March 8, 2004

UA Announces 2004 Premier Award Recipients

Left to right: Robert E. Witt, Jason M. Spruell, Thomas P. Davis, Dr. Sara Davis, Katherine McMinn, Robert N. Davis, Katie Boyd, William Zachary Riddle

TOP HONORS — UA President Robert E. Witt (far left) recently hosted an awards dinner for recipients of the University's 2004 Premier Awards, including (L-R) Jason M. Spruell, winner of the Ramsey Award; Thomas P. Davis; Dr. Sara Davis; Katherine McMinn; Robert N. Davis, Katie Boyd and William Zachary Riddle, winner of the Bloom Award.

UA President Robert E. Witt recently announced the top individual award recipients for scholarship, leadership and service to UA for 2004 at a presentation dinner. The recipients will also be recognized during UA Honors Week in an awards ceremony this spring. Two of the four honors — the Algernon Sydney Sullivan Award and the Morris Lehman Mayer Award — recognize non-students as well as students. The William P. Bloom Scholarship Award and the John Fraser Ramsey Award recognize top students at UA. All recipients have made significant contributions to UA.

The Mayer Award

The Morris Lehman Mayer Award is named in honor of Morris Lehman Mayer, business professor emeritus. For three decades, Mayer was a beloved UA teacher and a guiding force in student life. The award recognizes one faculty member and one member of the graduating class who exemplify integrity, selfless service and leadership at UA and in the community while making significant contributions to student life.

Dr. Sara Davis has been selected as the faculty recipient of the Mayer Award. Davis's "selfless service to The University of Alabama and the College of Arts and Sciences is a model of what faculty service should be," according to a nominator.

Davis has been a professor at UA since 1974. She has served as chairman of the department of English since 1993. In addition to her work for the English department, Davis has also served on the Blount Undergraduate Initiative Advisory Board, the Enrollment Management Task Force, the Legislative Agenda Committee, the UA Vulcan Scholarship Committee and the Faculty Senate. She is described by a nominator as having "a genuinely altruistic dedication to [UA], its students and faculty and to the citizens of the state."

Katherine "Katie" Marie McMinn of Montevallo received the Mayer Award as the graduating recipient. McMinn has earned a 3.967 grade point average in her major of public relations and minors of communication studies and sociology. She has served as vice president and corresponding secretary of Capstone Men and Women, president of XXXI Women's Honorary, and held many other positions. She is also involved in extensive volunteer work with the Boys and Girls Club of Tuscaloosa and the Council on Youth Ministries.

The Sullivan Award

The Algernon Sydney Sullivan Award is presented to one man and one woman of the graduating class and one non-student who has been helpful to, and associated with, the University. The Sullivan Award recognizes excellence of character and service to humanity.

Thomas P. Davis received the Sullivan Award as a non-student honoree. Davis graduated from Spring Hill College in 1964 and received his master's degree from UA in 1970. Davis joined UA in 1978 as director of the Mobile Regional Office, a position that served as a liaison with local alumni chapters. In 1997, he was named interim director of admissions and in 1998 became the senior associate director of admissions. According to one nominator, "Tommy does not embrace this work from a duty or wish to be considered 'worthy.' Tommy Davis acts from a deep seeded need to serve the community in which he lives, both the University and the greater educational community of the state of Alabama."

T. Davis is the seventh Congressional District representative to the Alabama Commission on Higher Education (ACHE). The Commission on Higher Education has the statutory responsibility for the overall statewide planning and coordination of higher education in Alabama, the administration of various student aid programs and the performance of designated regulatory functions.

Student winners of this year's Sullivan Award are Robert N. Davis of Montgomery and Katie Boyd of Enterprise.

R. Davis has maintained a 3.861 grade point average as an aerospace engineering major with minors in the Computer-Based Honors Program and philosophy. He has served as president of Mallet Assembly and Tau Beta Pi and as secretary-general of Alabama Model United Nations.

Boyd is a senior with a major in political science and economics and a minor in Blount liberal arts. Her outstanding service to the University includes president and vice president of student affairs of the Student Government Association, president of Chi Omega sorority, co-founder and student director of Alabama Youth Summit and historian of Phi Eta Sigma. Her honors are numerous.

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