Honoring SAU alumni who have made outstanding contributions to their professions, communities, and the university since 1974.
Young Alumni Award
Presented to alumni who graduated within the past 20 years and have already made a significant impact in their field or community.
Rita Glynn Hamilton
1986
Steve D. Goodheart
1992
Carolyn McCoy
1992
Charles Sheppard Miers
1992
K. Jan Sims
1993
Thomas Hawley Tuberville
1993
Dr. Benny R. Zachry
1993
John Franklin Dews
1994
Chris Rome Gilliam
1994
Alvin Terry Roberts
1994
Marc Joseph Emrich
1995
Jim Allen Parks
1995
Valerie Cheatham Alspaugh
1996
Rodney Lloyd LaGrone
1996
Sheila Kay Pearson
1996
Mr. & Mrs. Roger Royce Dunlap
1997
Larry Joseph Lundeen
1997
Bruce David Maloch
1997
James Paul Brewer
1998
Brian Harrington
1998
Ronald Alan Ribble
1998
Dr. Stacee Renea Burson
1999
Todd M. Griffin
1999
Dr. Shelia Lucyle Jackson
1999
Stephen D. Bright
2000
Mr. & Mrs. Daniel James Galway
2000
Tracy Lawrence
2000
Allard Paul Baird
2001
Dr. & Mrs. Brent Russell Carmony
2001
John Michael Blair
2002
Stuart Arnold Cearley
2002
Dr. Terah Rhea Coffman
2002
Dr. John Allen Hendricks
2003
Ellen Blough Morgan
2003
John Randolph Haynie
2003
Toby C. Stephens
2004
Jordan J. Babineaux
2004
Fernando F. Barbosa
2005
Allen Lee Gum
2006
Stephen Gary Weaver
2008
Mr. & Mrs. Jason L. Ellen
2010
Amy Jo Freedman
2010
Joseph D. Pieratt
2010
Mr. & Mrs. Cory D. Childs
2011
Tim P. Rogers
2011
Marcus A. Smith
2012
Marcus (Mark) Smith
2012
Joel Z. Parrish
2013
Nik Lewis
2014
Samuel Jones
2015
Johnathan Baird
2016
Larry Dunn
2016
Pushkar Rao
2017
Dr. Kara Way
2018
Brandon Foshee
2018
Julie Kay Barber
2019
Dennis Joseph
2019
Cody Burkham
2022
Dr. Kristofer Freeland
2022
Dr. Genese Lavalais
2022
Rickey Burnell
2023
Isaac Woods
2023
Shelby Blair
2024
Tyler Brown
2024
Darius Strickland
2025–2026
Ashley Talley
2025–2026
Steven Wiley
2025–2026
Distinguished Alumni Award
The highest honor bestowed by the SAU Alumni Association, recognizing exceptional achievement and distinguished service.
Florene Bradley
1974
John W. Rhea Jr.
1974
Dr. John E. Alexander
1975
Sam Bailey
1975
Lt. Col. Charles Edward Downs
1975
Dr. Imon E. Bruce
1976
Pansy Puckette
1977
Dr. John H. Wilson
1977
Mary Katherine Wynck
1977
Dr. Dolph Camp
1978
Dr. and Mrs. Larry J. Embree
1978
Charles Youmanus McClendon
1978
Joe Davis Woodward
1978
Orval Allen Childs Sr.
1979
Ves William Godley
1979
Hazel C. Jordan
1979
Stewart C. Byrd
1980
Lacy E. Crain
1980
Prentice T. Waller
1980
Dr. Otabel Bradshaw
1981
Ray Crain
1981
Dr. Luther Alvan Longino
1981
Clyde Dickens Calliotte
1982
Corbin R. Owen
1982
Capt. Curtis T. Youngblood
1982
John Gurley Phillips
1983
Gillie Schene
1983
Dr. Walter Livingston Starks
1983
Harlan T. Holmes
1984
Charles Allen Lanphere
1984
Denny Smith Jr.
