Four Winston-Salem State alumni 'Achievers' recognized during Convocation

Friday, during the Convocation, four will be honored with a 2009 Alumni Achiever Award.

The award, sponosored by the Alumni Relations Department, is made to celebrate alumni that meet the criteria of great career accomplishments and service or work in the community or Winston-Salem State. 

 Four recipients were chosen by deans from colleges and schools at Winston-Salem State.

Lou Tillman graduated in 1990, and has been working with the Department of Defense for the past 22 years.  Tillman was selected by Dr. Charles Ford of the College of Arts & Sciences. 

Tillman is the Systems Engineering Curriculum Manager in the Associate Directorate for Education and Training.

"I am grateful for the solid foundation built and life lessons learned while attending WSSU," Tillman said. 

"Much of my success over the years can be attributed to the guidance and leadership provided by my WSSU family, mentors and role models."

Elliott Lemon was chosen by Jessica Bailey, dean of the School of Business & Economics.  

Lemon graduated in 1983, and has since become a financial advisor at Waddell & Reed in Charlotte.  

"I am very honored to be a recipient of this distinguished award," Lemon said.

"My achievements are a direct reflection of the experiences and knowledge gained during my years at WSSU."

Award recipient Dr. James Winbush, Class of 1978, was recommended by Dr. Cynthia Jackson-Hammond from the School of Education.  

Winbush spent 25 years in the military and retired at the rank of lieutenant colonel.  During the past seven years, Winbush has worked at Baptist Hill Middle School in Hollywood, S.C.

Of those seven years, he spent more than five as the school's principal.

"Early on in my years  at WSSU," Winbush said, "I realized that whether I was in the classroom or on the football field, I decided with the help of some fantastic friends that success is always by choice and not by chance and that the choices you make will dictate the life you will live."

Russell Clinding (not pictured) from the class of 2001, was selected by Dr. Peggy Valentine from the School of Health Sciences.  Clinding was not available for contact at press time.