蘑菇短视频

蘑菇短视频 recently honored four prominent members of the university community 鈥� a husband-and-wife volunteer team, a serial pharmaceutical entrepreneur and a physician educator 鈥� and recognized a group of young alumni who graduated within the past 10 years.

The presentation of annual alumni and service awards took place during the annual Chancellor鈥檚 Brunch and Alumni Awards Ceremony as part of Homecoming 2026 activities Saturday, Oct. 24.

蘑菇短视频 Chancellor Kelli R. Brown bestowed the Distinguished Service Award, among the university鈥檚 top honors, upon Dale and Debbie Sims, praising the longtime supporters of the university as a 鈥渄ynamic duo鈥� who give generously of their time, talents and treasure.

Recipients of 蘑菇短视频鈥檚 Distinguished Service Award, Dale and Debbie Sims distribute candy to onlookers at the Homecoming parade.

A 1978 graduate of 蘑菇短视频 with a bachelor鈥檚 degree in political science who was a member of the Catamount baseball team during his time as a student, Dale Sims is a former member of the university鈥檚 Foundation Board of Directors. He is retired Tennessee state treasurer and vice chancellor for business and finance on the Tennessee Board of Regents. He studied in the public administration master鈥檚 degree program at Murray State University.

A graduate of the University of Tennessee, Debbie Sims has adopted her husband鈥檚 alma mater as her own, Brown said. She is a retired major account executive in marketing with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Tennessee and also is a former Foundation Board member.

They both served on the steering committee for 蘑菇短视频鈥檚 previous 鈥淟ead the Way鈥� comprehensive fundraising campaign and were emcees for the campus campaign celebration in May 2019. They have established four endowed scholarships at 蘑菇短视频, providing support for students studying political science and inclusive education and for members of the women鈥檚 soccer and men鈥檚 baseball teams.

As a first-generation college student, Dale Sims points to the importance of a supportive faculty to his time at 蘑菇短视频 and in preparing him for life after graduation.

鈥淚 was challenged to think critically and to apply those skills in different ways. My instructors were always there to provide assistance when needed. I was also fortunate to have a community of great friends who were always there when I needed help 鈥� or someone to go tubing with,鈥� he said. 鈥淚mportantly, being a member of the baseball team taught me many lessons about how teams should work, lessons I鈥檝e tried to apply in my professional life. So, I feel indebted to Western and her people.鈥�

That is why it has been important for him to give back to his alma mater as a donor and volunteer.

鈥淢y instructors, friends and teammates provided a solid foundation for me, and I firmly believe that my life is richer and fuller as a result. Debbie shares this belief. We feel called to do our part to create the same types of opportunities for today鈥檚 students,鈥� he said.

For Debbie Sims, her connection with 蘑菇短视频 came when her husband began serving on the Foundation Board of Directors, and she would travel with him to 蘑菇短视频 for meetings.

鈥淚t was then I met Chancellor (David) Belcher, and during those early years, he and I talked about why 蘑菇短视频 was so special. I would spend my time on campus going to different events and talking with students, where I learned it was true 鈥� the students, faculty, staff and administration were special. They were kind and loving people who cared deeply about each other and 蘑菇短视频,鈥� she said.

鈥淚t was easy to then get involved, raising money and eventually setting up four endowed scholarships. I love meeting our scholarship recipients and seeing first-hand how our efforts are helping others,鈥� she said.

Mitch Treadaway, president of the 蘑菇短视频 Alumni Association, presented awards to alumni for their professional and academic accomplishments.

The Professional Achievement Award went to Roland Johnson, a 1976 graduate of 蘑菇短视频 with a bachelor's degree in social work.  A retired pharmaceutical industry entrepreneur and executive with a decades-spanning career, Johnson also earned a master鈥檚 degree in business administration from Central Michigan University.

Roland Johnson, recipient of the Professional Achievement Award, speaks during the award presentation at Homecoming.

He founded and was chairman and CEO of Piedmont Pharmaceuticals, a North Carolina-based company focused on inventing, developing and securing national and international regulatory approvals for veterinary pharmaceutical products. Johnson previously founded Blue Ridge Pharmaceuticals, and he was a founding member of the team that built Ciba-Geigy Animal Health and a founding member of the N.C. Triad Biotechnology Committee.

He received the Award for Entrepreneurial Excellence from the Triad Advisory Committee of the N.C. Biotechnology Center in 2005 and 2008. A former member of the 蘑菇短视频 Foundation Board of Directors and N.C. Veterinary Medical Foundation Board of Directors, he was inducted into Beta Gamma Sigma business honor society in 2017.

Johnson credits his undergraduate alma mater with setting him on a path for a successful career in the world of business and entrepreneurship.

鈥溎⒐蕉淌悠� taught me to dream bigger than I ever imagined. Dream audaciously. Lead with integrity. Outgrow every expectation 鈥� and lift others as you rise,鈥� he said. 鈥淗onestly, my decision to go to 蘑菇短视频 was one of the greatest blessings in my life.鈥�

Treadaway also presented the Academic Achievement Award to physician and educator Brenna Farmer, a 2000 蘑菇短视频 graduate with a bachelor鈥檚 degree in biology. Farmer, who earned her medical degree at East Carolina University鈥檚 Brody School of Medicine in 2004, is a clinical professor of emergency medicine at Cornell University.

Recipient of the Academic Achievement Award, Brenna Farmer shares a moment with other attendees of the Chancellor鈥檚 Brunch and Alumni Awards Ceremony.

