Spiders are known for giving back in many ways to the UR community, and we’re lucky to be able to honor a handful of alumni each year who go above and beyond in making our community stronger and better. Richmond’s Alumni Awards for Distinguished Service recognize alumni whose service to profession, community, or alma mater is particularly outstanding. This year we have two incredible recipients.

Steve Aronson, R’87, models the power of Spiders giving back in service. Aronson fostered a successful recruitment path for students between Barclays and Richmond, and he continues to mentor many undergraduates through Career Services. He serves on both UR’s Board of Trustees and the Robin School’s executive advisory committee. This year, Aronson co-chaired his class reunion committee. What is truly remarkable are the quiet ways in which he has shaped Richmond for the better. In 2009, he created a scholarship to support international students in honor of his mother, Paraskevi Moisidou. His generosity has also ensured our campus remains an inspiring place to students, faculty, and staff as he was the lead supporter of the beautiful Sigma Phi Epsilon Founders walk that leads to the International Center.

1964 alum Larry Boppe’s engagement with UR has been continuous since he graduated. He has served as a board member for the University’s Alumni Association since 2012, hosting regional alumni events and serving as an ambassador for prospective students, athletes, and alumni. His enthusiasm for Richmond is infectious. Richmond Spider sports have been Larry’s primary love at UR. He might, in fact, hold the record for being our most enthusiastic supporter. He and his wife, Judy, attend every football game both home and away and have traveled from Bangor, Maine, to Spokane, Washington. The Boppes also attend most home basketball games even though “every game is an away game” since they live near Charlotte, North Carolina. Their trips back to campus number well over 100 for the past decade!

Richmond also recognized Jaime Settle, ’07, as our distinguished recent graduate during Reunion Weekend. Settle earned her doctorate in political science at the University of California, San Diego, and now teaches political science at the College of William and Mary, where she’s become the type of faculty member we pride ourselves on at Richmond. Settle also directs W&M’s Social Networks and Political Psychology Lab and co-directs the Social Science Research Methods Center. Her research focuses on the way Americans experience politics on a daily basis, including responses to disagreeable face-to-face conversations and the consequences of political interaction on social media. And, just like Richmond faculty, she’s an incredible teacher, researcher, and mentor to her students.

The Jepson School of Leadership Studies awarded its 10th Year Reunion Recognition Award to Mark Hickman, ’07, and its Alumni Award to Camille T.C. Hammond, ’97.

Mark Hickman’s career connects industries, organizations, and individuals to strive toward common goals. At the Partnership for Nonprofit Excellence, he transformed and managed ConnectVa, a virtual hub for nonprofits that was founded at UR. His community development skills eventually led him to the ChamberRVA team, where he served as senior manager of government and community affairs and coordinated a successful multi-level campaign advocating for the GRTC Bus Rapid Transit Project. He also expanded and launched Chamber workforce development programs and coordinated Politics 101, a nonpartisan program aimed at developing future political leaders in the Richmond region. Mark recently began a new job at Commonwealth Strategy Group, a strategic full-service government relations firm at the forefront of public policy issues in Virginia government.

Camille T.C. Hammond currently serves as CEO of the Tinina Q. Cade Foundation, a nonprofit organization she cofounded with her husband to provide support to families with infertility. As a physician-researcher, Dr. Hammond looks for ways to improve fertility outcomes, particularly for socioeconomically and geographically disadvantaged demographic groups. She has given lectures and hosted programming about infertility and family building throughout the country. She is the author of several scientific articles on fertility related outcomes in disadvantaged groups and cancer survivors. She is an active member of the American Society of Clinical Oncology, the American Society of Reproductive Medicine, the American Society of Preventive Medicine, and the National Medical Association.

The above paragraphs only represent part of what these Spiders and so many others are doing on behalf of the University. One thing is for sure: There will always be a lot to celebrate about our Spider Family, and when we come together to do so, it always leaves us inspired by what our alumni achieve.