Posted on Friday, October 06, 2023
Alumni who have made significant contributions to their professional or humanitarian careers while also being loyal supporters of the college will be honored at the Alumni Awards luncheon on Friday, Oct. 13, at noon in Dickson Assembly Room at Turner Hall.
The ceremony recognizes the recipients of the Shackelford Alumni Achievement Award, the Outstanding Young Alumni Award and the Honorary Alumni Award. This year’s honorees are David “Swagg R’Celious” Harris ’09, Florence “Pippy” Rogers ’79, M’81, Dr. Hunter Jonus ’14 and Lee Richter.
“These alumni have excelled in their fields and are wonderful representatives of the college,” said Martha Pirkle, Director of Alumni and Community Relations. “We are proud to recognize their achievements.”
Shackelford Alumni Achievement Award
David “Swagg R’Celious” Harris ’09 received his bachelor’s degree in music from LaGrange College and pursued a master’s degree in music technology from New York University.
He is a Grammy and Emmy Award-winning producer and songwriter. Harris’ productions and songs have garnered numerous gold and platinum records, accumulating over two billion streams worldwide. He has also held prominent positions within the music industry, serving as a national trustee for the recording academy for two years. Presently, he acts as a Governor for the New York chapter of the academy and serves as a co-chair of the songwriters and composers committee for the NYC chapter.
Throughout his career, Harris has collaborated with esteemed artists, writers and producers such as H.E.R., Kehlani, Snoh Aalegra, Alicia Keys, Teyana Taylor and Babyface, among others. His work as a producer and executive producer on H.E.R.’s self-titled album earned him a Grammy for Best R&B Album of the Year in 2019. In total, Harris has received four Grammy nominations.
In 2022, he had the opportunity to work with H.E.R. on the project “We The People,” which resulted in his first Emmy at the Children’s and Family Emmy Awards. Harris co-wrote and co-produced the song performed by H.E.R., which was then set to animation as the first episode of a series executive produced by Barack and Michelle Obama.
Harris shares his industry experiences and knowledge in various educational settings. He has conducted workshops at esteemed institutions such as the Berklee School of Music, Seoul Music Institute’s Summer Music Program, LaGrange College’s Music department, UCLA, MIT, The Jackie Robinson Foundation and New York University. He was honored to be a member of the Steinhardt School’s prestigious Songwriting faculty and the Clive Davis Institute of Recording Music.
He and his wife, Deborah, have three children.
Florence “Pippy” Rogers ’79, M’81 earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in education from LaGrange College.
She is a retired educator and principal who worked in the LaGrange City and Troup County school systems. Rogers taught at Dawson Street Elementary School, Eastside Primary, West Side Elementary and West Side Fine Arts Magnet School. She has earned Teacher of the Year honors at the school and district level.
Rogers is active in community service, volunteering as a board member for Alpha Delta Kappa and as an ambassador and advocate for the Georgia Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association. She has served as chair and vice chair for its board of directors. Rogers was honored for her decade of advocacy with the Alzheimer's Association during National Volunteers Week in 2021.
At LaGrange, she established the Florence “Pippy” Rogers Scholarship for students.
Outside of volunteering, Rogers enjoys photography, gardening and being a laughter yoga leader.
Outstanding Young Alumni Award
Dr. Hunter Jonus ’14 earned a bachelor’s degree in biology from LaGrange College and a doctorate in toxicology
from the University of Georgia.
She is a research instructor in the Pediatrics Department at Emory University’s School of Medicine in Atlanta. Previously, she served as a postdoctoral fellow at Emory University.
Dr. Jonus has had numerous, impactful national and international abstract presentations published in journals in the field of cancer therapy and research.
At LaGrange College, she participated in basketball, Phi Mu and the Wilkinson Family Servant Scholars program. As a member of the Servant Scholars’ first cohort, Dr. Jonus volunteered her time at Circles of Troup County, the Enoch Callaway Cancer Clinic and Our Daily Bread, an organization she co-founded in 2012.
She and her husband, Jasen M’15, have one daughter, Julia.
Honorary Alumni Award
Lee Richter earned degrees from Central Alabama Community College and Troy University.
He came to LaGrange College in 1993 as the head golf coach, a role he held until his retirement in 2021.
Under Richter’s leadership, the Panthers earned 10 NCAA tournament appearances and three conference championships. In addition, the program made three trips to the NAIA national tournament and won the 2003 United States Collegiate Athletic Association national championship.
He received numerous awards, including USA South Coach of the Year, Division III Southeast Region Coach of the Year and Great South Athletic Conference Coach of the Year.
In 2013, the Callaway Education Building’s gymnasium was named in Richter’s honor to show appreciation for his generous support of the college. Richter and his wife, Sally, have made contributions to the golf program, the Panther Club, the painting of red paws down Panther Way and upgrades to the men’s and women's locker rooms in Mariotti Gym. In addition, Richter and his siblings established a scholarship fund in memory of their parents, Horace and Dorothy Richter.
The luncheon will be $20 per person. An RSVP is requested because of limited availability. For more information, email alumni@lagrange.edu.
