Catawba College News August

8/1/2026 | Issue

Yvonne Lee '26 Earns Prestigious 2026 Honda Inspiration Award

Yvonne Lee, a redshirt junior guard of Catawba College Women's Basketball, has been named the recipient of the Class of 2026 Honda Inspiration Award, as announced by Chris Voelz, Executive Director of The Collegiate Women Sports Awards (CWSA), presented by Honda.

The Honda Inspiration Award recognizes a collegiate female student-athlete who has overcome significant physical or emotional adversity to return to athletic success. One of the most compelling honors in collegiate athletics, it has been awarded annually for the past 38 years across NCAA Divisions I, II, and III.

The announcement comes during a landmark year for the Collegiate Women Sports Awards, as the organization celebrates its 50th anniversary throughout the 2025–26 collegiate athletics season. Lee's inspiring story will be recognized alongside the Class of 2026 Honda Sport Award winners, the Honda Division II and III Athletes of the Year, and 20 legendary past Cup winners and CWSA honorees during the live telecast of the Collegiate Women Sports Awards presented by Honda on Monday, July 27, 2026, at 7 p.m. ET on CBS Sports Network from New York City.

James A. Davis '78 Has Been Named to The Legal 250 by North Carolina Lawyers Weekly

The Legal 250 recognizes the most influential attorneys across the state's legal landscape. The publication celebrates leaders in the law by highlighting their career achievements and impact within the legal community. He was ranked one of the top 7 most influential criminal defense attorneys in the state.

James Davis is an attorney at Davis & Davis in Salisbury, with 34 years of practice concentrating in criminal defense. He comes from a legal family — his father was a criminal defense attorney, solicitor and district court judge in Rowan County, and his uncle served as a superior court judge in Cabarrus County for more than three decades.

Davis has spoken at 49 continuing legal education programs dedicated to assisting defense attorneys and has served on the North Carolina Disciplinary Hearing Commission, the NC State Bar Board of Continuing Legal Education and the Criminal Law Specialty Committee of the Board of Legal Specialization. He has also served as a program chair for the North Carolina Advocates for Justice.

Regional Campaign Events

Join President Nelson and Meg Dees, Vice President of Development, to see Where Our Good Goes! Food and beverages will be provided.

Event Details

Four Forever Friends: A Catawba Bond That Became a Legacy

The "Four Forever Friends" Scholarship at Catawba College celebrates the lifelong friendship of four women—Florence Peck, Eleanor Ann Link, Alice Carrick, and Joann Stang—who met as freshmen in Claremont Residence Hall in 1958. Created to honor their 80th birthdays and more than 60 years of friendship, the scholarship supports academically strong, first-generation students pursuing education, reflecting the women's own experiences as first-generation college students and their belief in the transformative power of education.

The friends reunited on campus in April 2026 during the Goodman School of Education's end-of-year celebration, where the scholarship's impact was recognized. Since its establishment, it has supported two future educators. Their time at Catawba was marked by close friendships, campus involvement, supportive faculty mentors, and memorable experiences that shaped their personal and professional lives.

Megan Bean '14 Receives Second Place at the 2026 Selah Awards for Memoir

Megan Bean's memoir, Just Megan: A Story of Grace and Resilience in the Face of the Unknown (Redemption Press, 2025), earned second place in the Memoir category at the 2026 Selah Awards, presented annually at the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference. The Selah Awards recognize excellence in Christian publishing across multiple genres.

In Just Megan, Bean shares her journey of growing up with disabilities caused by a mysterious health condition, offering a story of faith, perseverance, and hope for readers seeking goodness amid life's unanswered questions. Among the memoir's highlights is her experience navigating college with the unwavering support of the Catawba community, a chapter that reflects the lasting impact of her alma mater on her life and journey.