston, Texas; and Chicago, Illinois, as well as in London, England, and Buenos Aires, Argentina, and they enjoyed travels to many other countries; and 

WHEREAS, Mrs. Blanton was a lifelong Methodist who gave her time and energy to churches in every community where she lived, and she served numerous groups and organizations, including the Girl Scouts and Cub Scouts, Winnetka Women’s Club, Huntwick Women’s Club and Book Club, Delphians, and Amoco Wives; and 

WHEREAS, Mrs. Blaton is remembered as a warm, kind, and gregarious person who made friends wherever the family moved and who took the time to keep in touch with greeting cards, notes, and letters to countless family members and friends; and 

WHEREAS, because she experienced for herself and observed in her husband and children the formative experience of travel, it is her desire to provide students at her alma mater the opportunity to expand their horizons through travel as part of their undergraduate education. 

WHEREAS, the College was saddened by the passing of Ms. Blanton on February 9, 2018, at the age of 89 and remains grateful to her for her foresight and generosity; and 

WHEREAS, the Board of Trustees of Birmingham-Southern College wishes to express its appreciation for Mrs. Marilyn Dean DeRamus Blanton’s contributions, which will have a lasting impact on the College and on future generations of students who will follow in her footsteps on the Hilltop; 

NOW BE IT RESOLVED that the Board of Trustees of Birmingham-Southern College hereby accepts with gratitude gifts totaling $100,000 for The Marilyn Dean DeRamus Blanton Endowed Travel Scholarship. 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this endowment will be established as a permanent fund of the College; that it will be managed with other funds as part of the College’s Pooled Endowment Fund under the provisions of the College’s Investment Policy; and that the scholarship awards will be drawn from the income of this fund, leaving the principal intact. 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this resolution will be entered into the official minutes of the Board of Trustees of Birmingham-Southern College, and that information about Mrs. Blanton will be shared with recipients of these generous travel awards so that their lives may continue to inspire future generations to lead lives of significance.

Adopted on October 19, 2018

RESOLUTION 

Expressing Appreciation to the Buford Bowen Foundation 

WHEREAS, Buford Ledford Bowen was born on March 18, 1909, in Tallassee, Alabama, the second of eight children born to Festus Ledford Bowen and Annie Elizabeth Dean Bowen; and 

WHEREAS, after graduating from Marion Military Institute in 1928, he earned his bachelor’s degree in business administration at Birmingham-Southern College, where he was a member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon Fraternity; and 

WHEREAS, he was hired as a stockbroker with Fenner & Bean in 1939, relocating first to Asheville, North Carolina, then to Jacksonville, Florida, and in 1943 he enlisted in the United States Navy as a Lieutenant J.G., serving in World War II and achieving the rank of Lieutenant Commander before being honorably discharged when the war ended in 1945; and 

WHEREAS, he resumed his position with Fenner & Bean, by then renamed Merrill Lynch, and retired in 1976 after 37 years of service, thereafter dividing his time between Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, and Tryon, North Carolina, where he enjoyed golf and devoted significant time to charitable work; and 

WHEREAS, throughout his life, he served in leadership roles in numerous civic and religious organizations, including the Bishop’s Standing Committee of the Protestant Episcopal Church, Senior Warden at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, chair of the North Florida committee for Project Hope, and secretary-treasurer of the Duval County Hospital Authority, and he endowed the Bowen Conference on Ethics at the Kanuga Conference Center in Hendersonville, North Carolina; and 

WHEREAS, Mr. Bowen passed away on April 10, 2004, predeceased by his first wife, Ruth Shephardson Bowen, their daughter Kitty, and his second wife, Sally Turner Bowen, and survived by his third wife, Beckwith Lockwood Bowen; and 

WHEREAS, prior to his death, Mr. Bowen established the Buford Bowen Charitable Foundation, which benefits the Kanuga Conference Center and academic scholarships at Birmingham-Southern College; and 

WHEREAS, the College wishes to honor Mr. Bowen for his foresight in providing sustainable resources for deserving students to pursue their dreams through education at Birmingham-Southern College; and 

WHEREAS, Mr. Bowen’s service to his community and devotion to his faith serve as an example to the BSC family of what it means to lead a life of significance; 

NOW BE IT RESOLVED that the Board of Trustees of Birmingham-Southern College expresses its deepest gratitude to the late Buford Ledford Bowen for his loyalty and generosity, as well as to Mr. Thomas M. Donahoo and Mr. Bruce A. Chappell, attorney and trustee of the Buford Bowen Charitable Foundation, for their diligent stewardship of Mr. Bowen’s legacy. 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this resolution be entered into the official minutes of the Board of Trustees of Birmingham-Southern College.

Adopted on February 1, 2018.

