Lee President Dr. Mark L. Walker, center, with this year’s Honorary Alumni of the Year Award recipients Steve and Judy Holt
Steve and Judy Holt have been named Lee University’s 2023 Honorary Alums of the Year. They were recognized for this honor last weekend during Lee’s annual Homecoming celebration.
“The Holts have been long-time friends of the university, and we are honored to present the Honorary Alums of the Year Award to them for their faithful, generous, and continuing support of Lee University,” said Dr. Brad Moffett, vice president for University Relations.
Steve and Judy Holt first became acquainted with Lee through their daughter, Katie, who decided to attend Lee and join the university’s a cappella ensemble Voices of Lee. Over the past more than 20 years, the Holts have hosted the Voices of Lee west coast tours and partnered with Dr. Paul Conn, university chancellor and past president, in Lee’s campus expansion plan.
The Holts have since established the Holt Scholarship Fund, funding numerous students’ tuition to Lee. They also recently made a significant gift to fund the completion of the Danny Murray Recording Studio, which was dedicated in September 2022.
Judy’s father, Buzz Oates, was instrumental in funding the building of Lee’s Communication Arts Building, which houses the black box theater bearing his name.
The Honorary Alum of the Year Award is given to the person or people who demonstrate achievement in their field of craft and are recognized by Lee as a person or people who the university wants as its own, despite not having graduated from or attended Lee.