Brescia University recently celebrated its 100th anniversary by honoring 10 distinguished alumni at its inaugural Laurel Awards ceremony.
Presented by the Alumni Association, Athletics Department, and President’s Office, the Laurel Awards were established as part of Brescia’s Centennial Celebration to consolidate the University’s highest alumni honors into one evening. The awards’ name was inspired by the laurel tree, a symbol of triumph, resilience, and virtue found in both the crest of Brescia University and its founding order, the Ursuline Sisters of Mount St. Joseph.
Honorees were recognized for lifetime achievement and given the opportunity to reflect on their Brescia experience and how their Ursuline education shaped their personal and professional lives.
Jason Cox, a 1997 graduate, was named Bearcat of the Year — a new honor for an individual who exemplifies the “Brescia Difference.” A Louisville native and former golf team member, Cox has served the University in multiple roles, including alumni director and head golf coach. He and his wife Tracy now operate The Golf Emporium in Owensboro.
The Father Charles Saffer Alumni Hall of Fame Award was given to Androniki (Andrea) Michaelidou, a 1985 graduate originally from Cyprus who helped expand access to speech-language services in her home country. Inspired by Brescia’s program, she established her own clinic in Nicosia and later served at Makarios Hospital for more than 35 years.
Sister Judith Nell Riney, a 1971 graduate and longtime Brescia library director, received the Outstanding Alumna Award. She helped develop and implement the first online class at Brescia and was instrumental in the transition from a card catalog system to the modern digital library system, according to a release from Brescia. Riney, who retires in May, has served on numerous library boards and committees throughout her career.
Two former student-athletes were inducted into the Athletic Hall of Fame: Will McKenzie (2016 graduate) and Natalie Jones Schweinzger (2020). McKenzie, a standout golfer and “Voice of the Bearcats” announcer, was a two-time conference champion and the 2015 KIAC Player of the Year. Schweinzger earned multiple all-conference honors in volleyball and was named Player of the Year in 2020.
Mazvita Ngorosha (2022) received the Graduate of the Last Decade (GOLD) Award. A native of Zimbabwe, Ngorosha was a campus leader and student-athlete who now works as a software engineer at Abbott in Los Angeles, developing medical device software in the Cardiac Rhythm Management field.
Four alumni received Distinguished Alumni Awards for the broad impact of their careers and community service:
– Monsignor Patrick Bishop (1971), who served in multiple parishes and civic leadership roles across Georgia. He was named Monsignor in 2000 during the pontificate of Pope John Paul II.
– Joan Hayden (1975), a music educator and business leader who became the first woman president of both the Daviess County Lions Club and the Daviess County Farm Bureau.
– Janet Istre Howard (1981), CEO of the Western Kentucky Regional Blood Center, who began her medical career while still a Brescia student and plans to retire in late 2025.
– Chris Reid (1981), president of Independence Bank, who helped grow the family-owned bank into the largest privately owned bank in Kentucky.