1984
Dr. Robert Dean Stueart
1984
Mr. & Mrs. Harold H. Fincher
1985
Bernard H. Polk
1985
John Monroe Turner
1985
Gen. Horace Milton Wade
1985
Marion C. Jones
1986
Dr. Cora Ellen Norman
1986
Dr. William Nelson Philpot
1986
William R. Thomas
1986
Dr. & Mrs. William Hugh Daniel
1987
James Herbert Jones
1987
Julia E. McKernie
1987
Patsy J. Weaver
1987
Dr. & Mrs. Charles DeWitt Dunn
1988
James M. Philpot
1988
Dr. Jake W. Looney
1989
Dr. Ron J. Ponder
1989
Harry Thomason
1989
James C. Bailey
1990
Dr. William Ves Childs
1990
J. Michael McLean
1990
Dr. Ruth Lazelle Couch
1991
Lois Gean Kelly
1991
Dr. Louie David Norris
1991
Oliver Clegg
1992
Dr. Barney Harris
1992
Ronald Taylor LeMay
1992
Dr. John Irvin Coppett
1993
Dr. Sess D. Hensley
1993
Dr. Leonard Maxwell Pike
1993
Sunthorn Arunanondchai
1994
Warren Q. Kaylor
1994
Mack Lee Taylor
1994
Jim Robert Baker
1995
Dr. Jack T. Harrington
1995
James Hobson Whitmore
1995
V. Adm. Joe Williams Jr.
1995
Dr. Paul G. Henley
1996
Roy Edward Ledbetter
1996
Leland E. Tollett
1996
Jean M. Turner
1996
Dr. Harold T. Brinson
1997
Mr. & Mrs. Richard Payne Clark
1997
Dr. James J. Miner
1997
J.D. Williams
1997
Ben F. Burton
1998
Dr. & Mrs. Bud Dickson
1998
Earl Davis Downs
1998
Len S. Burton
1999
Cinda Ann Hallman
1999
Rip Ferrall Powell
1999
Thomas Glyn Finley
2000
Dr. Richard Thomas Lovell
2000
Donald Edward Wray
2000
Dr. George Rufus Haynes
2001
Janie McLane
2001
Boon-Wan Tan
2001
Partee Tuberville
2001
Laverne Burton
2002
Dr. William E. McHenry
2002
Dr. Sandra Annette Goldberg
2003
James E. Haynes
2003
Marcus W. McDonald
2004
Dr. Justin Roy Morris
2004
Joyce Ann Elliott
2005
Joseph Kirby Mahony II
2005
Mr. & Mrs. William James Carlisle
2006
Margaret Aliye Taylor
2006
Mr. & Mrs. Eddie Allen Choate
2007
William R. Stringfellow
2007
Alice Gaye Manning
2008
Joan Avalyn Dempsey
2010
Dr. Katherine Sue Fell
2011
James Irvin Freeman
2011
Jerry Mayfield
2011
Glenn Allen Perry
2011
John David Barham
2012
Katherine Hazel Corbett
2012
Mr. & Mrs. William Edward Fullenwider Jr.
2012
Mr. & Mrs. William M. Fullenwider
2012
Dr. Corbet Joe Lamkin
2012
Lee Fancher Seabroker Jr.
2012
Jack Daugherty
2013
Dr. Betty Faye Smith
2013
Dr. Lathan Bernard Daniels
2014
Michael Dumas
2015
Jeff Flaherty
2015
David Moore
2015
John Armour
2016
LeAnne Johnson
2016
Don McDonald
2016
Clyde Baxter
2017
Dr. Rodney Griffin
2017
Dr. Lepaine McHenry
2018
Elston Strong
2018
Debbie Arnold
2019
Dr. J. David Ashby
2019
Rod Duckworth
2019
Jim Andrews
2022
Allan Robbins
2022
Gwendolyn Rowland
2022
Joey Baker
2023
Eric Cowling
2023
Allen Loe
2023
Rhonda Rhynes Esq.
