In recognition of their “unusual, meritorious or superior contributions,” six University employees will receive the 2019 C. Knox Massey Distinguished Service Awards. Chosen from campus-wide nominations by Interim Chancellor Kevin M Guskiewicz, the recipients will be honored at an April 27 awards luncheon. Each winner receives a $10,000 stipend and an award citation.

“These amazing colleagues who, through their dedicated work and commitment to excellence, continually up the pace of progress at the Carolina we cherish and love,” Guskiewicz said. “We thank them for their service to our University and our state. They are the soul of this most public of the public universities.”

The late C. Knox Massey of Durham established the award in 1980. In 1984, Massey joined the families of his son, Knox Massey Jr., and daughter, Kay Massey Weatherspoon to create the Massey-Weatherspoon fund. Income from the fund supports the Massey Awards and Carolina Seminars. This year marks the award’s 40th anniversary.

The 2019 recipients are:

Robert G. Anthony Jr., curator of the North Carolina Collection and director of the North Carolina Digital Heritage Center for University Libraries;
Lynn White Blanchard, director of the Carolina Center for Public Service;
Nancy Denise Burton, receptionist and administrative support specialist for Housekeeping Services;
Linda Brown Douglas, director of volunteer engagement for University Development;
Deborah L. Hawkins, manager of parking control and event operations in Transportation and Parking; and
Sharon Horton Jones, director of student services and assessment at the School of Media and Journalism.

Robert G. Anthony Jr.

Anthony has devoted his nearly 40-year career to caring for and about the knowledge and artifacts that define North Carolina’s cultural heritage. While earning his master’s degree in library science from Carolina, he was introduced to the North Carolina Collection and after graduation in 1982, returned to his alma mater as development librarian. He was appointed curator of the North Carolina Collection in 1994 and now manages 19 million cultural heirlooms in the nation’s largest single-state collection. He is praised for digitizing the Collection and expanding its influence far beyond its home in Wilson Library.

Lynn White Blanchard

Blanchard has elevated Carolina into one of the nation’s top universities for service-learning. She earned dual degrees in health behavior and health education from Carolina: a master’s in public health in 1985 and a doctorate in 1989. She joined the staff in 1992 and in 2002, became director of the Carolina Center for Public Service. The center is home to APPLES Service-Learning, Buckley Public Service Scholars Program, Thorp Faculty Engaged Scholars Program and coordination of the University’s disaster response. In the aftermath of Hurricanes Michael and Florence in 2018, Blanchard organized relief efforts that included more than 60,000 pounds of supplies delivered to affected areas.

Nancy Denise Burton

Burton took classes in her spare time to advance from her position as third shift housekeeper to become an administrative support specialist in Housekeeping Services. In 18 years at Carolina, she has inspired and motivated others through an admirable personal and collective work ethic. She is valued not only for the tremendous responsibility she carries, but also for the collegiality she cultivates. “Nancy would take lemons and make lemonade, lemon pie and lemon ice cream,” wrote a nominator. “She makes our work environment very enjoyable with her smile, laughter and friendliness.”

Linda Brown Douglas

Douglas graduated from Carolina in 1982 with a bachelor’s degree in journalism. She returned to her alma mater in 1998 as director of community relations in University Relations, and since then, has served Carolina through outreach that exceeds her current responsibilities as director of volunteer engagement in University Development. Her previous positions included leading the Tar Heel Bus Tour and increasing gifts to the Carolina Cares, Carolina Shares campaign for University Development. She is currently working to raise the profile and impact of the Board of Visitors and spearheading the University’s Alumni Committee on Racial and Ethnic Diversity efforts.

Deborah L. Hawkins

Nearly 75 colleagues nominated Hawkins, praising her leadership, operational experience, responsiveness and logistical savvy. She earned a bachelor’s degree from Carolina in 1988 and in 29 years of service to the University, she has overseen parking for the arrival and departure of two U.S. presidents, one first lady and two vice presidents. Though visits from dignitaries are uncommon, large-scale event parking is as regular as the 10,000-student migration each semester and as untimely as a funeral. In 2017, the Employee Forum presented Hawkins with its highest honor, the Three-Legged Stool Award, recognizing those who promote cooperation and collaboration among faculty, staff and students.

Sharon Horton Jones

In nearly 47 years of service, Jones has acquired invaluable institutional knowledge and the wisdom to apply it for the good of all concerned. She is praised by her co-workers for being supportive, collaborative and involved. Nominators describe her as a mother figure, “the heart and soul of the School” and “a hero to thousands of students.” As director of assessment, Jones is as attentive to administrative detail as she is to those who seek her counsel. She successfully supervises the processes necessary to endorsement by the Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communication.