Stratford Academy issued the following announcement on Apr. 27.
The Stratford Alumni Association awards two recognitions at commencement honoring alumni of the school. The Distinguished Alumnus(a) Award for Outstanding Career Achievement and the Alumni Service Award both were inaugurated in 1986 and all graduates of Stratford Academy are eligible for these awards.
Distinguished Alumnus(a) Award for Outstanding Career Achievement
The Distinguished Alumnus(a) Award goes to an individual who has made an outstanding contribution through his/her vocation or who otherwise deserves to be recognized for outstanding achievement in some field or endeavor. Alumni in the fields of law, medicine, education, business, ministry and the arts have been recognized for their career achievements and excelling in their chosen fields by making a difference in the world around them.
The 2022 recipient of the Distinguished Alumna Award is Suzy McCowen McCullough, Class of 1963. As a member of Stratford's second graduating class, she entered in the tenth grade when Stratford opened in 1960. At Stratford, she was named the Outstanding Student in History chosen by headmaster, Dr. Joe B. Hill, Jr., an award which now bears his name. She attended and graduated from Mercer University with a Bachelor of Arts in English and Education and, in addition, earned a Master of Education with a concentration in elementary grades from Georgia College and a Master of Librarianship from Emory University.
Her career began with 11 years of teaching at five different elementary schools in Bibb County. In 1979, Suzy left the Board of Education to accept a position with the Middle Georgia Regional Library as a children's librarian and later became branch manager. Today, she is the most senior employee of the Middle Georgia Regional Libraries, having served there for 42 years in many capacities.
As a children's librarian, she was instrumental in changing the services offered to the children in Macon/Bibb County. She was among the first children's librarians in the state to present children's programs, story-hour, puppet shows, vacation reading clubs, computer and internet services, book clubs, teen programming, and more. Today, you will find her at the Riverside Branch Library, where she has become the trainer of choice for new library branch managers and other staff positions.
Also, you can catch Suzy on YouTube giving a book review on four books written about Kentucky's Pack Horse librarians. Her knowledge of the books, the history of the time period, the authors, and her excellent book reviewing skills come together to draw the reader's interest. This is just one example of how her talents and love for the profession of librarianship have been used to lead many to become avid readers and lovers of books and reading.Suzy has been an active member of First Baptist Church of Christ, the Thomas Hardeman, Jr. United Daughters of the Confederacy chapter, Friends of Rose Hill Cemetery, as well as organizations which promote literacy including the Georgia Library Association, Heart of Georgia Story League, and Friends of the Library. She is the wife of the late John McCullough, and has one son, three grandsons, and two great-grandsons.
Alumni Service Award
The Alumni Service Award was created to recognize service to Stratford Academy by its alumni. Volunteer service to the school has been an important part of our growth and success, and our alumni have always been a critical source of this kind of volunteer service.
The 2022 recipient of this recognition is Jeff Avant, Class of 1984. A standout student-athlete, Jeff lettered in football, basketball, golf, and baseball. He led the Eagles to a 1983 football state championship and holds a number of school athletic records. Following graduation, he attended the University of Georgia where he earned a Bachelor of Business Administration in Banking and Finance with a concentration in corporate finance. Professionally, he served in management for Wachovia Bank of Georgia, Cherokee National Life, Hanson Aggregates Southeast, and Florida Rock Industries before becoming President and CEO of Atlanta Sand and Supply Company in 2005, a position he holds today.
Jeff's service to Stratford began early. He was a founding member of the Grady Smith Booster Club Golf Tournament in 1992 and chaired the event for 28 years. When the Stratford Athletic Hall of Fame was created in 2008, he was a key leader in the establishment of this entity and its bylaws. He then served on the selection committee for the Athletic Hall of Fame for 12 years and was inducted himself in 2019. Jeff served on Stratford's Board of Directors from 2006 to 2016, holding the roles of athletics chair, chair-elect, chair, and past chair. Through his service on Stratford's Board, he has been involved in leadership of our school's long-range planning, capital campaigns, and oversaw the study of the move to the GHSA. Jeff was the voice of the softball Eaglettes where he announced their games for five seasons. Along with his wife, Elizabeth, he also served as team parent for many of the teams that their children participated.
He has been an active community volunteer with Kappa Alpha Order Alumni Chapter, Vineville United Methodist Church, Idle Hour Country Club, Macon Civic Club, and the Georgia Mining Association. Since 2019, he has served as a Governor appointee to the Probate Judges Retirement Fund. Jeff and wife, Elizabeth, Stratford Class of 1985, have three alumnae daughters, Kayla '11, Caroline '13, and Mary Wilson '16.
Both recipients will be honored during the 2022 commencement exercises on May 21 at Stratford Academy.
Original source can be found here.
Source: Stratford Academy
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