Recipient of the 2025 President’s Distinguished Alumni Award was Allen Chessner ’00.

The 2022 Distinguished Alumni Award was presented to Maxie T. Coker, Jr. Maxie graduated in 1986 with a degree in Business Administration and quickly established what would become an extensive career in banking with more than 35 years in the industry. He is currently employed with First Carolina Bank as a member of executive management, and has actively used his time and talents over the last few decades to give back to his alma mater by being on the Board of Visitors, assisting the University with financial campaigns, and actively participating in community activities as a representative of Wesleyan.

Recipients of the 2023 Distinguished Alumni Award were Scott Cooper ’11, Rhonda V. Sharpe ’88 and Kevin Snyder ’00.

Scott Cooper graduated in 2011 with a BS in Business Administration, Marketing and Organizational Administration. He currently serves as the Director of Recruitment at Randolph College in Lynchburg, VA. Scott is constantly organizing alumni engagement opportunities for NCWU, doing a 3-state pregame tour each summer pulling Wesleyan alumni together and promoting Homecoming. Always an advocate for helping others, Scott enjoys volunteering for Meals on Wheels and MLK Day community projects.

Rhonda Vonshay Sharpe graduated in 1988 with a BS degree in Mathematics. She holds 3 master’s degrees from other universities and a doctorate in economics/mathematics from Claremont Graduate University. She is the President and Founder of the Women’s Institute for Science, Equity and Race and is the co-editor of the Review of Black Political Economy. Dr. Sharpe was named a “Black Scholar You Should Know” by TheBestSchools.org and BlackEnterprise.com. She is currently an adjunct professor at the University of Richmond and visiting professor of economics at Spelman College.

Kevin Snyder graduated in 2000 with a degree in Environmental Science. He is currently an Assistant Vice President with WSP, a global engineering firm. Throughout his career, Kevin has recognized opportunities to give back, including leading and organizing an annual golf tournament for Make A Wish and connecting youth soccer with Wesleyan’s athletics program in a Community Days program. He has led efforts to help with the improvements of Wesleyan’s Disc Golf Course and the Bishops Disc Golf Club. Kevin was recently appointed to the NCWU Alumni Board and the President’s Advisory Council.

The 2022 Alumni Achievement Award was presented to Ricky Ciuffetelli ’15. Ricky, an international student originally from Caracas, Venezuela, graduated from with a degree in Business Administration. As a result of an internship he had while at Wesleyan, Ricky was introduced to the supply chain industry and pharmaceutical world. He was recently promoted to Senior Supply Chain Manager at Mayne Pharmaceuticals. As an alumnus, Ricky has been consistently involved with the Alumni Association, and has continued to show stewardship through regular donations and other forms of engagement like volunteering at Homecoming and Commencement, as well as speaking to classrooms about his experiences in Supply Chain Management.

Recipients of the 2023 Alumni Achievement Award were Joshua W. Strausser ’20, Natalie Larson Strausser ’21 and Cassaundra V. Sullivan ’18.

Joshua Strausser graduated in 2020 from the honors program with a BA in History and minors in both English and Music Production. Following graduation, he has been involved in his ministry career, missions work in Kenya and most recently held a supporting role with a new church plant. Joshua recently released his first EP “Rose” through NC Wesleyan’s new music label “301 North Records”. He is currently an Assistant Manager at Chick-fil-A.

Natalie Strausser graduated in 2021 from the honors program with a BA in Sociology, a BS in Organizational Administration and a minor in Religious Studies. She works at a local nonprofit “Ripple Effects Group” as a Program Associate and Teacher Assistant, where she helped start a mentoring program for elementary age students who have been suspended. She also works with the unsheltered in the community as well as in the Ripple Effects Center in Kenya to help transition them into a productive and sustainable life.

Cassaundra “Cassie” Sullivan, a 2018 graduate, double majored in Criminal Justice and Psychology. She is currently the Senior Police Officer VICE/Narcotic’s Detective and member of the Crisis Negotiation Team for the Wilson Police Department, where she has worked for 5 years. She has received over 30 certifications in her career, a life-saving award and a Community Service Award from NC Governor Roy Cooper. Cassie returned to Wesleyan in 2023, graduating with a Master’s Degree in Criminal Justice Administration.

Recipients of the 2023 Alumni Impact Award were Trevor Delano ’14 and Scoey Lewis ’15.

Trevor Delano graduated in 2014 with a BS in Business Administration while working full time at MBM, a full-time parent of a 4-year old son and working a few part-time jobs. Upon graduation, he took a job as an insurance agent with Nash County Farm Bureau in February 2015 and has been quite successful. He is deeply rooted in his local community as well as at NCWU. Trevor is a member of the newly formed NC Wesleyan Foundation Board.

Scoey Lewis graduated in 2015 with a BA in Criminal Justice while working full-time as a detective with the Rocky Mount Police Department, where he has worked since 2004. Since obtaining his degree, he has been promoted to the ranks of Sergeant and Lieutenant and has received his Advanced Law Enforcement Certificate from the NC Criminal Justice Education and Training Standards Commission. He participates in numerous community initiatives through his membership in Omega Psi Phi Fraternity and his church.

The 2022 Wesleyan Family Award was presented to the Ipock family. Adam, a 1991 graduate and Cathy, a 1992 graduate, met and fell in love at Wesleyan. After getting married, the two settled down in Rocky Mount and had two sons, Nicholas and Chris. Like their parents, both have followed in their parents’ footsteps by contributing to the University in some way or another. Nick, a 2018 alumnus graduated with a degree in Computer Information Systems. Chris, although not an alumnus, is the electrical foreman for the University’s current Shaw Learning Center project, a new science and pre-vet building under construction on campus. Adam and Cathy Ipock have selflessly been engaged with the University over the last two decades in various ways, including helping organize and support financial campaigns, being social media ambassadors, participating in classroom speaking engagements, initiating matching gift campaigns, connecting outside donors to the University and serving on the Board of Visitors. The Ipocks have also established the Adam F. and Catherine B. Ipock Endowed Scholarship to help current and future students achieve their education goals.

The recipients of the 2023 Wesleyan Family Award are Drs. Carl and Jackie Lewis.

Carl Lewis, a 2000 graduate and Jackie, a 1993 graduate, are both faculty members at NC Wesleyan. Currently, Carl is an Assistant Professor of Criminal Justice and Jackie is an Associate Professor and the program coordinator for Computer Information Systems. Both have received numerous awards, such as the National Society of Leadership and Success Excellence in Teaching Award, NC Wesleyan Exemplary Teaching Award and the Wesleyan Service Award. Since 2009, you can find one, if not both, at sporting and other events on campus. Carl has made a photographic history of activities through the years and maintains an online photo site where students and families can download photos from campus games, events and ceremonies for free. In a year’s time, there were over 5.7 million photo hits logged in his photo galleries. During COVID, Jackie, with Carl’s assistance, made and donated to the school and the community over 4,000 facial masks. Carl and Jackie each have their individual talents, but combined they are a tremendous asset to NC Wesleyan.