Greensboro College Alumni Association Announces Winners of Annual Awards (2/21/2017)
GREENSBORO, N.C. – Three Greensboro College alumni will be honored Saturday, April 8, with awards from the college’s Alumni Association.
The honorees are:
- Julie Showfety Schatz ’89, Distinguished Alumni Award
- Patricia “Patty” Raube Keller ’98, Alumni Excellence Award
- Donald Watkins ’10, Young Alumni Award
The awards will be presented during the college’s annual Senior Investiture and Alumni Awards Convocation.
Schatz, dean of admissions at Greensboro College, was nominated for her award in honor of her service in the college’s admissions office since 1990. She has advanced from receptionist to admissions representative, assistant director, associate director and, finally, dean.
One person who nominated her wrote:
“As Julie’s responsibilities have increased over time, what stands out is how similar her work ethic now is to that of 20 years ago. She is one of the first to campus every morning for work, and one of the last to leave. Even as she manages multiple duties in her office, she finds time to get out on campus to attend plays, watch athletic events, talk with students and dine with faculty.”
Schatz holds a B.A. in political science from Greensboro College.
The Distinguished Alumni Award, presented annually since 1966, recognizes continuing service and interest in Greensboro College by an alumna or alumnus who has also demonstrated outstanding service or accomplishment in his or her community and religious life.
Raube Keller currently serves as a professor of sport administration at the University of Cincinnati. Previously, she has served as director of physical education and health, director of compliance, assistant athletic director for compliance, and senior women’s administrator at the University of Mary in North Dakota.
She also has served as compliance/life skills assistant at Rutgers’s New Brunswick (N.J.) campus and as assistant athletic director, senior women’s administrator and adjunct professor of psychology at Rutgers’s Camden campus, as well as assistant athletic director for compliance and student services at Rowan University in New Jersey.
In addition to her B.S. in physical education and sports medicine from Greensboro College, she holds an M.Ed. in administration and counseling from Campbell University and an Ed.D. in education leadership from Rowan University.
One person who nominated Raube Keller wrote:
“Not only did Dr. Raube Keller help student-athletes and coaches succeed on the field and at work, she often went out of her way to make sure they also succeeded in their personal endeavors. Not only did she take me into her home, when I had nowhere else to live when I moved to a town (where) I knew no one, but she extended this offer to anyone who was in need without hesitation. …
“Another example of Dr. Raube Keller’s selflessness would be her work in foster care. I was living with the Kellers when they began their foster care journey, and have stayed in touch throughout the entire process. Each child that entered their front door was treated like they have been their own child from day one. … She loved and cared for them unconditionally.”
The Alumni Excellence Award, established in 1990, honors alumni who are at least 35 years of age, who have contributed outstanding service and achievement as a humanitarian, professional, or volunteer in their chosen endeavors, and have demonstrated commitment, integrity and success in their chosen endeavors.
Donald Watkins is a stage and film actor who was cast in his first role, a minor part in the movie “Pitch Perfect,” when he was still in graduate school. He later was cast as Virgil in the 2016 remake of the “Roots” mini-series and appeared as Wilson in the 2016 movie “Free State of Jones,” alongside Matthew McConaughey.
He also appears in two upcoming movies: “Supercon,” scheduled for release later this year, and “Bolden!,” currently in post-production.
One person who nominated Watkins wrote, “While I have never met Donald, he seems proud of his Greensboro roots and mentions the college and city in articles I have seen published about his career. I think it shows a lot about our small college’s spirit and (its) impact on who he is today.”
In addition to his B.A. in theatre/acting from Greensboro College, Watkins holds a master’s degree from Louisiana State University.
The Young Alumni Award, reestablished in 2012, recognizes an alumna or alumnus younger than 35 who has demonstrated outstanding service and achievement as a humanitarian, professional and/or volunteer in his or her chosen endeavor. Service, commitment, integrity and success are the key factors in choosing the recipient of this award.
Greensboro College provides a liberal arts education grounded in the traditions of the United Methodist Church and fosters the intellectual, social, and, spiritual development of all students while supporting their individual needs.
Founded in 1838 and located in downtown Greensboro, the college enrolls about 1,000 students from 29 states and territories, the District of Columbia, and seven foreign countries in its undergraduate liberal-arts program and four master’s degree programs. In addition to rigorous academics and a well-supported Honors program, the school features an 18-sport NCAA Division III athletic program and dozens of service and recreational opportunities.
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Lex Alexander, Director of Communications
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