Shorter College Presents Distinguished Alumni Awards

Shorter College’s Alumni Governing Board honored four Shorter graduates with its 2007 Distinguished Alumni Awards. The awards were presented during halftime of the college’s homecoming game on Saturday, Sept. 29. Rome, Ga., resident Dr. Carmen Acevedo Butcher, a 1982 graduate of the college, received the Distinguished Alumna Award. Covington, Ga., resident Vickie Bowen Henry, who graduated from Shorter in 1971, received the Distinguished Service Award. Rome, Ga., resident Meredith McClain Thomas and Albany, Ga., resident Michelle McClain Calabro, 1996 and 1997 Shorter graduates respectively, were jointly named this year’s Distinguished Young Alumnae.

Left to right: Distinguished Young Alumnae Award recipients Meredith McClain Thomas and Michelle McClain Calabro, Shorter College President Dr. Harold E. Newman, Distinguished Alumna Award recipient Dr. Carmen Acevedo Butcher with her son, John Butcher, and Distinguished Service Award recipient Vickie Bowen Henry are shown at halftime of Shorter College’s homecoming game.

DISTINGUISHED ALUMNA AWARD – DR. CARMEN ACEVEDO BUTCHER

The Distinguished Alumnus/Alumna Award recognizes individuals who have demonstrated outstanding professional achievement, public service or accomplishment in the arts and sciences. The 2007 recipient, Dr. Carmen Acevedo Butcher, demonstrates all of these criteria.

Dr. Butcher graduated from Shorter in 1982 with a Bachelor of Arts in English. She was selected as a Rotary Graduate Scholar at the University of Heidelburg and as a Fulbright Scholar and visiting lecturer at the University of London. She then earned a doctorate in medieval studies in 1991 at the University of Georgia.

Dr. Butcher’s teaching was recognized as she was named the 2006 Georgia Professor of the Year by the Carnegie Foundation. She also received the 2006-2007 Shorter College President’s Award for Excellence in Teaching and Scholarship.

Dr. Butcher has prepared numerous presentations and editorial work. She has also published numerous refereed articles, her latest being “A Life of Benedict of Nursia,” the lead article for the winter 2007 issue of Christian History and Biography. Dr. Butcher has a large body of work already in print, including Incandescence: 365 Readings with Women Mystics, God of Mercy: Ælfric’s Sermons and Theology, and Hildegard of Bingen: A Spiritual Reader.

Dr. Butcher has demonstrated a continued interest in Shorter by contributing to the campus literary magazine, The Chimes; donating to the Shorter Fund; and keeping in touch with students and teachers. Her service to the college includes her chairing multiple committees and developing technology projects that facilitate teaching.

DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD – VICKIE BOWEN HENRY

The Distinguished Service Award is presented to alumni who have given outstanding service to the college in leadership, volunteerism, on-campus service, recruiting efforts or financial support.

The award committee honored Vickie Bowen Henry for her continued dedication to her alma mater. She has attended every class reunion since graduation, served on and chaired her class’ reunion committee, served as an agent for her class and served on the Alumni Governing Board since 2001. She faithfully keeps her class connected through e-mail, newsletters and their class directory.

Mrs. Henry has continued to support Shorter by encouraging students to attend, helping them with the admission process and financially supporting various students. Mrs. Henry received a Master of Arts in education from the University of Georgia. She has kept her interest in education as a teacher, parent volunteer and coordinator in both public and private schools. She has worked for the Kroger Company since 1979 and is currently in customer service. She and her husband are also active with the Himalayan Goji Juice Company.

DISTINGUISHED YOUNG ALUMNAE AWARD – MEREDITH MCCLAIN THOMAS AND MICHELLE MCCLAIN CALABRO

The Distinguished Young Alumnus/Alumna Award honors Shorter College graduates from the past 15 years who have shown promise through their professional achievement, community service and/or dedication to the college. Sisters Meredith McClain Thomas, a 1996 Shorter graduate, and Michelle McClain Calabro, a 1997 Shorter graduate, are this year’s award recipients.

Mrs. Thomas graduated in 1996 with a Bachelor of Science in biology. She always loved to dance, even as a professional principal dancer in Atlanta. While at Shorter, she worked at the Rome Civic Ballet, and she then had the opportunity to purchase the studio shortly after graduation. She turned this into a chance to minister to the children of the Rome and Floyd County area by offering dance classes. When the situation presented itself, Mrs. Thomas opened a dance class for children with special needs, providing a blessing for not only the children, but also their families. Besides financially supporting Shorter, Mrs. Thomas has hired Shorter students to work in her business and to baby sit her children.

Younger sister Michelle followed a similar path at Shorter, graduating in 1997 with a Bachelor of Science in biology. She went on to receive a Doctor of Medicine at the Medical College of Georgia’s School of Medicine in 2001. After completing her residency in pediatrics, she returned to Rome, board certified. Until recently, she has been an instructor in pediatrics for Floyd Medical Center Family Practice. Dr. Calabro recently moved to Albany, Ga., where she is a physician.

Prior to this summer, Dr. Calabro served on the multidisciplinary panel for child abuse for Harbour House in Rome and on the Child Fatality Review Committee. Dr. Calabro is a member of the Christian Medical Dental Association, a member of the Board of Directors for the Rome Civic Ballet, and a member of the stage crew for her sister’s performances.

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