Outstanding supporters honored during TU’s Forbes Dinner
Post Published On:Thomas University held its annual Forbes Society Dinner honoring its supporters on Thursday, Feb. 9, at Glen Arven Country Club in Thomasville. At the dinner, TU presented four awards in recognition of the recipients’ service.
During the event, TU student Jennifer Coleman of Thomasville spoke about her experiences in the classroom, as a member of the Night Hawks Track & Field Team, and as a student assistant with the Athletic Communications Office.
Howard Floyd received the W. Cameron Forbes Award, which is given to an individual who has displayed a life-long commitment to education and to Thomas University. The award recipient has made a significant impact on the life of the institution and the lives all members of the TU community.
“Howard Floyd, served his country in Vietnam, returned home and essentially built the business program at TU,” TU President Andy Sheppard said while presenting the award. “Howard embodies lifelong learning and a dedication to others as he continues teaching in his Sunday school and serving as a Gideon. This past year, he was kind enough to share his personal contacts with me to help further our outreach to military service members.”
The Ambassador’s Award went to Laura and Kevin Reid. This award is given to in appreciation of exceptional volunteer commitment to Thomas University. The recipient’s selfless contribution of time and energy has been vital to the activities of the University.
“If you go to any TU athletic event, and we have a lot of athletic events, the odds are very good that you will see either Kevin or Laura Reid there,” Sheppard said. “You may see them both. They have a tireless dedication to our residential students. They know them, care for them, feed them, worship with them, and encourage them. Their commitment as volunteers is unsurpassed, and they truly are great Ambassadors for TU.”
Maule Air, represented by President Brent Maule, received the 2023 President’s Award, which is given to a corporation or foundation recognized for outstanding support of the Thomas University mission. The recipient has consistently fostered the continued growth of all aspects of TU.
“Some time ago, a few missionaries visited Maule Air in Moultrie,” Sheppard said. “While there, they shared an idea for a school. Brent Maule gave it quite a bit of prayerful consideration until he hit on the idea of a school for aircraft mechanics. He has partnered with TU to make that happen, and we are now waiting on FAA approval so we can begin instruction. In the big picture, however, Brent’s vision of hiring young people and teaching them to build airplanes while they are working toward their license is a true gift as it will help people up and, at the same time, help to address a shortage of critical workers.”
The Vicey Harris Award was presented to Jeff Monken, Head Football Coach at the United States Military Academy at West Point. This award recognizes an individual for unique service to Thomas University during a critical time in the school’s history. This award is named in honor of Vicey Harris, whose initial gift of $10,000 began the Birdwood College fund, setting the foundation for Thomas University. Although Monken could not attend the event, he accepted the award via a recorded video.
“There is no doubt that the addition of football is changing the course of Thomas University,” Sheppard said. “The fact that we wanted to create the nation’s first veteran-facing team, however, came with challenges, and the first was finding a head coach who understood both football and service members. I called the three service academies, and Coach Monken was the only one to answer. He listened to what we hoped to accomplish, and he graciously worked with me until we found the right coach, Mr. Orlando Mitjans. Simply put, because of Coach Monken’s generosity and support, TU is on a new trajectory.”