Converse Announces 2026 Alumni Achievement Award Winners
During Reunion weekend, Converse University’s Alumni Association Board recognizes and celebrates our alumni. Awards are presented to outstanding alumni who demonstrate high levels of achievement and/or service in one or more of Converse’s Seven Core Values: Excellence, Integrity, Exploration, Diversity, Respect, Community, and Progress.
We celebrate all the accomplishments of our alumni. Converse graduates embody our Founder’s ideals and place the utmost value in the well-being of their respective families, communities, alma mater, passions, and professions.
Congratulations to our 2026 Alumni Achievement Award Recipients
2026 Distinguished Undergraduate Alumni Award – Elizabeth Vaughn Sharpe ‘76
Dr. Elizabeth Sharpe’s connection to Converse spans generations. Inspired by her mother and sister—both Converse alumnae—she discovered at Converse the mentorship, academic rigor, and encouragement that shaped her path to medicine. After switching her major from French to the sciences with the full support of her professors, she went on to the Medical College of Georgia and later entered the traditionally male-dominated field of Ophthalmology.
Following a Glaucoma Fellowship at Mass Eye and Ear and additional training with glaucoma subspecialists in Boston, she returned to the Medical University of South Carolina to establish the state’s first Glaucoma Subspecialty Service. Over a forty-year career, she has taught residents and practicing ophthalmologists, directed the Ophthalmology Residency Program for six years, and served as Chief of Ophthalmology and Optometry at the Charleston VA Medical Center. Her participation in more than 100 clinical trials has helped bring modern glaucoma medications and surgical treatments to patients, changing the trajectory of their disease.
Mentorship has been one of the most meaningful aspects of her work. In addition to training American residents, she was selected to teach international ophthalmologists through Orbis International’s Flying Eye Hospital, sharing advanced glaucoma techniques in Ethiopia, Uganda, China, and Vietnam. She received numerous teaching honors, including the Pierre Gauthier Jenkins Award for Unsurpassed Devotion to Resident Education in 2011. In 2017, she was awarded the MUSC Storm Eye Distinguished Alumni Award.
Now practicing part-time at the VA Hospital, she remains grateful for the education and support that began at Converse and guided her through a long, rewarding career in medicine. She has been married for 44 years to Kenneth A. Sharpe, MD, a retired ophthalmologist. They have three adult children—Emily Davenport Eling, BSN; Robert Allan Sharpe, MD; and Sarah Pennell Sharpe—and are blessed with seven grandchildren.
2026 Distinguished Graduate Alumni Award – Angela Tuttle Prince, PhD ‘10
Dr. Angela Tuttle Prince, a 2010 graduate of Converse’s Education Specialist program in Secondary Administration and Supervision, is an interdisciplinary scholar whose work bridges education, law, technology, and human development. Now an Associate Professor of Special Education at Iowa State University, she advances research and practice at the intersection of disability rights, inclusive policy, and innovative learning environments.
Angela began her career as a special education teacher in South Carolina. After earning her Ph.D. in Special Education from Clemson University, she has built a nationally recognized research agenda focused on secondary transition, legal and policy issues in special education, and the ethical integration of generative artificial intelligence to support exceptional learners.
Her interdisciplinary collaborations extend across colleges and sectors. As Co-Principal Investigator on a 2025 voting machine usability analysis project, she partnered with engineering and human factors researchers to examine accessibility and design considerations in civic technology. She has also collaborated with mental health, literacy, and public health scholars to examine trauma-informed practice, staff well-being, disability representation in children’s literature, and equitable access to advanced coursework. Across more than 30 peer-reviewed publications, her work consistently integrates legal analysis, empirical inquiry, and practical application.
Angela is frequently invited to speak to educators, policymakers, and researchers on topics such as student voice in transition planning, restraint and seclusion reform, disability representation in literature, and the responsible use of AI in special education. Her scholarship has been recognized with honors, including the Chambers Family Lifespan Lectureship from the American Academy for Cerebral Palsy and Developmental Medicine and the Curriculum Innovation Fellowship at Iowa State University.
Through her interdisciplinary scholarship and leadership, Dr. Angela Tuttle Prince embodies the spirit of Converse, combining academic excellence, innovation, and service to create more equitable systems for students, families, and communities.
2026 Community Service Award – Rebecca Roland Hyleman ‘99
Rebecca Roland Hyleman’s life and career have been shaped by public service, faith, and a deep commitment to justice and community. A 1999 graduate of Converse, where she earned her degree in History and completed a leadership minor through the inaugural South Carolina Institute of Leadership program, Rebecca began her professional journey as a probation and parole agent serving communities across coastal South Carolina. Working in courtrooms, detention centers, and family homes, she developed a lasting conviction that systems must serve people with dignity and accountability.
