On September 19, the University of Alabama at Birmingham’s National Alumni Society hosted its 2024 Alumni Awards Dinner and Annual Meeting at the UAB Alumni House.
Throughout the event, nine UAB alumni were honored, including three alumni from the College of Arts and Sciences: Christina Blackmon, MPA (Communication Studies, Political Science and Public Administration); Leslie Ekpe, Ph.D. (Communication Studies); and J. Thomas Walker, J.D. (Political Science and Public Administration).
In addition to these stellar alumni, Gregory Pence, Ph.D., professor in the Department of Philosophy, received the Honorary Alumni Award. Read more about the winners below:
UAB Young Alumni Rising Star Awards
Christina Blackmon, MPA
Blackmon has earned two degrees from UAB. In 2007, she received her Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies, and, in 2017, she earned her Master of Public Administration. Since completing her undergraduate degree, Blackmon has held several positions at UAB and is currently the Assistant Director of Systems and Operations in the UAB Office of the Institutional Review Board.
Blackmon has been actively involved on campus, serving as the board president for the MPA Alumni Network and chair of the Office of Research Alliance. She has also dedicated her time as a volunteer judge for the Mr. and Ms. UAB Scholarship Competition, Blazer Way Awards, and with the Junior League of Birmingham.
Leslie Ekpe, Ph.D.
Ekpe earned her Master of Arts in Communication Management in 2015. She is now an assistant professor at Texas A&M University – Commerce.
As a former member of the UAB indoor and beach volleyball teams, Ekpe continues to inspire Blazer athletes by speaking about holistic experiences in college athletics.
Professionally, she has been actively involved with the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education and the Association for the Study of Higher Education. She is also a Visiting Scholar at Rutgers University’s Institute for Leadership, Equity, and Justice.
Honorary Alumni Award: Gregory Pence, Ph.D.
Pence, professor in the Department of Philosophy, has served as a faculty member at UAB for nearly 50 years. In addition to his teaching and research, Pence serves at the director of the Early Medical School Acceptance Program and coaches the UAB Bioethics Team. Pence is an award-winning and celebrated faculty member, receiving three of UAB’s most prestigious awards: the Sam Brown Bridge Builder Award, the Ellen Gregg Ingalls/UAB National Alumni Society Award for Lifetime Achievement in Teaching, and the President’s Award for Excellence and Achievement.
Volunteer of the Year Award: J. Thomas Walker, J.D.
Walker earned his undergraduate degree in political science in 2002. He’s currently a partner at Maples, Tucker & Jacobs.
Walker has been an invaluable member of the College of Arts and Sciences Alumni Network, serving in numerous leadership roles since the board’s inception. Notably, he organized and chaired the inaugural Arts and Sciences Alumni Network Cornhole Tournament, which has helped raise money for 14 scholarships.
Beyond his contributions to the Alumni Network, Walker is deeply involved in his community. He has held multiple advisory positions with his fraternity, including being the past Chapter Advisor of the UAB Chapter of Pi Kappa Phi. Additionally, he has chaired or co-chaired multiple committees for the Birmingham Bar Association.
