College celebrates new class of distinguished alumni during Homecoming 2024

A banner Homecoming Weekend saw Centre College recognize four new Distinguished Alumni and five athletics hall of fame members alongside the unveiling of Champions Hall.

Briana Lathon Bluford ’15, Victoria Gillenwater ’89, Steve Leyland ’76 and Lisa Swem ’79 were each recognized as Distinguished Alumni during the Alumni Recognition Ceremony at Homecoming on Oct. 4.

The Distinguished Alumni Award, established in 1963, honors alumni who have “given outstanding service to Centre College and/or to humankind.”

Briana Lathon Bluford ‘15

 Bluford was a politics major, resident assistant, admission interviewer and studied abroad in Ghana and France during her years at Centre — and she was crowned the 2015 Kentucky Derby Festival Queen. While earning her JD from the University of Louisville Law School, she was the president of the Black Law Student Association. She received the Louisville Bar Association’s Trailblazer Award in 2018 and would later serve as chair of the Association’s Young Lawyer’s division. As a legal professional, Bluford has worked at Stoll Keenon Ogden, Humana and now as senior counselor for the Kentucky Lottery Corporation. She serves on the boards of numerous organizations, including the Kentucky Derby Museum, Louisville Public Media and Centre College. She recently received Louisville Business First’s 2023 Enterprising Woman Award.

Victoria Gillenwater ‘89

Horses are a way of life for Vicki Gillenwater. While a student at Centre, Gillenwater would rise early to train before classes, flying to competitions as needed, while keeping up with her studies and remaining active on campus. She was a member of the Kappa Alpha Theta sorority, a member of the student judiciary and served as both a Resident Advisor and Resident Director. After graduating from Centre with a degree in government, Gillenwater studied at the University of Tennessee, where she completed her master’s degree in communications. 

Gillenwater returned to her family farm where she has spent the past quarter century, helping make Scenic View Farm one of the best in the industry. Under her leadership, the farm has earned more than 60 world championships in equestrian competition. She has been honored in the industry, earning the 2020 ASHA Gordon Jenkins International Award and was recently inducted into the Greater Knoxville Sports Hall of Fame with its 2024 Class.

Steven Leyland ‘76

When Steve Leyland arrived on Centre’s campus in 1972 as a pre-med baseball player, it was the beginning of an active relationship with the College and the medical field.  In addition to playing baseball, Leyland was a member of the Phi Delta Theta fraternity, chairman of the Premedical Society and chairman of the American Chemical Society. 

Following his graduation from Centre, Leyland attended Wright State University School of Medicine and earned his medical degree in 1981, graduating second in his class. After graduation, Leyland continued with the surgery department of Wright State University Hospital for his residency. He went on to the University of Alabama at Birmingham Medical Center to receive his training in cardiac and thoracic surgery. Since completing his residencies, Leyland has gone on to an illustrious career as a cardiothoracic surgeon and is currently in practice in Spartanburg, South Carolina. His specialties include ischemic heart disease, valvular heart disease and diseases of the aorta.

Lisa Swem ‘79

Lisa Swem was determined to make the most of her Centre experience when she arrived on campus in 1975. Swem was a three-sport athlete competing for the basketball, softball and track and fi eld teams. She was a resident assistant, a member of the yearbook staff, the choir and the orchestra, and she served as editor of the Cento — all while making the Dean’s list on her way to a degree in history. 

Following her graduation from Centre, Swem completed an MAT in social studies at Colgate University, and received a JD from Notre Dame Law School. While at Notre Dame, Swem reprised her role as an editor with the Journal of College and University Law. She currently serves with the Thrun Law Firm, and for over a decade she has authored the monthly “Law Column” for the Michigan Association of Secondary School Principals. Swem’s dedication to education has been evident not only in her professional pursuits but also in her volunteer work. She has remained dedicated to her alma mater, having served on both the President’s Advisory Council and as president of the Centre Alumni Board of Directors.

Centre Athletics announced five new members of its Hall of Fame: Kate Anderson ’09 (women’s soccer), Paige Baechle ’14 (women’s basketball), Thomas Britt ’08 (men’s basketball), Ben Hume ’12 (football) and Chelsea Klein ’14 (field hockey). Read the full Centre Athletics release at CentreColonels.com.