Nine friends of SHSU named
1999 Alumni Service Award Winners

SHSU Alumni Association Service Awards will be presented to Kathy Bowman, George Buckow Jr., Roland Jack Follis, Patsy Harper, John Wayne (Johnny) Holland, Colleen Marks, Ivy Moss, Jack Staggs and Leroy Wilkinson.

All will be honored at a luncheon scheduled to begin at 11:30 a.m. in the Lowman Student Center Ballroom. Tickets are $15 and are available by contacting the Office of Alumni Relations at 409-294-1841 or 1-800-283-7478.

Kathy Bowman has served as director of alumni relations since 1994, as assistant dean of student life for 11 years, and as an area coordinator for SHSU housing for two years.

Bowman plans to be married and move to Lamesa in June. The Alumni Association Advisory Board voted during their February meeting to present her the award in recognition of her many activities on behalf of the university which have been above and beyond the call of duty.

While in her present position, Bowman has traveled to alumni gatherings throughout the state, and coordinated establishment of an Alumni Relations $500,000 Enrichment Endowment. She has previously received a Residence Life service award (1982), Certificate of Volunteer Service from Texas Governor Ann Richards (1993), the SHSU Staff Excellence Award (1993), and a "Sammy" Award (1996) for campus service from the Division of Student Services.

George Buckow Jr., who lives in Kingwood near Houston, earned his bachelor of science degree in advertising/art in 1956, worked as a graphic designer for 24 years and as sales representative for the Wetmore Printing Company for 17 years prior to his retirement in 1997.

Buckow has served as board member and president of the Houston Art Directors Club, as a mayoral appointment to the Municipal Arts Commission of Houston, member of the American Institute of Graphic Arts and board member of the Houston chapter, and member of the Epsilon Psi chapter of Sigma Chi.

He has contributed names and addresses of "lost" alumni and designed and took the photographs for the latest SHSU alumni membership brochure.

Roland Jack Follis lives in Meridian, Miss., where he is chaplain supervisor for the Mississippi Baptist Health Systems. He earned his bachelor's degree from Sam Houston State in 1960, became an ordained minister in 1965, and earned four degrees including his doctorate from the New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary.

His work has included pastoring a church in Lakeshore, Mississippi and serving as chaplain for a New Orleans hospital, for the Orleans Parish Prison, and for a psychiatric hospital.

Despite being located a couple of states away for most of his professional life, Follis has maintained an active interest in SHSU and has been an excellent recruiter, with a brother, a cousin, three nephews and two nieces having also attended SHSU.

Patsy Harper, who earned bachelor's and master's degrees in education from SHSU in 1972 and 1975, lives in Madisonville. She is an educational specialist with the Region VI Education Service Center, and has also worked in the Madisonville and Rockport-Fulton school districts.

Harper served as the SHSU Alumni Association Advisory Board president in 1996-97 and was an Advisory Board member from 1989-98. She is a charter member and lifetime member of the SHSU Parents' Association and has won a number of honors and awards.

Organizations which have honored her include Phi Delta Kappa, Bluebonnet Council of the Girl Scouts of America, Brazos Valley Counseling Association, SHSU Parents' Association, Madison County Chamber of Commerce, SHSU College of Education, and Future Homemakers of America.

Johnny Holland, who earned his bachelor's degree in 1976 in criminal justice, lives in Huntsville and is a consultant to a Huntsville automobile dealership. For 14 years he was owner and manager of Holland Chevrolet-Nissan in Huntsville.

Holland served as a drug counselor for the U. S. Army in the Vietnam War, is a member of the Huntsville Rotary Club, past president of the Bearkat Booster Club and the Huntsville/Walker County Chamber of Commerce, a member of the Walker County Fair Association, and is former chapter adviser of Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity.

Holland served on the Alumni Advisory Board for several years, was especially helpful in providing loan vehicles for the SHSU athletic and alumni areas while in the auto business, and has hosted receptions on behalf of the university.

Colleen Marks of Huntsville earned a bachelor's degree from Lamar University and master's degree from the University of Arkansas, is a retired elementary school teacher with 26 years service, and is the wife of SHSU president Bobby K. Marks.

She has earned honors and recognition from the Phi Kappa Phi National Honor Society, and Kappa Kappa Iota Honor Society at Lamar University and Kappa Delta Pi National Honor Society at the University of Arkansas.

She is a former member and past president of the Huntsville Study Club and past president of Sam Houston University Women, was named a teacher of the month in the Huntsville school district in 1994, and was listed in "Who's Who Among American Educators" in 1991.

Ivy Moss of Huntsville was among six members of an Iola family attending Sam Houston State in 1963, a distinction noted by U. S. Senator Ralph Yarborough and entered into the Senate record.

She has worked as a departmental secretary at Texas A&M University, as a bookkeeper for Pickett Bookkeeping and Tax Service, as secretary-bookkeeper for the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association and as receptionist for Dr. Charles Monday.

Organizations for which she has performed service and held offices include the First Baptist Church of Huntsville, Chi Omega Sorority, Girl Scouts, Texas PTA, Huntsville Study Club, Huntsville Book Review Club, Huntsville Area Newcomers, SHSU University Women, SHSU Parents' Association, General Sam Houston Folk Festival, Sam Houston's Raven Rangers and Sam Houston Memorial Museum.

Jack Staggs of Huntsville, who retired in 1986 and continued teaching part-time until 1993, was named by the SHSU board of regents as professor emeritus of education. He earned his bachelor's degree from the State College of Arkansas, master's from George Peabody College for Teachers, and doctorate from the University of Houston.

Staggs came to Sam Houston State in 1960 and served 13 years as director of the Department of Education, increasing faculty numbers from 11 to 40, increasing programs and establishing and maintaining important standards which have led to the establishment of SHSU's second doctorate, in education administration, in 1997.

Staggs served on many university councils and committees, as president of the university chapter of the American Association of University Professors, has worked on behalf of the First United Methodist Church and numerous other organizations, and has worked extensively for Rotary International, which this year is presenting him with its "Service Above Self Award."

Leroy Wilkinson of Huntsville earned bachelor's (1965) and master's (1967) degrees from SHSU. He taught and coached in the New Caney, Splendora, and Huntsville public schools before joining the Walker County Juvenile Services Department in 1981. In 1990 he became a supervisor in that department, and in 1991, director.

His non-university service has included work on behalf of Calvary Baptist Church, Huntsville Little Dribbler Association, Huntsville Youth Baseball Association, Huntsville Parks and Recreation Board, and Huntsville school district bond committee member.

A member of the 1963 NAIA National Championship Baseball team at SHSU, he has continued his interest in and service to SHSU athletics though the Letterman Association and the Bearkat Club, which he has served as vice president/fundraising and president, and has raised more than $500,000 for the Bearkat Club.

- END -

SHSU Media Contact: Frank Krystyniak
March 29, 1999
Please send comments, corrections, news tips to Today@Sam.edu