On March 30, 2022, the Shinn Center was filled with over 300 people honoring the significance of the six 2022 Mustang Alumni Awards recipients. The Mustang Alumni Award is the highest honor given to a former student who embodies the mission and principles of Lipscomb’s 131-year history. The Mustang Alumni Awards honor graduates who have made a lasting impact on this institution, in their career fields, and through service to others. For 2022, a Lipscomb retiree was included in the honor.
On March 30, 2022, the Shinn Center was filled with over 275 people honoring the significance of the six 2022 Mustang Alumni Awards recipients. The Mustang Alumni Award is the highest honor given to a former student who embodies the mission and principles of Lipscomb’s 131-year history. The Mustang Alumni Awards honor graduates who have made a lasting impact on this institution, in their career fields, and through service to others. For 2022, a Lipscomb retiree was included in the honor.
Award recipients are as follows:
Nick Boone, Class of 1953
Nick had two distinct careers. After graduating from David Lipscomb College, Nick assumed the stage name Nick Todd and became an American pop singer. In 1957, he had two hit records which reached No. 41 and No. 21 respectively on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. This summer, Lamb and Lion Records will be releasing some of his works, including 13 original gospel songs, 12 pop favorites, and a book entitled This Is My Story, This Is My Song.
Deciding to pursue a career of service, Nick received a Master of Science in Social Work and served for nearly 30 years in Christian child care and family services through AGAPE offices in Memphis and Nashville, as well as the Madison Children’s Home and Domestic Violence Program. He retired from Lipscomb University after teaching for seven years. His brother and sister-in-law, Pat and Shirley Boone, established an endowment to support the university’s social work program in honor of him as a university alumnus and assistant professor in the social work department.
Pat Boone, Class of 1952
In the 1950s, only one performer rivaled the chart dominance of Elvis Presley, and that was Pat Boone. He was the very essence of wholesome American values, and during his career, recorded 38 Top 40 hits. He made his recording debut in 1954 on Republic Records and secured several number one hits.
Pat has sold 45 million records worldwide, has 13 gold singles, two gold albums, and a platinum album, and has recorded over 2,300 songs…more than any recording artist in recorded music history! He’s starred in 15 movies and has three stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. In 2003, Pat was inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame.
When Pat was a student at David Lipscomb College, he and fellow student Don Henley co-wrote the college’s alma mater, still sung today.
Sydney Clawson Fisher, Class of 2009
Sydney is a Nashville-based artist exploring portraiture and abstract in various mediums. Originally hailing from Texas, she pursued life as a full-time artist in 2015. Her work is heavily influenced by her Southwestern roots, featuring organic shapes, texture, and monochromatic schemes. Because she constantly seeks a balance between “creating” and “working”, she is on a daily quest for inspiration and ways to motivate herself.
While a student at David Lipscomb High School, Sydney was voted Homecoming Queen.
Jeremy Holt, Class of 2008
A consummate athlete, Jeremy began his career training seven-year-olds. Today, through his company AthELITE, he trains and conditions some of the most elite athletes in the world, including athletes from the NFL, MLB, and SEC, as well as middle and high school student-athletes.
As a young child, Jeremy watched his mom work hard and credits her for his own work ethic and perseverance. He modeled his mom’s commitment in his own athletic career as a sports performance specialist and today, uses his determination as inspiration to motivate his clients. As a result of his diligence and earnestness, Jeremy was ranked as the number 2 performance trainer in the U.S. by USA Top 100 Sports/Business/Culture.
Martha Riedl, retired faculty, 1961-1998 (37 years)
For 37 years, Martha molded the minds and hearts of students throughout the Lipscomb community. Stepping foot on the campus of David Lipscomb High School in the fall of 1961, she brought commitment, passion, and energy to her classroom. As a chemistry teacher, she had the opportunity to show students how faith and science intertwined. As an English teacher, she ingrained in students how written and spoken words are among the greatest gifts for expressing our deepest sorrows and greatest joys. While teaching the Christian women’s class, she empowered her students to be bold in their faith and continually seek a deeper relationship with God. Following her retirement in 1998, alumni and friends endowed the Martha Riedl Teacher Excellence Fund to encourage other full-time faculty members to grow in their craft and to display the excellence and dedication exemplified by Martha.
Greg Samuel, Class of 1978
Greg is a partner in the Capital Markets and Securities Practice Group in the Dallas office of Haynes and Boone. He has more than 30 years of experience delivering strategic solutions and providing comprehensive advice for securities transactions and issues to both public and private companies in the areas of corporate securities and mergers and acquisitions. In addition, Greg has represented investment banks as underwriters and placement agents in capital markets transactions.
Previously, Greg served for seven years on the board of trustees for Dallas Christian School. Currently, he gives of his time on the board of directors of Christian Care Communities & Services, a more than 70-year-old nonprofit, faith-based organization that provides quality housing and health care services for seniors in North Texas.