2023
Rickey L. Jasper
2024
Dr. Bob Martin
2024
Victoria Williams
2024
Bill Anderson
2025
Dr. Donika Kelly
2025
Shanna Singleton-Deitsch
2025
Distinguished Golden Rider Award
Recognizing alumni who graduated 50 or more years ago and have continued a lifetime of service and distinguished achievement.
Dr. Ralph F. Boulware
2002
Archie Monroe
2002
Mary Sue Shinn
2003
David Richard Raney Jr.
2004
Ralph J. Ross
2004
W. Carl McCollum
2005
Lawrence Edwin Dawson Jr.
2006
Ronald D. Richards
2007
Rodney N. Whalen
2007
Dr. William C. Lindsey
2008
Dr. Charles Rische Beeson
2010
Dr. James Terrell Tollett
2010
David Wayne Reynolds
2011
Dr. Vernon White
2011
Grady Bolding
2012
Donald Edward Wray
2012
BC Dodson
2013
Mr. & Mrs. S. Cameron Dodson
2013
Lamar Smith
2014
Carl Calloway
2017
JW Rowe
2017
Ray Burns
2018
George Lowrance Hodge
2018
Dr. Daniel G. Kyle
2019
Dr. Robert W. Henderson
2019
Dr. Gayle White
2022
Dr. John Cotton
2023
Janet Poppleton
2023
Robert Buckmaster
2024
Dr. John Alexander
2025
John Sinclair
2025
Lifetime Achievement Award
Presented in recognition of a lifetime of extraordinary dedication to Southern Arkansas University and the greater community.
Earl R. Miller
2000
Dr. Larry Winford McNeal
2001
Louis J. Blanchard
2002
Steve D. Goodheart
2003
James Jarnigan
2005
James R. Staggs
2006
Harold Camp Jameson
2007
Cecil Elwood Yates Jr.
2008
Dr. Norman Huneycutt
2010
Dayton Ronald Harrell
2011
Floyd Kyser
2012
Lionel Barton
2013
Ann Reece Thomas
2014
Dr. David Rankin
2015
Jerome Yates
2016
Mike Kinard
2017
Claudell Woods
2018
Edgar O. Lee
2019
Dr. Tom Brian & Sharon L. Brian
2019
Edna Cook-Norvell
2022
Dr. Kathleen Mallory
2023
James Paul Brewer
2024
Leland Tollett
2025
Know an Outstanding SAU Alumnus?
Nominations for the next awards cycle open June 1. Help us recognize the alumni who make SAU proud.
Young Alumni Award
Rita Glynn Hamilton 1986 | Steve D. Goodheart 1992 | Carolyn McCoy 1992 |
Charles Sheppard Miers 1992 | K. Jan Sims 1993 | Thomas Hawley Tuberville 1993 |
Dr. Benny R. Zachry 1993 | John Franklin Dews 1994 | Chris Rome Gilliam 1994 |
Alvin Terry Roberts 1994 | Marc Joseph Emrich 1995 | Jim Allen Parks 1995 |
Valerie Cheatham Alspaugh 1996 | Rodney Lloyd LaGrone 1996 | Sheila Kay Pearson 1996 |
Mr. & Mrs. Roger Royce Dunlap 1997 | Larry Joseph Lundeen 1997 | Bruce David Maloch 1997 |
James Paul Brewer 1998 | Brian Harrington 1998 | Ronald Alan Ribble 1998 |
Dr. Stacee Renea Burson 1999 | Todd M. Griffin 1999 | Dr. Shelia Lucyle Jackson 1999 |
Stephen D. Bright 2000 | Mr. & Mrs. Daniel James Galway 2000 | Tracy Lawrence 2000 |
Allard Paul Baird 2001 | Dr. & Mrs. Brent Russell Carmony 2001 | John Michael Blair 2002 |
