Distinguished Alumni

Winslow Carter was born on October 21, 1950. His parents were Walter Carter and Betty Griffin Carter. He was born in Jacksonville, NC and raised on a tobacco farm in a community called Hubert. It is close to Swansboro and about 12 miles from Emerald Isle.

Winslow is the oldest of four children. He has a brother, James Carter, another brother, Donald Carter, and a sister Addie Carter Davenport.

Winslow says that in 1972, “I made the most important decision of my life. I accepted Jesus Christ as my personal savior. It has been the anchor that has guided my life through difficult and good times.”

Winslow attended Swansboro Elementary, Middle and High
Schools. He graduated in June 1969 from high school and entered
Chowan College in the fall of 1969 to begin his post high school
career. Winslow added, “It was the best choice I could have made.”
Winslow is first generation college student, as his parents only had a 5th and 6th grade education. At Chowan, Winslow added, “I was given the care, attention and personal attention I needed to succeed. I owe Chowan more than I can ever pay back.”

In 1971, Winslow received his Associate of Arts from Chowan and in the fall of 1971, he entered Campbell College (now Campbell University). “Chowan had prepared me well. I did very well at Campbell and majored in History Education and graduated in 1973. I was the Baptist Student Union President at both Chowan and Campbell Colleges,” stated Winslow.

In the summer of 1973, Winslow attended Meredith College Journeyman training for seven weeks preparing to go to Kenya Africa for a two-year stint as a teacher at Mombasa Baptist High School where he taught African History, English and geography. He also did student work with the high school students as a Sunday School teacher and assisted the career Missionaries in whatever way needed. While there, Winslow climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro in December of 1975.

He returned from Kenya in 1975 and took a job in Gates County, NC as a teacher in a Wilderness Camp for boys with emotional problems. It was a difficult but rewarding job. He left the camp after a year to marry Harriet Rosser of Sanford, NC. They met while at Campbell and have had an exciting life together. In 1980, their first child, Emily Eileen was born and in 1984 they welcomed a son, Andrew Eugene. Emily has given them two wonderful grandsons Lucas (5) and Max Dodson (7). In addition to their children, they have had nine foster children and hosted six international high school students. The Carters also had two Liberians live with them for a year, a Chinese student for a summer and two Rotary Scholars for several months, San Hee from Korea, and a student, Muyatwa, from Zambia.

Winslow worked at Chowan College as Admissions Director for eight years. He then moved to Chapel Hill, NC where he worked for 22 years as a high school Career Counselor at Chapel Hill and East Chapel Hill High Schools.

He retired in 2014 with a total of 42 years in education with the different areas of education in which he worked. Since retirement, he has been extremely busy with Yates Baptist Church in Durham, NC. Winslow has also been a Rotarian in the Chapel Hill Sunrise Rotary Club for 18 years. Since 2015, he has been a tour guide at Duke Homestead the state historic site in Durham where Washington Duke’s family began in the tobacco manufacturing business and funded Duke University and many other important causes. This has been a very gratifying experience for Winslow.

Winslow summarized, “My wife, two children and two grandsons have made my life full and each day something to look forward to in the years ahead. I have been extremely blessed in my life. Chowan was the beginning of the exciting life I never dreamed could happen to me. I know that without going to Chowan, I may never have achieved the goals I have and met the people who have so enriched my life. Thank you, Chowan, for opening doors that have given me a great life.”

Butch Wilson was born in Garner, NC and graduated from Chowan College (University) in 1967 in Business Administration. He completed his BS with a degree in Business Management from the University of Tennessee.

Currently, Butch serves as Co-Chair of the Chowan University Alumni Council with his wife, Brenda Simmons Wilson. They have held this position for over five years and have dedicated hours of service to the growth of the council. Butch is also a member of Chowan’s Board of Visitors.

Butch developed a machinery manufacturing company
in Forest Products Industry from its beginnings to a
multi-million corporation before selling the business. He managed four corporations employing over 60 employees with total revenues of $13 million. Butch directed the research and design of all manufactured equipment and had responsibilities that included hiring and training of staff, product manufacturing, marketing and sales. He established distribution relations with domestic and international companies and introduced innovative machinery technology that significantly improved raw material yield and corporate profitability. Butch is proficient in the areas of sales, service, repairs and installation of large electric motors for the heavy industrial sector, which included vertical integration of all phases of the industry.

