Rome, Ga. – Shorter University recognized three graduates with its 2019 Distinguished Alumni Awards during Homecoming Weekend.

Caption: Distinguished Alumni Award recipient Dr. Scott Shepherd (left) and Distinguished Young Alumni Award recipient Freddie Hart (right) were presented awards by Shorter University President Dr. Don Dowless (left center) and Alumni Association Board President Darrell Black (right center). Also pictured are Alumni Board member Rick Hunt and Abbey Jacks, Shorter’s Director of Alumni and Community Engagement. Distinguished Alumni Service Award winner Sheri Ransome was unable to attend.

Awards were presented to Dr. Scott Shepherd, who received the Distinguished Alumni Award; Sheri Hamiter Ransome, who received the Distinguished Alumni Service Award, and Freddie Hart, who received the Distinguished Young Alumni Award.

The Distinguished Alumni Award honors a graduate who has demonstrated outstanding professional achievement, public service, or accomplishment in service to the global community. Shepherd serves as Worship and Music Specialist with the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board. He served in local worship ministry for 24 years, most recently as Associate Pastor of Music and Worship at First Baptist Church in Paris, Tenn. He directs the Tennessee Men’s Chorale and Tennessee Ladies Chorus and has served as a clinician and conference leader at local, state and regional events. He served on the adjunct faculty at Union University and leads worship regularly with his family, The Shepherd Family.

Shepherd graduated from Shorter in 1999 with a Bachelor of Music Education degree; he also holds a master’s degree from the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and a doctorate in Worship Studies from the Robert E. Webber Institute for Worship Studies.

Shepherd is married to his college sweetheart, Traci, and they have four children: Jordan, 17; Iris, 14; Gideon, 12; and Grace, 9. The family lives in Henry, Tenn.

The Distinguished Alumni Service Award recognizes a graduate who has given outstanding service to the University in leadership, volunteerism, on-campus service, recruiting efforts, or financial support.

Ransome graduated from Shorter in 2015 with a Master of Arts in Leadership. Her career in higher education fundraising began at her undergraduate alma mater, Troy University, where she received a Bachelor of Science in Communication Arts. She currently serves Samford University as an Advancement Officer. She and her family live in Birmingham, Ala.

The Distinguished Young Alumni Award honors a Shorter graduate from the last 15 years who has shown promise through their professional achievement, community service, and/or dedication to the University and who embraces the Shorter University mission.

A Lilburn, Ga., resident, Hart earned his undergraduate degree in Criminal Justice with a minor in Marketing from Shorter in 2017 and his Master of Management from Shorter in 2018. He serves as Social Media Marketing Director for Compac Industries and the Student Outreach Minister for First Baptist Church of Snellville. He also works with a non-profit organization called NG3, which focuses on small group discipleship and mentorship with high school athletes at South Gwinnett High School.

Founded in 1873, Shorter University is a Christ-centered, four-year liberal arts university committed to excellence in education. The Princeton Review annually includes Shorter on its list of best Southeastern Colleges. The university offers traditional bachelor’s degrees in 40 areas of study, online courses and degree programs, undergraduate programs for working adults, associate’s and master’s programs.