Four outstanding alumni known for their service to the university, service to others, and for their professional accomplishments have been chosen by the Vanderbilt University Alumni Association Board of Directors to receive alumni awards in 2015: John “Buddy” Fisher, BA’50; Hiram “Hi” Lewis, BS’99, MEd’01; David Price, ’09; and Helen S. Tuel, EdD’85.
“We are proud to honor these alumni whose professional accomplishments and contributions to society and Vanderbilt do so much to shine a positive light on the university,” says Jonathan Glasgow, BA’98, awards chair for the Alumni Association Board.
John “Buddy” Fisher of Columbia, Tennessee, is the Alumni Volunteer Award recipient, which recognizes a significant and positive pattern of volunteer service to the university. Fisher provided valuable leadership while serving on the Alumni Association Board and as a chapter president. He also has served as a Quinq chair and a Reunion weekend class chair.
Hiram “Hi” Lewis of Franklin, Tennessee, is the Young Alumni Volunteer Award recipient. This award honors an alumnus or alumna 40 or younger who has demonstrated a significant, sustained pattern of volunteer service to the university. A former member of the Alumni Association Board of Directors, Lewis also has served as a speaker for the student–alumni series Opening Dores, and is a VUconnect career adviser.
Detroit Tigers starting pitcher David Price receives the Young Professional Achievement Award, presented to an alumnus or alumna 40 or younger who has exhibited a significant record of career achievement and a promise for future professional success. Price is a four-time All-Star and the 2012 American League Cy Young Award recipient.
Helen Tuel of Glenwood, Maryland, receives the Alumni Public Service Award, which recognizes superior service in the public sector, a sustained pattern of volunteer service in the community, or service to the arts that positively represents the university and fellow citizens. Tuel is founding director of Therapeutic and Recreational Riding Center, which uses horse riding to heal catastrophically wounded soldiers and improve the attention span, memory, concentration, speech and confidence of children with disabilities.
Official presentation of the awards will take place in October during Reunion and Homecoming weekend.