Brenau University: A Legacy of Notable Alumni

Brenau University, established in 1878 in Gainesville, Georgia, has a rich history of educating leaders and innovators across various fields. With a commitment to liberal arts education and a strong emphasis on women's leadership, Brenau has produced a diverse array of accomplished alumni who have made significant contributions to their communities and professions. This article highlights some of the university's most notable graduates, showcasing their achievements and the lasting impact of their Brenau education.

The Enduring Legacy of Brenau University

Brenau University, since its founding as a private institution for women's education, has evolved into a comprehensive university comprising four colleges: The Ivester College of Health Sciences, the College of Fine Arts & Humanities, the College of Business & Communication, and the College of Education. The university offers a wide array of programs, from associate to doctoral degrees, and has a strong online presence.Brenau's historic main campus in Gainesville, Georgia, reflects its long-standing commitment to education, while its mission emphasizes a broad-based liberal arts foundation. This commitment is further exemplified by the Women's College of Brenau University, which continues the tradition of women's education, and the interdisciplinary Women's Leadership Certificate Program.

Honoring Alumni Achievements

Brenau University recognizes outstanding alumni through various awards and honors, celebrating their accomplishments and contributions to society. These accolades highlight the diverse talents and achievements of Brenau graduates across a spectrum of fields.

The Alumni Awards

Each year, Brenau University honors distinguished alumni who have made significant contributions in their respective fields. These awards recognize professional achievements, service to the university, and community involvement. Recognizing the achievements of its graduates is a long-standing tradition at Brenau. Here's a list of some notable alumni who have been honored over the years:

• 1973: Dorothy Warthen Candler, WC ’29
• 1974: Kathryn Curtis Trogdon, WC ’31
• 1975: Mary Helen Roop Hosch, WC ’35
• 1976: Dorothy Smith Hopkins, WC ’32
• 1977: Virginia Brown, WC ’29
• 1978: Cora Anderson Hill, WC 1916
• 1979: Elizabeth Parker, WC ’24 & Leona Mosal Ridgeway, WC ’22
• 1980: A. Carroll Hart, WC ’35 & Grace Hooten Moore, WC ’38
• 1981: Roslyn E. Wallace, WC ’44 & Josephine Winter Rainey, WC ’47
• 1982: Louise Trotti, WC ’38 & Lucille Suddath Bates, WC ’50
• 1983: Clara Floyd Gehan, WC ’29 & Jackie Hogsed Hartley, WC ’53
• 1984: Deborah Seig Bowen, WC ’68, Jane Barron, WC ’70 & Deloris Ward Napier, WC ’47
• 1985: Martha C. Edens, WC ’49, Lillian Wheeler Robinson, WC ’30
• 1986: Margaret Owen Blackstock, WC ’66, Mary Overby Tibbetts, WC ’32 & Patricia J. Ellis, WC ’72
• 1987: Emma Vandergrift Linder, WC ’33 & Rebecca Bowles Hawkins, WC ’32
• 1988: Orville Tyler Schaefer, WC ’30, Henrietta Estes, WC ’67, Lynn Bonner Pitts, WC ’77, Lee Ann Romberg White, WC ’82, Susan Northington Scherberger, WC ’83 & Diane E. Boudreau, WC ’81
• 1989: Margaret Garner Reisler, WC ’45, Mary Foote Simmons Paris, WC ’30, Debbie Jacobs Woodcock, WC ’75, B. J. Richardson Williams, WC ’82 & Jessica Vaughn Moss, WC ’80
• 1990: Barbara Mitchell Disque, WC ’53, AlJean Dorsey Thompson, WC ’49, Paige Hawkins Martin, WC ’82, Robin Joy Seymour, WC ’85 & Pamela Atkinson Williams, WC ’82
• 1991: Sheridan Boykin Lawler, WC ’66, Thelma Mauldin Green, WC ’34, Kari Dean Angelato, WC ’83, Susan Ables Valdez, WC ’81 & Dana Boyd Shealy, WC ’87
• 1992: Frances Shaffer Edwards, WC ’40, Gertrude Davenport, WC ’23, Bete Todd Wages, WC ’46, Jo Ann Ginn Gjertson, WC ’82, Jeanne McEachern Hyder, WC ’84 & Vicky Lynn Black, WC ’81
• 1993: Sarah Crosby Reeves, WC ’39, Helen Chance Hoffman, WC ’47, Nelson Hilty Carter, WC ’64, Betty Ann Christopher Chambers, WC ’52, Elizabeth Walther Kempsall, WC ’84, Dorothy Martin, WC ’78 & Sonja Lingerfelt Chafin, WC ’81
• 1994: Kathryn Long Dunlap, WC ’64, Sarah Hambright Rhyne, WC ’34, Dana Fowler, WC ’85, Leslie Lyles, WC ’86, Vanita Moon Pryor, WC ’83 & Deborah Schulte, WC ’84
• 1995: Ondee Ravan, WC ’47, Margaret Owen Blackstock, WC ’66, Mary Helen Bernknopf, WC ’84, Sandra Lea Carlson, WC ’86 & Nancy Moore West, WC ’85
• 1996: Presley Merritt Wagoner, WC ’71, Jan Follachio Bloom, WC ’70, Dale McElveen Jaeger, WC ’73, Nelwyn Bagwell Turk, WC ’69, Lisa B. Garick, WC ’81, Deann Dasher Scruggs, WC ’93 & Gail A. Smith, WC ’83
• 1997: Irene Robinson Smith, WC ’62, Dotty Eleazer Alexander, WC ’60, Elizabeth Bridges Fisher, WC ’67, Lee Ann Romberg White, WC ’82, Merri Marlene Brantley, WC ’82, Kimberly Caston Davis, WC ’83 & Carol Murdock-Palmer, WC ’87
• 1998: Paula Nivens Hardy, WC ’61, Happy Garner Kirkpatrick, WC ’75, Modree Grogan Bowers, WC ’45, Heather Cetti, WC ’97, Melissa Currin Heard, WC ’92 & Leila Kramer, WC ’92
• 1999: Ruth Hope Lane, WC ’39, Elizabeth Wheeler Thurmond, WC ’33, Betty Verson Norton, WC ’52, Kimberly B. McCoy, WC ’92, Katherine F. McMaster, WC ’87 & Dina C. McDade, WC ’88
• 2000: Holly Frederick Reynolds, WC ’39, Gwendolyn Brown Mundy, WC ’49, Robin Churn Francis, WC ’75, Amanda Blake, A ’47 & Clyde Connell, WC ’19