Stuart Arnold Cearley 2002 | Dr. Terah Rhea Coffman 2002 | John Randolph Haynie 2003 |
Dr. John Allen Hendricks 2003 | Ellen Blough Morgan 2003 | Jordan J. Babineaux 2004 |
Toby C. Stephens 2004 | Fernando F. Barbosa 2005 | Allen Lee Gum 2006 |
Stephen Gary Weaver 2008 | Mr. & Mrs. Jason L. Ellen 2010 | Amy Jo Freedman 2010 |
Joseph D. Pieratt 2010 | Mr. & Mrs. Cory D. Childs 2011 | Tim P. Rogers 2011 |
Marcus A. Smith 2012 | Marcus (Mark) Smith 2012 | Joel Z. Parrish 2013 |
Nik Lewis 2014 | Samuel Jones 2015 | Johnathan Baird 2016 |
Larry Dunn 2016 | Pushkar Rao 2017 | Brandon Foshee 2018 |
Dr. Kara Way 2018 | Julie Kay Barber 2019 | Dennis Joseph 2019 |
Cody Burkham 2022 | Dr. Kristofer Freeland 2022 | Dr. Genese Lavalais 2022 |
Rickey Burnell 2023 | Isaac Woods 2023 | Tyler Brown 2024 |
Shelby Blair 2024 | Darius Strickland 2025, 2026 | Ashley Talley 2025, 2026 |
Steven Wiley 2025, 2026 |
Young Alumni Award
Rita Glynn Hamilton 1986 | Steve D. Goodheart 1992 | Carolyn McCoy 1992 |
Charles Sheppard Miers 1992 | K. Jan Sims 1993 | Thomas Hawley Tuberville 1993 |
Dr. Benny R. Zachry 1993 | John Franklin Dews 1994 | Chris Rome Gilliam 1994 |
Alvin Terry Roberts 1994 | Marc Joseph Emrich 1995 | Jim Allen Parks 1995 |
Valerie Cheatham Alspaugh 1996 | Rodney Lloyd LaGrone 1996 | Sheila Kay Pearson 1996 |
Mr. & Mrs. Roger Royce Dunlap 1997 | Larry Joseph Lundeen 1997 | Bruce David Maloch 1997 |
James Paul Brewer 1998 | Brian Harrington 1998 | Ronald Alan Ribble 1998 |
Dr. Stacee Renea Burson 1999 | Todd M. Griffin 1999 | Dr. Shelia Lucyle Jackson 1999 |
Stephen D. Bright 2000 | Mr. & Mrs. Daniel James Galway 2000 | Tracy Lawrence 2000 |
Allard Paul Baird 2001 | Dr. & Mrs. Brent Russell Carmony 2001 | John Michael Blair 2002 |
Stuart Arnold Cearley 2002 | Dr. Terah Rhea Coffman 2002 | John Randolph Haynie 2003 |
Dr. John Allen Hendricks 2003 | Ellen Blough Morgan 2003 | Jordan J. Babineaux 2004 |
Toby C. Stephens 2004 | Fernando F. Barbosa 2005 | Allen Lee Gum 2006 |
Stephen Gary Weaver 2008 | Mr. & Mrs. Jason L. Ellen 2010 | Amy Jo Freedman 2010 |
Joseph D. Pieratt 2010 | Mr. & Mrs. Cory D. Childs 2011 | Tim P. Rogers 2011 |
Marcus A. Smith 2012 | Marcus (Mark) Smith 2012 | Joel Z. Parrish 2013 |
Nik Lewis 2014 | Samuel Jones 2015 | Johnathan Baird 2016 |
Larry Dunn 2016 | Pushkar Rao 2017 | Brandon Foshee 2018 |
Dr. Kara Way 2018 | Julie Kay Barber 2019 | Dennis Joseph 2019 |
Cody Burkham 2022 | Dr. Kristofer Freeland 2022 | Dr. Genese Lavalais 2022 |
Rickey Burnell 2023 | Isaac Woods 2023 | Tyler Brown 2024 |
Shelby Blair 2024 | Darius Strickland 2025 | Ashley Talley 2025 |
