The University of North Carolina at Pembroke honored a trio of distinguished alumni and five former standout student-athletes during the 56th annual Alumni Awards and Hall of Fame Ceremony on Friday, October 25.
The dinner and award show were among the many high points of Homecoming weekend, which included the annual step show, a comedy show and an alumni tailgate party.
This year’s alumni award recipients were Taley Strickland Hunt '18, '20 (Young Alumni of the Year) Christine Sides Fisher '75 (Outstanding Alumni of the Year) and Ret. Col. Carlos Berdecia '01 (Distinguished Alumni of the Year).
Hunt, a two-time graduate, earned a degree in mass communications and an MBA from UNC Pembroke. She served as Miss UNCP 2018 and is a beta chapter member of Alpha Pi Omega Sorority. Hunt served as assistant and later senior director in Undergraduate Admissions at UNCP before relocating to Columbia, S.C., with her husband, Jordan '17, and their daughter, Reese, where she launched an impressive career in the real estate industry. Hunt serves as CEO of Taley Hunt Home Group, where her innovative approach and dynamic leadership have led to remarkable advancements.
Earlier in the day, a ceremony was held to celebrate the naming of the Taley and Jordan Hunt Braves Resource Center. Formerly known as the CARE Resource Center, the center offers a food pantry that addresses food insecurity and poverty on campus and in the local community.
Hunt embodies the spirit of the Young Alumna of the Year Award through her exemplary career, unwavering community service and steadfast support of UNCP.
Fisher retired in 2019 from the South Carolina Arts in Basic Curriculum (ABC) at Winthrop University after serving as executive director for 20 years. Under her leadership, the program grew to serve 84 schools or districts and 171,000 students. In 1998, she was named the South Carolina Teacher of the Year––the only music teacher to hold the honor in the program’s history. She was twice selected as a school and district Teacher of the Year and twice chosen as one of the five South Carolina honor roll teachers
She is the recipient of the 2006 Elizabeth O'Neill Verner Governor's Award and in 2012, Winthrop University inducted her into their prestigious Medal of Honor in Arts Society.
Ret. Col. Berdecia is a distinguished U.S. Air Force veteran. He served honorably for 23 years as a C-17 pilot and most recently as the Operations Group Commander at Joint Base Charleston, S.C. His commitment to excellence and leadership in aviation has left a lasting impact on the Air Force and the communities he served.
Throughout his military career, Berdecia demonstrated exemplary skills in strategic airlift operations, flight safety, and mission planning, culminating in a reputation as a highly-skilled aviator and an adaptive leader. He was deployed on numerous worldwide missions, providing critical airlift support during combat operations, humanitarian efforts and disaster relief. He held various leadership positions, mentoring the next generation of airmen and fostering a culture of teamwork and professionalism.
His commitment to service extends beyond his time as an Air Force officer. Berdecia was actively involved in community outreach initiatives, helping to bridge the gap between the military and civilian communities and advocating for veterans' issues.
After retiring, he continues to inspire others through his involvement with numerous veteran non-profit organizations. Berdecia resides in Charleston, S.C., with his wife, Eva.
Hall of Fame Inductees
Former Braves Club President Dallas "Mac" Campbell Jr., baseball player Richard "Cooter" Powell, all-American June Martin, Harlon Hill finalist and football record holder Luke Charles, volleyball and women's basketball player Brenda Faye Council-Corbin, three-time all-Peach Belt Conference selection for women's soccer Fanny Forsman, and the first women's basketball and tennis coach, Ann Webb, were inducted into UNCP's 45th Athletics Hall of Fame Class.
Campbell, a trailblazer and philanthropist of the Braves Club, earned his bachelor's degree from UNC Pembroke in 1968. Owner of Campbell Oil and Gas Company, Campbell has served in various positions at UNCP, including a four-year term on the Board of Trustees, UNCP Football Advisory Board, and president of the Braves Club. A 2019 recipient of the Distinguished Service Award, Campbell was instrumental in renovating the baseball and softball complex for the Black and Gold and the Campbell Wellness Center, which helped develop one of the top athletic training facilities at the Division II level.
A standout pitcher from 1961-64, Powell played for Hall of Fame coach Dick Lauffer. During his career, Powell compiled a 17-6 record on the mound for the Braves. During the 1964 season, Hedd led the team with 12 appearances and picked up seven wins. He posted a 7-0 record and a 0.00 ERA during the 1963 season to be one of the best NAIA pitchers.
A five-time all-conference honoree, Martin qualified for the 1980 Olympic Trials in the 400-meter dash. Martin earned NAIA all-district honors as a cross country and track & field member in 1979 and 1980. He was also tabbed as an all-American in the Mile Relay event following the 1979 season.
A national finalist for the best quarterback on the Division II level in 2013, Charles threw for 71 touchdowns during his time with the Black & Gold. An all-region selection, Charles holds 10 season school records, including pass attempts, pass completions, passing yards, passing touchdowns, pass completion percentage, passing yards/game, total offense/play, total offense/game and total offensive yards. A two-time honorable mention all-American, Charles became the first player in program history to garner postseason all-America nods in multiple seasons.
A 1981 graduate, Council-Corbin earned all-conference honors for volleyball following the 1980 season, where she was also recognized as the team's most dedicated player. A two-sport athlete, Council-Corbin picked up MVP honors during the 1980-81 basketball season. She was named the 2003 conference volleyball coach of the year at South View High School and served as an assistant basketball coach where the team won the NCHSAA State Championship.
After logging more than 5,600 minutes on the pitch, Forsman helped anchor the defense for the Braves, holding opponents to 80 goals in 72 games. A three-time all-Peach Belt Conference selection, two-time NSCAA all-region selection and two-time NCCSIA all-state honoree, Forsman registered 10 goals and eight assists while starting in 60 matches.
A pioneer for women's athletics, Webb was the first women's basketball and tennis coach of the Title IX era. Both sports were added in time for the 1974-75 academic year. Webb was at the helm of the Braves basketball team for two seasons, during which she posted an 18-17 record. She took over the women's tennis program in 1974 and logged a .369 winning percentage over 13 seasons.
