Jack Bowman will take a ride down memory lane Friday.
Literally.
More than 50 years ago, Bowman participated in the Homecoming parade as West Virginia University’s student body president. This Friday (Sept. 30) he’ll ride down High Street as the WVU Alumni Association’s 2011 Outstanding Alumnus.
Da’Sean Butler returns to WVU, doing what he does best – leading. Butler, a first-team All-American and winningest player in WVU history, will serve as the 2011 Parade Marshal for WVU’s Homecoming celebration.
“It’s wonderful to celebrate the accomplishments of these two extraordinary gentlemen,” said Steve Douglas, president and CEO of the Alumni Association. “Jack has been a long-time advocate and steward of the University and Da’Sean is one of our greatest athletes. What a great way to kick off the Homecoming festivities.”
The two alumni will be honored during halftime of the WVU-Bowling Green game on Sat., Oct. 1.
Forest “Jack” Bowman – Outstanding Alumnus
Bowman, a native of Petersburg, W.Va., enrolled at WVU in 1956 and served as president of the freshman class. He was elected student body president in 1959-1960. Bowman was a member of the social fraternity Phi Kappa Psi, Helvetia, Sphinx and Mountain. He also was a member of the Army ROTC.
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After graduation, Bowman attended the WVU College of Law where he served as associate editor of the West Virginia Law Review. As one of three outstanding graduates, Bowman received the Patrick Duffy Koontz Award upon graduation in 1963.
Bowman served four years with the Judge Advocate Generals Corps in the U.S. Army after graduation. After his service, he practiced law briefly in Charleston and then became the Deputy Commissioner of Workers Compensation in West Virginia, and in 1974, Bowman was named the first Administrative Director of the West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals.
In 1979 Bowman joined the WVU College of Law faculty where he taught for 23 years. From 1990 to 2000 he was the Hale J. Posten Professor of Law, and served as the Jackson Kelly Professor of Law from 2000 until his retirement. He was named Professor of the Year by seven graduating classes.
In 1983, 1993, and 2002, Bowman was awarded the highest honor the State Bar can bestow upon a member, The West Virginia State Bar Certificate of Merit. He was also awarded the Harrison Tweed award for outstanding contributions to continuing legal education in America from the American Law Institute & American Bar Association in 1995. In addition to numerous awards and honors, Bowman was honored with inclusion into the prestigious West Virginia University Order of Vandalia – the highest honor bestowed by the University.
Da’Sean Butler – Parade Marshal
At his high school in Newark, N.J., Butler earned all-state honors after scoring 15.1 points per game as a senior. During his high school career he scored 1,044 points and helped Bloomfield Tech win 97 games, three NJSIAA group 1 titles and the 2006 Essex County Tournament.
While leading the WVU men’s basketball team to the NCAA Final Four, Butler received numerous awards and accolades. He was honored by the Basketball Times as a first-team All-American – an accomplishment shared with only eight other WVU players. He was a finalist for the John Wooden and Naismith awards and was named first team all-Big East. He was awarded the Lowe’s Senior Class Award, and was a member of the Athletic Director’s Honor Roll.
Butler attained 107 wins in 146 games, earning him the honor as the winningest player in WVU history. He also scored 2,095 points, putting him just behind WVU greats Jerry West and Hot Rod Hundley. Butler helped WVU earn spots in three NCAA Tournaments, including the 2008 Sweet 16 and 2010 Final Four, a Big East Championship title in 2010 and an NIT championship in 2007.
After being drafted by the Miami Heat, Butler joined the San Antonio Spurs in 2011.
Butler received his bachelor’s degree in multidisciplinary studies.
For more information regarding Homecoming activities, visit: http://homecoming.wvu.edu/.
-WVU-
ae/09/28/11
CONTACT: Tara Curtis, WVU Alumni Association
304.293.0972, tecurtis@mail.wvu.edu
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