MACON – Mercer University School of Law will host its fifth annual Alumni Dinner on Feb. 22 at the Intercontinental Buckhead Atlanta. The Hon. J. Nathan Deal, CLA ’64 and LAW ’66, will receive the Outstanding Alumnus Award, and Nancy F. Terrill, LAW ’78, will receive the Meritorious Service Award during the dinner.
Additionally at the Alumni Dinner, the Law School will recognize three faculty members who are retiring at the end of this year: Professor Dick Creswell (43 years), Professor Tony Baldwin (32 years) and Professor Chris Wells (29 years).
The reception will begin at 6:30 p.m. followed by dinner at 7:30 p.m. The cost is $75 per person with a discounted rate of $35 per person for members of Class of 2017 and the Class of 2018. Online registration is required and must be completed by Feb. 15.
“We are thrilled to be able to honor two very deserving individuals with our alumni awards. Both Governor Deal and Nancy Terrill have made a tremendous impact in our communities and throughout the state.” said Dean Cathy Cox. “Additionally, this is a wonderful opportunity for our alumni to be together and celebrate the achievements of each other, our faculty members and the Law School has a whole.”
Deal became the 82nd governor of Georgia in 2011. During his two terms, he led Georgia to become the number one state in the nation for business for six consecutive – a first in Georgia history – and helped create more than 800,000 private sector jobs. During his tenure, Georgia’s job growth outpaced the national average while its population jumped from 10th to eighth nationally.
A Sandersville native, Deal served in the U.S. Army at Fort Gordon in Augusta after graduating with a law degree from Mercer. He then joined a private law practice in Gainesville – the hometown of his wife, Sandra – where he started his career in public service, working as a prosecutor, judge, state senator and U.S. Congressman for Georgia’s 9th District.
Terrill previously served the Law School as assistant dean of admissions and assistant dean of students. In 2014, she received the Lawyer of the Year Award from the Macon Bar Association for demonstrating outstanding and unselfish public service. The following year, Terrill received the 16th annual Justice Robert Benham Award for Community Service.
Terrill served as a former Georgia Legal Services Program attorney, was a former board member and helped with fundraising efforts for the GLS Foundation. She continues to be a generous and consistent giver to the Law School and is instrumental in organizing class reunions and class gifts.