RESOLUTION

Honoring the Life of Helen Marie “Marge” Butsch

and Establishing The Lt. Col. Leonard M. Butsch Endowed Scholarship in Science

WHEREAS, the late Helen Marie “Marge” Butsch of Banks, Alabama, was visionary in her establishment of a charitable remainder annuity trust in 1994 with the intent of benefitting Birmingham-Southern College and providing a lasting legacy in memory of her husband at his alma mater; and 

WHEREAS, the College was saddened by the passing of Marge Butsch on February 5, 2013, at the age of 98 and remains grateful to her for her foresight and generosity; and 

WHEREAS, Mrs. Butsch was a longtime friend of BSC, even after her husband’s passing in 1991, and it was her wish to provide a perpetual source of scholarship funding for outstanding students with a minimum grade point average of 3.75 who are majoring in science, with a particular interest in physics research, in lasting tribute to her husband, Lt. Col. Leonard M. Butsch, Jr.; and 

WHEREAS, Lt. Col. Leonard M. Butsch, Jr., a native of Birmingham, attended Birmingham-Southern College, where he was a member of Alpha Tau Omega and earned his bachelor’s degree in mathematics in 1940; and 

WHEREAS, Lt. Col. Butsch went on to earn other degrees in electronics and computer technology from the Air Force Institute of Technology and Harvard University, and he was a career Air Force officer, serving the United States with distinction as a command pilot and research scientist who specialized in computer technology and bionics; and 

WHEREAS, the proceeds from Mrs. Butsch’s trust has resulted in a gift to the College of $34,818.33 for the establishment of the endowment; and 

WHEREAS, the Board of Trustees of Birmingham-Southern College wishes to express its appreciation for Marge Butsch’s contribution, which will have a lasting impact on the College and on future generations of students who will follow in the Lieutenant Colonel’s footsteps on the Hilltop; 

NOW BE IT RESOLVED that the Board of Trustees of Birmingham-Southern College hereby accepts with gratitude the proceeds of the Helen M. Butsch Charitable Remainder Annuity Trust totaling $34,818.33, and formally establishes The Lt. Col. Leonard M. Butsch, Jr., Endowed Scholarship in Science. 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this endowment will be established as a permanent fund of the College; that it will be managed with other funds as part of the College’s Pooled Endowment Fund under the provisions of the College’s Investment Policy; and that the scholarship awards will be drawn from the income of this fund, leaving the principal intact. 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this resolution will be entered into the official minutes of the Board of Trustees of Birmingham-Southern College, and that information about the Butsch family will be shared with recipients of these generous scholarships so that their lives may continue to inspire future generations to lead lives of significance.

Adopted on October 19, 2018

RESOLUTION

Dedicating the Norton Campus Center Atrium to Patrick Murphy Courington, Jr.

WHEREAS, Pat Murphy Courington, Jr., was born on June 7, 1941, to Patrick Murphy Courington, Sr. and Tommie Dorris Williams Courington, and grew up in Albertville, Alabama; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Courington attended Birmingham-Southern College and served two years of active duty in the United States Army before receiving a Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Administration in 1970; and

WHEREAS, he has had a long career in broadcasting, beginning in the radio business at age 16, cleaning and sweeping floors, before entering the sales field at 18; and eventually became owner of WAVU-AM, WQSB-FM and WKXX-FM; and

WHEREAS, he is President of Courington, Inc. which includes Courington Real Estate, Sand Mountain Broadcasting Services, and Data Services; and

WHEREAS, he has been active in his community through organizations including the Albertville Rotary Club, the Mountain Valley Arts Council, the American Heart Fund, American Red Cross, Albertville Housing Authority, and Albertville Downtown Action Association; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Courington has earned honors for his professional achievements and community service, including the Alabama Broadcasters Association Lifetime Achievement Award in 1991, Alabama Broadcaster of the Year in 2002, Citizen of the Year Albertville Chamber of Commerce in 1994 and the Rotary Club Paul Harris Fellow Award; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Courington was the first inductee into the Albertville High School Hall of Honor; and

WHEREAS, he has been an active member of Albertville First United Methodist Church, serving as Chairman of the Administrative Board, Junior High and Senior Youth Counselor, Chairman of the Board of Trustees, and serving on the Pastor-Parish Relations Committee and Building Committee; and

WHEREAS, in 1994, he created the Courington Family Scholarship at Birmingham-Southern College and has been a generous supporter of BSC scholarships, campus enhancements, and organizations including Sigma Alpha Epsilon; and

WHEREAS, the Board of Trustees of Birmingham-Southern College wishes to ensure that Mr. Courington will be remembered for generations of BSC students, faculty and staff for his contributions to his community and his alma mater, and therefore wishes to create a permanent recognition of Mr. Courington’s life of significance; and

WHEREAS, the Norton Campus Center serves as the home for campus life, bringing every BSC student through its doors and into its atrium every day for meals, meetings and fellowship;

NOW BE IT RESOLVED that the Board of Trustees of Birmingham-Southern College hereby dedicates the Norton Campus Center Atrium to Pat Murphy Courington, Jr., in grateful appreciation for his steadfast support of Birmingham-Southern College.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this resolution be entered in to the official minutes of the Board of Trustees of Birmingham-Southern College.

Adopted on February 1, 2018.

