ELON COLLEGE – For their service and loyalty to Elon College, the Rev. Dr. G. Melvin Palmer of Greensboro and Jo Watts Williams of Burlington were recently honored by the college.
The two were presented with the Elon Medallion, which is given to individuals who in some official capacity have rendered outstanding service to the college and are distinguished by the unusual length and quality of their service.
Palmer began his career with Elon in 1973 when he was named to the board of trustees. He has served as the board’s chair, vice chair and currently as chair pro tem.
Palmer is pastor of Peace United Church of Christ in Greensboro for 32 years and the founding president of the Southern Conference of the United Church of Christ.
Williams, a 1955 graduate of Elon, began working at the college in 1945. Over the past 30 years she has served as a faculty member, associate dean of academic affairs, founding director of the Learning Resource Center, vice president for development and currently as special assistant to the president. She received a master’s degree and doctorate from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.
Williams has also been active in the community. She serves on the board of directors for Alamance Regional Medical Center and Wachovia Bank & Trust and as a trustee and ruling elder at First Presbyterian Church. She has two sons.
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