Greensboro College Names Catherine Buck Top Adult Undergraduate Student

Catherine Buck, right, receives the Likins Award from

Greensboro College President Lawrence D. Czarda, Ph.D.

"GREENSBORO, N.C. -- Greensboro College has named Catherine Buck the top graduating adult undergraduate student for 2015.

Buck, of Greensboro, received the Martha Grant and Henry Likins Award during today's Commencement ceremony, during which she also received her B.A. in history with highest honors, signifying a grade-point average of 3.9 or greater.

Buck minored in religion and English. She was inducted into the history, religion, and English honor societies.

Buck returned to college after a decades-long and varied career running a small business and working in local government. While a student, she continued to work part-time while caring for her adult disabled son and her grandchildren.

Four faculty members nominated her for the Likins Award, attesting to her passion for learning, particularly researching and writing.

She took a lead role in the student-led portion of the community-history project on Jewish Greensboro in Prof. Michael Sistrom's North Carolina history class in the fall of 2013, from reviewing Temple Emanuel's archives to conducting interviews and preparing reports.

She continued that work in a history internship in the spring and summer of 2014.

Buck plans to attend graduate school; in the meantime, she wants to continue to write and publish and to work with local community organizations to preserve and present their history.

The Likins Award was begun in 1993 upon Dr. William H. Likins's retirement as 16th president of Greensboro College.

Established by Dr. Jeanne M. Likins and her husband, Dr. Joseph Flood, to honor her parents, the Likins Award is the most prestigious award given to a graduating adult undergraduate student.  The student who receives the award must exemplify the following qualities to which Dr. and Mrs. William Likins were deeply committed:

• academic excellence; 
• love of learning;
• commitment to service and leadership in the community;
• perseverance while balancing family, education, career, and community activities; 
• belief in the attainment of a dream; and 
• commitment to the pursuit of lifelong education.

The recipient is chosen by the faculty from among all nominees for this award.  

Greensboro College provides a liberal-arts education grounded in the traditions of the United Methodist Church and fosters the intellectual, social, and, spiritual development of all students while supporting their individual needs.

Founded in 1838 and located near downtown Greensboro, the college enrolls about 1,150 students from 26 states, the District of Columbia and 10 nations in its undergraduate liberal-arts program and four master's degree programs. In addition to rigorous academics and a well-supported Honors program, the school features a 17-sport NCAA Division III athletic program and dozens of service and recreational opportunities."

- A Press Release