April 19, 2005

Three honored with Algernon Sydney Sullivan Awards at Troy University

TROY , Ala — Troy University honored two recent graduates and a member of the University’s staff with the 2004-2005 Algernon Sydney Sullivan Awards.

Former students Maegan Flowers of Hoover and Andrew Reid Jones of Brundidge and staff member Sara Jo Burks of Troy were presented with the awards during a luncheon Monday on the Troy Campus. The three honorees were also recognized during the University’s annual Honors Convocation held Monday night in the Claudia Crosby Theater on the Troy Campus.

 The Sullivan Award, which is presented at select colleges and universities throughout the United States , recognizes recipients for their excellence of character, humanitarian service and spiritual qualities. The award has been presented annually to a male student, female student and one non-student at TROY since 1981. Students, faculty and staff nominate candidates for the award.

Flowers, the daughter of Ken and Sandi Flowers of Hoover, graduated in December and is currently studying at the New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary extension center in Birmingham . During her time at TROY , Flowers was active in the Baptist Campus Ministries, including a stint as president from 2002-2004; Freshman Forum director; academic life chair for the Student Government Association; University Honors Program; and Circle K Service Club. She was a member of Gamma Beta Phi and Alpha Lambda Delta honor societies and also was the recipient of the Student Government Association’s Ralph Wyatt Adams Service Award, the 2004 Outstanding Female Leadership Award, Baptist Campus Ministries’ Pressing On Award and Freshman Forum 2000-2001 Member of the Year.

Flowers spent the last two summers involved in mission work, working with orphaned children in Ndola , Zambia in July 2004 and as a missionary in Queensland , Australia through the International Mission Board in the summer of 2003. She also has served as a youth worker at Banks Baptist Church , a member of the Baptist Campus Ministries’ Creative Ministries Team, the SPOTS Spring Break 2002 Mission Team and chaplain of the Collegiate Legislature in 2002.

Jones, the son of Myron Jones of Brundidge, graduated in December 2004 with a 3.57 grade-point average. Jones served as vice president of brotherhood and scholarship, alumni chairman and president of his pledge class for FarmHouse Fraternity. An active participant in Campus Outreach, he served as worship leader, team leader, student director of the International Training Project and project director of the Summer Beach Project. Jones also served as a Student Government Association Senator in 2000-2001, treasurer, chairman and project manager of Students in Free Enterprise and founder and president of A’OK.

Jones was the recipient of the FarmHouse Fraternity Doane Award and the fraternity’s Highest Big Brother/Little Brother Grade-Point Average Award for 2000-2002. He also was a member of Alpha Lambda Delta, Gamma Beta Phi honor societies. He is active in the Abstinence in Motion (AIM) Project, the International Training Project in Kazakhstan , Sav-A-Life and Adopt-A-Mile Programs and is a member of First Presbyterian Church.

Burks, a Troy resident, serves as housing and residence life coordinator at Troy University . She serves a co-director of the Miss Troy University pageant and previously served as the chair of judges for the pageant. The 2004 TROY graduate was a member of Omicron Delta Kappa honor society and the Society for Advancement of Management in 2003-2004. She is a former staff advisor for Delta Sigma Theta sorority and currently serves as house mother for Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity.

Burks is a member of Southside Baptist Church where she serves as co-chair of the Planning Committee, chair of the History Committee, a member of the Building Committee, a member and soloist in the Sanctuary Choir, interim youth director and career Sunday school teacher. She served as Baptist Young Women’s director for 12 years, as well as women’s mission director during which she planned mission projects and developed programs at Southside Baptist.  Burks is also active in Relay for Life, the Leukemia and Cancer societies and Special Olympics.