Sunday – Red and Black Kickoff Brunch, 11 a.m., Caswell Plaza
Monday – Black and White Gala hosted by Black Student Union, 7:30 p.m., Caswell Plaza
Tuesday – Blood Drive, 10 a.m., Dickson Assembly Room; Women’s Soccer Game, 6 p.m., Panther Field; Foam Party, 8 p.m., Residential Quad
Wednesday – Decorate the Plaza, 11 a.m.; Powderpuff Football Game, 7 p.m., Residential Quad
Thursday – Volleyball Game, 7 p.m., Richter Gymnasium; Gym Jam (’2000s Night), 9 p.m., Mariotti Gym
Friday – Men’s Soccer Game, 5 p.m., Panther Field; Phi Beta Sigma Step Show, 7:14 p.m., Callaway Auditorium
Saturday – Tailgate, 10 a.m., Callaway Auditorium parking lot; Homecoming Football Game, 1 p.m., Callaway Stadium
Alumni events include the 38th Panther Memorial Golf Classic: Remembering Tom Duckett & the Legacy of Former Athletes (Friday, 10 a.m., Highland Country Club); Class of 1973 50th Reunion Celebration (Friday, 6 p.m., Lamar Dodd Art Center); Flashback Friday Party (Friday, 6:30 p.m., Overlook Plaza in downtown LaGrange); Association of Black Collegians Meet and Greet (Friday, 7 p.m., Beason Recital Hall at West Side); Men’s Alumni Basketball Meet and Greet (Saturday, 10 a.m., Mariotti Gym); 1958 65th Reunion Picnic Luncheon (Saturday, 11:30 a.m., Beason); 1993 30th Reunion Post-Game Gathering (Saturday, 5:30 p.m., Beacon Brewery); Classes of 1974-80 & Friends Celebration (Saturday, 7 p.m., Beason); and the LC Alumni and Community Memorial Service (Sunday, 10:30 a.m., Chapel).
Political Science students Jenna Pittman ’26 and Ema Turner ’25 joined Professor John Tures in publishing the article "Supreme Court justices' ideologies don't always fit 'liberal' and 'conservative' labels" on The Conversation. The publication was featured in several newspapers, including The Houston Chronicle and Seattle Post-Intelligencer. It was also on news sites in New Zealand and Canada.
Screening of "My Professor's Guide to Murder"
Friday, Oct. 6
5:15 p.m., Beason Recital Hall, West Side
Move Your Bus: Map It Out
Wednesday, Oct. 11
9:30 a.m., Dickson Assembly Room
‘Take It From The Top’
Thursday, Oct. 12 – Sunday, Oct. 15
7 p.m. (Thursday), 5 p.m. (Friday and Saturday), 2 p.m. (Sunday)
Emily Rose Walker ’24: LC Sports Photographer
Meet Emily Rose Walker, Marketing & Entrepreneurship major who, as one of LaGrange College's most prolific sports photographers, aspires "to be the true professional that I know I can be."
Football
The Panthers lost to Southern Virginia University last weekend. The team returns to Callaway Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 7 (tomorrow) to take on N.C. Wesleyan at 1 p.m.
Women’s Soccer
LaGrange beat Warren Wilson 4-0 on Saturday, Sept. 30. On Thursday, the Panthers competed against Belhaven and lost 4-0. LaGrange faces Piedmont at Panther Field on Tuesday, Oct. 10 at 6 p.m.
Men’s Soccer
The Panthers lost to Covenant 2-0 on Saturday, Sept. 30. On Tuesday, the team competed against Piedmont and won 1-0 after a late goal pushed them past the Lions. The Panthers travel to Kentucky on Saturday, Oct. 7 (tomorrow) to face Berea at 1 p.m.
Junior goalkeeper Andrew Cole earned his first Collegiate Conference of the South Men’s Soccer Defensive Player of the Week honor. On the year, he has 41 saves and a .774 save percentage.
Volleyball
LaGrange lost both matches in its first home tri-match of the season against Piedmont and Covenant on Saturday, Sept. 30. On Tuesday, the team played Huntingdon and lost 3-0. The Panthers will compete in another tri-match this weekend at Agnes Scott. The first match is against Maryville at 2 p.m. and Agnes Scott at 4 p.m.
Cross Country
The Panthers raced in the Berry Invitationals on Saturday, Sept. 30. Santiago Vasquez led the Panthers men’s team with a 30:59.02 in the 8k. Lindsey Green led the women’s team with a 38:48.04 in the 5k. The next meet is the CCS Cross Country Championship on Oct. 28.
Tennis
LaGrange played against Coastal Alabama Monroeville CC in the first regulation match of the 2023-24 season on Friday, Sept. 29. The men’s team won 8-1 and the women’s team lost 1-8. The Panthers will make their official return in February 2024.
Golf
The Panthers played on Oct. 2-3 at the West Pines Collegiate in Douglasville, Georgia. The team placed 5th out of 18 teams. Next up is the Barton College Fall Intercollegiate Oct. 16-17.
Sophomore Jeremy Edmunds and freshman Jay Manley were named the Collegiate Conference of the South’s Player of the Week and Rookie of the Week. They led the Panthers with a total of 146 strokes, which tied them for 13th out of 96 players.
(Please note that schedules may change due to circumstances beyond our control. Please check www.lagrangepanthers.com to confirm.)
Saturday, Oct. 7 – Men’s Soccer at Berea, 1 p.m., Berea, Kentucky
Saturday, Oct. 7 – Football (Home) vs. N.C. Wesleyan, 1 p.m., Callaway Stadium
Saturday, Oct. 7 – Volleyball vs. Maryville @ Agnes Scott, 2 p.m., Decatur, Georgia
Saturday, Oct. 7 – Volleyball at Agnes Scott, 4 p.m., Decatur, Georgia
Tuesday, Oct. 10 – Women’s Soccer (Home) vs. Piedmont, 6 p.m., Panther Field
Thursday, Oct. 12 – Volleyball (Home) vs. Belhaven, 7 p.m., Richter Gymnasium
Category: College, Students, Events
Keywords: Homecoming, Alumni
