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Roy A. Taylor
Distinguished Alumnus or Alumna
of the Year Award
Named in honor of the University’s first valedictorian, founder
of its first Alumni Association, and distinguished member of the United States
Congress, the Roy A. Taylor Distinguished Alumnus or Alumna Award is the highest
award given to an alumnus/a and recognizes those graduates of UNC Asheville and
its predecessor colleges for extraordinary achievement.
Make a Nomination for 2007
Previous Recipients
 2006
Ray West (Class of 1972)
The Roy A. Taylor
Distinguished Alumnus Award was presented to Ray F. West (Class of 1972) for his
significant humanitarian work in the struggling Republic of Moldova. In 1997,
Captain West’s Naval Reserve unit was charged with large-scale humanitarian work
in Moldova. When he returned to North Carolina, West was inspired to continue
the rebuilding efforts. He founded the Moldova World Children’s Fund in
Hendersonville, which has been a driving force in constructing orphanages,
renovating schools and providing scholarships.
2004
Audrey Byrd Mosley (Class of 1974)
The 2004 Distinguished Alumna Award was presented to Audrey Byrd Mosley,
Class of 1974. Audrey Byrd Mosley entered UNC Asheville in 1970, graduating in
1974 with majors in political science and classics. The University provided fine background for her to
enter Harvard Law, where she received her J.D. in 1977.
Following law school, Audrey moved to Washington
where she began her legal career as an attorney with the
United States Department of Army Materiel and Readiness Command
and since 1980 has worked in the office of the general counsel of the
National Academy of Sciences, currently as Deputy General Counsel.
Asheville is Audrey's hometown, and she returns frequently
to visit friends and family and to contribute service to her Alma Mater
as a member of the National Alumni Advisory Council.
James Anderson Shields (Class of 1975)
The 2004 Distinguished Alumnus Award was presented to James Anderson
Shields, Class of 1975.
Throughout a very successful business career, his
love of learning and the life of the mind have been among Jim's most passionate interests.
And his Alma Mater has never been far from his heart.
Jim is head of Anderson Hamilton, Inc., a
Winston-Salem investment firm. He has generously used his talents and his
resources over the years so that the university is better for each succeeding
generation of students who wish to study here.
As a trustee of UNC Asheville, Jim works in the
background and without requirement of attention to ensure the progress of the
University in meeting its mission.
As a life-long learner and a true model of
Chaucer's student, Jim is an external graduate student in philosophy at the
University of Wales, Lampeter, currently analyzing the philosophical papers of
Gilbert Ryle.
2003
Richard B. Wynne (Class of 1950)
The 2003 Distinguished Alumnus Award was presented to Richard B. Wynne at
the Founders Weekend 2003 Dinner of Distinction on Friday, Sept. 19, 2003. The
dinner was held at The Reuter Center on the campus of UNC Asheville. Mr.
Wynne is the former publisher of the
Asheville Citizen -Times and vice president of its then parent company
Multimedia Inc..
Richard B. Wynne began his career as a copy boy
and reporter before joining the U. S. Air Force. After his military
service, Mr. Wynne, a member of the class of 1950, attended
Asheville-Biltmore College during the day while working as a reporter at night.
He was named managing editor at 28, then assistant to the publisher, and
president and publisher of the Asheville Citizen-Times before retiring in
1987.
He was a member of the Asheville-Biltmore College
Board of Trustees in the 1960's when it was seeking university status, and was
active in community affairs, working to establish the WNC Farmers Market, N.C.
Arboretum, Community Foundation of Western North Carolina and Better Business
Bureau. He was a member of numerous civic boards as well, including the Chamber
of Commerce, Red Cross and United Way. He currently serves on the Janirve
Foundation Board.
2002
Eugene L. Presley (Classes of 1981 & 1996)
The 2002 Distinguished
Alumnus Award was presented to Eugene L. Presley. Presley is the president of
Hayes & Lunsford Co. He earned two degrees from UNC Asheville, a bachelors
degree in management in 1981 and a Master of Liberal Arts in 1996.