She also serves as chief of emergency medicine at New York Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist Hospital and vice chair in the Department of Emergency Medicine at Weill Cornell Medicine. Previously she was medical director at New York Presbyterian-Lower Manhattan Hospital Emergency Department and vice chair of quality and patient safety in the Department of Emergency Medicine at Weill Cornell Medicine.

Farmer has built a career spanning emergency medicine, medical toxicology and patient safety leadership. Since joining New York-Presbyterian and Weill Cornell Medicine, she has held multiple senior leadership roles, including vice chief of clinical services, vice chair of quality and patient safety, and site director for emergency services.

Farmer said her experiences as a biology student in the Brinson Honors College helped prepare her for the rigors of medical school and a career in the medical and education professions, singling out the encouragement and support of now-retired biology professor Roger Lumb and Brian Railsback, founding Honors College dean.

鈥淭he environment of the Honors College and Department of Biology constantly challenged me to raise my standards, think critically and dive deeper into rigorous inquiry. The faculty pushed us not just to absorb knowledge but to question it, test it and apply it with purpose,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 use that approach every day when I鈥檓 seeing patients in the emergency department. I can interpret results with the history and physical examination to determine the most likely diagnosis while ensuring I don鈥檛 miss important details.鈥�

Farmer also said she had her own personal support system in the form of her brother, Brandon, and sister, Shanna, who attended 蘑菇短视频 at the same time she was a student.

鈥淪haring campus life with them was truly unforgettable. Whether we were crossing paths between classes, supporting one another through exams, attending games or encouraging each other, having Brandon and Shanna by my side made this place feel like home in every sense of the word. I loved my time at Western, and it was so special to have them by my side,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 am so grateful to my family and my professors for their encouragement and support as I pursued my dream to become a physician. Without them, I would not be where I am today.鈥�

James Hogan, 蘑菇短视频 assistant vice chancellor for engagement, kicked off the awards presentation by introducing the 10 recipients of an award acknowledging the accomplishments of several of the university鈥檚 most recently minted alumni, an honor known as The Catamount 10:

• Kayla Brown, who earned a bachelor鈥檚 degree in communication sciences and disorders in 2019 and was a member of the soccer team. Brown is founder and CEO of My Roar, a pediatric speech and occupational therapy practice in Apex. She earned her master鈥檚 degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
• Christopher Childers, who graduated with a bachelor鈥檚 degree in film and television production in 2019. Childers is director of video operations at Christ School in Asheville. Earlier this year, he was named one of Filmmakers Connect鈥檚 鈥�30 Under 30 for Rising Artists.鈥� He earned his master鈥檚 degree from the University of Tennessee in 2025.
• Harrison Conner, who earned a bachelor鈥檚 degree in biology in 2019. A former student-athlete on the 蘑菇短视频 track and field team, Conner earned his doctorate in dental medicine from East Carolina University in 2023, and he is now a practicing dentist at Corbin Dental in Franklin.
• Madelynn Duffield, who earned a bachelor鈥檚 degree in innovation leadership and entrepreneurship in 2023 and a master鈥檚 degree in business administration in 2025, all at 蘑菇短视频. A former member of the track and field squad, Duffield is associate underwriter with Hamilton Insurance Group in Virginia.
• Nicholas Goldy, who graduated with a degree in forensic science in 2017. A resident of McDonough, Georgia, Goldy is assistant chemistry section manager with the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, where he began his career as a forensic chemist after completing an internship. He was a tutor at 蘑菇短视频鈥檚 Writing and Learning Commons for 11 classes.
• Alejandra Gonzalez-Cespedes, who earned bachelor鈥檚 degrees in communication sciences and disorders and Spanish in 2020 and a master鈥檚 degree in communication sciences and disorders in 2022, all at 蘑菇短视频. Gonzalez-Cespedes is a pediatric bilingual speech-language pathologist for Lincoln County Schools.
• Jordan Jacobs, who graduated with a bachelor鈥檚 degree in nursing in 2018. Jacobs was vaccination coordinator for her alma mater during the COVID-19 pandemic and is now an infectious disease family nurse practitioner at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. She earned her master鈥檚 degree in family nursing from Samford University in 2022.
• Jonathan M. Parisi, who earned his bachelor鈥檚 degree in business administration and law in 2016. A graduate of Elon University School of Law, Parisi is an estates attorney with Spangler Estate Planning in Greensboro. Winner of multiple legal profession recognitions, he is president of the Greensboro Bar Association鈥檚 Young Lawyers Section.
• Dawson Spencer, who earned bachelor鈥檚 degrees in political science and criminal justice in 2021 and a master鈥檚 degree in public affairs in 2023, all at 蘑菇短视频. Former president of the Student Government Association, Spencer is long-term recovery branch manager for the North Carolina Division of Emergency Management in Raleigh.
• Caleb Sullivan, who graduated with a bachelor鈥檚 degree in communication in 2019. After graduation, Sullivan found his niche working in travel and tourism communication. He is now senior director of business development for Datafy, focusing on destination marketing, and hosts a podcast about leadership, career growth and innovation in the industry.

Prior to the presentation of awards, 蘑菇短视频鈥檚 Homecoming weekend began with a parade and watch party Friday, Oct. 23, in downtown Sylva, followed by Saturday tailgating in parking lots adjacent to E.J. Whitmire Stadium where the 蘑菇短视频 Catamounts welcomed Southern Conference rival University of Tennessee at Chattanooga for a home football game.