Benedictine Spirit Award
Charles "Charlie" Touchton '53 is an alumnus of the Saint Leo Preparatory School. His college career included an undergraduate degree from the Georgia Institute of Technology and a graduate degree from George Washington University. He spent time in the U.S. Navy; retired from IBM as a senior programmer consultant; and owned Touchton Group, a consulting service in Tampa, FL. Touchton’s achievements are many. They include serving as VIP of the year for Worldwide Branding, a member of the Saint Leo University Alumni Association Board of Directors, and as a senior member of the Professional Society of Engineers. He has funded and endowed the Touchton Family Scholarship, helping numerous Saint Leo students to achieve their goals of a college education. Touchton has many fond memories of his time at the preparatory school, which include the consecration of the Saint Leo Abbey Church in 1948 and the importance of the school’s core values.
Distinguished Alumnus/a Award
Frank Dwyer ’68 graduated with a bachelor’s degree in political science from University Campus. He is a retired advanced placement government teacher with the New York City Department of Education. Dwyer said his greatest accomplishment has been his work to teach children, with 95 percent of his students going on to pursue a college education. He also established and funded a number of Saint Leo University scholarships, named for those who made an impact on his life while at the university. Dwyer continues to volunteer at his local library and at his church’s food pantry. When asked about his favorite Saint Leo memory, he said there are too many to list, but he remembers the wonderful teachers and his four years on the baseball team.
James Head ’14 received a bachelor’s degree in accounting from the Ocala Education Center. He is the owner and a stock trader of CD Trading Company, in Titusville, FL. Head’s career track shifted when he suffered a brain aneurysm at the age of 31. He was a successful paramedic and firefighter at the time, but realized he could not pursue that career any longer. He enrolled at Saint Leo, put his faith in God, and studied while recovering in the ICU. He graduated cum laude and has since founded his own business as a financial analyst and day trader. Head volunteers with his local chapter of the Brain Aneurysm Foundation, helping others going through the same experiences as he did. Head also is active in the Knights of Columbus and his church, where he and his wife, Erin, started a group focused on bringing more young couples to their church. He makes every effort to attend as many Saint Leo events as possible. His favorite university memories are of the teachers and counselors who took time to help him finish his degree.
Roaring Onward Award – Class of 2023
Michelle "Chelly" Conley ’22 received her master’s degree in business administration through the Center for Online Learning and is employed by KnowBe4 as the director of global diversity, inclusion, and belonging. She is a diversity and inclusion public speaker, served as director of diversity and inclusion for HR Tampa, and currently serves on the board of directors for the National Diversity Council. She also was a 2023 Top 40 Under 40 honoree by the Tampa Bay Business Journal. Conley believes her greatest personal accomplishment is training others on diversity and civil rights and opening others up to new perspectives. Her favorite Saint Leo memories involve the close relationships she built with her professors. She recently returned to the university to conduct trainings for one of her professors.
Thomas Willis ’23 graduated with a bachelor’s degree from the Center for Online Learning. He is employed by the Blessed Trinity Parish (NY) as a sacristan; serves as the campaign manager for Thomas Sullivan for State Assembly in New York; and is the manager at Denis O’Connor Funeral Home. Friends and co-workers describe Willis as a hard worker, dedicated, and selfless. He is involved in the Knights of Columbus as a knight and is a firm believer in giving back to his community. Willis said his favorite Saint Leo memory was when he received news that the university accepted him. He was vacationing at Disney World at the time!
Samantha Stamp ’21 graduated from the Center for Online Learning with a master’s degree in criminal justice. Today she is a police officer with the Newport News Police Department in Virginia. She served in the U.S. Air Force from 2018 to 2021 as a medical logistics and contract officer representative, where she executed nearly 140 personnel and medical service contracts with a cumulative value of $33.5 million, enabling medical assistance delivery to more than 392,000 patients. In her spare time, Stamp mentors high school students. Her favorite memory of Saint Leo is her professors. She appreciated how they made themselves readily available and how they shared their real-life experiences.