Mars Hill University Recognizes Students and Employees for Service to the Community

Mars Hill, NC (05/01/2025) — Mars Hill University presented awards to several students and employees for their service to the university and to others. The awards were given during the annual University Awards & Recognitions celebration on Tuesday, April 29, 2025.

Charlotte Bailes Garcia, a senior social work major from Hendersonville, North Carolina, received the Michael Emory Award. The award is presented annually to an individual who demonstrates Christ-like compassion, loyalty, and service to the economically, socially, or emotionally oppressed and diligent pursuit of truth and justice, even when such pursuit may be unpopular. The award is given in honor of "Big Mike" Emory, Mars Hill College class of 1985, whose life exemplified the criteria of the award. "Big Mike" was in seminary preparing for a life of ministry when a tragic accident led to his untimely death.

Timmons Yates, a senior nursing major from Anderson, South Carolina, received the Daniel Hudgins Award. This award honors the memory of Daniel Hudgins, a Mars Hill University student of great vitality, leadership capacity, and promise who lost a courageous battle to cancer. The award is presented to a graduating student in the helping professions (social work, education, nursing, integrated health sciences, art therapy, or community and nonprofit leadership).

Ivy Brooks, a senior musical theatre major from Silver Spring, Maryland, received the Joe Chris and Donna Robertson Award. The award recognizes a fine-arts student with a strong commitment to his or her chosen field, promise in the fine arts, and demonstrated service to the arts, Mars Hill University, and the community. It is given in memory of Joe Chris Robertson, who taught at Mars Hill for four decades (1951-1991) and was chair of the music department, and in honor of Donna N. Robertson, former college organist and retired associate professor of music.

Kerri Jamerson, a mathematics professor, received the I. Ruth Martin Award. The award was established by I. Ruth Martin, a member of the Mars Hill College class of 1938, to be given to an individual who has served faithfully without any spotlight recognition.

Nevaeh Rice, a senior community and nonprofit leadership major from Mars Hill, North Carolina, and Ryan Bell, director of advising and first year academic success, received the Mac Bryan Awards. The Bryan Awards are given annually in honor of the late Dr. G. McLeod ("Mac") Bryan, who was a member of the Mars Hill class of 1939 and a professor at Wake Forest University. Bryan worked tirelessly for the cause of peace and justice, and influenced countless others to do the same. The Bryan Awards recognize members of the university community who make significant contributions to a better community and a better world. The campus community recognizes one student and one faculty or staff member each year who has made a positive impact on the community, whose involvement with a community partner is ongoing, whose action in the community is directed at serious social challenges, and whose work connects the campus to a community partner.

The university also recognized several members of the campus community with Salt & Light Awards. Those awards are presented in recognition of those who contribute in often-unrecognized ways to making Mars Hill University a better place to live, work, and play. This year's recipients are:

Anna Boyles, a junior social work major from Bluff City, Tennessee
Ben Harvey, a junior business administration major from Walsall, England
Matthew Pacheco, a junior community and nonprofit leadership major from Windermere, Florida
Karla Chandler, university bookstore assistant manager and textbook coordinator
Stephen Maag, academic success coach
Amber Molnar, assistant dean of students and director of residence life