A natural connector, Rebecca has consistently brought people and resources together to strengthen the communities she serves. She has led homeless outreach efforts, supported immigrant families in crisis, taught conversational English in El Salvador, mentored teen and single mothers, directed a church-based food pantry, and served as an elected vice president of a military-connected school board. Most recently, she directed an SBA-funded Women’s Business Center advancing entrepreneurship in underserved communities and now serves as Director of Community Engagement and Administration at St. John’s Episcopal Church on Johns Island, South Carolina.
Her service has also extended internationally. While serving with the U.S. Department of State in Costa Rica, she oversaw federal grant initiatives that strengthened vulnerable families and expanded economic opportunity. For her leadership, she received the Department of State Meritorious Honor Award and the Franklin Award for Innovation and Crisis Management. She has also been recognized as Military Spouse of the Year (West Point) for her sustained community leadership.
In May 2025, Rebecca earned her Master of Public Administration from the College of Charleston, further strengthening her commitment to public service. She and her husband, Zach, have built community wherever they have lived, and she is the proud mother of three young adult children, two dogs (Coffee & Beans), a wild cat (Frank), and a bearded dragon (Smaug).
2026 Career Achievement Award – Amy Warren Beaty ‘81
After graduating from Converse in 1981 (and traveling Europe with a fellow Converse grad!) Amy earned a design degree from Rhode Island School of Design and moved to Richmond, Virginia.
After working at several design firms, she joined Glave Newman Anderson Architects in 1987, focusing on interior design. Eventually becoming Design Director for Institutional and Hospitality work, she managed multi-million-dollar projects throughout the country. Some notable projects while at Glave are: The Carolina Inn in Chapel Hill, NC, Pinehurst Resort in Pinehurst, NC, Mary Washington University in Fredericksburg, VA, and Barton Creek Resort in Austin, TX.
In 2001, she opened Beaty & Brown Interior Design with her business partner, Carter Brown Williams, and continued working on hospitality projects as well as residential design.
The Homestead Resort in Hot Springs, VA, and Mount Washington Resort in Bretton Woods, NH, are two of her favorite projects that lasted many years. Both of these gems had not been touched in decades. The opportunity to rejuvenate these historic properties by researching their history and enhancing their innate and invaluable qualities was essential to bring them back to life. Spas, ballrooms, restaurants, coffee shops, guest rooms, and Great Halls are some of the spaces that were renovated. Creating custom rugs, lighting, wallcovering, and furniture unique to each property was a design dream come true. Amy has been fortunate to design custom products with many different vendors, such as Schumacher, Brunschwig & Fils, and Stark carpet.
Other clients include The University of the South in Sewanee, TN, Rolling Rock Club in Laughlintown, PA, and The Commonwealth Club in Richmond, along with many residences from Virginia to Japan. She has a long-lasting partnership with The Country Club of Virginia. A fun project just completed this fall is a bar and grill named Tally.
Career Achievement in Music Award – Richard Troxell ‘88
Metropolitan Opera tenor and 1988 graduate of Converse’s Petrie School of Music, Richard Troxell’s beautiful lyric tenor voice has been thrilling audiences in leading roles in opera houses and on concert stages around the world for over 30 years.
Not your “typical” opera singer, Richard has built a remarkable 30-year international career spanning 6 continents. He starred as Pinkerton in “Madama Butterfly” directed by Martin Scorsese for Sony, appears as a recurring guest on “Late Night with Jimmy Fallon,” and has performed on many of the world’s greatest opera stages, including the Metropolitan Opera, Opéra-Comique, and the Sydney Opera House. His global performances have taken him to cities such as Seville, Bari, Beijing, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Tel Aviv, and Prague, where he appeared in live televised concerts with the Czech National Symphony.
For more than 25 years, he has sung the National Anthem for MLB’s Baltimore Orioles. He has also shared the stage with beloved opera stars Denyce Graves and Roberto Alagna, co-starred on Broadway with Melissa Errico, and performed the role of the dwarf in Zemlinksy’s “Der Zwerg” at Avery Fisher Hall in New York.
An extremely versatile singer, Richard runs the gamut of musical genres from his recordings of Jazz, Broadway, and Opera to performing at Carnegie Hall and the Kennedy Center. He has worked with Yannick Nezet-Seguin, Placido Domingo, James Conlon, Lorin Maazel, Steven Mercurio, Georges Pretre, Quest Love and the Roots, among others.
When he’s not “on the road,” he can be found in his pine forest, maybe in a 3-story tree house or hanging a 300 ft zip line for his “kids”, biking 50 miles, or cooking dinners for 35 of his closest friends. Richard resides in the countryside of Chester County, PA, with his family, Lisa, Wilder, and Shane.