• 2001: Evanda Gravitte Moore, WC ’71, Louise Johnston Estes, WC ’36, Bettie Sue Merritt Harris, WC ’76, Margaret Owen Blackstock, WC ’66, Kathryn Long Dunlap, WC ’64, A. Carroll Hart, WC ’35, Peggy Hinson, A ’54, Mary Helen Roop Hosch, WC ’35, William Alton Lowe, BU ’98, Ann Ralls Freeman Murrah, WC ’54, Elizabeth Parker, WC ’24, Barbara Stockton Perry, WC ’47, Marion Runnels Holloway, WC ’57, James Carroll Smith, BU ’93, Saudra Brown, WC ’87 & Elizabeth Prater Arthur, WC ’97
• 2002: Gay Hobgood Hammond, WC ’82, Anna Alexander Jacobs, WC ’86, Gloria Cassity Stargel, WC ’76, Dotty Eleazer Alexander, WC ’60, Kathryn Andrews Fincher, A ’70, WC ’74, Thelma Mauldin Green, WC ’34, Helen P. Hatton, WC ’63, Kay Wallis Herrin, WC ’59, Sarah K. Lamb, WC ’93, Helen Dortch Longstreet, WC ’18, Mary Foote Simmons Paris, WC ’30, Irene Robinson Smith, WC ’62, AlJean Dorsey Thompson, WC ’49, Kristin Clayton Knezevic, WC ’90, Maria M. Ebrahimji, WC ’98 & Rachel Doud Sanders, WC ’98
• 2003: Eleanor Ardery Lawrence, WC ’63, Gina Wilson Miller, WC ’79, Lynn Fink, WC ’82, Terry L. Coleman, BU ’81, Barbara Mitchell Disque, WC ’53, Sally Davidson Foster, A ’55, Margaret Garner Reisler, WC ’45, Robert L. Ruble, BU ’84, Orville Tyler Schaefer, WC ’30, Margaret Gilchrist Serrato, WC ’77, Gloria Cassity Stargel, WC ’77, Althea Lennox Tessier, WC ’38, Lee Ann Romberg White, WC ’82, Kecia Strickland Garland, WC ’96, Heather Johnson Wayne, WC ’98, Nicole G. Iamarore, WC ’99 & Amber Markmann Simmons, WC ’03
• 2004: Kayanne Shoffner Massey, WC ’63, Martha Finger Stratton, WC ’45, Dale McElveen Jaeger, WC ’73, Eleanor Ardery Lawrence, WC ’63, Helen Ellis Lilly, WC ’31, Patricia Fields Westbrook, BU ’84, B.J. Richardson Williams, WC ’82, Cecilia Lilletredt, WC ’98, Alexandria Palamountain, WC ’97 & Kristy White, WC ’95
• 2005: Cheryl Bruce Hinderschied, WC ’69, Gail A. Smith, WC ’83, Steve D. Cronic, BU ’90 & ’95, James B. Hammond, BU ’80, Josephine Winter Rainey, WC ’47, Suzanne Sitherwood, WC ’97, Presley Merritt Wagoner, WC ’71, Lara Magzan, WC ’95, April Rogers Reed, WC ’95 & Marsha Stringer, WC ’96, BU ’03, ’05, ‘18
• 2006: Jeanne McEachern Hyder, WC ’84, Jane Paterson Suggs, WC ’74, Dr. Lucy Dekle Braun, WC ’58
• 2007: Joanne Carter Bagwell WC ’65
• 2013: Kelly Flanagan McCormick, WC ’04, Danita Emma, WC ’01, Rosanne Chastain Short, WC ’90, BU ’06, Brook Atkinson Davidson, WC ’02, Emmie Henderson Howard, WC ’01 & Kristina Shepard Rhoades, WC ’08, BU ’10
• 2014: Dana Fowler Miller, WC ’85, Kimberly McCoy, WC ’92, Lee Anne Romberg White, WC ’82, Ya’Sheaka Campbell, WC ’00, Jennifer Lewis, WC ’02 & Jessi Barker Shrout, WC ’04, BU ‘22
• 2015: Kathy Shaw Amos, WC ’98, BU ’06, Susan Ables Irick, WC ’81, Carole Ann Carter Daniel, WC ’68, Tracy Rhodes Withers, WC ’02, Khalilah T. R. Johnson, WC ’06 & Karri Bentley, WC ’02
• 2016: Cessna Veeris Kleinmoedig, WC ’02, Heather Johnson Wayne, WC ’98, Robin Smith Dudley, WC ’78 & Brooke Statham, WC ’00
• Spring 2017: Cynthia Fuller Jackson, WC ’86, Catherine “KT” Curran, WC ’89 & Marsha Stringer, WC ’96, BU ’03, ’05, ‘18
• Fall 2017: Michele Hood, BU ’12 & Terry Capers, BU ’14
• 2018: Jeff Seiple, BU ’90 & Dr. Jennifer Allison, WC ’92, BU ’03 & ’16
• 2020: Dr. Glen Laman, BU ’90 & Alecia Webb, BU ’07 & ’09
• 2021: Michelle Prater, BU ’03 & Celeste Alexander, WC ’98, BU ’99
• 2022: Benjamin Keeling BU ’18 & Joan Pafford WC ‘69
• 2023: Michelle McGowan BU ’10, ’13, ’20 & Alyson Carol Shields WC ‘13
• 2024: Ken Blair, BU ’16 & Daisy Goodnight Waldrep, WC ’61
• 2025: Natalie Espinoza Jacobson, BU ‘20 & Carl Blackburn, BU ‘94

