ALUMNI AWARDS
Stratford Announces Its 2023 Alumni Award Recipients
The Stratford Alumni Association awards two recognitions at commencement honoring alumni of the school. The Distinguished Alumnus Award for Outstanding Career Achievement and the Alumni Service Award both were inaugurated in 1986 and all graduates of Stratford Academy are eligible for these awards.
DISTINGUISHED ALUMNUS AWARD FOR OUTSTANDING CAREER ACHIEVEMENT
The Distinguished Alumnus Award goes to an individual who has made an outstanding contribution through his/her vocation or who otherwise deserves to be recognized for outstanding achievement in some field or endeavor. Alumni in the fields of law, medicine, education, business, ministry and the arts have been recognized for their career achievements and excelling in their chosen fields by making a difference in the world around them.
The 2023 recipient of the Distinguished Alumnus Award is Andy Lawson, Class of 1964. After graduating from Duke University with a degree in history, Andy taught in the Bibb County school system for five years before taking a job in 1973 at Stratford, which was then on Bond Street. Stratford headmaster, Dr. Joe B. Hill, Jr., told Lawson that if he would teach history and Algebra, then he would give him any position he wanted the following year. In 1974, Andy found his permanent home as Stratford’s sixth-grade ancient history teacher where he stayed until 2020. He was asked by Stratford headmaster, Henry Tift, to organize a Middle School for Stratford in 1977 and served as the Middle School principal from 1977 until 1991. He even served as Lower School principal for a few years in the mid-1990s. All total, Andy’s teaching time at Stratford was 47 years. In that time, he influenced thousands of students and represented our school in innumerable ways, including serving as a class reunion coordinator, annual fund volunteer, SACS accreditation team leader, mentor to new faculty, and supporter of all things Stratford. In 1992, he received the Alumni Service Award and in 1993, he was recognized with the Anne Stamps Award for Excellence in Teaching. He previously received the Career Achievement Award in 2006 but continued teaching and influencing students for an additional 14 years following that recognition. His nomination read, “few individuals have had a greater impact on so many Stratford students.”
An avid traveler, he and fellow teacher, Jackie Poole, traveled the world with friends and fellow Stratford Eagles. He led the middle school trip to Washington, D.C. for 20 years, as well as trips overseas to Europe and Asia. Still to this day, Andy Lawson acts as an ambassador for Stratford with his former students, co-workers, and their families. He regularly attends the annual Valentine's Luncheon for former faculty, and recently donated his classroom collection of ancient history resources to Stratford's Olson Library.
Nearly five decades of Stratford students learned stories and facts of the ancient civilizations with his colorful and memorable teaching style and expansive knowledge of world history. They remember his reading of Walkabout, cramming for “the massive” final exam, learning the “what makes civilization” song, memorizing the Greek alphabet, and waiting to see if their art assignments were selected in the place of honor on Mr. Lawson’s hallway bulletin board.
ALUMNI SERVICE AWARD
The Alumni Service Award was created to recognize service to Stratford Academy by its alumni. Volunteer service to the school has been an important part of our growth and success, and our alumni have always been a critical source of this kind of volunteer service.
The 2023 recipient of this recognition is Marsh Butler, Class of 1989. Even before his children began attending Stratford, Marsh was a loyal and active volunteer. As president of the Class of 1989, he planned and hosted reunions and gave generously of his time and resources. He began service to the Board of Trustees in 2009 and served as the Athletics, Advancement, Chair-Elect, Chair, and Past Chair until 2022. Marsh volunteered in fundraising capacities for annual giving and capital campaigns, and he served as a parent and alumnus representative on strategic planning and search committees.
Marsh is also a 2012 inductee for the Stratford Athletic Hall of Fame. In addition to playing on the basketball team, he was a multi-year state champion tennis player. Marsh made his marks on the Stratford tennis record books before attending the University of Georgia and playing at the collegiate level. He has also been a Stratford Athletics Booster Club sponsor and supporter.
When Stratford has asked Marsh to lead, he has answered that call for over three decades. Whether it has been on the alumni front with his classmates, with fellow parents, or with leadership donors during annual giving and capital campaigns, he has served his alma mater with integrity and pride.
Marsh is Co-President of Butler Auto Group in Macon. He and his wife, Jennifer, have two children, Jenny Belle, Stratford Class of 2020, and Marshall, Stratford Class of 2023.
