The Beckham Medallion is Ferrum College’s highest alumni honor and is named after Ferrum’s first President, Dr. Benjamin M. Beckham. Its recipients model selfless service to family, church, community and career. This year’s recipient, Dr. James A. Davis, is being honored for his service to community, church and Ferrum College.

     In 1965, Dr. Davis received his Associate degree from Ferrum College with Phi Theta Kappa honors. While at Ferrum, he was named co-captain while playing forward for the Ferrum basketball team. He was part of the first team to compete in the NCAA tournament, and was named most valuable player. Dr. Davis went on to get his Bachelor of Arts degree in history from Randolph-Macon College in 1967, where he was elected to Phi Beta Kappa. In 1969, he received his Master of Arts in history from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. He earned his doctorate in higher education from Florida State University in 1972.

    In 1968, Dr. Davis returned to Ferrum College and for the next 14 years, held a number of positions as faculty and in administration, including assistant basketball coach, history professor, and Academic Dean and Dean of College. In 1973 he received the Ferrum College “Distinguished Alumni” award for his service to the college.

    Dr. Davis was elected to the Virginia General Assembly – House of Delegates in 1979 and served on several committees. In special elections in 1980 and 1981, he was re-elected before retiring one year later to accept the presidency of Shenandoah University in Winchester, Virginia., a position he still holds today.

    Dr. Davis has exemplified Ferrum College’s “Not Self-But Others” motto by his endless service to his church and civic groups, having served on the University Senate of the United Methodist Church for two terms. He is the recipient of honorary doctor degrees from Bridgewater College, Randolph-Macon College, and Takahashi Educational Institution (Japan). Woodmen of the World named him “Outstanding Citizen” in 1984, and the Greater Madison Foundation hailed him as “Administrator of the Year” in 1988. He currently serves on several boards, including, First Bank, Valley Health, and the Commonwealth Transportation Board and served as an elected member of the Commission of Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools for six years. Davis and his wife, Janet reside in Winchester and have 3 children and six grandchildren.

    Ferrum College is a four-year, private, co-educational, liberal arts college affiliated with the United Methodist Church. Ferrum offers a choice of nationally recognized bachelor’s degree programs at a cost well below the national average for private colleges. For more information on Ferrum, visit www.ferrum.edu.