Six alumni of Southern Arkansas University, Magnolia, will be recognized at the 2006 Distinguished Alumni Dinner to be held at 6 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 13, in the Grand Hall of the Donald W. Reynolds Campus and Community Center located on the University campus.
James R. Staggs will receive the Lifetime Achievement Award.
Staggs earned his B.A. in 1959 and his master’s degree in 1976 from then-Southern State College.
Since graduating from SAU, Staggs has worked at International Paper in payroll-personnel, as an English teacher, and a high school counselor. He served in the United States Army from 1954-56.
While at SAU, he served as president of the Tri-C Business Club, member of the Student Senate, and assistant director of the Miss SSC pageant.
Staggs still has a high regard for SAU.
“I deemed it a privilege to attend, and I will always encourage students to attend,” said Staggs.
He has faithfully attended all sporting events, served as a member of the Alumni Board, and directed the Miss SAU pageant.
Lawrence E. Dawson will be recognized as a Distinguished Golden Rider.
Dawson attended Magnolia A & M College in 1942-43 and 1943-44. He earned his J.D. in 1948 from the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville.
He served 40 years as chancery and probate judge, 34 of these years as chancery judge of the 11th Chancery Circuit of Arkansas, Second Division. The last six years were as chancery judge at large for the entire state. Prior to becoming chancellor, Dawson served as U.S. Commissioner on appointment by U.S. District Judge Thomas C. Triable. He served four years as municipal judge of Pine Bluff and one term in the Arkansas House of Representatives representing Jefferson County.
Dawson is a past lieutenant governor of the Kiwanis Club composed of clubs in southeast Arkansas and past president of Kiwanis Club of Pine Bluff. He was selected as the Kiwanis Club’s Layman of the Year in 1972. He was awarded a 50-year membership pen in 2003.
He is a member of the Jefferson County Bar Association and American Judicature Society. He is past president of the State Judicial Council, composed of all the appellate and trial judges of the state. He is a lifetime member of the Arkansas Bar Association and State Judicial Council.
In February 2004, he was presented with the Daughters of the American Revolution’s Certificate of Award for Excellence in Community Service. He was also invited to become a Fellow in the Arkansas Bar Foundation for outstanding service to the Arkansas Bar Association.
He is married to the former Margaret Ann Dial of Watson Chapel. They have three daughters, Dana McLellan, Robin Dawson, and the late Laura Dawson Chamberlin.
Lee Kendall will also be recognized as a Distinguished Golden Rider. Kendall, who was formerly known as Solie Solomon was a graduate of Camden High School and finished school at Magnolia A & M in 1940. He then applied for and was accepted for pilot training the U.S. Army Air Forces.
Kendall was awarded the Air Medal with three oak leaf clusters. Forty-five years after the original recommendation, he received the Distinguished Flying Cross at a formal presentation at March Air Force Base in California.
Kendall and his wife, Elinor, currently live in Solvang, Calif.
William J. Carlisle will be recognized as a Distinguished Alumni.
Carlisle earned his B.B.A. in 1965. He is a retired information technology executive. He served in the United States Air Force from 1957-61.
He credits Louis Blanchard as having a lasting influence on his life.
“His teaching, character, and dedication ensured every student had an opportunity to learn,” said Carlisle. “He continuously challenged me to excel.”
Carlisle has written several letters to recruit football players from the Houston area. He has also recruited SAU graduates for management positions at Southwestern Bell Telephone Co.
He established a fund to cover miscellaneous expenses in the College of Business and established the Alma McWilliams Roberts Nursing Scholarship.
Carlisle served for two years on the SAU Foundation Board of Governors, executive board of the Junior Achievement of Dallas, board of directors of the Dallas Symphony Orchestra, and the boards of trustees of the Southern Oaks Volunteer Fire Department and Lakeside United Methodist Church.
He was elected to Alpha Chi National Honor Society, received the Wall Street Journal Achievement Award, and served as chair of the OAC 1986 computer convention.
Also to be recognized as a Distinguished Alumni is Margaret Alexander Taylor, who attended Magnolia A & M in 1943 and 1944. Taylor later transferred to Oklahoma State University, where she completed her degree.
Taylor and her husband Joe moved to Davis, Okla., and were owners/publishers of the Davis News, a weekly newspaper from 1956-92. During that time, they were active in the Oklahoma Press Association.
In 1990, Taylor was elected president of the Oklahoma Press Association, the first woman to hold the office. She served on the nominating committee and the recording secretary of the Oklahoma Newspaper Foundation. Her and her husband were both inducted into the Oklahoma Journalism Hall of Fame.
She was very active in her community. She was the first female president of the Davis Kiwanis Club, past president of the Oklahoma Friends of the Library Association, instrumental in getting the bookmobile into Murray County, and later a library building in Davis. She served as chair for the Chickasaw Regional Library System and also later served on the board of directors. She was a 50-year member of the Eastern Star, an honorary member of the Davis FFA, served on the Davis Public School Foundation, member of the Akomda Club, HCE progressive group, the Oklahoma Chapter of American Needlework Guild, and Embroidery’s Guild of both Norman and Pauls Valley. She worked with the Murray County Literacy Program.
Taylor’s brother, John Edward Alexander of Magnolia, was recognized as a Distinguished Alumni at SAU in 1975.
Allen Gum will be recognized as the Young Alumni award recipient. Gum received his A.A. in 1989 from Crowder College in Neosho, Mo., and his B.S.E. from SAU in 1993.
In his first year as head coach of the SAU Mulerider baseball team, he led his team to its first-ever 2006 Gulf South Conference Championship in the spring.
Gum credits former baseball coach Steve Goodheart as having a lasting influence on his life.
“Coach Goodheart helped me have a great love for the game of baseball and SAU,” said Gum. “He instilled a great sense of pride in me for SAU.”
While at SAU, Gum was a member of the baseball team and Fellowship of Christian Athletes.
He is a member of the Rider Club and Alumni Association. He serves as sponsor of FCA. He has spoken to the Rotary Club and at a men’s prayer breakfast.
As a player, Gum received the national Charles Berry Hustle Award. As a coach, he was named the 2006 Gulf South Conference Coach of the Year.
For more information about the Distinguished Alumni Dinner, please call the Office of Alumni Relations at 870-235-4079.