Alumni Hall of Fame

Brenau University also recognizes exceptional alumni through its Hall of Fame. Inductees have achieved significant success in their careers, made outstanding contributions to their communities, and demonstrated a commitment to Brenau's values.

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Recent Inductees

• 2014: Austin McCord, A ’06, Nelwyn Bagwell Turk, WC ’69, Sonya Wood Hancock, WC ’63, Dr. Irene Okech, BU ’08 & Sara Margaret Patterson, A ’60, Marsha Wyatt Sell, A ’59, Antonina Grib Lerch, WC ’03 & Laurence Neuville, WC ’97, Sheau Shan Liew, WC ’02, Gordon Leslie, Former Athletic Director and Head Tennis Coach, Kimberly McCoy, WC ’92 & Lee Anne Romberg White, WC ’82
• 2015: Helen Jemison Meier, A ’59, Dr. Lynda A. Holmes, BU ’84, Sarah “Ashley” Longshore, A ’93, Maria Ebrahimji, WC ’98, David Keith Jefcoat, BU ’78, Dr. Priscilla Davis Jefcoat, WC ’76, Leyla Ogan, WC ’01, Helene Macchi, WC ’06 & Alexandra Rossi Rashed, WC ’94, Bill Rogers, Former Head Tennis Coach, Susan Ables Irick, WC ’81 & Carole Ann Carter Daniel, WC ’68
• 2016: Carolyn Walter Darke, A ’60 & Camille Walter Ashcraft, A ’60, Dr. Katharine DuPre Lumpkin, WC 1915, Evanda Gravitte Moore, WC ’71, Melda Lee Bassett, WC ’74, Jeffrey Seiple, BU ’90, Ginger Ragans, BU ’13, Suzanne Garland, WC ’80, Nancy Voss Emerson, WC ’79 & Susie McIntyre Finley, WC ’78, Carol Obermyer Nall, WC ’80, Dr. Peter “Doc” Kennedy, Former Coach, Heather Johnson Wayne, WC ’98 & Robin Smith Dudley, WC ’78
• Spring 2017: Susan Little Bazemore, A ’60, Gay Hobgood Hammond, WC ’82, Dana Boyd Barr, WC ’87, Holley Roberts Kelley, WC ’87, BU ’13, Amanda Miller Buono, WC ’99, Dulcé Sloan, WC ’05, Kelley Emrey, BU ’06, Lisa Bennett, WC ’77 & Linda Austin Thompson, WC ’80, Lisa Bowers Drake, WC ’88, Abby Gilliamsen, WC ’86, Dr. Polly Cabe Roberts, Former Athletic Director & Catherine “KT” Curran, WC ’89
• Fall 2017: Sherrie DeVries, A ’59, Claude Porter, Sr., BU ’84, Jane Patterson Suggs, WC ’74, Daisy Goodnight Waldrep, WC ’61, Stefanie Diaz, WC ’05, BU ’07 & Terry Capers, BU ’14
• 2018: Nancy Rogers Reynolds, A ’70, WC ’73, Kathy Amos, WC ’98, BU ’06, John Rudio, BU ’98, Frances “Shay” English Stafford, WC ’69, Dr. Jennifer Allison, WC ’92, BU ’03 & ’16, Ayako Noda Horie, WC ’97 & Maiko Noda Hashimoto, WC ’99, Hannah Boudreaux Vollenweider, WC ’13, Tiffany Schandera Sanders, WC ’13 & Dr. India Rose, WC ’06
• 2019: Anna Maness, WC ’13, Morgan Smith, WC ’12, Esther Anyanwu, WC ’14, Tori Brown-Cummings, WC ’15 & Ashley Hagans, WC ’12
• 2020: Rebecca Parker, A ’87, Ute Meyer Niedermeier, WC ’93, BU ’94, Anna Alexander Jacobs, WC ’86, Robin Smith Dudley, WC ’78, Ken Blair, BU ’16 & ’22, Alecia Webb, BU ’07 & ’09 & Katie Barth Lutz, WC ’14
• 2021: Dr. Nicole Tong-Mitchell, A ’02, WC ’05, Emilie “Emmie” Henderson Howard, WC ’01, Antonina Grib Lerch, WC ’03, Dr. Khalilah R. Johnson, WC ’05, BU ’06, Michelle Prater, BU ’03, Belinda Landers Jackson, WC ’05 & Sommer Stockton, WC ’19, BU ’20
• 2022: Lucia Rayfield Dougherty, A ’83, Carole Ann Carter Daniel WC ’68, Jenny Shepherd Wasden, BU ’14, Lyn See Choo, WC ’12, Dominika Jasova, WC ’14, Olamide Sokunbi, WC ’16, Benjamin Keeling BU ’18, Christopher M. Culp BU ‘14 & Sage Magness WC ‘07
• 2023: Angela Duffield Harrell, A ’84, Mary Bob Acree Hobgood WC ’45, Gabrielle Harvey, WC ’13, Autumn Dodson, WC ’18, BU ’21, Linda Chukwuji, WC ’14, Elizabeth Campbell, WC ‘15, Michelle McGowan BU ’10, ’13, ’20, Andrew Joseph Huggins BU ‘18 & Zoe Scheffrin Durden WC ‘14
• 2024: Shannon Magill Morris, A ’84, WC ’88, Kay Faye McMaster WC ’87, Marilyn Anderson, WC ’10, Sydney Koon, WC ’15, Lily Futrell Genova, WC ’09, BU ’10, Brittney Wiley, WC ’18, Ken Blair, BU ’16, Melinda Cassiday Jacques, WC ’17 & Daisy Goodnight Waldrep, WC ’61
• 2025: Jennifer Bryant, A ’83, Michelle Gray Haywood, WC ’75, Brittany Aikens Norris, WC ’15, BU ’24, Ayana Daniels, WC ’19, Dana Garner Chapman, WC ’06, Courtney Hayward, WC ’17, Natalie Espinoza Jacobson, BU ‘20, Dameca Taylor Robinson, WC ’99, BU ’00, Gabrielle Angle, WC ‘07 & Carl Blackburn, BU ‘94

