The Distinguished Southwestern Service Award was given to Steve Raben, a 1963 graduate who has served in various roles at the University, including as a member of the Board of Trustees, President of The Association of Southwestern University Alumni, a member of the Thinking Ahead Campaign Cabinet, and a passionate volunteer for the Alpha Omicron chapter of Pi Kappa Alpha.

Teresa Coble Sherwood ’77 was given The Distinguished Humanitarian Award. Teresa has served for nearly 20 years as Director of Mission at First United Methodist Church Mansfield, where she developed and oversaw global mission and disaster response efforts around the world, as well as programs to respond to the needs of the local community.

Distinguished Professional Awards were given to H. Reginald (Reg) McDaniel, M.D. ’58 and Eric W. Batch ’97. Reg has spent 30 years practicing anatomical and clinical pathology and is the founder and Director of Research for Fisher Institution for Medical Research, as well as the CEO and Co-founder of Nutraspace.com. For the past 10 years, Eric has managed the Government Relations Department for the American Heart Association’s 10 Western States. Under his leadership the American Heart Association has worked on policies that have successfully removed soda and junk food from schools, banned trans-fat in restaurants and bakeries, and required pulse oximetry screening for newborns. He has also been a part of policy efforts that require CPR as a high school graduation requirement, and implemented indoor and outdoor smoking bands across the western region.

The Distinguished Young Alumni Awards were given to Michael Hanan ’10, Lloyd Minick ’08, and Adam Winkler ’04. Michael and Lloyd’s story is an inspiring one of fraternity brothers turned business partners, dedicated to improving lives locally and worldwide. Together, they started the urban farming company Ten Acre Organics, which aims to create sustainable farming practices with high yields in urban areas. Adam’s decade of work as a reporter earned him two Lone Star EMMY nominations and a Barbara Jordan Media Award for First Place TV Feature from the Texas Governor’s Office.

Adam credits Southwestern for his success, saying “SU taught me how to step outside my comfort zone, think critically, challenge the source of an opinion and become more engaged in my educational journey. The lessons I learned on campus prepared me for the experiences I’ve encountered in my career and groomed me to be a leader in my field.”

David Olson, assistant professor and director of communications studies internships, was named Mr. Homecoming for 2014. Colleagues describe him as the quiet but essential foundation of the Communication Studies Department, serving as the two bookends to students’ education. Many first-year students encounter him in his acclaimed public speaking class and then again as seniors working closely with him on their academic internships. The Mr. Homecoming Award is an honor bestowed upon a member of the Southwestern University faculty or staff as a token of the affection and respect of former students.