RESOLUTION

Establishing the Dowell Family Endowed Scholarship

WHEREAS, William A.B. Dowell and Sandra Johnson Dowell have made generous gifts totaling $50,000 to Birmingham-Southern College to establish an endowed scholarship to support members of Sigma Alpha Epsilon and Alpha Omicron Pi; and 

WHEREAS, a gift from the Estate of Paul McGinness, who was Mrs. Dowell’s stepfather, provided an additional $358,923.40 to support this investment in the lives of Birmingham-Southern College students; and 

WHEREAS, both Mr. Dowell, a native of Tampa, Florida, and Mrs. Dowell, a native of Nashville, Tennessee, enrolled at Birmingham-Southern College in 1974, and Mr. Dowell’s mother and Mrs. Dowell’s parents happened to meet at the parents’ reception during freshman orientation, and afterward each suggested to their child that they should meet the other; and 

WHEREAS, they eventually did meet during their freshman year, and began dating, and were married in 1979 after graduating from Birmingham-Southern; and 

WHEREAS, Mr. Dowell held leadership positions in Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity, worked as a student tour guide for the Office of Admission, and interned during his senior year in the office of then-President Dr. Neal Berte; and 

WHEREAS, Mr. Dowell began his career with Protective Life Insurance Company in Birmingham, then went on to found First Protective Insurance Group and First Financial Center of Birmingham, now known as Vision Financial Group, Inc., where he serves as President and Chief Executive Officer; and 

WHEREAS, Mr. Dowell has served in national roles with Sigma Alpha Epsilon and in leadership positions in numerous professional and civic organizations, including the Alabama Planning Giving Council, the Birmingham Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors, the Financial Services Institute, and United Way of Shelby County; and 

WHEREAS, Mrs. Dowell also held leadership positions in her sorority, Alpha Omicron Pi, was a member of Triangle Club and the President’s Student Service Organization, and was named to Who’s Who Among Seniors in her graduating class; and 

WHEREAS, after graduation, Mrs. Dowell worked in the Office of Admission as a recruiter, then taught art at Brookwood Forest Elementary School in Mountain Brook, Alabama, for eight years until the birth of their first daughter, Logan, who was followed four years later by their second daughter, Crawford; and 

WHEREAS, Mrs. Dowell devoted herself to raising her family and volunteering in her children’s schools as well as at Asbury United Methodist Church, and also has devoted significant time to the BSC chapter of Alpha Omicron Pi as an advisor; and 

WHEREAS, the Dowells have been active alumni of Birmingham-Southern College, with significant gifts of time and resources, including service on the College’s Alumni Board; and 

WHEREAS, The Board of Trustees of Birmingham-Southern College wishes to express its appreciation to the Dowells and to the Estate of Paul McGinness for their generosity, which will have a lasting impact on the College and on future generations of students; 

NOW BE IT RESOLVED that the Board of Trustees of Birmingham-Southern College hereby gratefully accepts these gifts and formally establishes the Dowell Family Scholarship. 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this resolution be entered in to the official minutes of the Board of Trustees of Birmingham-Southern College.

Adopted on May 15, 2018

RESOLUTION

Honoring Linda Flaherty-Goldsmith for Her Service

as the Fifteenth President of Birmingham-Southern College and

Naming Her President Emerita

WHEREAS, in June 2016, Linda Flaherty-Goldsmith became the 15^th President of Birmingham-Southern College, the first woman to be chosen to lead the institution; and

WHEREAS, born and raised in Pontotoc, Mississippi, she began her career in the office of The University of Alabama System while completing her bachelor’s degree in commerce and business administration at The University of Alabama; and 

WHEREAS, after graduation, she moved to Birmingham, where she began working in the budget office of The University of Alabama at Birmingham while completing her master’s in business administration there, and she served the university with distinction, rising through the ranks to become Vice President for Financial Affairs until 1993 and then Vice Chancellor for Financial Affairs until her retirement from the university in 1998; and 

WHEREAS, after retirement, Ms. Flaherty-Goldsmith founded her own firm, Flaherty-Goldsmith Consulting LLC, and she has advised and led both corporate and nonprofit clients through financial restructuring, including her pro bono service for Governor Bob Riley’s Task Force on Tax Reform, and she served three years as the Vice President and Chief Operating Officer for the University of Connecticut; and 

WHEREAS, in 2010, Ms. Flaherty-Goldsmith became associated with Birmingham-Southern College, and she served as Chief of Staff and Interim Vice President for Finance, and later Special Advisor to the President, for BSC’s 14^th President, General Charles C. Krulak; and 

WHEREAS, in 2016, the Board of Trustees of Birmingham-Southern College recruited Ms. Flaherty-Goldsmith to serve as the 15^th President of the College – the first woman to hold the position since its founding; and 

WHEREAS, under her leadership, BSC has flourished, and she has assembled a strong senior leadership team to ensure stability in leadership and continuity for the College for years to come; and 

WHEREAS, with her legendary financial acumen, Ms. Flaherty-Goldsmith renegotiated BSC’s debt in 2017, saving the College $1 million per year for the next 20 years, and in a bold move, she launched the tuition reset, which produced a 43 percent increase in applications and raised BSC’s percentage of minority students from 21 to 28 percent in its first year – and will continue to help make the BSC experience affordable for more students; and 

WHEREAS, she also has started new majors and programs responsive to the needs and dreams of today’s students, and she has successfully led an effort to renew and deepen BSC’s commitment to the Western Area of Birmingham; and 

WHEREAS, on October 1, 2018, Ms. Flaherty-Goldsmith announced that she must turn the responsibilities of the presidency over to members of her capable leadership staff so that she can concentrate on family, and she specified that her commitment to and love for the Hilltop will never waver; and 

WHEREAS, a true Renaissance woman, Ms. Flaherty-Goldsmith wrote An Anguished Hallelujah in 2010 which tells the story of her determination to succeed in life, overcoming the incredible odds of being raised in poverty and losing a kidney at a young age to rise to the top, where she broke many glass ceilings to pave the way for other women following in her footsteps; and

