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Virginia Theological Seminary was honored to confer the Dean’s Cross for Servant Leadership on Ellen Wofford Hawkins in recognition of her deep faith and ability to bring sunshine into the lives of others.
The Dean’s Cross, which was awarded to Hawkins by The Very Rev. Ian S. Markham, Ph.D., dean and president of VTS, on Sunday, December 17, 2023, is the highest honor the Seminary confers.
Markham said: “At VTS we need models of the well-formed life. There is no question that Ellen is a person who radiates the love of Christ to everyone she meets. We are delighted to honor her with this award.”
Hawkins moved to VTS in 2000 with her family, and worked at the Seminary’s childcare center, The Butterfly House. She quickly became a beloved figure on campus, known for her warm greetings, inclusive nature, and her ability to remember people’s life stories. During her time at VTS, she also spent several summers working at The Episcopal Church’s Kanuga retreat center. Today, she is employed by Clemson University.
The citation read: “Ms. Ellen Hawkins for being a shining star of love and grace, for your service at the Butterfly House, Kanuga, Clemson University and elsewhere, for your deep faithfulness to our Lord Jesus, for your willingness to reach out and bring sunshine into the lives of others – for all this and more, Virginia Theological Seminary is honored to confer on you the Dean’s Cross for Servant Leadership.”
Established in 2008, the Dean’s Cross recognizes outstanding leaders who embody the baptismal vows to strive for justice and peace among all people and respect the dignity of every human being. Recipients are selected annually by the Seminary’s dean and president, in consultation with the chair of the board. They receive a certificate and a handmade silver cross, modeled on the cross that stood on the steeple of the Seminary’s 1881 Chapel.
Previous recipients of the Dean’s Cross include former First Lady Barbara Bush, poet and novelist Wendell Berry, former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, and Pulitzer Prize-winning author Jon Meacham.
All photos: Rashid Mahdi, Six Half Dozen
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Virginia Theological Seminary was honored to confer the Dean’s Cross for Servant Leadership on Ellen Wofford Hawkins in recognition of her deep faith and ability to bring sunshine into the lives of others.
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