Presley has served UNC Asheville in many capacities. A former
member of the UNCA Board of Trustees and the UNCA Foundation Board of
Directors, he also served on the 1999 Chancellor's Search Committee, which
selected Dr. James H. Mullen Jr. He is a strong supporter of the university,
specifically the Undergraduate Research Fellows scholarship program. He is
a member of the UNC Asheville Alumni Advisory Council.
He and his wife, JoJo, are the parents of two grown children,
Lynn and Michael.
2001
Zollie Stevenson Jr. (Class of 1975)
The 2001 Distinguished Alumnus Award
was presented to Dr. Zollie Stevenson, Jr. Stevenson is the group leader for
Standards, Assessment and Accountability in the Office of Elementary and
Secondary Education at the U.S. Department of Education in Washington, DC. He
demonstrates a strong commitment to education and community service. He is the
National Chairman of Programs and Special Projects for Alpha Phi Alpha
Fraternity, Inc., the first Greek letter organization for college educated Black
men established in 1906 at Cornell University. He also serves as the Board
Chairman for the National Capital Area Chapter of the March of Dimes Birth
Defects Foundation, Inc. which serves Washington, DC and the Northern Virginia
counties of Arlington, Fairfax, Loudon and Prince William and the City of
Alexandria. Dr. Stevenson's work includes serving as a national faculty member
for the March of Dimes/Alpha Phi Alpha pregnancy prevention initiative which
focuses on the male role and responsibility in prevention called Project Alpha.
In 2003, Zollie was presented the Alumni
Achievement Award by the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of
Education. A 1975 graduate of UNC Asheville, Stevenson holds a M.S. degree from
North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University in Greensboro, and a
Ph.D. from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. While at UNCA he was
Student Government Association President in 1974-75. He is a member of the
UNC Asheville National Alumni Advisory Council.
2000
Wilma Dykeman (Class of 1938)
The 2000 UNCA Distinguished Alumna Award was presented to
noted author, historian, lecturer and social activist Wilma Dykeman at the
annual Founders Day dinner Oct. 6.
A native of Asheville and a descendant of some of the
earliest European inhabitants of the region, Dykeman is a 1938 graduate of
Asheville-Biltmore College and a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Northwestern
University.
She is best known for her numerous literary contributions that eloquently explore her love for the Southern Appalachian
Mountains and people. She has published 18 books, several in collaboration
with her late husband James Stokely. She is the author of numerous volumes
related to Tennessee history, including Tennessee: A Bicentennial
History (1975), and she serves as the Tennessee State Historian.
Wilma passed away in December 2006.
1999
Robert B. Peterson
(Class of 1957)
The 1999 Distinguished Alumnus Award was presented to
Robert B. Peterson for his extraordinary service to the University of North
Carolina at Asheville. Peterson has been a member of the UNCA Alumni
Association Board of Directors and chairman of the UNCA Foundation Board, and is
currently co-chair of UNCA's capital campaign. He is a 1957 graduate of
Asheville-Biltmore College, and later he received a bachelor of science degree
from the University of Tennessee. A native of Asheville, Peterson retired
as chief executive officer of Sky City Stores, a family-owned business. He
is an ardent supporter of the university and his community, having served
on many civic boards including the Arts Alliance, Optimist Club,
Asheville-Buncombe Community Christian Ministry, Meals on Wheels and the
Asheville Merchants Association. Peterson is a member of Emmanuel Lutheran
Church and the High Street Banking Company board of directors. He is a
past board member of the Country Club of Asheville and NationsBank. He and
his wife, Barbara, have two adult children, Buzz and Cindy, and several
grandchildren 1998
Wayne McDevitt
(Class of 1975)
A native of Madison County, Wayne McDevitt
was Chief of
Staff to North Carolina's Governor Hunt. Prior to that he was the Secretary of
the North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources. A
senior advisor to Gov. Jim Hunt since 1993, McDevitt previously was general
manager and associate director of the North Carolina Arboretum. During
Hunt's first administration, he was regional manager of the N.C. Department of
Natural Resources and Community Development, and later he held a key position
with the Western Office of the Governor.