Butch is a member of the Davis Street United Methodist Church where he serves and has served as a Sunday School Teacher, Church Council Chair, Finance Chair, Endowment Committee Chair, Board of Trustee Chair, Educational Scholarship Committee, United Methodist Men President and is the Recipient of “Lay Person of the Year” Award.

Active at NC State University, Butch is a member of the NC State University Athletic Oversight Committee that governs all new athletic facilities and improvements totaling $129 million. He also served two, four-year terms on the NC State University Student Aid Association Board of Directors and received the NC State Honorary Alumnus Award.

Additional experience includes BB&T Bank, Board of Directors, Chairman; Burlington Day School, Board of Directors, Chairman, North Carolina Forestry Association, Board of Directors; and, Kiwanis International, Past President and Secretary.

Butch’s memberships in professional organizations include: Wood Machinery Manufacturing Association, Electrical Apparatus Service Association, Southeastern Lumber Manufacturers Association, Appalachian Hardwood Lumber Manufacturers Association, Virginia Forest Products Association, and NC Forestry Association.

Outstanding awards include: NC State University, 1999 Alumni Association, Award of Merit, and Davis Street United Methodist, 2012 Lay Person of the Years.

Butch and his wife, Brenda, met as students at Chowan. They reside in Burlington, NC and have two sons, Ed (Sybil) and Brian Wilson and four grandchildren. He enjoys travel, reading, and athletics.

A 2008 graduate of Chowan University, Drew Praster spent much of his time on campus
in Murfreesboro going back and forth from
the baseball field to the softball field, to the
gym, coaches’ offices and everywhere in
between. Drew worked closely with the
Sports Information Department while a
student where he wrote stories for the CU
Hawks web site, submitted statistics to the
NCAA and provides support for the Athletic
Department. Drew made sure sports did not
completely consume his time. An Alpha Chi National Honor Society member and a recipient of the John Parker scholarship, Drew made sure to excel in the classroom as well. The real world experience while at Chowan catapulted Drew into his professional career after graduation.

Drew has spent much of his career growing with one of the most dynamic professional sports organizations in the country. In eleven years with Hornets Sports & Entertainment, Drew Praster has become an integral part of the organization. Following a short stint as a top producing Account Executive, Drew successfully transitioned into a leadership position. During this time, he has spearheaded over thirty promotions and his direct reports have generated record-breaking new ticket revenue since the 2012-13 season. Drew has grown in the ranks in Charlotte starting as an Inside Sales Consultant in 2009 and was elevated to the Vice President of Ticket Sales and Services role in May of 2019. Additionally, Drew continues to exemplify the characteristics held highest amongst the department, contributing to an industry leading sales culture.

A son of Enola, Pennsylvania, Drew currently resides in Concord, NC with his Chowan sweetheart Christina and their two children, Duncan (4) and Clara (2).

Tom was born in Norfolk, VA on June 16, 1946. In his younger years, he attended Willard Elementary and Junior High School, followed by graduation from Granby High School in Norfolk. While at Granby he was a member of the Hank Foiles Hi-Y and was secretary of this service organization for two years.

He then attended Old Dominion University on
a part-time basis. At this point, Tom was accepted
as a full-time student at Chowan College. While
at Chowan, he had the honor of having many
wonderful and caring professors. Tom stated, “my experience at Chowan was awesome, and this is where I made my decision to become a teacher. I made many new friends, many of which I’m still in contact with today.”

After Chowan, Tom went on to Atlantic Christian College, where he was president of the dorm council and received his education degree.

After graduation, Tom taught school for forty years. He mainly served in private education. It was during his teaching years that he was reunited with a friend, Patsy Simms. They started dating and were married on July 22, 2000.

Tom and Patsy enjoy worshiping at Central Baptist Church in Norfolk. They have been members for sixteen years and Tom serves as a Sunday School teacher and a Deacon. He has also participated on the Finance Committee and Vacation Bible School programs.

Today, Tom serves Chowan University as a member of the Alumni Council. With over five years of dedicated service, Tom brings a wealth of knowledge and a love for the University. In 2018, Tom and Patsy served as hosts to the Chowan alumni gathering at Nauticus in Norfolk. Through his guidance, this was one of the largest off-campus alumni gatherings to date.