WHEREAS, Ms. Flaherty-Goldsmith is a believer in serving others, which is exemplified through her work with many nonprofit organizations, among which include the Eyesight Foundation of Alabama, YouthServe, YWCA of Central Alabama, and Human Rights First – a New York-based nonprofit that combats human trafficking for which she is a volunteer consultant and frequent speaker to educate and advocate for the cause; and 

WHEREAS, Ms. Flaherty-Goldsmith has mentored many women and given them opportunities to flourish, and she has set a tremendous example of excellence for her son, Jonathan Ryan Goldsmith, his wife, Yuliana, and their children David and Michael; and 

WHEREAS, the Board of Trustees of Birmingham-Southern College wishes to express its gratitude for Linda Flaherty-Goldsmith’s leadership, which has both seen BSC through troubling financial times and set the College on course for a bright future, and her legacy on the campus will have a lasting impact on future generations of students, the city of Birmingham, the state of Alabama, and beyond; 

NOW BE IT RESOLVED that the Board of Trustees of Birmingham-Southern College hereby expresses its profound appreciation to Linda Flaherty-Goldsmith for all she has done to enhance and excel Birmingham-Southern College and herewith names her President Emerita. 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this resolution will be entered into the official minutes of the Board of Trustees of Birmingham-Southern College, and that information about President Emerita Linda Flaherty-Goldsmith be part of the College’s history.

Adopted on October 19, 2018

RESOLUTION

Honoring the Life of Daniel Fulton

and Establishing The Evelyn Armstrong and William Howard Fulton Endowed Scholarship

WHEREAS, the late Daniel Fulton of Birmingham, Alabama, established a charitable bequest in 2002 stating his intent to provide a lasting legacy in memory of his parents at their alma mater, Birmingham-Southern College; and 

WHEREAS, it is most fitting that this scholarship be named in tribute to the life and legacy of Evelyn Armstrong Fulton, a 1929 graduate, and William Howard Fulton, a 1931 graduate, both of whom received bachelor’s degrees in mathematics; and 

WHEREAS, Mr. and Mrs. Fulton met on the Hilltop where they fell in love and began a life together, which was strongly rooted in Birmingham; and 

WHEREAS, Mr. and Mrs. Fulton both led lives of significance and provided a tremendous example through their service to others, through their belief in education; and through their love for family and community; and 

WHEREAS, their influence was powerful in guiding their three children to pursue degrees of higher learning, with Daniel graduating from The University of Alabama, Marthann from The University of Alabama and University of Minnesota, and William from University of California, Berkeley; and 

WHEREAS, this scholarship will continue that legacy by providing support to countless students as they pursue their education at BSC; and 

WHEREAS, the Board of Trustees of Birmingham-Southern College wishes to express its appreciation for Daniel Fulton’s foresight and generosity, which will have a lasting impact on the College and on future generations of students who will follow in his parents’ footsteps on the Hilltop; 

NOW BE IT RESOLVED that the Board of Trustees of Birmingham-Southern College hereby accepts with gratitude the bequest of Daniel Fulton totaling $10,000, and formally establishes The Evelyn Armstrong and William Howard Fulton Endowed Scholarship. 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this endowment will be established as a permanent fund of the College; that it will be managed with other funds as part of the College’s Pooled Endowment Fund under the provisions of the College’s Investment Policy; and that the scholarship awards will be drawn from the income of this fund, leaving the principal intact. 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this resolution will be entered into the official minutes of the Board of Trustees of Birmingham-Southern College, and that information about the Fulton family will be shared with recipients of these generous scholarships so that their lives may continue to inspire future generations to lead lives of significance. 

Adopted on October 19, 2018

 RESOLUTION

Honoring the Life of Dr. William Hall Hodges

and Establishing The Charles Hubert Hodges Sr. Endowed Scholarship

WHEREAS, the late Dr. William Hall Hodges of Dothan, Alabama, had tremendous foresight and vision in his establishment of a bequest of $250,000 to enhance the existing Charles Hubert Hodges Sr. Endowed Scholarship benefitting Birmingham-Southern College and providing a lasting legacy in memory of his father; and

WHEREAS, Charles Hubert Hodges, Sr., was born in Booneville, Mississippi, and moved with his family to York, Alabama, where he graduated from high school; and 

WHEREAS, he attended BSC where he graduated in 1926 with a bachelor’s degree in chemistry, and while on the Hilltop, he was a member of Theta Kappa Nu fraternity and the Biology Club and served on the Men’s Panhellenic Council and the Gold and Black Staff; and 

WHEREAS, after working for two years in Mobile, Mr. Hodges moved to Marianna, Florida, in 1928 to enter business with his father at the R. R. Hodges Lumber Company, which his father had started while Mr. Hodges attended BSC, and he worked at the company his entire career, retiring in 1968; and 

WHEREAS, in 1930, Mr. Hodges married Mary Hall from Dothan, Alabama, and they served their family, community, and church with dedication and care, providing a tremendous example for their children to follow; and 

WHEREAS, Mr. Hodges was a member of the Board of Directors of the First Bank of Marianna, the First Federal Savings and Loan, the Jackson County Hospital, the Marianna Convalescent Center, and the Jackson County Board of Education, and he was a member and past president of the Marianna Rotary Club, as well as member and Steward Emeritus of the First United Methodist Church of Marianna; and 

