Rebecca Nelson, '65
Rod C. Bussey Award of Special Merit

Rebecca Nelson, a native of Patrick Springs, VA received a B.A. in Spanish from Berea College and an M.A. in Spanish from Eastern Kentucky University. Becky and her husband Dr. David Nelson (’65) , retired professor of History, returned to Berea in 1970. From 1972-1996, Becky served as Head Resident of Talcott Hall. During her time as Head Resident, it became clear to all those around her that Becky had a gift for working with and mentoring students and she has left lasting impressions on the lives of many. Becky continued her efforts to serve her alma mater by working in stewardship development and as a writer in the College Relations Office. She played a quiet but powerful role in positively representing all aspects of Berea to donors. On and off the clock, she frequently and genuinely expressed her gratitude towards alumni and friends who made it possible to extend Berea’s legacy by providing opportunities to future generations of Bereans. Becky has been an exemplary employee of the college and even in her upcoming retirement, there is no doubt that she will continue to be an inspiration through her steadfast commitment to Berea and its mission.

Dr. Douglas M. Watts, '65
Distinguished Alumnus Award

Dr. Douglas M. Watts is a professor of virology in the Department of Pathology and the associate director for scientific administration for the Center for Biodefense and Emerging Infectious Diseases at the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Berea and earned a Master of Science degree and doctorate in virology and medical entomology from the University of Wisconsin at Madison. He has served in numerous high-ranking positions in his field, including Chief of an Arboviral Diseases Research Program at the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research in Washington D.C.; virologist at the Armed Forces Research Institute of Medical Sciences, Bangkok, Thailand.; head of the U.S. Naval Medical Research Unit #3 Department of Virology in Cairo, Egypt; and Scientific Director of the Naval Medical Research Unit Detachment, Lima, Peru. He also served as the medical research advisor for the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Southeast Asia Regional Office in New Delhi, India, and WHO adviser for the Ministry of Health in Sri Lanka. He has authored or co-authored 150 scientific articles, several chapters in text books, and one book on the diagnosis of HIV infection. Dr. Watts retired from his civil service position with the Department of Defense in 2002 and joined the UTMB Department of Pathology in July 2002 where he has been a key member of a biodefense research team involved in obtaining funding and in the planning, establishment and management of a Regional Center of Excellence for Biodefense and Emerging Infectious Diseases Research and for the planning and construction of a National Biocontainment Laboratory. In addition, he teaches medical and graduate students, and continues to conducts research on viral diseases found in the United States and in Asia, Europe and Africa.

Dr. Brad Crain,'65
Distinguished Alumnus Award

A Florida native, Dr. Crain graduated from Berea in 1965 and also holds an M.A. and Ph.D. from Harvard University. An English scholar and veteran higher education administrator, Dr. Crain was president of Lees-McRae College in Banner Elk, NC from 1985-93 and led the largest fund-raising effort in the school's history. From 1983-85, he was vice president and academic dean and professor of English at Lincoln Memorial University. At Berea, Dr. Crain served as instructor of English from 1968-70 and was assistant to the president for institutional advancement from 1994-95 and Director of Major Gifts from 2000-02. He was a member of the College's Alumni Executive Council from 1980-87 and its president in 1987. Dr. Crain recently retired as Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs at Lincoln Memorial University. Most recently Dr. Crain served as Distinguished Visiting Professor of Humanities at the College of the Ozarks. He is the 2003 recipient of the Appalachian Consortium’s Laurel Leaves Award where he was recognized for his efforts to preserve Appalachian values and culture, his commitment to higher education in Appalachia and his volunteer fund raising efforts in support of the mission of the Appalachian Consortium.

Dr. George Lester, ‘54
2005 Recipient, Distinguished Alumnus Award

Dr. George R. Lester, President of George Lester, Inc., is a consultant on catalysts in environmental and energy conservation applications. He is also an Adjunct Professor in the Center for Catalysis and Surface Science of Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois.  Dr. Lester retired in 1996 as Senior Research Fellow at AlliedSignal after almost thirty-eight years with AlliedSignal, Signal Companies, UOP, and Universal Oil Products Company.  He is known internationally for his contributions to heterogeneous catalysis - most notably for his involvement in the development of the original automotive exhaust catalysts and for extensions of that technology to create new business opportunities in environmental, air purification, and energy-conservation applications. He holds 46 US Patents and has authored over 50 technical publications. He chaired the Gordon Research Conference on Catalysis in 1991, and in 1992 was elected a Fellow of the Society of Automotive Engineers for his contributions to automotive exhaust emissions control. He represented AlliedSignal on the White House Policy Dialogue Committee to Reduce Automobile Greenhouse Emissions in 1994-5. He was awarded the 2002 E. V. Murphree Award in Industrial and Engineering Chemistry by the American Chemical in April, 2002.   Dr. Lester was a pioneer in the development of catalysts designed to destroy all three of the noxious auto exhaust pollutants (carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons and nitrogen oxides), and developed one of the earliest catalysts (LEANOX™) for destruction of nitrogen oxides in the exhaust of fuel-lean automotive and stationary engines. He was a key player in programs leading to catalysts for protection against chemical warfare attack, and is one of the inventors of the very lightweight catalytic converter that is being used for removal of ozone from the cabin pressurization air on the Boeing 777 and other airliners.  Dr. Lester is a 1954 graduate of Berea College, and received the M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Physical Chemistry from the University of Kentucky in 1956 and 1958, respectively.

