: Jan. 25, 20007
Contact: David Henington, Alumni Relations, 318-869-5151, or Lynn Stewart, Centenary News Service, 318-841-7265
See Photos from the Alumni Awards Dinner 2007
See also The (Shreveport) Times article
Centenary to Award its Highest Alumni Honor to Dr. Will K. Andress, Recognize Peggy Selber, Wayne Hanson and Angie White with Awards at Jan. 25 Banquet
SHREVEPORT, LA — The 33-year director of the Centenary College Choir, Dr. Will K. Andress, Centenary Class of 1961, is the 2007 inductee into the Centenary College Alumni Hall of Fame. The award is the highest honor given by the Alumni Association and it recognizes Centenary graduates who have distinguished themselves in both their profession and in service to others as well as the college.
In addition, the Alumni Association will also present its Honorary Alumna designation to Peggy Burkenroad Selber, its Alumni Loyalty Award to Dr. Wayne Hanson of the Class of 1951, and its Young Alumni Leadership Award to Angie White, Class of 1993.
All four honorees will be recognized at the Centenary Alumni Awards Dinner at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 25 in the Centenary Fitness Center. Dr. Kenneth L. Schwab will speak as will Charles Grubb, Class of 1968 and past president of the National Alumni Association, and Dr. Lee Morgan, Honorary Alumnus 1996 and Emeritus Professor of English, who will introduce the honorees. Musical entertainment will be provided by Dr. Doug Rust, assistant professor of music, and by the Centenary College Choir, directed by Dr. Andress.
The annual Alumni Awards Dinner is a highlight of the College's annual homecoming, held this year Jan. 25-28.
Alumni Hall of Fame: Dr. Will K. Andress
Will K. Andress
Dr. Andress, who will retire at the end of the current academic year, has served as director of the Centenary College Choir since 1974. This past fall, he was appointed the first A.C. "Cheesy" Voran Endowed Professor in Choir, honoring his mentor. During Dr. Andress's tenure, the Choir has performed in 30 foreign countries on six continents and was the first collegiate choir from the South to make an around-the-world tour. In addition, the Choir was the first Protestant choir to sing at Mass in St. Peter's Basilica, Rome, and performed seven times at The White House.
Dr. Andress is a clergy member of the Louisiana Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church and has served for over 30 years as minister of music at Shreveport's First United Methodist Church. In retirement, he plans to lead some alumni travel programs.
The Alumni Hall of Fame is the latest of three major awards Andress has received within the past week. On Thursday, Jan. 18 in the Centenary Gold Dome, he accepted a trophy designating the Centenary Choir's induction into the Walk of Stars of the Greater Shreveport Chamber of Commerce. On Tuesday, Jan. 23 at the Petroleum Club, Andress received the Image Award of the Shreveport-Bossier Advertising Federation.
Honorary Alumna: Peggy Burkenroad Selber
Peggy B. Selber
Mrs. Selber is philanthropist, community volunteer and supporter of the arts. She has served on the Oversight Committee of the Meadows Museum of Art at Centenary and on the board of Sci-Port Discovery Center, where she established the Aaron and Peggy Selber Red River Research Writing Competition.
Centenary, the Meadows Museum and many other organizations have benefited from her philanthropy through the Aaron and Peggy Selber Foundation and the Burkenroad Selber Foundation. Mrs. Selber is a native of New Orleans and attended Newcomb and Centenary.
Alumni Loyalty Award: Dr. Wayne Hanson
Wayne Hanson
Dr. Hanson is a former president of the Centenary Alumni Board and former professor and chairman of the Chemistry Department.
While teaching at Centenary, he started and coached the first cross-country team. He is still a runner, participating in local road races and statewide senior meets.
He works with Bayou State Oil and currently serves on Centenary's National Alumni Association Board of Directors and the Alumni Connections Committee.
Young Alumni Leadership Award: Angie White
Angie White
Ms. White started Centenary's Capital City Alumni Chapter in Washington, D.C., in 1997, and the chapter's annual Gumbo Mambo event in 2000, an ongoing tradition. She now lives in Shreveport and serves as vice president and president-elect of the Shreveport-Bossier Alumni Chapter.
She has participated in alumni focus groups, planned and catered alumni events and started her own alumni blog to share her thoughts and experiences related to Centenary. Ms. White works in international finance and is passionate about food and cooking.
See also, previous recipients of