Furman celebrates honorees at 2026 Bell Tower Ball

Furman University’s Timmons Arena hosted the annual Bell Tower Ball on Saturday.

The university presented several awards at the evening gala, celebrating the service, generosity, leadership and accomplishments of alumni, parents and friends of the university.

2026 Carl F. Kohrt Distinguished Alumni Award

The Kohrt Award is presented in recognition of significant professional or personal accomplishments and in gratitude for continued loyalty to Furman University.

John Cothran Sr. ’54
Greenville, South Carolina

A pioneer in Greenville real estate since 1956 and retired chair of the Cothran Company, Cothran is past president of the Greenville Board of Realtors and Home Builders Association and has been honored as both Realtor and Homebuilder of the Year and is a member of the S.C. Housing Hall of Fame.

His civic commitment includes serving at Greenville First Baptist Church as deacon and Chair of Deacons, and he’s served on numerous boards including the Chamber of Commerce, Greenville Jaycees, Community Housing Corporation and First Union National Bank Advisory Board, among others.

Cothran is a Furman Trustee Emeritus, past chair of the Board of Trustees, the Advisory Council and past president of the Paladin Club. He received the Blackwell Alumni Service Award in 1992, and he and his wife Jeannette are regularly seen at Paladin sporting events. They have been devoted supporters of the Partners Scholarship Program since its inception in 1998, and of the Cothran Center for Vocational Reflection, which has helped students thrive for more than a decade. They continue to generously support those programs, as well as the Timmons Arena renovations, and are members of the Legacy Society and members of the White Oaks Society at the Sustainer level.

The Cothran family’s Furman legacy spans generations, starting with his father, the Rev. Joseph Cothran ’22, two of John and Jeanette’s four sons – Clark ’84 and Steve ’86 – and grandson, Raleigh ’22. Rounding out the Furman family tree are John’s brothers, Riley ’57 and David ’58.

2026 Gordon L. Blackwell Alumni Service Award

The Blackwell Award recognizes an individual who has dedicated extraordinary service to Furman University or the greater community, advancing Furman’s position as a private institution with a public mission.

Rachelle H. Thompson ’92
Cary, North Carolina

Rachelle is vice president and chief human resources officer at Carpenter Technology Corporation. Prior to that, she was a partner at McGuire Woods, LLP, where she had extensive experience in patent litigation in district court and the U.S. International Trade Commission.

She passes on her experience as a board member of the Patent Training Foundation, which provides law students with practical skills, experience and training before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office Patent Trial and Appeal Board, so these students can pursue careers in patent law.

Rachelle serves as a children’s minister at Berean Baptist Church of Raleigh, as well as a mentor and liaison to local law schools. She created the annual Charles B. Hunt “Hunt for Success” backpack drive for needy students and is a board member of the Patent Training Foundation.

Rachelle is a current Furman trustee and a member of the Rose Garden Society and Bell Tower Society. She is married to Dwight, and they have a son and a daughter.

2026 Wayne & Rubye Reid Alumni Career Service Award

The Reid Award is named in honor of Wayne ’68 and Rubye Reid and recognizes alumni who have made significant contributions to the career development of Furman students.

Co-recipient Fiona “Hay” Bloom ’12
Alexandria, Virginia

When Bloom seized the opportunity as a Furman student to study away in Belgium her senior year, she learned how to view complex issues through a global lens. These skills have served her well over a decade of experience in strategy, strategic communications, stakeholder management and marketing research.

Bloom made Principal at Booz Allen Hamilton in July 2022, and has led teams advising multiple organizations, including the U.S. Air Force, which she helped navigate current events and global issues. She can hold her own in any room, offering critically thought-out solutions, concise communication skills and expert collaboration to build meaningful relationships with others.

Bloom is a Young Benefactor and joined a panel discussion for the showcase at the Clearly Furman Campaign Launch in April 2023. She has given to the Furman United: Annual Scholarship. She is married to Joel Bloom – Senior Advisor at Deloitte – and has a brother and sister-in-law, Alastair ’10 and Shannon ’10 Hay.

Co-recipient Angela Acampora ’14
Washington, D.C.

Acampora wants to give Furman students the kind of experience she had graduating as a Paladin. She was hired to a Washington, D.C. government relations firm right after graduation by a fellow Furman alumna, and nine years later Acampora was taking on Furman students as interns.

Acampora is an associate at Booz Allen Hamilton, and prior to that role she was a managing director at the bipartisan government relations firm Whitmer & Worrall LLC. She recognizes that Furman’s students are hardworking, dedicated and passionate. And, she said, they have a stellar reputation in D.C. for translating the lessons they learn through engaged learning experiences into their jobs. That’s why she serves as a Pathways Program mentor and has served as an alumni host for the D.C. Career Trek 2023, and attended the Washington, D.C. Clearly Furman Campaign Launch event.

She is married to Jared Royer, a CPA and associate director at The Siegfried Group in Washington, D.C. Her sister, Elena Acampora ’17, is an alumna as well.

2026 Tom A. Triplitt Outstanding Young Alumni Award
The Triplitt Award recognizes graduate from the past 20 years who has brought honor or recognition to Furman through individual accomplishments or as a volunteer.

Nalisha Henry ’06
Greenville, South Carolina

Henry is the vice president of partner engagement at United Way of Greenville County. She served as fund development manager for Girl Scouts of America, and in 2009 was recognized as a “Powerful Woman” by Girl Scouts of South Carolina – Mountains to Midlands.

