Brevard College is proud to announce the recipients of its 2026 Distinguished Alumni, Distinguished Young Alumni, and Distinguished Faculty/Staff Awards, recognizing alumni and faculty members whose accomplishments, leadership, and service exemplify the College’s mission to Learn in Order to Serve. The honorees will be recognized during Homecoming 2026, October 16–18, on the Brevard College campus.
This year’s recipients include:
• Distinguished Alumna Award: Althea Dunn `15
• Distinguished Young Alumna Award: Jessica Gomez `19
• Distinguished Faculty and Staff Awards: Dr. Robert A. Bauslaugh and Dr. Anne Chapin (posthumously)
Althea Dunn `15 – Distinguished Alumna Award
Althea “Thea” Dunn has dedicated her career to education, community engagement, and service. A summa cum laude graduate of Brevard College, Dunn majored in English, minored in Wilderness Leadership and Experiential Education, and concentrated in Journalism and Professional Communications. She was also a member of the women’s soccer team and participated in Voice of the Rivers, demonstrating the academic excellence, leadership, and commitment to experiential learning that define a Brevard College education.
After graduation, Dunn gained experience in outdoor education and recreation before co-founding Pisgah Collective, an innovative outdoor-based early childhood education program serving families throughout Transylvania County. Through her leadership, the organization has addressed a critical need for preschool care while helping children develop creativity, independence, and a lifelong connection to the natural world.
Dunn’s entrepreneurial vision and commitment to strengthening her community through purposeful action have made a lasting impact on families across Western North Carolina. Her work reflects the values of service, leadership, and engagement that she cultivated as a student and continues to embody as an alumna of Brevard College.
Jessica Wiegandt Gomez `19 – Distinguished Young Alumna
Jessica Gomez has established herself as an emerging leader in environmental filmmaking and storytelling. A double major in Wilderness Leadership and Experiential Education and English with a concentration in Journalism and Professional Communications, Gomez fully embraced the experiential learning opportunities that define a Brevard College education. She was actively involved in the Outing Club, Climbing Club, Student Government Association, Alpha Chi, Omicron Delta Kappa, The Clarion, and the Paddling Club, where she served as president. As a First Year Experience Teaching Assistant, writer for Blue Ridge Outdoors Magazine, and participant in the 2018 Voice of the Rivers expedition, she seamlessly blended her passions for storytelling, outdoor leadership, and conservation. Her experiences also included studying abroad in Panama and producing her senior film project, Back in Session, which debuted at BANFF in Brevard and helped launch the filmmaking career she pursues today.
After earning her MFA from American University, Gomez built a career as a freelance cinematographer, editor, and producer focused on environmental and wildlife stories. She has worked on productions for PBS, National Geographic, the BBC, and other organizations, highlighting conservation, science, and positive community impact.
A graduate of Brevard College summa cum laude, Gomez received the Outstanding Senior Award in WLEE, Outstanding English Major Award, Presidential Award for Scholarship, and Presidential Award for Distinction. Her filmmaking has earned national recognition, including National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (NATAS) Capital Emmy Awards and multiple film festival honors for projects such as The Grand Salmon, A River Called Home, and Troubled Tributary: Maryland’s Patuxent River.
Through her work and volunteer service, Gomez continues to advance environmental stewardship, mentor emerging filmmakers, and develop educational programming that connects students and communities with science, conservation, and the natural world. She remains actively engaged with Brevard College and exemplifies the College’s motto, Learn in Order to Serve.
Distinguished Faculty and Staff Awards
Together, Dr. Robert A. Bauslaugh and the late Dr. Anne Chapin helped shape generations of Brevard College students through their shared commitment to teaching, scholarship, experiential learning, and mentorship. As respected scholars, beloved professors, and devoted members of the Brevard College community, their combined impact on the institution spans decades and continues to be felt throughout campus today.
Dr. Robert A. Bauslaugh
Dr. Robert A. Bauslaugh is being recognized for his extraordinary contributions to Brevard College as a teacher, scholar, administrator, and mentor. As Professor of Ancient History and Classics and former Dean of Faculty, he inspired generations of students through engaging instruction and a passion for helping students understand the enduring relevance of the ancient world.
A hallmark of Dr. Bauslaugh’s career has been his commitment to experiential learning. Through educational travel programs in Italy, Greece, Bolivia, Egypt and Peru, alongside Dr. Anne Chapin and Dr. Jim Reynolds, he helped students connect classroom learning with firsthand cultural and historical experiences that broadened their understanding of the world.
A respected scholar, Dr. Bauslaugh earned degrees from the University of California, Riverside and the University of California, Berkeley and was later selected as a fellow in Columbia University’s Society of Fellows.
Dr. Bauslaugh’s commitment to Brevard College continues through his active engagement with the campus community and through the creation of an endowed scholarship honoring the memory of his late wife, Dr. Anne Chapin. Together, their careers reflect a shared dedication to academic excellence, student success, and the transformative power of experiential learning.
Dr. Anne Chapin (Posthumously)
The late Dr. Anne Chapin is being honored posthumously for her remarkable legacy as an educator, scholar, mentor, and colleague. During her 25 years at Brevard College, she inspired students through her enthusiasm for art history and archaeology and her unwavering commitment to teaching, mentorship, and experiential learning.
An internationally respected scholar of ancient Mediterranean art and archaeology, Dr. Chapin authored numerous scholarly publications, edited major research volumes, and played key leadership roles in archaeological excavations in Greece.
Alongside her husband, Dr. Robert Bauslaugh, Dr. Chapin helped create a culture of intellectual curiosity and global engagement that enriched the lives of countless students. Their combined contributions have left an indelible mark on Brevard College and stand as a testament to a lifetime devoted to education, scholarship, and service.