Four Erskine College and Seminary alumni were inducted into the Academic Hall of Fame and David and Linda Chesnut of Wilkes County were honored with the Chairman's Award last Friday evening during a banquet in the Founders Room of Moffatt Dining Hall.

Sponsored by the Erskine Board of Counselors, the banquet recognized graduates David Agnew '88, Walter Bonner '51, Ray King '55 and Christie Bankes Mina '91 for academic excellence, sacrificial support and dedicated service.

Erskine President Dr. Randall T. Ruble congratulated the honorees and greeted their families and guests. "I'm so glad we're here tonight," he said. "It's wonderful to gather the Erskine community together to see old friends."

The Erskine Board of Trustees established the Academic Hall of Fame in 1989. The names of inductees are engraved on a wall plaque in the lobby of Belk Hall.

"Tonight's inductees have helped to make academic excellence and Christian commitment the hallmarks of Erskine College," Vice President and Dean of the College Dr. Gid Alston said.

Vice President for Advancement Ralph Patterson introduced the recipients of this year's Board of Counselors Chairman's Award, longtime Erskine volunteers David Chesnut '61, currently serving his second term as president of the Erskine Alumni Association (his previous term was from 1997-99) and his wife Linda, calling them "an honest, energetic and effective Christian couple."

"Time and time again, David and Linda have been right here for Erskine," Patterson said, citing the couple's willingness to serve in various capacities and noting especially the work of Linda Chesnut, who teaches historic preservation, in guiding the renovation of residence halls and other buildings at Erskine.

"Erskine has meant a lot more to me than I have to Erskine," David Chesnut said as he accepted the award. He recalled that when his mother became seriously ill, he had to leave Erskine. He later finished his bachelor's degree at Oglethorpe University and took a law degree at Emory University.

Before offering the closing prayer, Bowling spoke briefly about Erskine's influence on graduates and also on those who attended for a short time. "I've heard a number of people say, 'I didn't get to finish Erskine, but I got to be there long enough for it to change my life.'"