Dr. Marietta E. Cameron ’88 has been appointed Dean of Natural Sciences at University of North Carolina at Asheville. She also received the 2022 recipient of the Distinguished Teacher award.

Steve West ’87 is the author of a new book, “Something Happens Here: Reclaiming the Distinctiveness of Wesley’s Communion Spirituality in Times of Divisiveness,” published in August 2022 by Wipf and Stock Publishers. The book explores the historical background of communion in the United Methodist Church through the writings of John and Charles Wesley. West serves as senior pastor of First United Methodist Church in Jacksonville, Ala.

Dr. Patti P. Phillips MPPM '97 and her husband Dr. Jack J. Phillips have written a new book, "Show the Value of What You Do: Measuring and Achieving Success in Every Endeavor," which will be published by Berrett-Koehler Publishers on Sept. 20, 2022. Using a simplified version of their ROI Methodology system, the authors share how to measure and improve the success of any type of project, program, or initiative.

Cynthia Todd MPPM ’07 was appointed by Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey to serve on the University of Montevallo Board of Trustees. Todd is the first Black woman to serve as a UM trustee. Todd’s term started July 18 and will end Jan. 19, 2032. Todd, a Calera native and Pelham resident, received her bachelor’s degree in business administration and management from UM in 1988.

Willie Williams ’18, sculptor and founder of Studio 2500 in the North Birmingham community, celebrated the installation of the Arc of Justice at an unveiling ceremony on Aug. 28, presided by Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin. The Arc of Justice is a large-form outdoor metal sculpture representing communal striving for freedom, equity, and justice for all. Read more about Williams’ work on our blog.

Emma Begley ’22 of Birmingham accepted the position of research analyst/financial analyst at Porter White & Co. Begley graduated magna cum laude in May 2022 with a B.S. in Mathematical Finance and Business Management.

Ezra Joshua Mutz Phillips on June 28, 2022, to Meredith Cheney Phillips ’09 and David Phillips. Ezra joins big sisters Ziva and EffieLeigh.

Delores Layton Andrews ’58 on July 29, 2022, in Birmingham. Andrews broke generational cycles of poverty, abuse and addiction and made her life's work helping others do the same as an addiction counselor and as director of St. Anne's Home for Women. At 18, placing first-runner-up to Miss Alabama won her a full scholarship to BSC, from which she graduated with a  degree in psychology. Andrews and her late husband Bruce Riggan Andrews raised their family in Birmingham, Huntsville, and Gulf Shores. She is survived by three daughters, including Paula ’84; five grandchildren, including Ashley  Deans ’12;  and six great-grandchildren.

James Martin Gordon MPPM ’90 on July 31, 2022, in Birmingham, Ala. Following his 1969 graduation from The Citadel in Charleston, S.C., he served as an infantry officer in the U.S. Army before beginning a career as a human resources-labor relations executive. He was active in industry and professional organizations including the Alabama State Health Coordinating Council, and the Human Resources Committees of the Southeastern Poultry and Egg Association, the American Foundry Society, and the Business Council of Alabama. He also was active in community organizations, serving on the Board of Directors of Birmingham AIDS Outreach, St. Martins-in-the-Pines Retirement Community, and Fellowship House, Inc., where he served as board president. Gordon was an adjunct faculty member in BSC’s business department for more than 10 years.

James Howard (Jimmy) Bryant ’52 on June 22, 2022, in Los Angeles. Bryant grew up in Tarrant,   graduated from Phillips High School, attended BSC, and received a scholarship to The New England Conservatory of Music. He had a long and distinguished career in the music industry and was an "Emmy" award recipient. Bryant was best known for being the on-screen voice for the lead character, Tony, in the film musical "West Side Story.” He also sang for James Fox in the 1967 film musical “Thoroughly Modern Millie,” performed in "The Telephone Hour" number in the film version of “Bye Bye Birdie,” and was part of the group that performed the theme song of the TV series “Batman.” His work as an orchestrator included the films “Not with My Wife, You Don't!,” “Penelope,” and the television series “Lost in Space.” He also composed music heard at Walt Disney World and Tokyo Disneyland. Bryant scored the music for numerous radio and television commercials for clients such as Lone Star beer, Tecate, Chrysler Imports, and Toyota Motor Cars.

Annie Stewart Calhoun Jackson on Aug. 3, 2022, in Birmingham, Ala. Jackson was the only child of Dr. L. L. Calhoun and Georgie Bryant Allen Calhoun and a life-long resident of Birmingham. She grew up in Norwood and Woodlawn and attended Phillips High School and Birmingham-Southern College, where she began a steadfast friendship with Ruth “Buttercup” Harris Cary that endured until Buttercup’s death in 2010. . She married Henry G. Jackson, Jr., in 1946, with whom she had three children: retired BSC chaplain, Dr. Stewart A. Jackson (Robin), Betty (the late Frank McArthur) and Peggy. A lifelong member of First United Methodist Church in Birmingham, she served as its membership secretary and receptionist for 15 years. In addition to her children, she is survived by seven grandchildren, including Meredith Jackson Matthews ’97 and  John Stewart Jackson ‘01; and 13 great-grandchildren.

