The Thomas W. Briggs Community Service Award

In 1985, the Board of Directors established the Thomas W. Briggs Community Service Award to be given annually as a memorial to Mr. Briggs. The award benefits the work of a local Memphis organization in the field of community service. Its purpose is to recognize outstanding leadership provided by an individual in an organization whose creativity, effort, commitment, professionalism and exceptional initiative have enabled the organization to excel in its special mission. Recipients are nominated and chosen by the Board of Directors. It is the hope of the Directors that the recognition from the award will inspire others to reach higher and achieve more than they thought they could.

2018 Community Service Award

Cordell Walker & Alpha Omega Veterans Services

Alpha Omega Veterans Services was founded in 1987 by a mother whose two sons returned from service in Vietnam suffering from what we now know as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.  After finding nothing to help them, she opened Alpha Omega in a humble duplex in south Memphis.  It was one of the first facilities in the United States to offer supportive services to displaced and disabled veterans.

One year later Chicago native, Cordell Walker was hired as Alpha Omega’s first Executive Director.  He had received his bachelor’s degree in Counseling at the University of Iowa and completed his graduate studies in Counseling at Penn State University.  Cordell understood this need – several of his friends returned from Viet Nam forever altered by their wartime experiences including exposure to Agent Orange; others did not return at all.

When Cordell came to this upstart program, it housed only eight veterans.   Over his thirty years at the helm Alpha Omega has become a progressive six-facility agency that has served nearly 11,000 veterans.  All are assisted in their recovery from debilitating mental and physical conditions and supported in their reintegration into society.

Today Alpha Omega provides supportive housing for 120 male and female veterans in several programs of which 3 are permanent housing facilities; many others are served on a daily basis.  Each program offers an integrated system of services including food, clothing, housing, transportation and counseling that has been designed to meet the veterans’ needs.  The intensive individual and group counseling sessions help them deal with service-related conditions such as anger management, substance abuse, combat stress, PTSD and other mental health disorders.  Of those served, 95% graduate to live healthily and independently in their own secure permanent housing

Over his 31 years at the helm, Cordell Walker has led Alpha Omega by the grace of God into the 21st century with vision, dedication and love. Under his watchful eye as a good steward of limited resources, Cordell leads Alpha Omega Veterans Services to this day with the humility and grace of a great leader.

Past Recipients

• 2017 Todd Richardson and McLean Wilson with Chris Miner of Crosstown Arts for the Crosstown Concourse Development
• 2016 Ken Steorts, Visible Music College
• 2015 David Montague, Memphis Teacher Residency
• 2014 Nancy Coffee, New Memphis Institute
• 2013 Dorothy Gunther Pugh, Ballet Memphis
• 2012 Jackie Nichols, Playhouse on the Square & 
Circuit Playhouse
• 2011 Jim Duncan, Memphis Botanic Garden
• 2010 Richard Nathaniel Donlon, M.D., Christ Community
 Health Services
• 2009 25th Anniversary Celebration, Honoring All Previous Recipients
• 2008 Beverly Robertson, National Civil Rights Museum
• 2007 David Loebel, Memphis Symphony Orchestra
• 2006 Margaret Craddock, MIFA
• 2005 Kaywin Feldman, Memphis Brooks Museum of Art
• 2004 James R. Boyd, BRIDGES
• 2003 Kenneth R. Bennett, Streets Ministries
• 2002 Colenzo J. Hubbard, Emmanuel Episcopal Center
• 2001 Larry B. Lloyd, D. Min., Hope Christian Community Foundation
• 2000 Douglas R. Noble, D.P.A., The Pink Palace Family of Museums
• 1999 Brad F. Baker, Young Life
• 1998 Jeffrey D. Nesin, Memphis College of Art
• 1997 Patrick W. Lawler, Youth Villages
• 1996 Josephine H. Walt, The Neighborhood School
• 1995 Michael J. Labonia, WKNO-TV/FM
• 1994 Eleanor Prest, Thomas W. Briggs Foundation
• 1993 Roger T. Knox, Memphis Zoological Society
• 1992 Gid H. Smith, Community Foundation of Greater Memphis
• 1991 JoeAnn Ballard, Neighborhood Christian Center
• 1990 John E. Buchanan, Jr., The Dixon Gallery and Gardens
• 1989 G. Scott Morris, M.D., Church Health Center Memphis
• 1988 Patricia C. Howard, Girls Incorporated of Memphis
• 1987 James C. Carlile, Boys Club of Memphis
• 1986 Virginia L. Dunaway, Memphis Food Bank
• 1985 Father Donald Mowery, Youth Service USA

Scholarships

For over forty years the Thomas W Briggs Foundation Inc. has supported the University of Memphis.  The Foundation began this relationship by establishing The Eleanor O’Neill Scholarship to assist deserving students with their educational goals.  The scholarship is named in memory of Ms. O’Neill who was a long standing Welcome Wagon employee and University of Memphis Foundation Trustee.

Based on academic merit, each year a student in the University of Memphis journalism program concentrating in public relations and a marketing student in the Fogelman College of Business and Economics are selected.

Teaching Awards

In 1995 the foundation established the Thomas W. Briggs Foundation Excellence in Teaching Awards to recognize excellence in undergraduate teaching, and the first awards were given in 1997. The Awards were given through 2018 with the final award being given to Phillip Babin, Accounting.

Past Recipients

1997

Mr. Kevin Hagopian                English

Dr. Phillip Kolbe                      Finance, Insurance & Real Estate

1998

Dr. Ruthbeth Finerman,          Anthropology

Dr. Thomas R. Caplinger         Mathematical Sciences

1999

Dr. Jack Grubaugh                   Biology

Dr. Mark Timmons                  Philosophy

2000

Dr. Julia Heath                        Economics

Dr. David Mason                     Political Science

2001

Ms. Candace Justice               Journalism

Dr. Robert Marcini                  Physics

2002

Dr. Melvin Beck                       Biology

Dr. Charles Camp                    Civil Engineering

2003

Dr. Kantaylieniere Hill-Clark   Education

Dr. Nele Hemple                     Foreign Languages/German

2004

Stephen W. Hancock              Theatre and Dance

Dr. Charles J. Biggers              Biology

2005

Dr. John Hanneken                  Physics

Dr. William Jerman                Electrical and Computer engineering

2006

Dr. Robert Frankle                  History

Dr. Lawrette Axley                  Nursing

2007

Dr. Dennis Laumann               History

Ms. Margaret Quinn               Family and Consumer Sciences

2008

Dr. Joe Hayden                        Journalism

Dr. Nancy Mardis                    Accountancy

2009

Dr. Anna Bess Sorin                Biology

Dr. Fred Albertson                  Art

2010

Dr. Phillip Franceschetti         Physics

Dr. Irvin Tankersley                 Accounting

2011

Ms. Charlotte Spiceland         Accounting

Dr. John Haddock                    Mathematics

2012

Dr. Mark Freilich                     Chemistry

Mr. Kriangsiri Milasri              Computer Science

 2013

Dr. Angela Grant                     Mathematics

Leonard Jackson                      Hospitality and Resort Management

2014

Ms. Nataliya Doroshenko       Mathematics

Jacob Allen                                Communication & Fine Arts

2015

Dr. Douglas Campbell              Economics

Dr. Shirleatha Lee                     Nursing

2016

Denis Grele                                 French

JoAnne Rhodes                          Physics

2017

Dr. Scott Marler                          History

2018

Phillip Babin                                Accounting