Seven distinguished alumni of Mercer University were honored for their significant contributions during the ninth annual Alumni and Friends Awards Reception and Dinner on November 1, coinciding with the Homecoming celebrations.
The event, organized by the Mercer Alumni Association, saw the presentation of several prestigious awards. Stephen C. Bradshaw received the Thomas Sewell Plunkett Young Alumnus Award. This accolade is given to an alum who has graduated within the past decade and demonstrated ongoing support for Mercer University. Bradshaw, a 2012 graduate from the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences who later earned his MBA at Mercer in 2014, currently holds a senior vice president position at Queensborough National Bank and Trust in Augusta.
David E. Hudson was awarded the Meritorious Service Award for his dedicated support to both the Alumni Association and Mercer University through his time, talents, and financial resources. A 1968 graduate from Mercer's College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, Hudson furthered his education with a Juris Doctor degree from Harvard Law School in 1971. He practices law with an emphasis on business disputes as a partner at Hull Barrett in Augusta.
The Distinguished Alumnus Award went to Richard A. “Doc” Schneider for serving his profession outstandingly while bringing honor to himself and Mercer University. Schneider earned his Juris Doctor degree from Mercer Law School in 1981 and is currently a senior partner at King & Spalding in Atlanta.
The evening also recognized new inductees into the Mercer Athletic Hall of Fame: Billy Burns (baseball), Bob Hoffman (men’s basketball), Kahlia Lawrence (women’s basketball), alongside Ashley Amos Copelan who was inducted into the Athletic Hall of Honor.
Billy Burns played baseball for Mercer between 2009-2011, leading them to win titles including an NCAA Tournament berth in 2010 before debuting in MLB with Oakland Athletics in 2014. Bob Hoffman led Mercer's men's basketball team as head coach from 2008-2019, achieving notable victories including their first NCAA Tournament win against Duke in 2014.
Kahlia Lawrence excelled on Mercer's women's basketball team before graduating in 2018; she was drafted by Minnesota Lynx as part of her professional career progression. Ashley Amos Copelan has contributed significantly to various boards related to Mercer University alongside her philanthropic efforts through family foundations.