CLEMSON -- Clemson University presented its highest alumni honor, the Alumni Distinguished Service Award, to five graduates during Alumni Reunion Weekend 2002.

The award recognizes outstanding personal and professional achievements, community service and loyalty to Clemson. The awards were presented to Rowland Poole Alston Jr. of Rembert, Carol Kimbrough Brown of Charlotte, Beverly N. "Ben" Skardon of Clemson, Arthur M. Spiro of Great Neck, N.Y., and John E. Walker of Highlands, N.C., and Bonita Springs, Fla.

Alston earned Clemson degrees in agriculture education and agronomy. The former distinguished county agent with the Clemson Cooperative Extension Service in Sumter currently serves as an assistant to the university's vice president for public service activities.

Throughout his career, Alston has been active in Clemson alumni affairs. His fund-raising efforts for the Clemson University Alumni Association have resulted in internships and scholarships, and funds for Extension and youth programs in Sumter County.

Alston's television show, "Making It Grow!," on South Carolina Educational Television, is an Emmy Award-winning program. He helped initiate educational programs that feature Clemson University Extension programs on S.C. Educational Radio. He writes weekly gardening columns for several state newspapers.

An avid volunteer in civic and community organizations, Alston has been a member of the Palmetto Rotary Club, the Greater Sumter Chamber of Commerce and the Sumter County Historical Society. He is a past member of the S.C. Association of County Agricultural Agents, the National Association of County Agricultural Agents, the S.C. Agronomy Society and the Soil and Water Conservation Society. He is on the advisory board for the National Bank of S.C. in Sumter and on the board of directors for the Black River Electric Cooperative.

Brown graduated with high honors from Clemson in 1965 with a bachelor's degree in English. After teaching high school math and English for eight years, she began a career in the heating and air-conditioning industry, from which she retired in 2000.

Brown has remained active in Clemson alumni affairs. She served on the Alumni National Council from 1996-2000 and chaired its field activity committee from 1998-2000. She served as co-chair of the committee for former ANC members. She served on the Clemson Women's Council advisory board from 1991-1993. The 1996 recipient of the Alumni Association's Super Tiger Award, she was also a Charlotte Clemson Club officer from 1985-2001.

Brown and her husband established the David A. and Carol K. Brown Endowed Scholarship in Mechanical Engineering and the Carol K. and David A. Brown Endowment in Humanities. A founding member of the Charlotte Fort Hill Society Endowed Scholarship, she also served on Clemson's College of Architecture, Arts and Humanities advancement board from 1994-2001. She has been an IPTAY member since 1983 and has served as an IPTAY district representative.

An avid volunteer in civic organizations and active member of her community, Brown has been a member of the Charlotte Charity League since 1978 and has held every elected position in the Charlotte Jaycettes.

Skardon graduated from Clemson in 1938 and entered the Army as a second lieutenant. A survivor of the Bataan Death March and Japanese prisoner-of-war camps, Skardon also served in the police action in Korea. His decorations include the Silver Star Medal with oakleaf cluster, the Bronze Star Medal with three oakleaf clusters, the Purple Heart and the Combat Infantryman's Badge.

After retiring from the Army in 1962, he earned a master's degree in English from the University of Georgia and joined the Clemson English faculty in 1964. He was selected Alumni Master Teacher in 1977. He retired from the university in 1983.

A continual donor to the Alumni Association for more than 45 years, Skardon has remained active in Clemson alumni affairs. He is a member of The Clemson Corps committee and served as the keynote speaker at the Military Heritage Plaza dedication ceremony. He is a past president of the Clemson Fellowship Club and the Clemson Cotillion Club.

Skardon has served as the facilitator of the Clemson Area Alzheimer's Support Group and is a member of the Clemson Downs Volunteers. He has served as warden, vestryman, Sunday school superintendent and teacher, lay reader, historian and archivist at Clemson's Holy Trinity Episcopal Church.

Spiro received his chemical engineering degree from Clemson in the mail in 1945 while he was serving as a lieutenant in the U.S. Navy. He earned a master's degree from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1947 and was awarded an honorary doctorate from Clemson in 2000.

Spiro and his wife founded The Arthur M. Spiro Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership at Clemson University in 1994. The center's mission is to support educational, research and outreach programs that promote entrepreneurial activity and economic development of the region, state and nation.

A textile industry leader, entrepreneur and co-holder of two U.S. patents in textiles, Spiro is also a past chairman of the American Association for Textile Technology and the Textile Distributors Association.

He is a supporter of the Clemson Fund and of IPTAY, the athletic booster club. He serves on the President's Advisory Board and the Clemson University Foundation board. He is an adjunct professor in the College of Business and Behavioral Science and a member of the college's advisory board.

Spiro remains active in civic and professional organizations. He is on the board of directors of Long Island's Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory and is chairman of the laboratory's DNA Learning Center. He is also the board chairman of the North Shore LIJ Research Institute, a trustee of the North Shore LIJ Health System and a member of the Nassau County, Long Island, Judiciary Advisory Council.

Walker received his bachelor's degree in industrial management from Clemson in 1958. He earned his Ph.D. in economics from the University of Virginia in 1963.

A businessman and entrepreneur, Walker has remained active in Clemson alumni affairs. A longtime financial supporter of the university, his contributions have helped establish the John E. Walker Department of Economics and the Walker Golf Course at Clemson, which was named in honor of his father, Col. John E. Walker, Class of 1926. Walker's other financial contributions have supported universitywide initiatives related to student quality of life, academics, athletics and military heritage.

Walker is chairman of the Clemson University Foundation's investment strategic planning committee and a member of the Finance Corporation Board that manages the Conference Center and Inn at Clemson University. He also serves on the College of Business and Behavioral Science Advisory Board.