ALUMNI NOTES


Baptist Convention Committee on Nominations, vice chairman of the board of the Parson’s Pantry ministry, and a member of the Executive Board of the South Carolina Baptist Convention. Stephen holds a Master of Divinity degree from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary and a Doctor of Ministry degree from North Greenville University. He and his wife, Julie, have three children, Natalie, Tyler, and Ruthie.


Marlin Ketter (MMEd) won the 2020 SCMEA Outstanding Young Music Educator award. Ketter is a music teacher at Hartsville Middle School in Hartsville, SC. He is NGU’s fifth graduate to receive this prestigious award from the South Carolina Music Educators Association.


2017


Troy Blyden is a member of the world-famous Harlem Globetrotters.


Mitchell Plumer is the assistant director of student involvement for recreation at Presbyterian College in Clinton, S.C. He was a competitive sports graduate assistant at West Virginia University before joining PC. He earned his master's degree in sport management from WVU in May. Plumer’s officiating experience includes being a Division II volleyball official, along with being a high school and recreation basketball and volleyball official,


Ruby Lee started graduate school at Louisiana State University.


Rob Weber recently started a new position with The United States District Court for The District of South Carolina as a case administrator to The Hon- orable Jacquelyn D. Austin. In this role, he manages the prison inmate cases.


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Alumni are one of our greatest sources for historical material. NGU archives is looking for Annuals from:


1923 • 1928 • 1929 • 1932 • 1933 • 1934 • 1935 • 1936 • 1942 • 1943


Do you have other material from days at North Greenville you would like to donate? Call Lisa Hagin at 864-977-2125 or email Lisa.Hagin@ngu.edu.


We include Alumni Notes to showcase the accomplishments and milestones of the NGU family. These notes are not intended, however, to endorse specific individuals or their services.


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baseball umpire, and an official in the NIRSA Region I Regional Basketball Championships in 2019.


2019


Carson Myers is now working for American Airlines in Knoxville, TN.


2020


Blake Thompson has joined Ernst & Young LLP in their audit and assur-


ance practice, working in their Pittsburgh, PA office. He won the 2020 Elite 23


award, in addition to the 2019 award.


NGU’s Johnson passes at 78


Dr. Ralph L. Johnson, creator of NGU’s na- tionally recognized sport management program, died June 8 after a months-long illness. He was 78. The lifelong educator was dean of the univer- sity’s College of Business and Sport Professions for 23 years. He was named Dean Emeritus by NGU’s Board of Trustees upon his retirement.


“Dr. Johnson has left an incredible legacy in the lives of his students and colleagues. For so many, he was not merely a professor but a second father and mentor,” said NGU President Dr. Gene C. Fant, Jr. “His desire for the professional training of his students was exceeded only by his desire to see them grow spiritually.”


The McKeesport, PA, native had a career span- ning more than five decades. He worked in ad- ministrative, coaching and teaching positions at Youngstown State University, Indiana University of Pennsylvania, Clemson University and NGU. He wrote more than 100 textbooks and manuals for The American Red Cross, the YMCA of USA and AAHPERD. He was the founder and CEO of Professional Aquatic Risk Management Associ- ates, LLC, and traveled extensively testifying as an Expert Witness for water-related accidents.


“His leadership, deep love for sport management, and sincere academic discipleship led to develop- ing the number-one-ranked sport management program in the country,” said Dr. Jeff Briggs, professor of sport management.


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