Notable Alumni Profiles

Brenau University's alumni include individuals who have excelled in various fields, leaving a lasting impact on their professions and communities. Here are a few notable examples:

• Amanda Blake (A ’47): Best known for her role as Miss Kitty on the television show "Gunsmoke," Blake attended Brenau Academy and later served as a college trustee and advisor. In 1968, she was the first woman inducted into the Hall of Fame of Great Western Actors and Actresses.
• Clyde Dixon Connell (WC ’19): A professional artist specializing in sculptures constructed from "found objects," Connell's works capture the environment and her personal experience of living on the Louisiana bayou.
• Barbara Mitchell Disque (WC ’53): Disque served on the Brenau University Board of Trustees for many years and was awarded the Brenau Outstanding Alumnae Award for Service to Brenau.
• Martha Edens (WC ’49): Former District President, Province President, and National President of Zeta Tau Alpha Fraternity, and Republican National Committeewoman for South Carolina. She also served as the Vice Chair of the Brenau Board of Trustees for many years and is now a Trustee Emeritus.
• Dr. Eliza Holmes Feldmann (WC ’29): A professional pianist and organist, Feldmann performed concerts throughout the United States and Europe. She was also an assistant professor and chair of the preparatory music department at Brenau College.
• Thelma Mauldin Green (WC ’34): A long-time member of the Brenau Board of Trustees, Green also served as a teacher and docent, receiving multiple awards for her service to Brenau.
• Marion Runnels Holloway (WC ’57): Known professionally as "Marion Montgomery," Holloway was a jazz singer, recording artist, and theatrical performer who performed before the Royal Family and toured with renowned musicians.
• Helen Ellis Lilly (WC ’31): Lilly served Brenau in various capacities and established the Helen Ellis Lilly Scholarship to benefit Women's College students.
• Helen Dortch Longstreet (WC ’18): A pioneering figure, Longstreet was the first female Assistant State Librarian for Georgia, an early environmental activist, and a civil rights advocate.
• Grace Lumpkin (WC’11): An influential early feminist and Southern writer of literary social realism, Lumpkin's novels addressed social and racial inequalities.
• Katharine Du Pre Lumpkin (WC ’15): A teacher, activist, sociologist, and author, Lumpkin's work explored the complexities of Southern identity and social issues.
• Eleanor Ardery Lawrence, WC ’63: Eleanor Ardery Lawrence was a retired model and actress, she served her community as a member of San Joaquin County Medical Society Auxiliary since 1974.
• Dr. Elizabeth Parker (WC ’24): A physician and pioneer in female endocrinology, Parker authored "The Seven Ages of Woman" and assisted in establishing the first endocrine laboratory and clinic at George Washington University Hospital.
• Barbara Stockton Perry (WC ’47): An attorney, judge, and political figure, Perry was the first female candidate for Lieutenant Governor of North Carolina and served on various boards and committees.
• Josephine Winter Rainey (WC ’47): An avid Brenau and community volunteer, Rainey led the Brenau’s Second Century Fund Campaign and served as president of the National Brenau Alumnae Association.
• Gloria Cassity Stargel, WC ’50 and ’77: Gloria Cassity Stargel is the author of “The Healing: One Family’s Victorious Struggle with Cancer,” published in 1982 and re-released in 2002.
• Althea Lennox Tessier, Ph.D. WC ’38: A chaplain, pilot, college professor, world traveler, researcher, Althea Lennox Tessier addressed the Louisiana legislature on the subject of equal rights for women volunteers at the St. Vincent’s Infant Asylum in the 1950s.

Brenau University: A Hub of Art and Culture

Brenau University's commitment to a well-rounded education extends to the arts. The university boasts several art galleries, including the Leo Castelli Gallery and the Manhattan Gallery, which showcase a diverse range of works by students, faculty, and internationally acclaimed artists. The university's partnership with the Atlanta High Museum of Art further enhances its artistic offerings.

Pearce Auditorium, a historic landmark on Brenau's campus, has hosted numerous famous speakers and performers, contributing to the cultural enrichment of the university and the surrounding community. The Georgia Mountain History Museum, located on campus, preserves and celebrates the history of Northeast Georgia, providing valuable educational resources for students and the public.

A Vision for the Future

Brenau University's vision for the future is built on a foundation of academic excellence, innovation, and community engagement. The university's leadership is committed to providing students with the knowledge, skills, and experiences they need to succeed in a rapidly changing world.

Under the leadership of President David Barnett, Brenau University continues to evolve and adapt to meet the needs of its students and the community. The university's strategic plan, Brenau 2025 Vision, serves as a blueprint for future growth and development, ensuring that Brenau remains a leading institution of higher education.

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