Steven Wiley 2025 |
Distinguished Alumni Award
Florene Bradley 1974 | John W. Rhea Jr. 1974 | Dr. John E. Alexander 1975 |
Sam Bailey 1975 | Lt. Col. Charles Edward Downs 1975 | Dr. Imon E. Bruce 1976 |
Pansy Puckette 1977 | Dr. John H. Wilson 1977 | Mary Katherine Wyrick 1977 |
Dr. Dolph Camp 1978 | Dr. and Mrs. Larry J. Embree 1978 | Charles Youmanus McClendon 1978 |
Joe Davis Woodward 1978 | Orval Allen Childs, Sr. 1979 | Ves William Godley 1979 |
Hazel C. Jordan 1979 | Stewart C. Byrd 1980 | Lacy E. Crain 1980 |
Prentice T. Waller 1980 | Dr. Otabel Bradshaw 1981 | Ray Crain 1981 |
Dr. Luther Alvan Longino 1981 | Clyde Dickens Calliotte 1982 | Corbin R. Owen 1982 |
Capt. Curtis T. Youngblood 1982 | John Gurley Phillips 1983 | Gillie Schene 1983 |
Dr. Walter Livingston Starks 1983 | Harlan T. Holmes 1984 | Charles Allen Lanphere 1984 |
Denny Smith Jr. 1984 | Dr. Robert Dean Stueart 1984 | Mr. & Mrs. Harold H. Fincher 1985 |
Bernard H. Polk 1985 | John Monroe Turner 1985 | Gen. Horace Milton Wade 1985 |
Marion C. Jones 1986 | Dr. Cora Ellen Norman 1986 | Dr. William Nelson Philpot 1986 |
William R. Thomas 1986 | Dr. & Mrs. William Hugh Daniel 1987 | James Herbert Jones 1987 |
Julia E. McKemie 1987 | Patsy J. Weaver 1987 | Dr. & Mrs. Charles DeWitt Dunn 1988 |
James M. Philpot 1988 | Dr. Jake W. Looney 1989 | Dr. Ron J. Ponder 1989 |
Harry Thomason 1989 | James C. Bailey 1990 | Dr. William Ves Childs 1990 |
J. Michael McLean 1990 | Dr. Ruth Lazelle Couch 1991 | Lois Gean Kelly 1991 |
Dr. Louie David Norris 1991 | Oliver Clegg 1992 | Dr. Barney Harris 1992 |
Ronald Taylor LeMay 1992 | Dr. John Irvin Coppett 1993 | Dr. Sess D. Hensley 1993 |
Dr. Leonard Maxwell Pike 1993 | Sunthorn Arunanondchai 1994 | Warren Q. Kaylor 1994 |
Mack Lee Taylor 1994 | Jim Robert Baker 1995 | Dr. Jack T. Harrington 1995 |
James Hobson Whitmore 1995 | V. Adm. Joe Williams Jr. 1995 | Dr. Paul G. Henley 1996 |
Roy Edward Ledbetter 1996 | Leland E. Tollett 1996 | Jean M. Turner 1996 |
Dr. Harold T. Brinson 1997 | Mr. & Mrs. Richard Payne Clark 1997 | Dr. James J. Miner 1997 |
J.D. Williams 1997 | Ben F. Burton 1998 | Dr. & Mrs. Bud Dickson 1998 |
Earl Davis Downs 1998 | Len S. Burton 1999 | Cinda Ann Hallman 1999 |
Rip Ferrall Powell 1999 | Thomas Glyn Finley 2000 | Dr. Richard Thomas Lovell 2000 |
Donald Edward Wray 2000 | Dr. George Rufus Haynes 2001 | Janie McLane 2001 |
Boon-Wan Tan 2001 | Partee Tuberville 2001 | Laverne Burton 2002 |
Dr. William E. McHenry 2002 | Dr. Sandra Annette Goldberg 2003 | James E. Haynes 2003 |
Marcus W. McDonald 2004 | Dr. Justin Roy Morris 2004 | Joyce Ann Elliott 2005 |