WHEREAS, in 2015, Mr. Hodges’ son, Dr. William Hall Hodges, established The Charles Hubert Hodges Sr. Endowed Scholarship at BSC to provide a means to alleviate the financial burden of college, particularly for students with financial need, and perpetuate his father’s legacy at his alma mater; and 

WHEREAS, born in Marianna, Florida, where he graduated in 1959 from Marianna High School, Dr. Hodges also is a graduate of BSC, earning his bachelor’s degree in biology in 1963, and he attended The University of Alabama School of Dentistry at UAB, earning his doctorate in dental medicine in 1967; and 

WHEREAS, he served three years with the U.S. Army Dental Corps, including a one-year tour of duty in Vietnam for which he was awarded a Bronze Star, and he went on to complete an endodontic residency at UAB in 1976, after which he moved to Dothan where he practiced endodontic dentistry for 24 years; and 

WHEREAS, after retirement in 2000, Dr. Hodges pursued his lifelong interest in photography and began experimenting with a variety of film and cameras, and he used the rudimentary Holga camera to create a series of dream-like, black-and-white cityscapes of downtown Birmingham that were collected into a book titled Third & Eighteenth, published in 2016; and 

WHEREAS, his photography was prolific, and an extended exhibit of the Birmingham cityscape photos was featured at the Wiregrass Museum of Art and also at BSC in 2016, with additional photos taken by Dr. Hodges during his military service in Vietnam also being presented at the Wiregrass Museum in January 2018; and 

WHEREAS, during the 42 years he lived in Dothan, Dr. Hodges was an avid supporter of the arts, serving on the Wiregrass Museum of Art Board of Trustees, including three years as treasurer, and he was instrumental in the development and beautification of the Museum’s gardens; and 

WHEREAS, the College was saddened by the passing of Dr. Hodges on June 15, 2018, at the age of 76 and remains grateful to him for his foresight and generosity; and 

WHEREAS, the Board of Trustees of Birmingham-Southern College wishes to express its appreciation for Dr. William Hall Hodges’ contribution, which will have a lasting impact on the College and on future generations of students who will follow in his and his father’s footsteps on the Hilltop; 

NOW BE IT RESOLVED that the Board of Trustees of Birmingham-Southern College hereby accepts with gratitude this gift for The Charles Hubert Hodges Sr. Endowed Scholarship,

a permanent fund of the College to be managed with other funds as part of the College’s Pooled Endowment Fund under the provisions of the College’s Investment Policy with scholarship awards drawn from the income of this fund, leaving the principal intact. 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this resolution will be entered into the official minutes of the Board of Trustees of Birmingham-Southern College, and that information about the Hodges family will be shared with recipients of these generous scholarships so that their lives may continue to inspire future generations to lead lives of significance.

Adopted on October 19, 2018

RESOLUTION

Establishing the Jeffrey I. Stone and Linda Johnson Stone Family Endowed Scholarship

WHEREAS, Jeffrey I. Stone and Linda Johnson Stone wish to support the mission of Birmingham-Southern College by establishing a scholarship for students with demonstrated financial need; and 

WHEREAS, Birmingham-Southern College seeks to help students from a wide range of backgrounds and circumstances forge lives of significance through the power of a top-quality liberal arts education; and 

WHEREAS, after earning a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering in 1979 from Auburn University, Jeffrey I. Stone returned to his hometown of Birmingham to begin a career with Brasfield & Gorrie, one of the nation’s largest privately held construction firms; and currently serves as Executive Vice President for the company; and 

WHEREAS, Mr. Stone devotes much of his time to civic and philanthropic efforts, including serving as a member of Birmingham-Southern College’s Norton Board of Advisors, a board member for United Way of Central Alabama, Children’s Harbor, the Omicron Delta Kappa Foundation and the Monday Morning Quarterback Club, and on the council of Canterbury United Methodist Church and its foundation; and is a graduate of Leadership Birmingham and Leadership Alabama; and 

WHEREAS, his many civic and professional contributions were recognized by the United Way Tocqueville Society in 2015 with its Mervyn H. Stern Award for the most significant contribution to the success of a United Way Campaign, and induction into the Alabama Engineering Hall of Fame; and 

WHEREAS, Linda Johnson Stone, a 1979 graduate of Auburn University, earned her MD degree at the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Medicine in 1983 and completed residency training at Children’s of Alabama in 1986, then entered a small private practice that has grown to include seven physicians and is now part of Children’s of Alabama;

WHEREAS, Dr. Stone is a sustaining member of the Junior League of Birmingham and sings with the Junior League Choral Group, and has served as a board member and chairman of the Mountain Brook City Schools Foundation as well as a board member of M-Power Ministries, and is active member of Canterbury United Methodist Church where she sings in the church choir, serves on the Church Council, Chairs the Child Development Center Board, and serves on the Congregational Care Team; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Stone is a fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics and is listed in Best Doctors in America; and

WHEREAS, in gratitude for the blessings they have received in life, the Stones wish to set an example of generosity for their family, which includes three children: Callie Stone Nash, whose husband, John Wilson Nash, is a 2007 graduate of the College; Margaret Stone Given and Jeffrey Walton Stone; and two grandchildren, Ann Harper Nash and Luke Nash; and

WHEREAS, the Stones have, through their estate plan, made provisions to establish an endowed scholarship at Birmingham-Southern College; and 

WHEREAS, The Board of Trustees of Birmingham-Southern College wishes to express its appreciation to the Stones for their foresight and her generosity, which will have a lasting impact on the College and on future generations of students; 

NOW BE IT RESOLVED that the Board of Trustees of Birmingham-Southern College hereby accepts with gratitude the Stones’ gift through their estate plan and pledges to formally establish the Jeffrey I. Stone and Linda Johnson Stone Family Endowed Scholarship. 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this resolution be entered into the official minutes of the Board of Trustees of Birmingham-Southern College.