Jeanette Humphrey Byrd, ‘89
2005 Recipient, Outstanding Young Alumnus Award

Since graduating from Berea College, Jeanette has unwaveringly dedicated her life to the field of education.  She started her career path while a student at Berea serving in various leadership positions at Students for Appalachia’s community day camp and tutoring programs.  She has since spent the past fifteen years teaching kindergarten and elementary school children in Durham, NC, London, England, Trenton, NJ, and most recently Houston, TX where she serves as a Language Arts Specialist for Cummings Elementary School.  Jeanette has been awarded numerous recognitions for her success and commitment to educating youth including the Unsung American Hero Award, the Minority Educator Award, WTVD-TV’s Rising to the Challenge Award, a Teacher-Scholar Fellowship from the NC center for the Advancement of Teaching, and four Teacher of the Year awards from four different schools.  She has also successfully championed for multiple grants to assist her in her teaching efforts.  Her most recent grant awarded, Stepping Outside Sneed, provided opportunities for teachers to visit students at their homes, provide books in home environments, and engage students in learning activities.  Jeanette holds a B.A. in Elementary Education from Berea College and an M.A. in Education with an emphasis on Intercultural Education from the University of London in England.  She is currently working on her principal certification.

Dr. Paul White, ’89
2005 Recipient, Outstanding Young Alumnus Award

Dr. White’s personal and professional accomplishments exemplify the true spirit of Berea’s commitment to both education and diversity.  Since graduating from Berea, Dr. White has had a notable career in higher education serving as National Science Foundation Minority Pre-doctoral Fellow at Northeastern University, National Science Foundation Minority Postdoctoral Fellow at The Ohio State University, Assistant Professor of Psychology at the University of Utah, and most recently Associate Professor of Psychology and Ethnic Studies at the University of Utah. He also served as Visiting Scholar at Berea College during the 2002-2003 academic year.     Dr. White is regularly invited to give guest lectures on college campuses and local/regional symposia dealing with diversity, prejudice & stereotyping and has recently become involved with working to pass a stronger hate crimes bill in Utah. Dr. White has served as a consulting editor for the Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin and Ad Hoc Reviewer for several academic journals. Dr. White also chairs the University of Utah Psychology Department’s Diversity Committee and previously served on the University’s Equal Opportunity Commission and Presidential Commission on the Status of Women. Dr. White is the Director of a National Institutes of Health Grant that funds a Summer Research Opportunity Program, which brings underrepresented undergraduate and graduate students from across the nation to work as interns in the Psychology Department.  Dr. White majored in Psychology and minored in Sociology while at Berea, and holds an M.A. and Ph.D. in Experimental Social Psychology from Northeastern University in Boston, MA. He was the first African American to complete a Ph.D. in Psychology from the Northeastern University.

Susan Curtis Vaughn, ‘80
2005 Recipient, Rod C. Bussey Award of Special Merit

Susan Vaughn has served at Berea College for the past 24 years, since the day after she graduated.  She has worked in various capacities in the Office of Admissions, the Office of Institutional Research and Planning, the President’s Office, the Academic Vice President/Dean of the Faculty’s Office, and she currently serves as Senior Administrative Assistant in the Office of the Dean and Associate Dean of the Faculty.  Over the years Susan has shown her dedication and commitment to Berea’s mission by tirelessly working behind the scenes and giving careful attention to the details and the spirit of the important administrative policies and practices of the institution.  She has represented Berea at the Association of Institutional Research Annual Forum, served on the Governance Review Subcommittee, and continues to provide support to a number of important committees including the Executive Council and the Academic Program Council.  Susan holds a B.A. in Elementary Education from Berea College and has completed coursework in Managerial Skills, Statistics, and Research Methods, from Wright State University and Berea College.