Bridgewater College honored three alumni at the College Awards ceremony last month for their professional achievements and humanitarian service.
The 2026 Distinguished Alumnus Award was presented to Mensel D. Dean Jr. of Bridgewater, Va., class of 1967; the 2026 Young Alumnus Award was presented to Joshua Gooden of Elkton, Va., class of 2016; and the 2026 West-Whitelow Humanitarian Service Award was presented to Paul P. Vames of Staunton, Va., class of 1963.
About the 2026 honorees:
Mensel D. Dean Jr. ’67, Distinguished Alumnus Award
Mensel D. Dean, Jr. graduated from Bridgewater College in 1967 with a degree in business administration. He is a former certified public accountant and a retired partner at PBMares, LLP, a consulting firm based in Harrisonburg, VA., and is a member of the BC Board of Trustees.
Dean worked in public accounting for more than 55 years, including 15 years as a partner in McGladrey & Pullen (now RSM). He was recognized as a “Super CPA” by Virginia Business and the Virginia Society of Certified Public Accountants for 13 consecutive years, including in their inaugural class in 2001. He was appointed by the Virginia House of Delegates to the Committee to Study State and Local Taxation in the 21st Century and served on the Local Government Specifications Team, selected by the Auditor of Public Accounts of the Commonwealth of Virginia.
Dean served in the U.S. Army, including a tour of over 13 months in Vietnam and was recognized as “Veteran of the Year” by the Virginia Small Business Development Center in 2005. Dean has served as Secretary-Treasurer of the Virginia Jaycees, president of the Harrisonburg-Rockingham Chamber of Commerce, chairman of the Board of Bridgewater Retirement Community and a member of the Board of Directors of Sentara RMH Medical Center. In 1998, he was named Businessman of the Year by the Chamber of Commerce. He formerly held board positions with Rockingham Heritage Bank, Premier Community Bankshares, Inc., and Blue Ridge Bankshares, Inc.
Dean lives in Bridgewater with his wife Linda. They have two children and two granddaughters.
Joshua Gooden ’16, Young Alumnus Award
When Josh Gooden was 18, he made two decisions that would shape his future. He chose to attend Bridgewater College, enrolling as a first-year student in the fall of 2012. But Gooden also pursued something rarely considered by a college freshman—running for town council in his hometown of Elkton, Va. He won a seat on the council in the November election and has served on it ever since.
A business administration major, Gooden cherishes the friendships he made while he was at Bridgewater. After his graduation, he worked for a year with the Virginia Department of Transportation, followed by a job at Rockingham County (Va.), where he currently serves as the Deputy Director of Economic Development and Tourism. In this role, he works with business expansion efforts and supports economic growth through retaining and attracting businesses to the area, as well as supporting local and regional tourism initiatives.
After six years on the town council, Gooden ran for Mayor of Elkton in 2018 and is currently serving his fourth two-year term in the position.
He says, “One of my favorite aspects of serving as Mayor is the opportunity to give back to my hometown. There is a strong sense of pride that comes with serving the community that helped shape me.”
Gooden also serves as vice president of the Elkton Progressive Improvement Committee, member of the Elkton Downtown Revitalization Corporation and secretary of Civil War Trails. He was named Fort Harrison Sons of the American Revolution Citizen of the Year in 2018, and, in 2025, the Daily News-Record selected him as a “15 Under 50” honoree.
Paul P. Vames ’63, West-Whitelow Award
Paul P. Vames has served his hometown of Staunton, Va., for more than 50 years as an educator, advocate and non-profit board member.
Vames graduated from Bridgewater College in 1963 with a degree in history and embarked on a 25-year career as a teacher, assistant principal and principal at Shelburne Middle School in Staunton. He earned a master of education from James Madison University in 1969. Upon his retirement, Vames launched a second career in real estate development and is currently managing partner of the company he founded, V-K Properties.
In addition to his professional work, Vames has devoted decades to fundraising and providing logistical support for organizations that improve life for residents of Staunton and Augusta County, especially children. He has served as a president of the Staunton City Library Foundation, trustee of the Frontier Culture Museum, trustee of the Staunton-Augusta Family YMCA, chairman of the Staunton Board of Zoning Appeals, council member for the Valley Program for Aging Services, and a supporter of the Arcadia Project in Staunton. He has also taught Sunday School at Bethany Presbyterian Church in Staunton since 1968.
“Most everything I’m involved in supports young people,” Vames says of his service work. “It is a way to say thank you to the community.”
Vames and his wife, Martha, have three children and five grandchildren. Their son Christopher Vames ’92 and grandchildren Christian Vames ’22 and Hannah Sutton ’23 are also BC alumni.
Media Contact:
Heather Cole
Editor & Media Relations Director
hcole@bridgewater.edu
5/1/26
