Posted by Mary Wimberley on 2005-04-29

Thomas V. Scarritt, editor of The Birmingham News, was named 2005 Alumnus of the Year by the Samford University School of Business.

Scarritt, who earned an executive master of business administration degree from Samford in 1995, was presented the award by acting business dean Dr. Marlene Reed at an April 28 School of Business awards convocation.

An employee of the News since 1975, Scarritt was named executive editor in 1989 and was promoted to editor in 1997. In 2001, he also was named vice president of the newspaper.

The ceremony also included presentation of awards and $50,000 in scholarships to outstanding undergraduate business students. Four scholarships were awarded for the first time: the William D. Geer Scholarship honoring the late dean of the business school; the Mary Ann Hocutt Memorial Scholarship honoring the popular marketing professor who was killed in 2004, the Paul E. Hardin Award, and the Robert and Camelia Holmes Scholarship.

Three business faculty members also received awards: Sharon Jackson, excellence in teaching award; Archie Lockamy, outstanding scholarship award; and Dr. Cynthia Lohrke, distinguished service award.

 

 
Samford is a leading Christian university offering undergraduate programs grounded in the liberal arts with an array of nationally recognized graduate and professional schools. Founded in 1841, Samford is the 87th-oldest institution of higher learning in the United States. Samford enrolls 6,101 students from 45 states, Puerto Rico and 16 countries in its 10 academic schools: arts, arts and sciences, business, divinity, education, health professions, law, nursing, pharmacy and public health. Samford fields 17 athletic teams that compete in the tradition-rich Southern Conference and ranks 6th nationally for its Graduation Success Rate among all NCAA Division I schools.