The Lander Alumni Association proudly recognizes outstanding alumni annually for their contributions professionally, civically, and to Lander.
The Distinguished Alumni Award is reserved for alumni who have achieved distinction in their chosen field for participation in civic, cultural, education or church activities. This award is reserved for alumni have distinguished themselves through professional accomplishment and gone on to do something of great benefit to for the broader community.
The Young Alumni Achievement Award is presented to alumni who have graduated in the last 15 years and who have served their community in an exemplary way. This award is reserved for alumni who have demonstrated career achievement, been acknowledged by peers and show a promise of future success.
The Grace Iler Norman Award is named in honor of the very first Alumni Director and recognizes significant alumni achievement and dedication to both the Alumni Association and the University. It is the highest award given by the Lander Alumni Association.
Do you wish to nominate yourself, or another alumni of Lander University, to be recognized for their significant work or achievements? Please complete this form to submit a nomination. All nominations must be submitted by August 31.
For best consideration, please submit no less than 2 paragraphs with supporting information as to why your nominee is deserving of an award. Each nomination will be forwarded to the Special Recognition and Engagement Committee of the Alumni Association Board for review. Final selections will occur at the Fall Alumni Association Board Meeting. Awards will be presented at the annual Alumni Awards luncheon during Homecoming and Alumni Weekend. Thank you for taking the time to help us recognize the wonderful work of our alumni!
For additional questions, please contact us at alumni@lander.edu.
2026 Recipients
Distinguished Alumni Award
Shannon Stephens earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Lander and a master’s degree in clinical psychology from Augusta University. She is a long-time resident of the Augusta area.
Stephens’ commitment to leadership and service began during her years at Lander. She was a member of the inaugural class of the Lander President’s Leadership Program and was voted Outstanding Member. An active member of Phi Mu, she was vice president and standards chairperson for the sorority and received several Lander Foundation Scholarships.
For her academic achievements, Stephens was inducted into academic honor societies, including Blue Key and Alpha Chi. She was an EXPO orientation leader and Student Government Association senator. During her senior year, she was elected SGA President and served on the Presidential Search Committee following the retirement of Dr. Larry Jackson.
After graduate school, Stephens spent 19 years in higher education at Augusta University, beginning her career as an academic advisor and spending most of her tenure in the Counseling Center. There, she served as a licensed professional counselor, graduate internship coordinator and clinical supervisor. She was an adjunct faculty member and presented at state and national conferences. In 2012, she received the Georgia College Counseling Association’s Advocacy for College Counseling Award.
Today, Stephens owns a private psychotherapy practice in Augusta, where she specializes in trauma treatment and integrates her passion for clinical psychology with Christian counseling. She is a certified professional counselor supervisor and enjoys mentoring and investing in the next generation of therapists.
Stephens previously served on the Augusta University Alumni Association Board and was honored as the 2004 Young Alumna of the Year. She has been a member of Trinity on the Hill Global Methodist Church for 29 years, where she is a lay leader, women’s ministry volunteer and Bible study facilitator. She’s also served on mental health advocacy boards and is a lifetime Master 4-H Club member.
Young Alumni Achievement Award
A native of Greenwood, Ryan Wiley earned a bachelor’s degree in mass communication. Growing up, Wiley had a passion for radio broadcasting and working as a voice-over actor. While attending Lander, he was able to utilize this passion by working at Sunny 103.5 FM and WDEK 1170 AM. Wiley also helped build Lander XLR from the ground up and became a radio personality for the station.
In addition to his love for radio and voice acting, Wiley dreamed of working for The Walt Disney Co. In 2011, Ryan applied for the Disney College Program, which gave him a foot in the door after his graduation from Lander. Starting with this program, Wiley has worked for The Walt Disney Company for 14 years in a variety of roles including recreation and quick service food, as well as the beverage, attractions, custodial and entertainment enterprises, where he has had the opportunity to train new cast members and supervise the daily operation.
Today, Wiley is a guest experience manager for the Entertainment Character Team at Disney's Animal Kingdom. He supports the various entertainment offerings across the theme park. He is the recipient of the Walt Disney Legacy Award, the highest honor any Disney cast member can achieve. The peer-nominated award requires cast members to consistently display the traits of Walt Disney: Dream, Create and Inspire.
With a love for radio, voice-over production and Disney, Wiley also found a way to combine his passions when he was selected to be a voice for the Grand Marshal announcement at Magic Kingdom. Wiley’s voice was even heard on Good Morning America when the show featured a cast member being selected as the Grand Marshal. In his time outside of Disney, Wiley has continued to book video games and other projects voicing a variety of characters.
Throughout his career, Wiley has always been proud to represent Lander and has been thankful for opportunities to visit and share his passions with current students. He hopes that by participating in alumni panels and events with XLR that he can inspire students to never give up on their dreams.
Ryan resides in Clermont, Florida, with his wife Lauren. They are the parents of a daughter, Harper, and a son, Rowan.