Hattie Ivey Jackson ’74 on June 5, 2022, in Birmingham. She was born on Dec. 11, 1949, in Birmingham to the late General Washington and Bessie Lou Ivey. Hattie is survived by her son, Curtis Jackson; and her grandchildren. She was an executive at All State and retired after many years of service.

B.R. (Bob) Wright on Aug. 19, 2022, in Vestavia Hills, Ala. He graduated from Phillips High School and received bachelor’s degrees in Business Administration and Psychology. He was a member of Phi Beta Kappa and Pi Kappa Alpha. Wright served in the U.S. Navy. Before retirement, he was the purchasing agent for Jefferson County. Wright was a member of Hoover First Methodist Church.

Emily Held ’85 on Aug. 17, 2022, in Chelsea, Ala. Emily passed away after battling brain cancer. She graduated from Mountain Brook High School and Jacksonville University in Florida, later earning an accounting degree from BSC. She worked for several years at Automatic Data Processing and, more recently, in corporate accounting for Jim & Nick's and Tazikis. Held had a lifelong passion for horses and relished the joy and hard work of raising and caring for her quarter horses on her farm in Chelsea.

Charles Hugh Hudgins ’62 on Aug. 23, 2022, in San Diego, Calif. Hudgins graduated from BSC summa cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in economics, before attending the University of Virginia as a Thomas Jefferson Fellow, receiving his master’s degree in economics in 1963. He was a member of Phi Beta Kappa, and was featured in Who’s Who in American Colleges and Universities. Hudgins began his career in data processing in 1964 with Dow Chemical Company in Williamsburg, Va., and in 1968, he became director of data processing for Mason and Company, a member firm of the New York Stock Exchange as well as a systems engineer for IBM. He took a faculty position at the University of Virginia in 1974, where he was professor of management science and assistance vice president for communications, and later he joined the University of California San Diego, as director of information systems, where he retired in 1993 as director of administrative computing. In 1989, he established The Hudgins Endowed Scholarship at BSC to provide, as he called them, “enablement awards,” since his attendance was enabled by the financial aid he received. He was a donor to the school for 58 consecutive years, making him the longest Ginkgo Society giver. He is survived by his sister, Dot Hudgins Fricks ’68.

James Richard Aaron on Aug. 22, 2022, in Richmond, Va. He was born on Nov. 16, 1938, in Birmingham to James Wesley Aaron and Ethel Nolan Aaron. A great storyteller, he later entertained his children, grandchildren, nieces, and nephews with stories of his adventurous childhood in Birmingham and in Lineville, Ala. Aaron served in the United States Marine Corps. In 1961, he was honored to carry the Presidential Flag during President John F. Kennedy's inauguration. Following his military service, he began a long, illustrious career in the insurance and financial services industry.

Margaret Louise Moore Woodall ’69 on Aug. 28, 2022. Woodall was born June 30, 1921, to Peyton and Minta Moore and grew up in the coal mining communities of Walker County. During her 101 years, she helped raise her younger siblings, attended Jacksonville State Teachers College, worked at TCI (USX) where she met and married Alex Woodall, raised two children, taught math at Bush Elementary School, completed her education at BSC and later earned a master’s degree at UAB. She was heavily involved in church work at Ensley First United Methodist Church, Camp Sumatanga, and at the North Alabama Conference archives, and was recently a member of Vestavia Hills United Methodist Church. She is survived by two children, including daughter Dr. Patricia Woodall ‘75, and by  large extended family.

George Allen Simmons, Jr. ’47 on Aug. 2, 2022, in North Tonawanda, Pa. Simmons was born on May 2, 1926, in Tarrant, Ala. He received his bachelor of science at BSC, and his master’s and PhD at Ohio State University, all in chemistry. While at Ohio State, George met his wife, Marilyn Naomi Boyer. They married on June 9, 1951, and went on to have three children, Roger, Gaile and Elaine. Simmons’ first career was as a university professor, teaching science at Perdue University. He spent the bulk of his career in research at companies including Owens Illinois Glass, Dominion Glass, Thatcher Glass, and Georgia Marble. Simmons was a member of Mensa International and loved solving problems by inventing new materials. Included in the 15 patents he secured are his invention for unbreakable dishware and non-cracking mirrors for space telescopes. In the 1950s he was registered with the U.S. Selective Service to work on a top-secret project with NASA that he could only talk about in his later years. Although a logical and scientific thinker, Simmons also had a creative side. He loved wood carving and marquetry, creating pieces for his family to remember him by. He wrote Japanese haiku poetry and took an interest in American clairvoyant Edgar Cayce.

Dr. Ream Shoreibah, assistant professor of marketing, will serve on an all-female panel at the 2022 Women’s Summit, a day-long event that will be held at the Renaissance Birmingham Ross Bridge Golf Resort and Spa on Sept. 23. The panel will lead a discussion on “Everybody’s space: Overcoming obstacles to succeed in the workplace and keep diversity in leadership.” The panel features women that have dedicated their careers to maintaining diverse leadership in the workforce.