SPIRE Summer 2019

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2019 Alumni Award Recipients

Felicia Harris Law ‘99 BC Athletics Hall of Fame A native of Beckley,

Clayton Wagner Honorary Alumnus

Singapore, Myanmar, Thailand, the Philippines, and China. He has served as missionary evangelist, church planter, and theological educator. As senior pastor and intentional interim pastor, he served churches in Virginia, Tennessee, Louisiana and Georgia, and was the first pastor of Eastside Church in Marietta, Georgia, where he now serves as pastor emeritus. With strong conservative biblical preaching, teaching, and cross-cultural church ministry skills, he remains committed to strengthening, encouraging, and mentoring churches and their leadership in unity, peace, and growth for the glory of God and the centrality gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. With his wife of sixty-one years, Mary Hollingsworth, he resides in Marietta, Georgia and continues a full- time ministry. Robert Putt ‘73 Alumnus of the Year Dr. Putt has degrees from Bluefield College, Radford University, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, and the Doctor of Ministry from Drew University. Dr. Putt has served as a youth minister, minister of education, associate pastor and pastor. He served as director of missions for Pittsylvania Baptist Association and director of the Lynchburg Baptist Association. He has served as adjunct professor for Bluefield College and the University of Lynchburg. He has recently retired after forty- five years of ministry. Dr. Putt has led more than thirty mission trips, both in country and internationally. He is a community leader who works to advance God’s kingdom by bringing people together for a common cause.

Clayton came to Bluefield College in 1983 to serve in the maintenance department after serving in the U.S. Air Force. He would eventually serve as director. For decades, students, faculty, and staff have known and appreciated Clayton for his dedication to the College. You will find Clayton on the campus before the sun rises and still here when the sun sets. Alumni events, student events, and more are made possible by Clayton’s leadership and hard-work. Clayton does all of this with a smile on his face and a jolly laugh. His work ethic is unmatched and truly sets him apart from others. commitment to our campus. This year, the Alumni Association can think of no one more deserving of Honorary Alumnus status than our very own Clayton Wagner. His compassion for animals is well known across campus. He and his wife, Pon, are currently caring for a dozen cats around campus and at their home. Kenneth Ellison ‘55 Primitivo Delgado Christian Service Award Celebrating sixty-five years in Christian Service, Ken Ellison served thirty-two years as an IMB foreign missionary in Indonesia. Ken attended Bluefield College and Carson- Newman College and holds doctorates from New Orleans Baptist Seminary and the Asia Baptist Seminary. He has preached and taught in Malaysia, Bluefield College is grateful for his decades of hard work and

West Virginia, Felicia (Harris) Law played for the Bluefield College Rams women’s volleyball team from 1995 to 1999. Law still holds fifth place for most total blocks in a single season, 396 blocks, with the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). She led the NAIA in blocks in 1995. Law had a stellar collegiate career with significant accomplishments, such as: Tennessee- Virginia Athletic Conference (TVAC) All-Conference (1996, 1997, 1998), TVAC Scholar Athlete (1997), TVAC Scholar Athlete (1997), TVAC All- Tournament Team (1997), Virginia College Sports Information Directors All-State Team (1996, 1997), and Mid- South Atlantic Region (MSAC) All- Region Team (1997, 1998). Law also was successful in the classroom. She was a member of the Alpha Phi Sigma Honor Society and Who’s Who Among Students in American Colleges and Universities (1998). She also served on the campus ministry team and volunteered as a Bluefield College Ambassador. After Bluefield College, Law attended the University of South Carolina where she mastered in Public Health. Felicia currently serves as a middle school teacher at Beckley-Stratton Middle School. Active in her community and church, Felicia constantly gives back and exudes the values and mission of Bluefield College. She is the proud wife of Richard Law, Sr. and mother of two children, Richard, Jr. and Adriana.

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