Two Union Alums Receive Honors

Charles Reed Mitchell received Union College's Distinguished Service Award at the Homecoming Banquet held as a part of Union's Homecoming festivities last Saturday evening.

"Mitchell's unending devotion to preserving the culture and heritage made him and idea candidate for this award," said Frank Newman, director of Alumni Relations at Union. "Charles Reed is the epitome of Union's Distinguished Service Award," he added.

Mitchell's love for motion pictures had him following his father and grandfather into the motion picture exhibition business. Mitchell began his career around motion pictures at the tender age of nine working in the projection booth at Mitchell Theater in Barbourville. Enthralled with the family business, Mitchell moved from the projection room and concessions to chief projectionist at Magic Theater. Before long, Mitchell found himself the general manager of the Knox Drive-In Theater and of Mitchell Theater.

Mitchell keeps his love of motion pictures at the forefront of his active life today through annual revivals of the Mitchell Local News. These local newsreels were produced by his grandfather in the late 1930s and 1940s as a part of the Daniel Boone Festival held yearly in Barbourville.

In addition to the Local Newsreel Film exhibition, his involvement in the Daniel Boone Festival is instrumental to the events success. As a member of the Daniel Boone Festival Committee, Mitchell is in charge of the festival archives, arranges for speakers and educational programs, and edits the annual souvenir program booklet.

Mitchell is also heavily involved with the Knox Historical Society. He began serving as president of the Knox Historical Museum in 1991 and held the post for three years. In 1993 he began serving as vice president. He also directs the oral history program, and photograph and video-film collections. A frequent contributor to the museum's magazine, The Knox Countian, Mitchell assumed the title of editor in 1994 and has been in charge of publications to this day.

His passion for area history put Mitchell in the forefront of the Kentucky Bicentennial celebration in 1992. He served as chairman to that organization as the committee planned the event. He also served as county representative in the Romance of the Hills Bicentennial Wagon Caravan Committee, which traced the pioneers' route along the Wilderness Road from Cumberland Gap to Fort Boonesborough.

An accomplished writer, Mitchell has a long list of published articles and stories. From book review to historical accounts, he has been a major contributor to many local and regional publications.

Mitchell graduated from Union College in 1965. He returned to the college, after attending graduate school at the University of Wisconsin, as a full-time member of the English Department from 1967-1969. He later served as an adjunct instructor from 1984 -1992.

Without a doubt, Mitchell's level of commitment to his community, his love for history and his strong desire to educate those who are willing to learn, makes Charles Reed Mitchell very deserving of this honor.

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In addition to the Distinguished Service Award, Union College Alumni also awards a young alum, who demonstrates a passion for community service and is in a position to provide community leadership, with the Rising Star Award.

Because of his strong sense of community and his love for higher education, Billy Hensley was this year's award recipient. Hensley spends his days helping people attain the resources they need to become better educated.

Hensley is involved with the Ohio Bridges to Opportunity Initiative, he is a special representative to the Ohio Ford Foundation, a special advisor to the Foundation for Appalachian Ohio, he oversees the OhioCAN Grants program and he works with the KnowledgeWorks Foundation, Ohio's largest public education philanthropy organization. In essence, Hensley works so that others can have a better life.

Before Hensley became a major player in educational philanthropy in Ohio, Hensley served a year as Assistant Director of Admissions at Hiram College in Hiram, Ohio from 2002-2003. While there, he developed a customer service plan for his admission staff, coordinated visit programs, managed a recruitment territory and directed the Junior Visit program.

Prior to his move to the Ohio area, Hensley served Union College for three years working as Campaign Coordinator and Admissions Counselor from 1999 to 2002.

Hensley was instrumental in Union's efforts to raise 15 million dollars in a capital campaign. Along with his fellow campaign team members, he strengthened Union's major gift prospect list and helped solicit funds. Upon completion of the campaign, Union exceeded their 15 million dollar goal by 1.5 million dollars. The capital campaign that Hensley played a key role in raised 16.5 million dollars for Union College.

As an admissions counselor at Union, Hensley directed, planned and implemented summer orientation, was the director of the student ambassador program and he founded the Bulldog Pep Band.

In addition to his philanthropy work in education, Hensley also spends a great deal of his time volunteering. He sits on many boards and committees including the Union College Alumni Association Board of Directors, and the Central Parkway Economic Development Corridor.

Hensley graduated Union College in 1998 with a major in psychology and a minor in music and sociology. While at Union he was awarded the Katherine Sutphen Music Award, the Williams Hugh Smith Service Award, voted top 12 campus men and was inducted into the Who's Who among Students in American Universities and Colleges.

Hensley obtained his Master of Arts in Education from Union in 2001 and his currently planning to attend Northern Kentucky University to obtain his Master's Certificate in Non-Profit Management.

Hensley work is a testament to his strong belief in service to his community and for the love he has for his fellow man.

October 29, 2003

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