Adopted on February 1, 2018

RESOLUTION

Acknowledging Generous Gifts from Dr. John W. Poynor and Nancy McCall Poynor

and Naming the Center for Student Development in Their Honor

WHEREAS, John W. Poynor, M.D., and Nancy McCall Poynor have made generous gifts totaling $300,000 to Birmingham-Southern College; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Poynor earned his Bachelor of Science degree from Washington & Lee University in 1962 and his M.D. degree from the University of Alabama School of Medicine in 1966; and

WHEREAS, he then served as an intern in Transitional and Mixed Medicine, Surgery at University Hospital and Hillman Clinics in Birmingham in 1967; and 

WHEREAS, Dr. Poynor received additional post-graduate education in Otolaryngology at University Hospital and Hillman Clinic and at the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology in Bethesda, Maryland; and 

WHEREAS, he served from 1971 until 1973 in the U.S. Air Force at Plattsburgh Air Force Base in New York, earning the rank of Lieutenant Colonel; and 

WHEREAS, since September 1973, he has been affiliated with ENT Associates of Alabama, P.C. in Birmingham, where he specializes in Otolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery; and 

WHEREAS, Dr. and Mrs. Poynor have generously supported many worthy causes and institutions, including the University of Alabama at Birmingham; Converse College, from which Mrs. Poynor graduated; Washington & Lee University; the Emmet O’Neal Library; the Birmingham Museum of Art; and Indian Springs School; and 

WHEREAS, the Board of Trustees wishes to recognize the Poynors for their steadfast support by naming the Center for Student Development, located on the second floor of the Norton Campus Center, in their honor; and 

WHEREAS, the Center for Student Development handles a host of activities and services for students, including housing, student activities, student organizations, fraternities and sororities, leadership opportunities, counseling, career advising, and academic accommodations, thereby providing a vital component of every student’s success; 

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by The Board of Trustees of Birmingham-Southern College that it expresses its continuing gratitude to Dr. and Mrs. Poynor for their generosity. 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that The Board of Trustees of Birmingham-Southern College does hereby approve the naming of the Center for Student Development for Dr. and Mrs. Poynor. 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this resolution will be entered into the official minutes of the Board of Trustees of Birmingham-Southern College.

Adopted on May 15, 2018

RESOLUTION

Naming the Morgan Courtyard at Yeilding Chapel

WHEREAS, the late Bishop Robert Crawley Morgan left an indelible mark on countless people, congregations and institutions over his remarkable life and ministry; and 

WHEREAS, along with Martha Storey Morgan, his wife of 55 years, Bishop Morgan lived a life of service grounded in deep faith, and is remembered as a leader of leaders in the North Alabama Conference of the United Methodist Church, on the Council of Bishops and at Birmingham-Southern College; and 

WHEREAS, Robert C. Morgan was born on September 15, 1933, in Birmingham, Alabama, was educated in Birmingham Public Schools and graduated from Birmingham-Southern College in YEAR; and 

WHEREAS, after completing his Master of Divinity degree from Candler School of Theology at Emory University, he served churches throughout the North Alabama Conference and was appointed Superintendent of the Tuscaloosa District while still in his mid-30s; and 

WHEREAS, after serving as Senior Pastor at Vestavia Hills United Methodist Church from 1974 to 1984, he was elected Bishop by the Southeastern Jurisdiction of the United Methodist Church, first serving eight years as bishop in Mississippi, where he oversaw the merger of two conferences into one statewide conference in 1988, then serving as bishop in Kentucky from 1992 to his retirement in 2000, overseeing the merger of the Louisville and Kentucky conferences in 1996; and 

WHEREAS, Bishop Morgan served as president of the United Methodist Board of Church and Society from 1988 to 1992 and president of the Council of Bishops from 1999 to 2000, when he retired; and 

WHEREAS, Bishop Morgan served as Bishop-in-Residence at Birmingham-Southern College from 2000 until his passing on March 16, 2014, where his role as a popular instructor of religion gave him the opportunity to touch the lives of countless students, and led to an increase in the number of students who entered seminary after graduation; and 

WHEREAS, Bishop Morgan was presented with honorary doctorates from six institutions as well as from Birmingham-Southern College, where he served as Chair of the Board of Trustees; and 

WHEREAS, with his beloved wife, Martha Storey Morgan, he created a large and loving famiy that includes four children – Lesli Morgan Blair, Carol Morgan Carmichael, Robert C. Morgan, Jr., and Kenneth Morgan -- and nine grandchildren – Will and Jack Blair; Ben, Clint and Dillon Carmichael; Bobby and John Morgan; and Andrew and Caroline Morgan; and 

WHEREAS, to ensure that the Morgans will be remembered for generations to come, family and friends have made contributions to Birmingham-Southern College in their honor; and 

WHEREAS, The Board of Trustees of Birmingham-Southern College wishes to create a permanent memorial to Bishop Morgan; 

NOW BE IT RESOLVED that the Board of Trustees of Birmingham-Southern College hereby designates the courtyard outside Yeilding Chapel as the Bishop Robert C. and Martha Morgan Courtyard, in grateful appreciation for the Morgans’ lives of leadership, their demonstration of faith in action, and their loyalty to the College and its mission. 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this resolution be entered in to the official minutes of the Board of Trustees of Birmingham-Southern College.

