Brandy Pate
The University of Central Arkansas Alumni Association will present the Alumni Service Award and the inaugural Young Alumni Award to two alumni at a ceremony during Homecoming 2019.
Brandy Pate ’98 will be honored as the Alumni Service Award recipient and Spencer Gordy ’07 is the Young Alumni Award winner. The two will be presented Friday, Oct. 25 at 7 p.m. during the Alumni and Friends Party at the Centennial Events Center at 1600 Centennial Club Drive in Conway.
Dr. Spencer Gordy
The UCA Alumni Service Award is presented to an individual or couple who, through their deeds or actions, reflect and recognize the importance of the UCA Alumni Association and demonstrate extraordinary commitment, dedication, service and loyalty to the university. Since its inception in 2007, the UCA Alumni Association has honored alumni with the Alumni Service Award. Each year, members of the alumni association are asked to submit a nomination for the award. Nominations are submitted to the UCA Alumni Relations Office, and the UCA Alumni Association Board of Directors selects recipients.
Pate has been a continued presence at UCA since earning her bachelor’s in occupational therapy in 1998. She has been a chapter adviser for Alpha Sigma Tau for approximately 20 years. She serves on the interview committee for the Student Orientation Staff (SOS) and has volunteered with UCA’s interprofessional education clinic. She is a former mentor for the UCA Alumni Association Mentor Connection and former board member for the Greek Alumni Advisory Board. Pate currently is clinical instructor I at UCA.
“To give back and stay connected is something that is vital to the success of collegiate students. College is such a time of growth and adjustment. I have watched so many college women attain their dreams and I am the biggest cheerleader for them along the way,” Pate said. “The distinction is quite an honor. I have loved serving and will always serve in some capacity to UCA.”
This marks the first year the Young Alumni Award will be awarded. It was established to recognize alumni with exceptional career, public service or volunteer achievements that bring honor to UCA. A subcommittee of the UCA Alumni Association Board of Directors makes award selections, which are approved by the full board.
While pursuing his bachelor’s in biology with a minor in business at UCA, Gordy served as vice president of Sigma Tau Gamma and was a team leader of SOS. He was a member of the Association of Future Alumni and was a board member of All Greek Council. He served as an executive on the Interfraternity Council, as a UCA Ambassador and spirit chair of Bear Den. After graduating, Gordy earned a Doctor of Dental Surgery at Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center.
As the inaugural recipient, Gordy believes the award provides an opportunity to further engage young alumni, as well as serve as a springboard event from Laurels & Stripes, UCA’s premier scholarship fundraising event.
“It is the single biggest honor bestowed upon me in the form of an award. I have such a deep passion for this university and to have a reciprocated appreciation back from the institution creates such an emotional feeling,” Gordy said. “To think of the numerous young alumni from all over the world who have already done countless incredible and amazing things is inspiring and to be considered among those is very humbling.”
