6 Springfield grads receive Alumni of Distinction Award
Awards to be delivered to recipients’ homes as event canceled by virus.
Six graduates of the Springfield City School District have been chosen to receive the Alumni of Distinction Award by the Steering Committee, Chairman James W. Bacon announced in a release.
The alumni to be honored include Dr. Michael C. Mbagwu, South High School – Class of 2007; Larry Edwin Ray, North High School – Class of 1970; Ronald V. Rhine, Springfield High School – Class of 1956; Jerald L. Tillman, South High School – Class of 1970; Dr. Abdul Wasey, Springfield High School – Class of 2009; and Kiki Follrath Wilson, North High School – Class of 1970.
The 16th annual Alumni of Distinction Award dinner and presentation, originally scheduled for April 16, has been canceled due to the coronavirus, and the awards will instead be delivered to the honorees at their homes, Bacon stated in the release.
Dr. Michael C. Mbagwu ,of Mountain View, Calif. — He currently serves as an Ophthalmic Innovation Fellow at the Stanford University School of Medicine in Palo Alto, Calif. Mbagwa graduated Cum Laude in Scientia Experimentali in 2016 from Northwestern University – The Feinberg School of Medicine, with Summa Cum Laude and Honors in 2011 from The Ohio State University with a Bachelor of Biomedical Science Degree, and worked as an Ophthalmology Resident at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago while completing his Master of Business Administration
Degree from Kellogg School of Management.
Larry Edwin Ray, of Washington, D.C. — He is a self-employed attorney, mediator, arbitrator and executive coach, and he serves as a Senior Adjunct Professor at both The George Washington University School of Law and Capital Law School in Columbus. Ray graduated from Capital University Law School, J.D., in 1977 and received a Bachelor of Arts Degree with honors in 1974 from Muskingum College in New Concord, Ohio. Ray was the first prosecutor in the United States in charge of a mediation of crimes program; the first Director of the American Bar Association Dispute Resolution Section and the first Director of the National
Association for Community Mediation.
Ronald V. Rhine ,of Springfield — He became a United States Marine Corps recruit after high school graduation in 1956 before being honorably discharged in 1960. He then became employed at the Springfield International Harvester Company Plant where he was a member of the United Automobile Workers and a Union Steward. He was later a Committee Man and advanced to President of UAW 402, representing 6,500 Springfield area workers, then he became a UAW staff representative. Rhine was also elected to the Ohio State House of Representatives in 1999 and served one term.
Jerald L. Tillman ,of Columbus — He is the owner of the Jerald L. Tillman Insurance Agency, the publisher and CEO of “SuccessGuide” and the Founder, President/ CEO of the National African-American Insurance Association, the only national minority insurance association in the United States. Tillman graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in general business in 1974 from Miami University and from Nationwide Insurance in Professional Insurance and Sales Training Courses. He has also been presenting training and development seminars in Ohio since 1997.
Dr. Abdul Wasey ,of Bethlehem, Pa. — He is presently an Emergency Medicine Attending Physician at St. Luke’s University Health Network. Wasey received his Doctor of Medicine in 2017 at Brown University, graduated Summa Cum Laude in 2013 from The Ohio State University with a Bachelor of Science with Honors in Biochemistry and Minors in Cognitive Science & International Development Studies,
and completed an Emergency Medicine Residency at St. Luke’s University Health Network.
Kiki Follrath Wilson ,of Atlanta, Ga. — She joined the world-recognized Atlanta Symphony Chorus, led by renowned choral master Robert Shaw, and traveled with the famous group. She sang for 18 years with Shaw, and after his death, became an Executive Producer, Director, Writer and fundraiser for over 10 years. Her documentary “Robert Shaw – Man of Many Voices” was the winner of several Best Documentary Awards. Wilson earned her Masters in Music Performance Conducting in 1977 at Northwestern University and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in 1974 from Washington University.
Contact this reporter at 937610-7310 or email brooke. spurlock@coxinc.com.