Sherman, Texas -- Austin College recognized its 2026 Distinguished Alumni and Volunteer Award recipients at a celebratory dinner on Friday, October 2. These honorees have distinguished themselves in their professions and in their communities, exemplifying leadership and ethical standards in their interactions. Throughout their lives, they model the spirit of service and broad-mindedness that is fostered by the Austin College educational experience. Distinguished Alumni provide support and advocacy for the College and its mission.
Presented with Distinguished Alumni awards were:
Art Clayton ’95 has shared his legal expertise through more than 100 community talks on a variety of topics from internet safety to DNA cases, presenting continuing legal education courses for the Texas State Bar, and serving as a guest speaker for the Austin College Pre-Law Society. He was named Prosecutor of the Year for Grayson County in 2024, and is the Judge-Elect for the 397th District Court of Grayson County, Texas. Clayton is an ordained Elder in the Presbyterian Church (USA), has served as a Session Member at St. Stephen Presbyterian Church in Fort Worth, and has taught Sunday School for groups of all ages.
David Morgan’s ’96 career in public administration began with the City of Richardson, and over 17 years, he advanced from an entry-level administrative assistant to deputy city manager and chief operating officer. His efforts were focused on neighborhood, retail, and facility revitalization, developing recreational facilities, and expanding the Spring Creek Nature Area. In 2015, Morgan became the City Manager of Georgetown, Texas, where he has steered the community through a period of immense growth. He was named 2025 Administrator of the Year by the Texas City Management Association, and Texas Public Power Association presented him with the Gary Brown Service Award for outstanding leadership.
Sharon Larson ’01 is a cardiothoracic surgeon with Texas Health Heart and Lung Surgical Specialists and Surgical Director of the Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation Program at Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital Fort Worth. New York University Langone Hospital awarded her Best Project at its research competitions in both 2011 and 2012, as did New York College of Osteopathic Medicine in its 2012 competition. NYU Langone recognized Larson with the Sampath Kumar Award for Excellence in Surgery, and the Society of Thoracic Surgeons honored her with the Lillehei Surgical Society Richard C. Lillehei and Earl Bakken Prize in 2015. She has received Gold and Platinum Level Designation Extracorporeal Life Saving Organization Awards of Excellence. Last year, Sharon received the College Service Award for Outstanding Lecturer from the American College of Osteopathic Surgeons, and earlier this year, she received a Presidential Citation from the American College of Osteopathic Surgeons.
The 2025 First Decade Award was bestowed upon Mackenzie Bolen ’21, who has received numerous fellowships, grants, and awards to support her research on leveraging accessible and modifiable lifestyle factors to mitigate neurodegenerative progression, including the University of Florida Biomedical Sciences Grinter Fellowship, the Harry Nick Neuroscience Award for Research Excellence, the Lindbeck Scholarship for Neurocritical Care Research, and the National Neurotrauma Society Travel Award. Bolen hopes to actively improve the treatment of individuals living with neurodegeneration and continue to push the frontier of medicine as a postdoctoral scholar in Neurology and Neurological Sciences at Stanford University, where she is currently continuing her work.
Two Volunteer Service Awards were also given:
Ginger Nye, honored with the 2026 Heywood C. Clemons Volunteer Service Award, has long been engaged with the Austin College campus and throughout the Sherman community. Her service has included facilitating Leadership Sherman, managing Sherman Chamber Ambassadors, and planning and producing events while an employee of the Sherman Department of Tourism and Chamber of Commerce, including creating and producing the first 10 years of the wildly popular Hot Summer Nights concert series, and the Art Dash in support of the Sherman Cultural District. During her 20-year career with First United Bank, she created Wind Down Wednesdays, which she brought to Austin College when she retired in 2025.
Dr. Frank Rohmer, Associate Professor Emeritus of Political Science, received the 2026 Cindy Curtis Bean Service to Alumni Award. Rohmer joined the Austin College faculty in 1988 and was granted emeritus status upon his retirement earlier this year. He organized the Dr. Kenneth Street Law Symposium for several years, simultaneously providing an authentic educational experience for current students, alumni, and members of the community. Rohmer was also one of the founders of the Austin College Public Administration Symposium, bringing alumni working as representatives of local municipalities to campus for interactive discussions of issues that arise in the public administration sphere. During his nearly 40 years on campus, Rohmer inspired and mentored countless political science students on their educational journeys, and has followed and celebrated their careers post-graduation, especially through his sponsorship of the Alumni “L” Law Association.
Austin College, a private national liberal arts college located north of Dallas in Sherman, Texas, has earned a reputation for excellence in academic preparation, pre-professional foundations, committed faculty, and hands-on, adventurous learning opportunities. One of 45 schools profiled in Loren Pope’s influential book Colleges That Change Lives, Austin College boasts a welcoming community that embraces diversity and individuality, with more than 50 percent of students identifying as persons of color. The residential student body of approximately 1,300 students and an expert faculty of more than 100 educators allow an 11:1 student-faculty ratio and personalized attention. Related by covenant to the Presbyterian Church (USA), Austin College cultivates an inclusive atmosphere that supports students’ faith journeys regardless of religious tradition. The College, founded in 1849, is the oldest institution of higher education in Texas operating under original name and charter.
