University honors distinguished alumni during Homecoming weekend

October 25 will be a big night for 10 Wingate alumni and one generous couple.

Four accomplished alums, a former trustee and his wife, and six former star Bulldog athletes will be honored during the Alumni and Sports Hall of Fame Awards Dinner, in conjunction with Homecoming weekend. Honorees will be interviewed on stage, where they will reminisce about the good 'ol days and talk about what they've been up to since they left Wingate.

"These distinguished alumni have taken the Wingate motto, 'Faith, Knowledge, Service,' seriously and are doing great things in their communities," says Sarah Colón, director of alumni engagement. "It is our honor to bring them back to campus to recognize them for their accomplishments."

Alumni being honored are Natasha Gilbert '97, Distinguished Alumna; Aaron Shaver '16, Outstanding Young Alumnus; Terrance Hinton '03, Excellence in Service; and Kimberly Jonorio Swanson '09, Champion of Diversity. Also, Ed and Millie West are being honored as Honorary Alumni.

Gilbert and her husband, Tony, own and operate a pair of Chick-fil-A restaurants in Belmont, N.C. Gilbert has also served as chair of the Montcross Chamber of Commerce, mentors newer owners of Chick-fil-A restaurants, and, through her restaurants, supports local charities.

In 2001, Shaver left corporate pharmacy to buy and operate the historic Parson's Drug Company in Wadesboro, his wife's hometown. He has since built a thriving business that serves the needs of a rural area.

Hinton is a faculty member teaching criminal justice at The Ohio State University. In his spare time, he works with agencies that help formerly incarcerated people make the transition back into society.

As an immigration lawyer, Swanson works on a team that provides services to asylees, victims of human trafficking and crime, and families fighting to stay together. She also serves the Durham Immigrant Legal Network, a new program started by JusticeMatters NC that provides representation to those in immigration-court proceedings. In addition, victims of human trafficking find solace at the Bridge International, a nonprofit that operates on land that Swanson and her husband own.

Ed West spent more than a century in the steel-drum business, including founding and operating General Steel Drum Co., which he sold in 2011. Now retired, West has been a Wingate trustee for nearly 20 years, and he and Millie are big supporters of Wingate Athletics.

In conjunction with the Alumni Awards presentations, the Wingate Sports Hall of Fame will induct five former Bulldogs and honor a sixth who was inducted in 2022: football's Perry Floyd '12, softball's Ashley Green '08, men's swimming's Rory Julyan '13, volleyball's Maggie Malone '12, men's soccer's Philip Poole '04, and 2022 inductee Luke Mulholland '11, a men's soccer standout.

The Alumni & Sports Hall of Fame Awards Dinner will begin with a 5:45 p.m. check-in and reception on Friday, Oct. 25, with the dinner and induction ceremonies starting at 6:30 p.m. inside LaVerne Banquet Hall. Tickets are $35 and include a three-course meal and two drink tickets. Dress is business/cocktail attire.

For more information about Homecoming and to buy tickets to the awards dinner or other events, visit the University website. Learn more about the Hall of Fame inductees.

Aug. 21, 2024

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