Bridgewater College honored three alumni at the College Awards ceremony on Saturday, April 5 for their professional achievements and humanitarian service.
The 2025 Distinguished Alumnus Award was presented to Ashley B. Smith of Midland, Va., class of 1985; the 2025 Young Alumna Award was presented to Lauren H. Shifflett of Mt. Crawford, Va., class of 2010; and the 2025 West-Whitelow Humanitarian Service Award was presented to Alice R. Ryan of Easton, Md., class of 1979.
About the 2025 honorees:
Ashley B. Smith ’85, Distinguished Alumnus Award
Ashley B. Smith graduated from Bridgewater College in 1985 with a bachelor of science in business administration. He then embarked on what has been a 40-year career with Smith-Midland Corporation, a manufacturer of precast concrete products founded by Smith’s grandfather in 1960. Smith lives with his wife, Ann, in Midland, Va.
Smith began working for the family business when he was a teenager. He has done almost every job at Smith-Midland, from operating forklifts to casting products to managing sales, eventually working his way up to his current position: President and CEO of the multimillion-dollar, publicly traded company. He also served as Chairman of the National Precast Concrete Association. In 2021 Virginia Business magazine included Smith on its annual list of the most powerful and influential leaders in the state.
In addition to his business activities, Smith is also passionate about philanthropy and service. He is an active member of the Warrenton United Methodist Church, serves on several boards of directors and is a former soccer coach and Sunday school teacher. Smith is a member of the BC Board of Trustees and has contributed to Connections: The Campaign for Bridgewater College, the John Kenny Forrer Learning Commons and endowed scholarship funds.
Smith says he believes in leaving things better than the way he found them: “The world, at small and large levels, will be better off for practicing this behavior. Always look for ways to bring more value to the company where you work. Step outside yourself and consider other people’s points of view and how you can make their lives better.”
Lauren H. Shifflett ’10, Young Alumna Award
A 2010 graduate of Bridgewater College, Lauren Hensley Shifflett has been nationally recognized for her achievements in teaching economic concepts to elementary school students.
After graduation, she taught at Bessie Weller Elementary in Staunton, Va., and was recognized as their Teacher of the Year in 2016.
She next taught at Elkton Elementary. While planning how to teach her first grade students about money, she came up with the concept of “Shifflett Superville,” in which her students built a city with a superhero theme. They paid for their supplies and decorations through the small amount of money they received each day, learning to creatively pool their resources and conduct transactions. In doing so, they considered opportunity cost and decision making, weighing their choices to determine the best use of their limited funds.
“Shifflett Superville” was selected as the Virginia Council for Economic Education’s Economic Outstanding Lesson of the Year in 2019. That lesson and another she developed for fifth graders in 2021 took first place as the Council’s Outstanding Lesson, Unit or Performance-Based Assessment.
In 2021, Shifflett received the John Morton Excellence in the Teaching of Economics Award from the Council for Economic Education, which recognizes outstanding economics educators nationally.
Now at James Madison University as the Associate Director at the Center for Economic Education, Shifflett develops economic resources and professional development for teachers. She believes that a strong foundation in economic principles empowers individuals to make informed decisions and improve their quality of life.
“I am passionate about educating teachers and students, bringing real-world applications into the classroom,” Shifflett says.
Alice R. Ryan ’79, West-Whitelow Humanitarian Service Award
As founder of the Women and Girls Fund, Alice Ryan spearheaded an endowed fund that has supported women and girls for 23 years in the Maryland counties of Caroline, Dorchester, Kent, Queen Anne’s and Talbot.
Ryan, who played field hockey and tennis at Bridgewater College, graduated with honors in 1979, earning a bachelor’s degree in business administration and economics.
A native of Easton, Md., she worked with the Mid-Shore Community Foundation to establish the Women and Girls Fund in 2002. One of her three children attended Radcliffe Creek School in Chestertown, Md., and she wanted to explore funding a grant for the school, which specializes in working with students who have learning challenges. She was inspired to set up a fund that was endowed so “it would last long after I’m gone.”
Ryan says she is proud of the fund’s impact and has learned the power of even relatively small grants. “A $5,000 grant can make a huge difference to a small community nonprofit.” When she learned about the need for feminine hygiene products through grant requests, Ryan and the fund worked to obtain additional funding and delivered products to health departments and about 25 different nonprofits.
As of March 2025, the fund has made more than 285 grants to 112 nonprofits, giving out over $900,000 to further its mission of using “the power of pooled resources to improve the lives of women and girls on Maryland ’s Mid-Shore.”
An avid golfer, Ryan is also involved in her local garden club and enjoys spending time with her children and grandchildren.
To submit a nomination for an alumni award, visit the BC Alumni webpage.
Media Contact:
Heather Cole
Editor & Director of Media Relations
hcole@bridgewater.edu
4/7/25