2026 Mae Elizabeth Kilgo Spirit of Converse Award – Wanda Moore McDowell ‘91
Wanda Moore McDowell is a lifelong resident of Inman, South Carolina, and a respected leader in education, business development, and community service. She experienced academic and athletic success at Converse, earning a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology in 1991. A basketball scholarship recipient, Wanda was deeply involved in student life, serving as Freshman Commissioner, a Class Officer, and a four‑year member of the May Court. Her commitment to leadership and service has remained a hallmark of her career.
Wanda began her professional journey at Converse, serving from 1991 to 2001 as an Admissions Counselor, Assistant Director of Admissions, and ultimately Director of Admissions. She later joined Kyrus Corporation as a Major Cities Salesperson for the Lunchbox school nutrition software program.
In 2003, Wanda joined Super Bakery, Inc., where she became the Southeast Regional Sales Manager and had the honor of working under the late Franco Harris, Pittsburgh Steelers Hall of Famer. She became one of the company’s top performers and a respected voice in the school nutrition industry. Her leadership earned her recognition as the 2021 National School Nutrition Association Industry Member of the Year. She currently serves as Vice‑Chair of the School Nutrition Foundation and continues her service on the School Nutrition Association Industry Board for South Carolina. Wanda was recently promoted to Vice President of Sales Operations, supporting the next generation of Super Bakery leadership.
Deeply committed to her community, Wanda currently serves as Chairwoman of the Spartanburg School District One Board of Trustees and Chairwoman of the Swofford Career Center Liaison Board, representing School Districts 1 and 2. She is also a member of the Healthy Smiles Board of Directors for Spartanburg and Cherokee Counties, a graduate of Leadership Spartanburg, a former Young Careerist of the Year, and a former member of the Junior League of Spartanburg.
Grounded in faith and family, Wanda is the daughter of Timmy and Carolyn Moore, married to Thomas McDowell for 26 years, and the proud bonus mom of Patrick McDowell. Wanda is also “Mimi” to seven beloved godchildren and an active member of Greater St. James Temple Church.
2026 Young Alumni Award – Nia Imani Mosby ‘15
Nia Mosby is the Head of Programs and Civic Season at Made By Us, where she leads Civic Season, the organization’s flagship summer program connecting young people with more than 800 museums, historic sites, and cultural institutions nationwide. Through her work, she creates opportunities for young people to engage with history and civics in ways that are relevant, meaningful, and actionable within their communities.
With over a decade of nonprofit experience across museums, higher education, and the tech sector, Nia’s work is grounded in empathy and a deep commitment to equity and representation. Her background in Western Art History informs her approach, particularly her dedication to ensuring that people of color are thoughtfully and accurately represented within historical narratives.
Beyond her professional work, Nia is an active member of a community-based collective supporting mutual aid efforts, reflecting her belief that civic engagement extends beyond institutions and into everyday acts of care and community support.
2026 Converse 100 Award – Nicole Johnsey Burke ‘01
Nicole Johnsey Burke is a mom of four, married to Dr. Jason Burke, and founder of Gardenary, Inc. After working in philanthropy and overseas development, Nicole founded her first company, Rooted Garden – a garden service in Houston, TX. As she grew her first company, she shared her work online and gained an international following. In 2017, she started Gardenary, Inc, an online garden supply and education business. Over the last 9 years, she’s gained an online audience of more than 3.5 million, published three Amazon bestsellers, Kitchen Garden Revival (2020), Leaves Roots and Fruit (2023), and 5 Minute Gardener (2025).
Nicole currently lives in Nashville, TN, where she directs her company to reach its goal of helping millions of people start gardening. Her oldest daughter, Carolyn, is a freshman at Wake Forest University; her son will be attending Vanderbilt University in the fall of 2026, and her two youngest daughters are active in sports and the arts and will be in 9th and 11th grade next year.
When she’s not working, carpooling, or cooking dinner, you can find Nicole playing in her garden, hiking through the national parks, working out, and playing with her two dogs.
2026 Converse 100 Award – Andrea Ezell Elliott ‘03
Dr. Andrea Elliott is an Assistant Professor of Art Education at Converse. She teaches art education courses, Art Appreciation, leads travel studies, and supervises student teachers. She holds a bachelor’s and master’s degree in Art Education as well as a PhD in Art.
She has ten years of experience in the field as an art teacher in the SC public school system and has been at Converse for over a decade. Andrea is an artist and researcher, and her chosen media are oils, acrylics, and watercolors. Her subject matter ranges from pet portraits and landscapes to more abstract designs.
Dr. Elliott is an active member of the South Carolina Art Education Association and served as the chair of the Lifelong Learning Committee as part of her service to the National Art Education Association. She was awarded the 2018 South Carolina Art Education Association’s Higher Education Level Award for her service and commitment to the profession. She also serves as a co-editor for the Journal of Lifelong Learning.