She currently serves on the Bridges to a Brighter Future Advisory Council. In 2013 she was recognized as one of Greenville’s “Best and Brightest” by Greenville Business Magazine. As a member of the Greenville Chamber Young Professionals group, PULSE, she chaired the group’s Pacesetters program from 2017-2019. In 2019 she received the Young Professional of the Year award from the Greenville Chamber of Commerce.

She has served in several leadership roles including on the Greenville Chamber Young Professionals Advisory Council, the Piedmont Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals, as vice president of YWCA Greenville’s Junior Board of Directors and an advisory board member of Greater Good Greenville. She was a founding member and past president of LeadHER Greenville. In 2024 she was appointed to the Change Leaders in Philanthropy Fellowship Program through Grantmakers for Effective Organizations.

She is a member of Furman’s Black Alumni Council. She is a 2016 graduate of the Furman Women’s Leadership Initiative, a graduate of the Riley Institute’s Diversity Leaders Initiative and a 2024 Change Leaders in Philanthropy fellow.

2026 Honorary Alumni Award
The Honorary Alumni Award commends individuals who are not graduates of Furman University, but who have made significant contributions to its welfare, reputation, prestige and pursuit of excellence.

Deborah “Debbie” Southern
Asheville, North Carolina

Southern is the winningest women’s tennis coach in Furman’s history. She coached for 31 seasons, from 1985-2015, cinching 491 victories, 19 Southern Conference regular-season championships and 16 SoCon tournament titles. She set the SoCon record for win streaks with a 100-match run from 1998-2010.

In 2000, Southern became the first person to earn the South Carolina Tennis Association Coach of the Year award twice, in 1991 and 2000. She was inducted into the SC Tennis Hall of Fame in 2005, the ITA Women’s Collegiate Tennis Hall of Fame – alongside her late father and mother – in 2012, and the Furman Athletics Hall of Fame in 2013. She was inducted into the R.J. Reynolds High School Sports Hall of Fame in 2015 and the SoCon Hall of Fame in 2018.

She established the Debbie L. Southern Endowed Scholarship in 2001 and is a member of the White Oaks Society and the Legacy Society. Her family includes several Paladins: brother Hal Southern ’79, father Harold Southern ’37 (d. 2011), cousin Grady Southern ’50 (d. 2014), aunt Eleanor Southern Hill ’20 (d. 2000) and aunt Blanche Southern ’24 (d. 2008).

2026 Engaged Parent Award
The Engaged Parent Award is presented to the parent or parents of a Furman student or graduate in appreciation of their commitment to education and leadership as volunteers.

Steven “Steve” and Donna (Pratt) Barksdale, P ’06, ’12
Greenville, South Carolina

As retired career educators from Pleasants County Schools in West Virginia, Steve and Donna recognize the value of a lifetime of learning. The Barksdales are generous supporters of Furman and are in the 2025-26 Bell Tower Society. They are active in the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute and established the Barksdale Family Scholarship Fund in 2022. Steve and Donna are passionate about supporting current students and especially enjoy meeting and mentoring their Partners scholars.

The Barksdales now call Greenville, South Carolina, their home. Their proximity to campus makes them frequent attendees at Furman events, including the Woodlands Partners Reception, Furman Engaged and athletics events. They still travel back to West Virginia annually for their county’s basketball playoffs, where they enjoy catching up with old friends, students and colleagues. But for two decades, their colors have run purple and white; their son and daughter are Furman alumni – Andrew ’06 and Emily ’12.

University Partnership Award

The University Partnership Award honors an individual or organization who has worked with Furman to meaningfully contribute to the local or broader community by engaging citizens, promoting public scholarship and working for the betterment of society.

Greenville Chamber

The Greenville Chamber is a 136-year-old organization that represents more than 1,400 member businesses and organizations dedicated to boosting economic vitality and strengthening the Upstate region. By connecting leaders, supporting business growth, and promoting a globally competitive economy, the Chamber plays a vital role in shaping Greenville’s ongoing success.

A key aspect of the Chamber’s work is developing the next generation of civic and business leaders. For decades, programs like Opportunity Greenville and Leadership Greenville have fostered informed, engaged leaders dedicated to the region’s future. Hundreds of Furman University faculty, staff, and alumni have participated in these programs, reinforcing the shared commitment between our institutions to thoughtful leadership and community development. Furman also proudly sponsors the Chamber’s F. Ben Haskew Collaboration Award, which honors regional leaders whose partnership-driven approach exemplifies the collaborative spirit that defines Greenville.

The Chamber has also played a key role in growing Greenville’s entrepreneurial and innovation economy. Through initiatives like NEXT, which currently supports more than 150 knowledge-based companies across the Upstate, and the South Carolina Business Accelerator program, the Chamber helps develop high-growth businesses by offering mentorship, resources, and connections among founders, investors, and industry leaders.

Equally important is the Chamber’s commitment to ensuring that economic growth creates opportunities for all community members. Workforce programs such as TalentRiseGVL and LaunchGVL help connect people to education, training and career paths that build a strong and resilient regional talent pipeline.

For these reasons—and for the Chamber’s enduring commitment to leadership, innovation, and shared prosperity, Furman University is proud to present the Greenville Chamber with the University Partnership Award.