Living
Baylor club honors Turnham at brunch
Tuesday, 07 February 2012 by Matthew Girard
Bell County Museum Director Stephanie Turnham, left, is presented as the 2011 Distinguished Baylor Woman of the Year by Central Texas Baylor Women’s Club co-president Pam Taylor last Saturday.The Central Texas Baylor Women's Club honored one its own on Saturday during the club's 18th Annual Baylor Women's Scholarship Brunch at the Wildflower Country Club in Temple.
For the past 18 years, the club has held the brunch to help raise money for local students to earn scholarships to Baylor and to award the annual Distinguished Baylor Woman of the Year award.
This year's recipient was Bell County Museum Director Stephanie Turnham, who earned her Bachelor's Degree in 1988 and Master's Degree in 2002 from Baylor.
"It's a wonderful honor," Turnham said before the award ceremony. "Baylor changed my life and I'm so grateful for all of the things that I have in my life today."
Central Texas Baylor Women's Club co-president Pam Taylor said Turnham was deserving of the award.
"Stephanie has helped to turn around Belton," Taylor said. "With the museum being such an excellent place to go, she has done everything to enhance our wonderful community and that's why we were honoring her."
During the brunch, members of the club bid on Baylor-themed items in a silent auction, which is one of the many ways the club raises funds for its endowed scholarship.
"This is the 18th year and now we are endowed more than $100,000," Taylor said.
Baylor's Vice President for Constituent Engagement Tommye Lou Davis represented the university at the brunch and said Baylor is thankful for groups such as the Central Texas Baylor Women's Club.
"The university is always pleased when Baylor nation gathers no matter where it is," Davis said. "We are especially grateful to our women's groups because they raise money for student scholarships. That is so critical in order to keep Baylor affordable and to keep Baylor, Baylor."
The more than 50 women in attendance were also treated to a Style Show, featuring wardrobes from Susan Marie's of Salado.
Taylor also read two thank you letters from recent scholarship recipients during the brunch.
Turnham said she was honored to be awarded the Distinguished Baylor Woman of the Year Award.
"It's a wonderful, warm and welcoming family and I'm proud and honored to be a part of it," Turnham said of the Central Texas club. "This is one of the nicest things to ever happen to me."
Chairman of the Brunch was Joycelyn Miller.
For more information about the Central Texas Baylor Women's Club, contact Pam Taylor at (254) 760-8855.
