Randolph-Macon College honors the contributions of retiring faculty with more than 10 years of service to the College with the Bruce M. Unger Award at Commencement each spring.

Professor Bruce M. Unger was a Political Science professor at RMC for 40 years. Unger planned to retire in 2008, but lost his courageous fight against cancer before his retirement was official.

At the Commencement for the Class of 2020, Randolph-Macon honored three faculty who retired during that unusual academic year.

Dr. Aouicha E. Hilliard, Professor of French, who joined the faculty in 1977, earned her Licence es Lettres from the Universite d’Alger, her M.A. from the University of Rhode Island, and a Ph.D. from the University of Rochester.  Dr. Hilliard received tenure in 1989 and served as Department Chair of the Romance Languages/Modern Languages department for many years.  Dr. Hilliard founded the Office of International Education at RMC pioneering internationalization of the campus during a time when such an effort was hardly recognized.  She is a recipient of the Samuel Nelson Gray Distinguished Professor Award, the United Methodist Church Award for Exemplary Teaching, and the Thomas Branch Award for Excellence in Teaching. 

Associate Professor Carroll LaHaye began her stellar career at RMC in 1982 when she was hired as Head Coach of women’s soccer and lacrosse and Assistant Women’s Basketball Coach.  In September 1990, she was appointed as Head Women’s Basketball Coach and Assistant Professor of Athletics and Physical Education.  One year later, she was promoted to Associate Professor and appointed Director of Physical Education.  LaHaye was named ODAC Coach of the Year four times and the Virginia Sports Information Directors State Coach of the Year five times winning eight ODAC regular season titles and eight tournament crowns along the way.  In 2018 she became the 59th coach in NCAA women’s basketball to win 600 games.

Dr. George S. Lowry, Professor of Business, joined the faculty in 1984.  He earned his B.A, from Morris Harvey College, University of Charleston, a M.S. from Radford University, and a Ph.D. from Virginia Commonwealth University.  Receiving tenure in 1998, Dr. Lowry served as the Director of the Bassett Internship Program for 14 years, the Director of the International Relations/International Studies Program for 5 years and chaired the Department of Economics and Business for 4 years.  Recognized as a versatile teacher and outstanding mentor to countless students, he received the Thomas Branch Award in 2011.

At the Commencement for the Class of 2021, Randolph-Macon honored five faculty who plan or planned to retire at the conclusion of the year.

Dr. George F. Spagna, Jr., Associate Professor of Physics, joined the faculty in 1986 having received his B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. Having received tenure in 1992, he has acted as the Director of the Keeble Observatory, the facilitator of the Astrophysics Minor, the Physics Department Chair, Co-director of the Bassett Internship Program, and Advisor to Sigma Pi Sigma. He has served on many, many College committees over the years.

Dr. Bruce Torrence, Professor of Mathematics, joined the RMC faculty in 1993, having earned a B.A. from Tufts University, a M.A. from the University of Maryland, and a Ph.D. from the University of Virginia.  He received tenure in 1999 and was promoted to full professor in 2006. He served as Chair of the Mathematics Department from 1999 through 2017, having previously served as Assistant Chair from 1997 to 1999. He held the Dorothy and Muscoe Garnett Professorship from 2009 to 2019 and served as Co-Director of the Honors Program from 1997 to 2000.  In 2017, he received the Samuel Nelson Gray Distinguished Professor Award.

Dr. Eve A. Torrence, Professor of Mathematics, joined the RMC faculty in 1994, having earned a B.S. from Tufts University and a M.A. and Ph.D. from the University of Virginia.  Dr. Torrence received tenure in 1999 and was promoted to Professor in 2008.  She is a recipient of the Maryland-DC-Virginia MAA Section Sister Helen Christensen Service Award, the People’s Choice Best of Show Mathematical Award, the Art Conway Enthusiasm for Teaching Award, the MAA Trevor Evans Writing Award, and the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia Outstanding Faculty Award.

Dr. Donna S. Turney, Associate Professor of Philosophy, joined RMC in 1985 after earning her B.A, from State University of New York at Plattsburg and a Ph.D. from the University of Pennsylvania.  Receiving tenure in 1991, Dr. Turney has published and presented on logical positivism, feminist epistemology, and service-learning in philosophy. Her extensive record of College service includes roles as Philosophy Department Chair, Director of Gender, Sexuality, and Women’s Studies, Executive Committee Chair, and Family Leave Advocate.

Dr. M. Thomas Inge, Robert Emory Blackwell Professor of the Humanities, was honored posthumously, having lost his life before his planned retirement. Dr. Inge joined the faculty in 1984 having received his B.A. in English and Spanish from RMC, his M.A. and Ph.D. degrees from Vanderbilt University.  A senior Fulbright Scholar and Resident Scholar with the U. S. Information Agency, he consulted, lectured, and taught abroad in eighteen countries and led RMC travel-study courses to the Soviet Union and China.  Dr. Inge authored or edited over sixty books.