The Augusta State University Alumni Association presented its annual awards at a dinner Feb. 3 at the Augusta Country Club. Five awards were presented, two of them to ASU faculty members.

The Distinguished Alumna Award was presented to Helen M. Callahan, ’56, ’69, professor of history and anthropology, for achieving excellence in her profession and for providing outstanding support to the community and to the university. The Town and Gown Award went to Paulette P. Harris, Cree Walker Professor of Education. Other award winners included Rep Jack Connell, speaker Pro Tem, Georgia House of Representatives, who was presented the Distinguished Service Award; Carole J. Smith, ’95, assistant director of corporate and foundation relations at the University of Georgia, who received the Golden Key Award, and Ronald J. Wiggins, ’90, ’98, assistant principal, Hephzibah High School, who won the first-time Young Alumnus Award.

Dr. Callahan is a noted historian who has given more than 650 presentations on local history and authored numerous books and articles on the topic. She is the author of Summerville: A Pictorial History; Yesterday's Augusta; and Augusta Pictorial History. She will be retiring this year after serving the institution for nearly 30 years.

Dr. Harris joined the university in 1979 and was named the Cree Walker Professor of Education in 1992. She was named the 1996 Reading/Literacy Leader of the Year for the state of Georgia and is the founder/director of ASU's Literacy Center. She is a member and former president of the American Association of University Women.