Louise Carter Fallis Award
Louise Carter Fallis Award
In 1996, Richard Fallis, then Dean of the School of Humanities and Education, established the Louise Carter Fallis award in social work to honor the memory of his mother. Mrs. Fallis felt a calling to Christian service and work with the poor. Following that calling, she earned a graduate degree in Christian Education and Social Work. She then served the Baptist Sunday School Board writing curriculum materials and teaching in a seminary extension program.
Although she was never employed as a social worker, Mrs. Fallis gave tirelessly to programs for social justice. Dr. Fallis remembers at the height of the Civil Rights era while he was a teenager, he and his family were passing through Montgomery, Alabama and happened to visit the State Capitol. At that point, George Wallace had said Martin Luther King, Jr. would never set foot in the place. In the governor's office, there was a visitor's book in which Mrs. Fallis promptly signed Dr. King's name. When the young Richard Fallis looked a little startled, Mrs. Fallis whispered to her son, 'That'll give George something new to worry about'.
It is with that spirit of social justice and caring that each year we honor the outstanding social work graduate with this award. Along with that, we thank Dr. Fallis and his family for this award. We are honored that the award is continuing even though Dr. Fallis is no longer at Belmont University. We wish him well in his work at Mercer University.
Here is a list of seniors who have won this honor.
2012 Kelsey Lalman
(top right)
2011 Serena Sherrill (bottom right)
2010 Whitney Harold Davis
2009 Hannah Olson
2008 Laura Gulker Leach
2007 Misty Yarbrough
2006 Yolanda Bennett
2005 Kristen Vance
2004 Rachel Messer
2003 Tara Lawson Loftis
2002 Becky Julian
2001 Jennifer Huddleston
2000 Catherine "Peach" Bowers
1999 Rachel Delary
1998 Stephanie Miller
1997 Amy Houk
1996 Amy Durham