May 3, 2018 - The history department honored students and a history alumna at its annual awards banquet on May 3, 2018. The banquet also included the induction of the Rutledge Honorary History Club’s officers for 2018-2019, the presentation of a talk on “Walt Disney and World War II” by Dr. Chris Blair of the Department of Communications, and a recognition of Dr. Terry Lindley for his 26 years of service as the history club’s faculty advisor.
The department presented students with awards in several areas. The winner of the Phi Alpha Theta Scholarship Pin and Academic Excellence Certificate was Seth Reid. Ali Renckens and Jonathan Pope were the recipients of the History Minor Award. Those recognized for their papers in the Dr. James Alex Baggett History Research Paper Competition were: Seth Reid, second place; Ali Renckens, third place; and Leah Atkins, honorable mention. Students who delivered papers at the Arkansas Phi Alpha Theta Regional Conference on April 7 received books and certificates of recognition; they were Leah Atkins, Lauren Butler, Ali Renckens, and Luke Sower. The department also gave certificates of appreciation to Seth Reid and Katherine Cheshire for their work as president and vice president of Union’s Delta-Psi chapter of Phi Alpha Theta, and to Ali Renckens for her service as the president of the Rutledge Honorary History Club.
Beverly Smothers was the recipient of the Tenth Annual History Alumni Distinguished Achievement Award. While a student at Union, Smothers was the president of Phi Alpha Theta, a member of the Rutledge Honorary History Club, and a member of Union’s first women’s varsity basketball teams. She later received a master’s degree in religious education from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and a master’s degree in social work at Arizona State University in Tempe. Smothers devoted her career to Southern Baptist missionary work, carrying out assignments in Arizona, Kentucky, and Tennessee. Her last role was that of a community ministries specialist for the Tennessee Baptist Convention, where she remained until her retirement in 2008.
Dr. Stephen Carls, the department chair, concluded the evening by recognizing Dr. Terry Lindley for his 26 years of service as the faculty advisor to the Rutledge Honorary History Club. Lindley coordinated all the spring history banquets during this time, bringing to campus speakers from places like Murray State University and Memphis Seminary. Under his guidance, the club had numerous pizza parties at his home, made financial contributions to the United States World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C. and the Carls-Schwerdfeger History Lectureship, and sponsored movie nights. Carls presented Lindley with a book that upcoming history lectureship speaker Melvyn Leffler wrote called A Preponderance of Power: National Security, The Truman Administration, and the Cold War.
Twenty-seven people attended the event.
Attendees at the history awards banquet on May 3, 2018, engage in conversation at the beginning of the evening's activities. They are (left to right, going clockwise) Megan Ledbetter, Will Choate, Nancy Thomas, Dr. David Thomas, Katie Allison, and Lauren Butler (back to camera).
Dr. Terry Lindley (standing) welcomes attendees to the History Department Awards Banquet on May 3, 2018.
Dr. Chris Blair of Union University's communications department delivers the banquet address on "Walt Disney and World War II" at the History Department Awards Banquet on May 3, 2018. Photo by Katherine Cheshire
Rutledge Honorary History Club President Ali Renckens (right) leads the induction ceremony for the club's 2018-2019 officers at the history awards banquet on May 3, 2018. They are: (left to right) Will Choate, secretary; Leah Atkins, vice president; and Jessica Barton, president. Photo by Katherine Cheshire
Robert Briley (left) presents the Phi Alpha Theta Scholarship Pin and Academic Excellence Certificate to Seth Reid at the History Department Awards Banquet on May 3, 2018. Photo by Katherine Cheshire
Dr. David Thomas presents a History Minor Award to Ali Renckens at the history awards banquet on May 3, 2018. Photo by Katherine Cheshire
Leah Atkins accepts an honorable mention certificate in the Dr. James Alex Baggett History Research Paper Competition from Dr. Terry Lindley on May 3, 2018. Photo by Katherine Cheshire
Ali Renckens accepts the third place award in the Dr. James Alex Baggett History Research Paper Competition from Dr. Terry Lindley on May 3, 2018. Photo by Katherine Cheshire
Seth Reid (right) accepts the second place award in the Dr. James Alex Baggett History Research Paper Competition from Dr. Terry Lindley at the history awards banquet on May 3, 2018. Photo by Katherine Cheshire
Leah Atkins accepts a book and a certificate of recognition from Dr. Henry Allen at the history awards banquet on May 3, 2018, for her paper presentation at the Arkansas Phi Alpha Theta Regional Conference on April 7. Photo by Katherine Cheshire
Dr. Henry Allen presents a recognition certificate and a book to Lauren Butler at the history awards banquet on May 3, 2018, for the paper she presented at the Arkansas Phi Alpha Theta Regional Conference on April 7, 2018. Photo by Katherine Cheshire
Ali Renckens receives a recognition certificate and a book from Dr. Henry Allen at the history awards banquet on May 3, 2018, for her paper presentation at the Arkansas Phi Alpha Theta Regional Conference on April 7, 2018. Photo by Katherine Cheshire
Katherine Cheshire accepts a certificate of appreciation from Dr. Stephen Carls at the history awards banquet on May 3, 2018, for her work as vice president of Union's Delta-Psi chapter of Phi Alpha Theta in 2017-2018. Photo by Catherine Carls
Dr. Stephen Carls (right) presents a certificate of appreciation to Seth Reid at the history awards banquet on May 3, 2018, for his work as president of Union's Delta-Psi chapter of Phi Alpha Theta in 2017-2018. Photo by Katherine Cheshire
Ali Renckens accepts a certificate of appreciation from Dr. Terry Lindley at the history awards banquet on May 3, 2018, for her work as president of the Rutledge Honorary History Club in 2017-2018. Photo by Katherine Cheshire
Beverly Smothers accepts the 2018 History Alumni Distinguished Achievement Award from Dr. Stephen Carls at the history awards banquet on May 3, 2018. Photo by Katherine Cheshire
Beverly Smothers shows off her Union University graduation ring, which has the Greek letters for Phi Alpha Theta embossed on it, during an award response at the History Department Awards Banquet. Smothers was honored with the History Alumni Distinguished Achievement Award at the banquet on May 3, 2018. Photo by Katherine Cheshire
Dr. Stephen Carls (right) expresses gratitude to Dr. Terry Lindley at the history awards banquet on May 3, 2018, for his work as faculty advisor to the Rutledge Honorary History Club from 1992 to 2018. The awards banquet was Lindley's last official activity as club sponsor. Photo by Katherine Cheshire
Dr. Stephen Carls (right) presents a book to Dr. Terry Lindley on May 3, 2018, in recognition of Lindley's 26 years of service as faculty advisor to the Rutledge Honorary History Club. Photo by Katherine Cheshire
Beverly Smothers (holding plaque), the 2018 recipient of the Tenth Annual History Alumni distinguished Achievement Award, stands with (left to right) Dr. Stephen Carls, Dr. Alice-Catherine Carls, Linda Hutcheson, Marilyn Smothers, and Marion Smothers at the end of the history awards banquet on May 3, 2018. Photo by Katherine Cheshire