Ferrum College proudly honors the achievements and lasting impact of its alumni through a variety of annual awards and recognitions. These honors celebrate graduates from every era of the College’s history—Ferrum Training School, Ferrum Junior College, and Ferrum College—who exemplify excellence, service, and the Panther spirit.
Explore past recipients and learn how to nominate a deserving alum for these prestigious honors.
Ferrum College proudly recognizes the outstanding achievements of its alumni through three major ceremonies held this fall: the Alumni Awards, the Sports Hall of Fame Induction, and the Golden Panthers Induction.
These honorees exemplify the dedication, achievement, and enduring spirit of the Ferrum community.
The annual Ferrum College Alumni Awards will be presented during the Alumni Awards Ceremony on Saturday, November 15, 2025.
The ceremony will honor distinguished members of the community for their career success, service, and commitment to Ferrum College.
The ceremony includes the awarding of the Outstanding Young Alumni Award, the Distinguished Alumni Award, and the Benjamin M. Beckham Medallion Award to this year’s winners.
The 2025 Award Winners are:
Outstanding Young Alumni Award:
Alexandria M. Dixon ‘19 (posthumously)
Distinguished Alumni Award:
Billy Wagner ‘94
Sara Quesenberry-Wagner ‘94
Benjamin M. Beckham Medallion Award:
George D. Yancey ‘67
On Saturday, September 13, 2025, Ferrum College honored nine inductees with an on-campus Sports Hall of Fame Ceremony.
Later that day, the inductees were recognized during halftime of Ferrum’s home football game against Shaw University, marking a historic moment as Ferrum’s first-ever NCAA Division II home football game.
The Ferrum Sports Hall of Fame Class of 2025 included athletes from multiple eras and disciplines, composed of three baseball players, two football players, one men’s basketball player, one women’s basketball player, a football/baseball player, and a women’s soccer/lacrosse player.
The 2025 Inductees:
Chuck Banks ’84 – Football
Heath (Burcher) Deaver ’90 – Baseball
Dustin Hamoy ’08 – Football
Paul Jaglowski ’12 – Baseball
Derek Mitchell ’11 – Men’s Basketball
Ashley Norton ’10 – Women’s Basketball
Stephanie (Perih) Schreyer ’08 – Women’s Soccer & Lacrosse
Brett Thomas ’07 – Baseball
Russel Walton ’90 – Football/Baseball
The Class of 1975 was formally inducted into the Golden Panthers on Saturday, October 11, 2025, celebrating alumni who have reached their 50th class reunion milestone.
Ferrum College will recognize the outstanding achievements of alumni who exemplify the three eras of Ferrum College: Ferrum Training School, Ferrum Junior College, and Ferrum College.
The Outstanding Young Alumni Award
In honor of our younger alumni, we have created an award that recognizes their accomplishments and achievements within the last 15 years.
Beckham Medallion Award
Named after Dr. Benjamin M. Beckham, the first president of Ferrum College, the Beckham Medallion is the highest tribute bestowed upon an alumnus/a. The distinction honors those who exemplify the College motto, “Not self, but others,” and who have demonstrated exceptional career success, service to their community, and dedication to Ferrum College.
In honor of over 80 years of Panther Athletics, and in recognition of the many contributions Ferrum student-athletes have made throughout their careers, the Ferrum Alumni Association and the Department of Intercollegiate Athletics announced its inaugural season of the Ferrum College Alumni Sports Hall of Fame in 1994. It is very important that the selection committee receive as complete a package as possible for each nominee, including playing records/statistics, athletic honors, and continuing achievements and service since leaving Ferrum. Committee members rely mostly on the information provided in the nomination package, so completeness is important. In order to be considered, nominees should:
Distinguished Alumni Award:
Keith E. Fisher ’68
Outstanding Young Alumni Award:
Rachel Wells ’16
Beckham Medallion:
Baxter F. Phillips, Jr. ’66
2024 Sports Hall of Fame:
Tesla Akers Southcott ’13
Ken Blackley ’61
Dr. Lynn Grine Dillon ’66
Sterling “Butch” Dusharm ’68
Gail Holley
John Morabito ’76
Tim Reynolds Jr. ’15
Cary Stockdell ’68
Distinguished Alumni Award:
Nancy Swartz Beach ’75
Outstanding Young Alumni Award:
Beth Simms ’09
Beckham Medallion:
Scott Showalter ‘73
2023 Sports Hall of Fame:
Melisa Buchanan-Craft ’01
Tanisha Durham ’04
Andre Levisy ’89
Melvin Martin ’75
Angela Thomas ’90
George Yancey ’67
Distinguished Alumni Award:
Carthan Currin ’84
Outstanding Young Alumni Award:
Matthew Woods ’12
Beckham Medallion:
Phyllis Karavatakis ’76
2022 Sports Hall of Fame:
Frank C. Haywood, Jr. ’72
Matthew Jordan ’95
Jim Kitts ’94
Don Testerman ’73
Andra Thomas ’90
2021 Distinguished Alumni Award
Rev. Dr. Burton White ’84
For a full listing of Ferrum College Outstanding Distinguished Alumni Recipients, click here.
2021 Outstanding Young Alumni Award
Paul Jaglowski ’12
Ra’meer Roberts ’13
2021 Sports Hall of Fame:
Trica Moore Barber ’06
Melvin Dillard ’92
Roben Sutphin Thomas ’96
Tara Toland ’05
Mark White ’96
Gary Holden—Special Recognition
Vickie Van Kleeck—Special Recognition
