Four alumni recognized with awards
The Virginia Wesleyan Alumni Association recognized Buddy Hayes, CTRS ’90, Robert W. Collenberg II ’90, Frank G. Bottone, Jr., Ph.D. ’93 and Robert Valvano ’79 with awards at the 6th Annual Auction and Party. Hayes and Collenberg were each recognized with an Alumni Service Award and Bottone and Valvano ’79 were recognized with Distinguished Alumnus Awards. The Alumni Service Award recognizes alumni who have rendered outstanding continuing service to the College as a whole and/or meritorious public service on a local, state, national or international level. The Distinguished Alumnus Award recognizes alumni who have attained distinguished achievements in a professional capacity.
Hayes
Hayes graduated from Virginia Wesleyan with a degree in recreation and leisure. In 2002 she was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, but considered it a challenge to become more involved in her community. She has a long list of volunteer accolades, including the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, the National MS Society, the Great Bridge Woman’s Club, Obici Kanine Kandy Stripers (which she co-founded), Disabled American Veterans, American Association of People with Disabilities, National Therapeutic Recreation Society, American Therapeutic Recreation Association, Blaze Sports and the Mayor’s Committee for Persons with Disabilities in Chesapeake. Hayes has also competed in numerous wheelchair races and has raised over $13,000 for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. In addition, she is a volunteer for the Virginia Wesleyan Alumni Association.
Collenberg
Collenberg graduated from Virginia Wesleyan with a degree in liberal arts management. He is a charter member of the Alumni Association and served for two years as the president of the Board of Directors. He was instrumental in starting the Garden Party, now known as the Alumni Auction & Party, which is in its sixth year and has raised well over $25,000 since its inception. For the past few years he has chaired the event. Collenberg and his family are very active in the life of the College. In addition to his charter lifetime membership to the Alumni Association, he serves on the Virginia Wesleyan Board of Trustees and is currently serving as chair of the Student Affairs committee. In 2005 he was inducted into Sigma Beta Delta, the International Honor Society of Business, Management and Administration, and was inducted into Omicron Delta Kappa, the national leadership honor society, at the end of April. He is co-owner of The Shutter Door and is an active member of the Methodist Church. He is a new father to twin daughters, Carrie and Whitney, born April 19.
Bottone
Bottone graduated from Virginia Wesleyan with a degree in biology. After graduating, he went on to earn a Master of Science degree in biology from Old Dominion University in 1996 and a Ph.D. in nutrition from North Carolina State University in 2005. He has assembled an impressive record of research involving tissue culture, molecular biology and gene expression. He currently works as an associate medical writing scientist for Quintiles, Inc. in Research Triangle Park in North Carolina. Bottone has authored 12 articles in scientific journals and 14 articles for newspapers and magazines including Men’s Health and Muscle and Fitness. He has also written a book titled The Science of Life: Projects and Principles for Beginning Biologists, published by the Chicago Review Press. Bottone is also the recipient of the Kenneth R. Keller Research Award Endowment in the Agricultural Foundation of North Carolina State University.
Valvano
Valvano, a three-sport athlete in basketball, soccer and golf at Virginia Wesleyan, graduated cum laude in 1979 with a degree in communication studies. He coached collegiate basketball for 19 years, setting singleseason records for wins at three different colleges, in addition to coaching on the professional level in Europe. He joined ESPN in 1998 where he now hosts a program for ESPN Radio heard weeknights on more than 320 stations in North America. He also serves as a basketball analyst for ESPN television and as an analyst for the University of Louisville’s basketball radio broadcasts. As a motivational speaker, Valvano has spoken to hundreds of businesses and organizations on the theme of “Making a Difference.” In 2001, he authored The Gifts of Jimmy V, A Coach’s Legacy about his brother, Jim, who coached in eight NCAA basketball tournaments and was twice named ACC Coach of the Year before succumbing to cancer. Valvano is on the board of The V Foundation for Cancer Research, which was founded in 1993 by his brother and ESPN.