Joseph Kirby Mahony II 2005 | Mr. & Mrs. William James Carlisle 2006 | Margaret Allye Taylor 2006 |
Mr. & Mrs. Eddie Allen Choate 2007 | William R. Stringfellow 2007 | Alice Gaye Manning 2008 |
Joan Avalyn Dempsey 2010 | Dr. Katherine Sue Fell 2011 | James Irvin Freeman 2011 |
Jerry Mayfield 2011 | Glenn Allen Perry 2011 | John David Barham 2012 |
Katherine Hazel Corbett 2012 | Mr. & Mrs. William Edward Fullenwider Jr. 2012 | Mr. & Mrs. William M. Fullenwider 2012 |
Dr. Corbet Joe Lamkin 2012 | Lee Fancher Seabrooker Jr. 2012 | Jack Daugherty 2013 |
Dr. Betty Faye Smith 2013 | Dr. Lathan Bernard Daniels 2014 | Michael Dumas 2015 |
Jeff Flaherty 2015 | David Moore 2015 | John Armour 2016 |
LeAnne Johnson 2016 | Don McDonald 2016 | Clyde Baxter 2017 |
Dr. Rodney Griffin 2017 | Dr. Lepaine McHenry 2018 | Elston Strong 2018 |
Debbie Arnold 2019 | Dr. J. David Ashby 2019 | Rod Duckworth 2019 |
Jim Andrews 2022 | Allan Robbins 2022 | Gwendolyn Rowland 2022 |
Joey Baker 2023 | Eric Cowling 2023 | Allen Loe 2023 |
Rhonda Rhynes, Esq. 2023 | Rickey L. Jasper 2024 | Dr. Bob Martin 2024 |
Victoria Williams 2024 | Bill Anderson 2025 | Dr. Donika Kelly 2025 |
Shanna Singleton-Deitsch 2025 |
Distinguished Golden Rider Award
Dr. Ralph F. Boulware 2002 | Archie Monroe 2002 | Mary Sue Shinn 2003 |
David Richard Raney Jr. 2004 | Ralph J. Ross 2004 | W. Carl McCollum 2005 |
Lawrence Edwin Dawson Jr. 2006 | Ronald D. Richards 2007 | Rodney N. Whalen 2007 |
Dr. William C. Lindsey 2008 | Dr. Charles Rische Beeson 2010 | Dr. James Terrell Tollett 2010 |
David Wayne Reynolds 2011 | Dr. Vernon White 2011 | Grady Bolding 2012 |
Donald Edward Wray 2012 | BC Dodson 2013 | Mr. & Mrs. S. Cameron Dodson 2013 |
Lamar Smith 2014 | Carl Calloway 2017 | JW Rowe 2017 |
Ray Burns 2018 | George Lowrance Hodge 2018 | Dr. Daniel G. Kyle 2019 |
Dr. Robert W. Henderson 2019 | Dr. Gayle White 2022 | Dr. John Cotton 2023 |
Janet Poppleton 2023 | Robert Buckmaster 2024 | Dr. John Alexander 2025 |
John Sinclair 2025 |
Lifetime Achievement Award
Earl R. Miller 2000 | Dr. Larry Winford McNeal 2001 | Louis J. Blanchard 2002 |
Steve D. Goodheart 2003 | James Jarnigan 2005 | James R. Staggs 2006 |
Harold Camp Jameson 2007 | Cecil Elwood Yates Jr. 2008 | Dr. Norman Huneycutt 2010 |
Dayton Ronald Harrell 2011 | Floyd Kyser 2012 | Lionel Barton 2013 |
Ann Reece Thomas 2014 | Dr. David Rankin 2015 | Jerome Yates 2016 |
Mike Kinard 2017 | Claudell Woods 2018 | Edgar O. Lee 2019 |
Dr. Tom Brian & Sharon L. Brian 2019 | Edna Cook-Norvell 2022 | Dr. Kathleen Mallory 2023 |
James Paul Brewer 2024 | Leland Tollett 2025 |