Samford Recognizes Four Distinguished Alumni

"...The honorees are: U.S. District Court judge Karon O. Bowdre, Birmingham; breast cancer surgeon and researcher William C. Dooley, Oklahoma City, Okla.; retired Baptist minister and denominational leader Randall Lolley, Raleigh, N.C.; and National Teacher of the Year Betsy Rogers, Birmingham..."

Samford University graduates who have achieved success in four different career fields have been named Alumni of the Year.

The honorees are: U.S. District Court judge Karon O. Bowdre, Birmingham; breast cancer surgeon and researcher William C. Dooley, Oklahoma City, Okla.; retired Baptist minister and denominational leader Randall Lolley, Raleigh, N.C.; and National Teacher of the Year Betsy Rogers, Birmingham.

Bowdre, a 1977 graduate, also holds a juris doctor degree from Samford's Cumberland School of Law. She was named to her position on the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Alabama in 2001. She taught at Cumberland during 1990-2001, and was director of the school's Legal Research and Writing program. Prior to joining the law faculty, she practiced with the Birmingham law firm of Rives & Peterson.

Dooley, a 1978 alumnus and a graduate of Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, holds the G. Rainey Williams chair in surgical breast oncology and is division director, surgical oncology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center. He is a former faculty member and director of the Johns Hopkins Breast Center, Baltimore, Md. The former Birmingham resident also presented a Homecoming lecture on scientific research.

Lolley, a 1952 graduate, holds a master of theology degree from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary and a doctor of theology degree from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. He was president of Southeastern Seminary from 1974 until 1988, and was pastor of First Baptist Church, Greensboro, N.C., until retirement. He was moderator of the North Carolina chapter of the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship during 1997-98.

Rogers earned a bachelor's degree in elementary education from Samford in 1974 and also holds masters, educational specialist and doctor of education degrees from Samford. She has taught first and second grade at Leeds Elementary since 1985. She holds certification from the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards. Rogers was named 2003 National Teacher of the Year by President George W. Bush in a White House ceremony in April.

The four were recognized at Samford’s traditional alumni banquet Friday, Oct. 24 as part of annual Homecoming activities. Rogers, who was overseas as part of her responsibilities as National Teacher of the Year, could not attend the event, but accepted the award via a prerecorded video. Click on the link below to see images from the banquet and other events.

Homecoming 2003 Slide Show