Adopted on February 1, 2018

RESOLUTION

Accepting a Generous Gift from Jim and Tammy Pierce

and Renaming Lakeview South Residence Hall in Their Honor

WHEREAS, James E. Pierce was born on February 26, 1952, in Tucson, Arizona, left home at 16 to escape what he has described as a chaotic and abusive childhood, and finished high school in Birmingham, Alabama, while living with his sister and her family and working full time at night in a milk processing plant; and

WHEREAS, he attended Birmingham-Southern College on a scholarship, earning his bachelor’s degree in economics with honors in 3½ years while working full time at night as a computer operator at a Birmingham bank; and

WHEREAS, after graduating from BSC in 1974, he was awarded a fellowship to the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania, where he completed his master’s degree in business administration in 1975; and

WHEREAS, he began his professional career with Arthur Anderson, then held several positions with Ernst & Young LLP in Chicago, managing 25 percent of the firm’s U.S-based IT professionals, before founding PrimeSource Technologies, an information technology consulting firm, ultimately selling the company in 2000 and taking over as Chief Financial Officer, Chief Operating Officer and President of Isagenix International, LLC, an Arizona-based global health and wellness company, where he has played an integral role in the company’s growth, including its expansion to 13 countries and nearly $1 billion in annual sales; and

WHEREAS, along with his beloved wife, Tammy, Mr. Pierce has long been an advocate for children of domestic violence and abuse, devoting significant time and resources to organizations such as Childhelp, Make-a-Wish, The Emeril Lagasse Foundation, the Emerald Coast Children’s Advocacy Center in Niceville, Florida, and the Pierce Family Children’s Center in DeFuniak Springs, Florida; and

WHEREAS, Mr. and Mrs. Pierce have generously supported Birmingham-Southern College, including a recent gift of $2 million; and

WHEREAS, the Board of Trustees of Birmingham-Southern College wishes to ensure that the Pierces will be remembered for generations of BSC students, faculty and staff for their generosity and dedication to his alma mater as well as to society, and therefore wishes to create a permanent recognition of their lives of significance;

NOW BE IT RESOLVED that the Board of Trustees of Birmingham-Southern College hereby accepts with gratitude the Pierce’s gift of $2 million; renames Lakeview South Residence Hall as Pierce Hall in appreciation for their steadfast support of Birmingham-Southern College; and approves the permanent installation of signage denoting the space as Pierce Hall.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this resolution be entered in to the official minutes of the Board of Trustees of Birmingham-Southern College.

Adopted on February 1, 2018.

RESOLUTION

Accepting a Bequest from Wanda Stubblefield McNeil

and Dedicating the Stockham Building Veranda to her Memory

WHEREAS, Wanda Gayle Stubblefield McNeil was born on July 13, 1949, in Granite City, Illinois, to Ralph Glandon Stubblefield and Ruby Alice Cook Stubblefield, and moved as a teenager to Huntsville, Alabama, where she attended Huntsville High School; and

WHEREAS, she was active in Methodist youth activities, serving as a leader at Camp Sumatanga and traveling to the Soviet Union in 1967 on a “People to People Goodwill Tour” organized by the Methodist Church; and

WHEREAS, Ms. McNeil earned a bachelor’s degree in religion in 1971 from Birmingham-Southern College, where she was a member of Zeta Tau Alpha Sorority and a cheerleader; and

WHEREAS she graduated from Vanderbilt University School of Law in 1976, and practiced law in New York City, Chicago, and Los Angeles with Shearman & Sterling before returning to Huntsville in 1991 to practice corporate law as Managing Partner of Sirote & Permutt; and

WHEREAS, she was a passionate patron of the arts, especially opera, and a committed champion of progressive causes, women’s issues and civil rights, and is remembered as a generous mentor to young women throughout her life; and

WHEREAS, she married Jerome Scott Branum in 2007 and began a mutually inspiring and adventurous phase of her life, establishing one home in Nashville, Tennessee, and another in Pavones, Costa Rica, which was known as “La Veranda” and where she loved to host friends and family; and

WHEREAS, Wanda Stubblefield McNeil passed away on May 26, 2016, in Nashville at the age of 66, leaving behind her beloved husband, children and their spouses – Josh McNeil and Susanna Greenberg of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and Beck McNeil and Mandy McNeil of Toronto, Ontario – and two grandchildren, Oscar McNeil and Caleb McNeil; and

WHEREAS, Ms. McNeil made a generous provision in her estate plan to support Birmingham-Southern College; and

WHEREAS, the Board of Trustees of Birmingham-Southern College wishes to ensure that she will be remembered for generations of BSC students, faculty and staff for her contributions to her alma mater as well as to her profession and society, and therefore wishes to create a permanent recognition of Ms. McNeil’s life of significance; and

WHEREAS, Stockham Women’s Building served for many years as the home for women’s organizations and activities, including Zeta Tau Alpha, bringing every member of Ms. McNeil’s sorority through its doors for meetings and fellowship, and has a shaded, south-facing veranda that seems a fitting place to honor her life; and

NOW BE IT RESOLVED that the Board of Trustees of Birmingham-Southern College hereby dedicates the veranda at Stockham Women’s Building to Wanda Stubblefield McNeil, in grateful appreciation for her steadfast support of Birmingham-Southern College, and approves the permanent installation of signage denoting the space as the Wanda Stubblefield McNeil Veranda.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this resolution be entered in to the official minutes of the Board of Trustees of Birmingham-Southern College.