When not in the classroom teaching and mentoring students, she enjoys spending time with her family, traveling, trying new foods, decorating, and painting.
2026 Converse 100 Award – May Dowling Peach ‘76
May Dowling Peach is a retired educator, mentor, and entrepreneur whose life’s work was rooted in one steadfast commitment: helping young people and families thrive. May has a deep respect for learning and a belief that education is not simply instruction, but advocacy, opportunity, and care.
May continued her love for learning at the University of South Carolina and earned a master’s degree in elementary education. She later achieved an education specialist degree in special education and an administrative certification. Her achievements reflect the full arc of her passion and expertise which includes gifted and talented, early childhood and elementary education; school leadership and several middle school instructional areas.
May began her teaching career in 1977 at Blythewood Elementary, and then devoted 15 years to the Richland School District Two ALERT Program, a pull-out experiential learning program for gifted and talented students. For the remainder of her teaching career May served as Lead Teacher for The Learning Collaborative at Dent Middle School, a magnet program in Columbia, SC for high-achieving and gifted students, and was Assistant Principal at Forest Lake Elementary.
In 2006, May became a partner in The Price Group Educational Planning Services in Columbia. She helped hundreds of families across the United States and abroad to identify best-fit schools and programs, especially when a child’s needs were complex.
May was a Certified Educational Planner and a Certified Parent Coach. She was affiliated with professional organizations, including the Independent Educational Consultants Association (IECA), where she received the Distinguished Service Award at the national conference in 2019.
May now lives with her husband in Hendersonville, North Carolina. Her favorite titles today are spouse, friend, mother, and grandmother.
2026 STAR Award – Leigh Ann Murdaugh ‘07
Originally from the Midlands, Leigh Ann Murdaugh is thrilled to call South Carolina home again after professional experiences in both the Midwest and Northeast. She attended the South Carolina Governor’s School for the Arts and Humanities and earned her Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance from Converse. She later completed her Master of Music in Opera/Musical Theatre Performance at Southern Illinois University Carbondale.
Leigh Ann is a voice teacher, acting coach, stage director, and musical director specializing in musical theatre performance and storytelling through song. Deeply committed to strong foundational technique, she equips singers and actors of all ages with healthy, sustainable vocal production while cultivating bold and emotionally specific storytelling.
She currently serves as an adjunct faculty member in the Petrie School of Music at Converse, where she teaches Opera Workshop. In addition, she is a voice teacher for the award-winning Clover Choraliers at Clover High School and a teacher and director with Acting Up Carolina. Leigh Ann is also a requested adjudicator and masterclass facilitator, known for delivering clear, actionable feedback that empowers performers to take risks with confidence.
Her professional performance credits include work with the Phoenix Theatre Ensemble and Hudson Theatre Ensemble in New York City. In 2017, she discovered her love of directing with Spartanburg Repertory Company’s production of You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown, and has continued shaping young artists’ storytelling ever since.
Leigh Ann lives in South Carolina with her husband and their 10-year-old daughter, who happily shares her love of the stage.
Honorary Alumni Award – Melissa Walker
Melissa Walker was born on a dairy farm in Tennessee. As a child, she was active in 4-H club activities, competing at the local, regional, and state levels. She earned a B.A. in history from Maryville College, graduating summa cum laude in 1985. After graduation, she worked in university alumni relations and development at Maryville College and Bryant University for a decade before earning her Ph.D. in U.S. and Women’s History at Clark University.
Melissa joined the faculty at Converse University in 1996. She was the first holder of the George Dean Johnson, Jr. endowed chair in history. She is the author of eleven books and dozens of articles for both scholarly and general audiences.
At Converse, she loved designing courses that combined historical content and experiential learning. Her favorites included a Jan term course on The American Revolution in the Southern Backcountry, complete with field trips to nearby battlefields, and courses that incorporated Reacting to the Past role-play activities.
In 2007, Dr. Walker was honored by CASE and the Carnegie Foundation for Teaching with the South Carolina Professor of the Year Award. At Converse, she received numerous awards, including the Kathryne Amelia Brown Award for Outstanding Teaching and the O’Herron Award for Faculty Excellence.
In 2017, she retired from teaching and was named the Emerita George Dean Johnson, Jr. Professor of History at Converse University. She founded Heyday Coaching, a personal and career coaching firm that specializes in working with mid-career professionals on personal and professional development. The business takes its name from women’s suffrage activist Elizabeth Cady Stanton’s assertion that “fifty, not fifteen, is the heyday of life.”
She and her husband, Chuck Reback, live in Spartanburg. They love traveling the world, and Melissa thinks there’s nothing better than getting lost in a good novel.