Tom considers Chowan as the place where he grew in character and in his endeavor to pursue his degree in education. He thanks everyone at Chowan who had a part in his education and in his life. To God be the glory.

Originally from Havelock, NC, Dwight grew up in a military household where discipline, respect, character, and work- ethic were attributes instilled by his parents. Dwight was a three-sport athlete at Havelock High School and it was through some of his teammates that he first heard about the field of graphic arts that led him to Chowan College. His graphic arts teacher at Havelock High School, Clint Cox, was instrumental in developing his interest in this field and encouraged him to continue his education at Chowan College. Dwight came to Chowan in the fall of 1983 enrolling in the Associate in Printing Technology program.

The graphic arts program at Chowan had great instructors led by Herman Gatewood, Bill Sowell, Dwight Collier, and Patsy Marks. There was also a production assistant Charles Futrell, who Dwight worked under as a work-study his first semester. Trudy Gibson was the staff assistant who seemed to have all the answers and really made all the students feel welcomed. Dwight completed his degree at Chowan and continued his education at Appalachian State University (ASU) in Boone, NC. He completed his Bachelor of Science degree at ASU in 1987 and started his professional career as a printing estimator/ production manager with a small commercial printing company in Northern Virginia. Soon after starting his career, Dwight married his high school sweetheart, Kimberly, in June 1987. After four years of working in the industry, Dwight and Kimberly decided to start a family and relocate back to eastern North Carolina near family.

In August of 1991, Dwight was hired as the program chair of Commercial Graphics and Head of the College Printing department at Lenoir Community College in Kinston, NC. He was directly involved in the NC Community College System re-engineering the process of converting from the quarter system to the semester system by co-leading a system-wide curriculum improvement project (CIP) in the mid 90s. The graphics program at Lenoir Community College has continued to evolve and has been used by other colleges as a model for other programs to follow. He has served on numerous state-level committees working with the NC Department of Public Instruction, the NC Community College System, and public and private universities across the state. Dwight has maintained his relationship with Chowan University by working with faculty over the years in providing transfer pathways for Lenoir CC graduates. He is well-known throughout the state and in the printing/graphics industry and continues to measure his success by the success of his students. Dwight is entering is 28th year as the Program Chair of the Graphic Arts & Imaging Technology department and the Head of the College Printing Department.

Dwight and his wife Kimberly of 31 years reside in Goldsboro and have two grown children, their son Dustin, 28, and their daughter Kylie, 26. Both children are graduates of East Carolina University and Kylie is currently pursuing her master’s degree at NC State University to hopefully follow in her father’s footsteps teaching at the community college level.

Herman Spencer is a native of Plymouth, North Carolina and graduated from Chowan College in 2000 after four years as student athlete on the men’s basketball team coached by Hall of Fame coach Bob Burke.

Herman studied Printing Production and Imaging Technology at Chowan College and went on to work in the fast paced environment of the newspaper industry, starting in 2000 at The News & Observer in Raleigh, NC. Passionate about being in a competitive environment, Herman found the newspaper industry a natural fit. The combination of that passion and Herman’s expertise made Herman a natural choice for a career in management.

In 2004 he was promoted to Director of Imaging in the newsroom of The News & Observer. In 2010 Herman became a Regional Director and oversaw imaging systems for the Southeast US markets. In 2014 he was promoted to a Corporate role with the McClatchy Company, parent company of The News & Observer. In 2015 Herman became head of a newly created department, the PreMedia Technology Division for The McClatchy company, where he now supervises a staff that maintains and supports companywide premedia systems for all 30 McClatchy markets across the country.

Herman credits Coach Burke as being very instrumental in this success. Herman says “Coach Burke taught all of his players to test your limits and put in the necessary work in everything you do to reach your highest potential.”

Herman is married to Marcia Spencer of Raleigh. They have two children: Cameron, 12, and Landon, 10, and one more on the way. In his free time Herman loves to spend time with his family, exercise, spend the evening on the lake fishing with his son Cameron, eat out, watch a good documentary on any subject, or cheer his son Cameron’s AAU basketball team.