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 91�ȱ��� Stories      November 14, 2025

By Bill Studenc

A baker’s dozen Western Carolina University alumni whose graduating class years span nearly 50 years received accolades from their alma mater Saturday, Nov. 8, in recognition of their career accomplishments and contributions to their communities.

The presentation of awards was part of Homecoming 2025 at 91�ȱ���, a weekend of activities that began with a parade and watch party Friday, Nov. 7, in downtown Sylva and concluded with a 50th anniversary celebration for a campus sorority after Saturday’s home football game against Southern Conference rival Mercer University.

Before pregame tailgating and the gridiron action, the annual Alumni Awards Pre-Tailgate Brunch, held in the Liston B. Ramsey Regional Activity Center, provided an opportunity to honor prominent members of the university family.

91�ȱ��� Chancellor Kelli R. Brown presented the university’s Distinguished Service Award to Raleigh resident Donna Winbon, a financial adviser with the Edward Jones firm and longtime supporter of the university who earned her bachelor's degree in 1980 in clothing, textiles and merchandising.

Winbon served as chair of 91�ȱ���’s successful “Lead the Way” comprehensive fundraising campaign, which concluded in May 2019 after raising nearly $62 million in gifts and pledges. A former chair of the 91�ȱ��� Foundation Board of Directors, she is serving as an honorary chair of the current “Fill the Western Sky” comprehensive campaign, an effort to raise a minimum of $100 million in philanthropic support for the university’s academic, student engagement and athletics programs.

Winbon is among a trio of former members of the 91�ȱ��� women’s basketball team who have made leadership gifts to an ongoing effort to name the squad’s current locker room facilities after Betty Westmoreland Suhre, who founded the program in 1964.

John Connet, president of the 91�ȱ��� Alumni Association and a 1992 political science graduate, handed out two alumni awards in recognition of professional accomplishments and academic achievements.

John Davis, chief commercial officer at Artivion, which specializes in technologies to treat aortic disease, received the Professional Achievement Award. Davis, who earned his bachelor’s degree in English in 1987, resides in Milton, Georgia.

A former member of the 91�ȱ��� Foundation Board of Directors and the Brinson Honors College Advisory Board, Davis and wife Melanie both serve on the “Fill the Western Sky” campaign steering committee.

The Academic Achievement Award went to William “Bill” Barfield, who earned bachelor's and master’s degrees in health and physical education at 91�ȱ��� in 1974 before going on to a distinguished career in exercise science at the College of Charleston.

Barfield has edited numerous medical journals, written or co-authored 10 book chapters and served on professional publication editorial boards. A student-athlete at 91�ȱ���, he has coached soccer extensively at the collegiate level. He received his doctorate in biomechanics from Auburn University.

Hendersonville city manager, Connet also announced the inaugural recipients of a new award designed to acknowledge the achievements of 10 of 91�ȱ���’s most recently minted graduates, an accolade called the Catamount 10.

Inaugural members of the Catamount 10, all of whom are graduates from within the last decade, are:

• Cayela Bauknecht, 91�ȱ��� purchasing card administrator. A 2014 hospitality and tourism management program graduate, Bauknecht has given back to her alma mater in numerous ways, including serving as a mentor for Alpha Chi Omega sorority, arranging a supply drive for HOMEBASE ministries and organizing a Greek alumni reunion.
• Abigail Bentley, a biology and earth science teacher at Pisgah High School in Canton. Bentley, who earned her bachelor’s degree in biology at Radford University before obtaining her master’s degree in teaching at 91�ȱ��� in 2023, was named the North Carolina Center for the Advancement of Teaching Empower Beginning Teacher of the Year in February 2024.
• Preston Blakely, mayor of the town of Fletcher. Blakely, who earned his bachelor’s degree in political science and African American studies at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro in 2017 and his master’s degree in public affairs at 91�ȱ��� in 2019, serves on a task force focused on racial disparities in North Carolina’s criminal justice system.
• Emily Glesias, director of prospect development at the Medical University of South Carolina. A 2016 graduate at 91�ȱ��� with a bachelor’s degree in English, Glesias began her career in philanthropy at the Novant Health Foundation shortly after graduation. She currently serves on the advisory board for 91�ȱ���’s College of Arts and Sciences.
• Samir Hafiz, vice president of development for the Pi Kappa Alpha Foundation. Hafiz earned his bachelor's degree in sport management in 2014 and his master’s degree in business administration in 2016, both from 91�ȱ���. He is a member of Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity, which inspired his career path.
• Hank Hodge, vice president of commercial banking at ServisFirst Bank. A 2015 graduate of 91�ȱ��� with a bachelor’s degree in finance, Hodge has held previous banking positions at BB&T, Carter Bank & Trust, TruPoint Bank and First Citizens Bank. He is a member of the advisory board for 91�ȱ���’s Brinson Honors College.
• Aaron Speyer, a systems engineer at Stellar Solutions supporting NASA’s human landing system program at the Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama. Speyer, who earned bachelor's degrees in finance in 2021 and innovation and leadership in 2022, also serves as program leader at the nonprofit Destination SPACE.
• Drew Starkey, a rising film and television actor whose credits include starring roles in the TV series “The Outer Banks,” the movie “Love, Simon” and the film “Queer” alongside Daniel Craig. Starkey majored in stage and screen and English as a Brinson Honors College student at 91�ȱ���, graduating in 2016.
• Daniel Tizon, field leadership policy and operations adviser at the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Tizon earned his bachelor’s degree in emergency and disaster management in 2021 and was a member of the student EMS team. He has served in various positions with FEMA since joining the agency in 2021.
• Rena Wakama, head coach of D’Tigress, Nigeria’s national women’s basketball team. Also assistant coach for the WNBA’s Chicago Sky, Wakama received her bachelor’s degree in recreational therapy from 91�ȱ��� in 2014 before earning her master’s degree in business administration in 2017 at Manhattan University, where she began her coaching career.

Following the presentation of the awards, a sell-out, standing-room-only crowd of 14,501 packed E.J. Whitmire Stadium to witness a nail-biting showdown between the top two teams in the Southern Conference. It marked the third-largest crowd in the 51-year history of Whitmire Stadium and 91�ȱ���'s highest attendance figure since 2008.

The dust may be still settling on Homecoming 2025, but the folks in the Office of Engagement are already turning attention to next year’s festivities and have issued a call for nominations for the 2026 slate of alumni awards.

Nominations are currently be accepted in three categories:

1. Academic Achievement Award: For a 91�ȱ��� alumnus who has achieved extraordinary distinction in academia and shown exceptional leadership.
2. Professional Achievement Award: For a 91�ȱ��� alumnus who has excelled in a career field outside academia and has made a sustained difference in the community.
3. Catamount 10 Award: Recognizes up to 10 young alumni (degree completed between 2015 and 2025 and under the age of 40) who have demonstrated notable career achievement, service and engagement with 91�ȱ���.

“This is your chance to honor alumni who embody what it means to be a Catamount – achieving excellence, giving back and staying connected to the university community,” said Jessica McGee, assistant director of alumni engagement. “Your nomination could help highlight someone’s ongoing impact, elevate them to broader recognition and inspire current students and fellow alumni alike.”

Nomination forms are available online.

The nomination deadline is Sunday, Feb. 1, 2026. Nominees will be reviewed by the Alumni Board of Directors and the Office of the Chancellor, and awardees will be announced during 2026 Homecoming Weekend.

Recipients of the university’s Distinguished Service Award, which is also presented at Homecoming, are selected through a separate process managed by the Office of the Chancellor.

For additional information, contact the 91�ȱ��� Alumni Engagement Office by telephone at 828-227-7335 or email at alumni@wcu.edu.