Tidball Endowment Funds Three New Awards
Published: April 13, 2021
For more than 60 years, the name "Watson Tidball" has been synonymous with "loyal colleague" to the faculty in Greenville College's Management Department. This Monday, the name was associated once again with academic excellence, exemplary leadership and service - qualities demonstrated by the first recipients of the department's newly unveiled Watson Tidball Management Awards.
Management Department Chair Ivan Filby joined Professor Emeritus Tidball in presenting the awards at a reception in the Watson and Bonnie Tidball Alumni House on the Greenville College campus. An audience including members of the Tidball family watched Matthew Scandrett receive the award for accounting, Matthew Pollek receive the award for management, and Reed Lape receive the award for marketing. All three recipients will graduate later this month.
Filby described accounting major Matthew Scandrett as passionate about accounting and ministry. Scandrett, whose long-term goals include seminary training and the pastorate, sees accounting as important to managing church finances. Filby likened Scandrett to Tidball in melding academic excellence with faith.
Filby hailed Matthew Pollek, recipient of the Watson Tidball Management Award, as "a fine example of a student leader." Pollek's activities include resident chaplaincy, assisting in the administration of Vespers, and competitive track where he has received national recognition for the long jump. "Matt balances all of these responsibilities well," said Filby.
Finally, Filby introduced Reed Lape, recipient of the Watson Tidball Marketing Award, as the Greenville College Student Association's current president. He recognized the marketing and communication major for consistently producing excellent work. "Reed's work is always on time and often early. He coordinates well in teams. He's good at thinking about the needs of people, and that's what makes good marketing."
Each of the awardees received a $1,000 check, funded by an endowment established through the generosity of Watson and Bonnie Tidball. Watson Tidball, a 1949 graduate of Greenville College, served the College as associate professor of management and director of planned giving from 1949 to 1993. For decades, Bonnie Tidball, a 1948 graduate of Greenville College, graciously joined her husband in warmly welcoming members of the college community into their home. The couple has been part of the Greenville College community for over half of the College's existence.
The Watson Tidball Management Awards give professors in the Management Department opportunities to recognize excellence in their students, not only in academics, but also in their leadership and service activities. "Perhaps more importantly," reflects Filby, "It gives us an opportunity to tell the students about Watson Tidball, who has maintained excellence over the long run. He is one of the legends of Greenville College."
Filby reminded Monday's audience that the Tidball endowment and awards exemplify the vision, planning and action of good management. "Watson sees the big picture and is doing something that will endure well past all of our lifetimes."
Filby's descriptions of awardees Scandrett, Pollek and Lape, also painted a vivid image of Tidball's enduring legacy - graduates who excel in faith, academics, leadership and service.
