MSU to honor alumni award winners at Homecoming
Morehead State University's Office of Alumni Relations & Development and the MSU Alumni Association will honor the 2025 class of alumni award honorees and the Founders Award winner during Homecoming 2025, Oct. 16-18.
These individuals will be honored at the Homecoming Alumni Awards Ceremony at 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 17, at Luckey Ballrooms A & B on the third floor of the Adron Doran University Center.
"We're honored to recognize this year's class of award recipients at homecoming," said Jessi Ferguson (Class of 2011, 2012), executive director of alumni relations and development. "They truly demonstrate the impact that Morehead State has on students and within our communities and even the nation."
Founders Award for University Service
Wayne Martin
Wayne Martin (Class of 1968, 1972) is the recipient of the 2025 Morehead State University Founders Award for University Service.
Established by the Board of Regents in 1978, the Founders Award recognizes individuals who have given superior service to MSU as employees or volunteers.
Wayne Martin was the head basketball coach at Morehead State University from 1978 to 1987, leading the Eagles to two NCAA tournaments. He was named OVC Coach of the Year in 1982 and inducted into the MSU Athletic Hall of Fame in 1995. He also coached three NBA draft picks, including fellow Athletic Hall of Fame member Bob McCann.
Whether on the court or in his career that followed, Martin cultivated a deep connection and shared pride between students and alumni. He previously served as regional vice president for Gray Television Inc. and president of Gray Kentucky Television Inc. (now known as Gray Media), which operates several TV stations across Kentucky and the U.S. He is the former president of WVLT-TV in Knoxville, Tennessee. He was the recipient of the College of Business & Technology Distinguished Alumni Award in 2017.
Martin served on the MSU Board of Regents for three separate terms (1989–93, 2012–14, and 2015–21), offering steady leadership through the COVID-19 pandemic and helping the University stay focused on student and staff well-being. He was reappointed for a second term in 2021, extending his current term to 2027. Martin was vice chair of the Board of Regents from 2016 to 2020, providing leadership and continuity during key university initiatives.
Alumni Hall of Fame Inductees
The Alumni Hall of Fame is the highest recognition provided by the Alumni Association. It recognizes those who have made a profound collective impact in their profession, community, or region.
Juan Dontrese Brown (Class of 1999)
A visionary leader, Brown drives social transformation through strategic leadership, creative innovation, and community collaboration. From spearheading the renaming of Arthur Ashe Boulevard in Richmond, Virginia, to leading efforts to establish Cristo Rey Richmond High School, Brown has shaped education, design, and social progress. A sought-after speaker and accomplished creative, he serves on numerous boards and holds advanced degrees in graphic design.
Ted Docks (Class of 1998, 2002)
Ted Docks, a two-time graduate of Morehead State University and former basketball player, is the Special Agent in Charge of the Criminal Division at the FBI Los Angeles Field Office. He has served in Washington, D.C., Detroit, Houston and Louisville, working in counterintelligence, counterterrorism, and criminal programs. He earned the National Intelligence Exceptional Achievement Medal and has held leadership roles in various FBI divisions, including the Weapons of Mass Destruction Directorate and the Houston Field Office.
Pat Petrillo (Class of 1983, 1984)
Pat Petrillo made a significant impact on the music industry through live and recorded performances, product innovation, and education. A voting member of the Recording Academy/Grammys, he has performed in Broadway shows like “A Chorus Line,” “Grease,” “Footloose,” “Newsies,” and “Dreamgirls” and recorded and toured with artists such as Patti LaBelle, Gloria Gaynor, and Debbie Gibson. Petrillo's group, The Pat Petrillo Big Rhythm Band, has released two albums. He has also innovated several music products and is an Innervision Records recording artist.
2025 Alumni Award Winners
Notable Alumni Award
The Notable Alumni Award is provided to a graduate who excels in their career field or community.
Steven Middleton (Class of 2004, 2008)
Steven Middleton, a senior instructor of mass communication at MSU, teaches courses in TV production, social media, and documentary filmmaking. Since 2009, 11 of his documentary films have been showcased by Kentucky Educational Television (KET), often involving MSU students through internships and research.
Rising Eagle Award
The Rising Eagle Award is given to a graduate of the last 10 years demonstrating early career success.
Colby Birkes (Class of 2020)
Colby Birkes is a corporate attorney at Dentons Bingham Greenebaum LLP, specializing in document drafting, corporate governance, regulatory compliance, and mergers and acquisitions. Birkes previously worked at the U.S. Attorney's Office and has been involved with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Kentuckiana. He has also served on the Kentucky Bar Association's Young Lawyers Division Executive Committee and published on epilepsy driving laws in the “Louisville Law Review.”
Eagle Spirit Award
The Eagle Spirit Award is given to an exceptionally proud Eagle who regularly demonstrates their pride in many ways.
Steven "Preppy" Engels (Class of 1977)
Steven "Preppy" Engels is a longtime Eagle Ambassador who continually promotes MSU and supports recruitment efforts. Each year, Engels proudly represents the University by presenting scholarships to incoming first-year students at local high schools and distributing MSU materials, such as pennants, to businesses in his area.
Guest Lectures
Two of this year’s honorees and graduates from the Department of History, Philosophy, Politics, Global and Legal Studies will have special speaking engagements with students and the campus community.
Colby Birkes will speak about his career in law and share his expertise in corporate governance, regulatory compliance and mergers and acquisitions at 12:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 16, in Rader Hall 219. Ted Docks will discuss his decorated career in federal law enforcement, counterintelligence and counterterrorism at 10 a.m. Friday, Oct. 17, in Rader Hall 103.
“These alumni speakers are living proof of what is possible when students combine strong academic preparation with a commitment to public service,” said Dr. James Masterson, chair of the Department of History, Philosophy, Politics, Global and Legal Studies.
To learn more about alumni awards programs, visit alumni.moreheadstate.edu/alumniawards.