Adopted on February 1, 2018.

RESOLUTION

Honoring the Life of Dr. Dora Henley Going

and Establishing the Mary Harrison Henderson and John Woodson Henley Endowed Scholarship, the Dr. Dora H. and Allen J. Going Endowed Scholarship,

and the Dr. Dora H. and Allen J. Going Endowed Fund for Library Support

 WHEREAS, the late Dora Henley Going, PhD, was a groundbreaking professor and researcher who left an indelible impression on myriad students during her lifetime;

 WHEREAS, she pursued an intense and lifelong interest in science, and is remembered as a pioneer in her pursuit of an education in microbiology and a career in education and research; and

 WHEREAS, Dora Henley Going was born in West Point, Mississippi, on June 14, 1916, the daughter of Mary Henderson and John Woodson Henley and sister of John Woodson Henley Jr.; was raised in Birmingham, Alabama, and graduated from Birmingham-Southern College with a Bachelor of Science in Biology in 1937; and 

WHEREAS, after completion of the Bachelor of Science Degree in Medical Technology at Temple University in Philadelphia, during World War II, she worked as a Medical Technologist in the Medical Department of DuPont's Black Powder Plant in Charleston, Indiana; and

WHEREAS, she returned to Birmingham and served as the head of the Department of Medical Technology at the Highland Hospital, currently UAB Hospital-Highlands; and

WHEREAS, in 1947, she began her teaching career as an instructor of microbiology at the University of Alabama and, during, a leave of absence, went on to earn the Masters and PhD degrees in Microbiology at the University of Michigan before returning to the University of Alabama; and 

WHEREAS, Dr. Going moved to Houston, Texas, in 1957 and was a microbiology professor at the University of Texas Health Science Center, until her retirement and return to Alabama in 1980; and 

WHEREAS, Dr. Going and her beloved husband, Allen J. Going, PhD, were active supporters of Birmingham-Southern College and charter members of Birmingham-Southern College’s Endowment Builders Society, and Dr. Going was a member of the Gingko Society; and 

WHEREAS, Dr. Going volunteered for non-profit organizations including The Children's Hands on Museum, Meals on Wheels, the Community Soup Bowl, Tuscaloosa Symphony Guild, and the University Library Leadership Board; and 

WHEREAS, she was an active member of Christ Episcopal Church, serving on the Altar Guild, and was a member of the Estes Embroidery Club, the Quest Club, Tuscaloosa Study Club, University Women's Club and several other social organizations; and 

WHEREAS, Dr. Going and her husband established and sustained endowed scholarships at institutions of higher learning, including the University of North Carolina and the University of Alabama; and 

WHEREAS, in 1999, Dr. Going was awarded Birmingham-Southern College’s Distinguished Alumni Award; and 

WHEREAS, Dr. Going has established a legacy of supporting science and education that will endure long beyond her passing on March 10, 2016, expressing through her estate plan her desire to create an endowment to support the Birmingham-Southern College Library, and endowed scholarships in memory of her parents, her husband and herself; and 

WHEREAS, The Board of Trustees of Birmingham-Southern College wishes to express its appreciation to Dr. Going for her foresight and her generosity, which will have a lasting impact on the College and on future generations of students; 

NOW BE IT RESOLVED that the Board of Trustees of Birmingham-Southern College hereby accepts with gratitude Dr. Dora H. Going’s gifts totaling approximately $1,365,000, and formally establishes the Dr. Dora H. and Allen J. Going Endowed Fund for Library Support, with a corpus of $35,000, with endowment income used solely for library acquisitions; and with the balance of the gift funds allocated equally to the Mary Harrison Henderson and John Woodson Henley Endowed Scholarship, to support students majoring in mathematics or science who maintain a B or better average; and the Dr. Dora H. and Allen J. Going Endowed Scholarship, to support pre-medical students who maintain a B or better average. 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the College agrees to honor Dr. Going’s wish that these scholarships be awarded upon consideration of merit and need, and that preference be given to students of merit who would otherwise be financially unable to attend the College. 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that these endowments will be established as permanent funds of the College, restricted to the purposes outlined by Dr. Going’s Last Will and Testament; that they will be managed with other funds as part of the College’s Pooled Endowment Fund under the provisions of the College’s Investment Policy; and that the scholarship funds and library expenditures will be drawn from the income of these funds, leaving the principal intact. 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this resolution will be entered in to the official minutes of the Board of Trustees of Birmingham-Southern College, that information on the impact of these endowments and the students who benefit will be shared with representatives of Dr. Going’s estate on an annual basis, and that information about Dr. Dora H. Going and Allen J. Going will be shared with recipients of these generous scholarships so that her life may continue to inspire future generations to lead lives of significance.

Adopted on October 18, 2017