Chairman and chief
executive officer of the North Carolina Democratic party in 1995-96, McDevitt
has been active in government and politics since his college days at UNC
Asheville. A 1975 graduate with a bachelor's degree in political science,
McDevitt has been a longtime proponent of higher education, championing many
causes to benefit Western North Carolina and UNCA. Specifically, he has
served on the UNCA Board of Trustees, UNCA Alumni Association Board of
Directors, and as a special assistant to Chancellor David G. Brown during
1984-85. His many civic and governmental activities include work for Pack
Place Education, Arts and Science Advisory Council, Appalachian Regional
Commission, Economic Development Association of Western North Carolina,
Asheville Revitalization Commission, Bele Chere Committee, United Way of
Asheville and Buncombe County and Rural Economic Development Center
and the UNC Asheville National Alumni Advisory Council
Board of Directors. He
and his wife Walda, have two children.
1997
Michael Cogdill (Class of 1984)
Michael Cogdill, award-winning reporter for WYFF-TV in Greenville, South Carolina, was
honored as UNCA's 1997 Distinguished Alumnus during Founders Day celebrations on campus on
October 5, 1997.
A cum laude member of the class of 1984, Cogdill worked as a reporter and anchor for
WECT-TV in Wilmington, NC and WRDW-TV in Augusta, GA before coming to Greenville eight
years ago. He is currently anchor of WYFF-TV's 5:00 pm news and a general assignment
reporter with a special emphasis on religious news.
During his career as a broadcaster, Cogdill has received more than twenty awards from
the Radio and Television News Directors of the Carolinas and the Associated Press. He has
also received eleven Emmy Awards--one in 1994 for his feature "Man of the
Mountain" and two additional awards for his 1995 coverage of the Susan Smith murder
case in Union, SC. 1996
Thomas D. Reynolds (Class of 1937)
Dr. Thomas D. Reynolds, retired professor of mathematics at Duke University, was
presented the Distinguished Alumni Award at the annual Leadership and Academic Awards
Banquet, held at the Grove Park Inn in Asheville May 2, 1996.
Reynolds was a 1937 graduate of Biltmore College, a forerunner of UNCA. He earned his
Ph.D. in mathematics from Duke University. Dr. Reynolds served as an associate professor
of mathematics at Duke from 1953 until 1971, also serving on the North Carolina State
Advisory Council on Teacher Education and Professional Standards, and serving as chair of
the Mathematics Committee on Guidelines and Standards for Programs in Teacher Education.
In 1972, Dr. Reynolds began a career as a land surveyor, becoming owner of the Black
Mountain, NC-based Reynolds Co. in 1983.
Through his active involvement with the Alumni Association, Dr. Reynolds perpetuated
his family's close relationship with UNCA until his passing in 1997. His wife, Lillian
Osbourne Reynolds, also graduated from Biltmore College in 1937. His father, A.C.
Reynolds, helped found Buncombe County Junior College, which grew to become UNCA. The
Reynolds Award, presented annually to the UNCA senior who is most outstanding in
citizenship, was founded by Mary and Martin Nesbitt.
1995
Roy A. Taylor (Class of 1929)
- posthumously
The late Roy A. Taylor, former U.S. representative and first President of UNCA's Alumni
Association, was honored posthumously with the first Distinguished Alumni Award at the
Annual Leadership and Academic Awards Banquet, held at the Grove Park Inn in Asheville May
4, 1995.
Taylor graduated from Buncombe County Junior College (one of UNCA's predecessors) as
valedictorian of the Class of 1929. He served for 30 years as an official at local, state,
and federal levels, introducing legislation that led to state funding of junior colleges.
His work was instrumental in UNCA's evolution into a four-year educational institution.
Taylor served as a member of the university's Board of Trustees and established the Roy
A. Taylor Public Speaking Scholarship Prize, awarded to a UNCA student each spring. In
1986, he was awarded UNCA's first honorary Doctor of Law degree. He was presented the UNCA
Chancellor's Medallion--the university's highest award for volunteer service--in 1991.
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