Public Service Awards

The Awards Committee requests assistance in nominating candidates for the Berea College Service Award and Honorary Degrees. The purpose of these honors is to recognize persons who have rendered significant contributions to society and have exhibited personal qualities and values consistent with the Great Commitments of Berea College.

Acting on the belief that the presence of such distinguished recipients adds to the quality of Commencement and other suitable occasions, honorary degrees have been awarded at Berea College since 1881. The qualifications for the nominees are quite rigorous. It is expected that any candidate will have made outstanding contributions in the areas of scholarship, culture, or service to humanity.  Berea College has deliberately and explicitly refrained from awarding honorary degrees merely on grounds of fame, as an enticement to visit the campus, or in expectation of some kind of reciprocal benefit. Current employees and trustees of Berea College are excluded from consideration.

Established in 1979, the Berea College Service Award is an opportunity for the College to recognize an individual who has provided outstanding service to our society in achieving the ideals of Berea’s Great Commitments. Honored at the annual Service Convocation, the recipients of the Berea College Service Award are individuals who in their daily lives have offered service. This award is a unique opportunity to honor practical service by persons in all walks of life.

Date of Award   RecipientTitle
12/06/1979Brown, Helen E.Ms.
12/06/1979Robinson, Denver D.Mr.
12/06/1979Worthington, WilliamMr.
02/19/1981Hayes, WilliamMr.
02/19/1981McCloud, J. OscarRev.
02/19/1981Slone, AliceMs.
11/19/1981Conn, Charles W.Dr.
11/19/1981Farrell, VirginiaSister
11/19/1981Horton, MylesMr.
03/03/1983Gall, IrmaMs.
03/03/1983Kemner, PeggyMs.
03/03/1983Knight, Mattye G.Mrs.
03/03/1983West, DonMr.
03/15/1984Butcher, Rush and Ruby
03/15/1984Hall, EulaMrs.
03/15/1984Martin, GalenMr.
03/14/1985Hall, Betty JeanMs.
03/14/1985Matthews, Ruth ArterMrs.
03/14/1985Yost, DwayneMr.
04/17/1986Gaston, Arthur G.Dr.
04/17/1986McLain, Beatrice K.Mrs.
04/17/1986Wykle, CharlesMr.
04/16/1987Grundy, Chester and Ann
04/16/1987McGraw Jr., Darrell V.Justice
04/16/1987Wyker, Mossie AllmanMrs.
04/14/1988Perrin, Alfred H.Mr.
04/14/1988Robinson, SamuelDr.
04/14/1988Wunder, Mary M.Mrs.
04/13/1989Hooks, Benjamin LawsonDr.
04/13/1989Joseph, AnneMs.
03/22/1990Fuller, Millard and Linda
03/22/1990Kentuckians for the Commonwealth
03/22/1990Ward, Lucia PialorsiMrs.
03/14/1991Begley, Joe and Gaynell
03/14/1991James, JoAnne
03/14/1991Wesley, Charles Maurice
03/12/1992Brann, E. R.
03/12/1992Rosenberg, John M.
03/12/1992Zander, Jesse Reasor
03/11/1993Oniki,S.  GarryDr.
03/11/1993Stodghill, WilliamMr.
03/11/1993Weinberg, LoisMs.
12/02/1993McNeill, PeterMr.
12/02/1993McNeill, RobertMr.
12/02/1993Wattleton, FayeMs.
11/17/1994Duckett, James A. and Gay Nell
11/17/1994Robinett, JoanMs.
11/17/1994Tucker, Jerry and Sandy
11/09/1995Ogle, MiltonMr.
11/09/1995Owens, Roger G.Mr.
11/14/1996Lollis, David L.Mr.
11/14/1996Rosenbaum, Doris FooksMs.
11/13/1997Chrisman, DorothyMs.
11/13/1997Jones, LoyalMr.
11/12/1998Beady-Jr., Charles H.Dr.
11/12/1998Gifford, James M.Dr.
11/12/1998Hudson, EmilyMs.
11/18/1999Armitage, Katherine
11/18/1999Cathy, S. Truett
11/18/1999Cole, Judy Shell
04/27/2000Thigpen, Chester
04/27/2000Stolte, WilliamDr.
04/27/2000Greene, Daniel
10/12/2000Phelps, Mindy Shannon
05/10/2001Atkins, Emel and MargaretDr. and Mrs.
04/10/2003Lord, Charles
02/12/2004Belanger, JohnDr.
02/12/2004Cirillo, Marie
02/12/2004Runyon, Marie M.
02/10/2005Meisel, Wayne
02/10/2005Pride, MarthaDr.
02/10/2005Williams, Craig
01/12/2006Lewis, Helen Dr.
01/12/2006Rosenberg, John M.
01/12/2006Weaver, Rose Sharon
01/11/2007Ives, Toby
01/11/2007Schaeffer, Doc and RobertaDr. and Mrs.
01/10/2008Cora Withrow-Fletcher Dr.
01/10/2008Robert Stuckert Dr.
01/13/2009Steve FisherDr.
2010Ken Hechler
2010Daymon Morgan
2010Pat Wear, II
2011Helen Ashe and Ellen Turner
2011Earl Hager
2012Kavita Ramdas
2012Denise S. Hill
2012Jean L. Thomas
2013Beverly May
2014Henry Red Cloud
2014Carolyn Sundy
2015Mam-Yassin Sarr
2016William Gyude Moore
2016Wayne Riley
2017Odessa Woolfolk
2017Lynda Whitt
2018Geraldine (Jeri) Baker
2019Gladys Krigger Washington
2020Desmond Meade