Ferrum College recognized three outstanding alumni – Matthew Woods ’11, Carthan Currin ’84, and Phyllis Karavatakis ’76 – during its annual Alumni Awards Ceremony, which was held on Sat., Oct. 15 in the Blue Ridge Mountain Room in Franklin Hall. The event also recognized the Class of 1972 as members of Golden Panthers.
In a tradition dating to the 1920s, alumni award winners are nominated by other alumni, faculty, and/or staff; vetted by the Nominations Committee of the Alumni Board of Directors; and approved by the president.
Young Alumni: Matthew Woods ’11
In accepting the award, Woods shared how faculty and staff at Ferrum encouraged and challenged him to not settle for anything less than achieving his dreams.
“What I didn’t realize at the time, and what I have come to appreciate as I have gotten older, is that folks were investing their time and effort into me to help me grow, mature, and live up to my full potential. What Ferrum did for me, and had done for countless others, is instill that mindset and fundamental belief in the motto “Not Self, But Others.”
Distinguished Alumni: Carthan Currin ’84
Thanking his “Ferrum family” Currin shared that his father, friends present at the ceremony, and others who have passed away influenced his personal and professional life.
“What Ferrum [College] means to me is friendship, foundation, and future. Whatever accomplishments I’ve had in my life, I owe much of that success to the stellar education I received at Ferrum.”
Beckham Medallion: Phyllis Karavatakis ’76
“I am very humbled and honored to received this award. If not for Ferrum College, I am not sure I would have been as successful as I am today. I was a first generation college student, and I was naive as to what opportunities were open to women with a college degree.
If not for Ferrum, there would not have been the opportunity to go to [the University of Richmond], and the opportunity to land my dream job. The special interest the college deans, faculty and staff give to students then and now is what makes this such a special place.”Read more about the award recipients here.
View photos from the event here.
