Young Harris College: A Legacy of Notable Alumni

Young Harris College (YHC), nestled in the North Georgia mountains, has a rich history of educating and inspiring students since its founding in 1886. Affiliated with The United Methodist Church, the college provides a liberal arts education across five divisions. Beyond its academic offerings, YHC boasts a vibrant alumni network, with graduates making significant contributions in various fields. This article explores some of the college's notable alumni and their accomplishments.

The Foundation of Young Harris College

Founded by Artemas Lester, a Methodist minister, Young Harris College began as McTyeire Institute, aiming to bring education to the Appalachian region. Financial struggles were overcome by a donation from Young L.G. Harris, leading to the institution's renaming in his honor. After a devastating fire in 1911, the college was rebuilt and continued to serve as a two-year institution until 2008, when it gained four-year accreditation.

Athletics Hall of Fame Inductees

Young Harris College recognizes outstanding athletic achievements and service through its Athletics Hall of Fame, established in 2013. Several alumni have been inducted for their contributions to YHC and the wider community.

Rev. Dr. John Ed Mathison ('58)

Rev. Dr. John Ed Mathison, a 1958 alumnus, excelled in basketball and tennis. Before YHC, he was an all-state basketball player. At YHC, Mathison secured the Georgia State Junior College Tennis Championship and remained undefeated in his tennis career. He continued his athletic pursuits at Huntingdon College, achieving high rankings in tennis. Mathison earned advanced degrees from prestigious institutions, including Emory University and Princeton University. He served as senior minister of Frazer Memorial United Methodist Church for 36 years and now leads the John Ed Mathison Leadership Ministries.

Kat Peck Gresham ('03)

Kat Peck Gresham, a 2003 graduate, made her mark in softball. Recruited to YHC on a full athletic scholarship, Gresham earned the title of Georgia Junior College Player of the Year. She set records for team season wins and career strikeouts. Gresham's achievements led to nominations for the NCAA Region 17 All Region Team and All-American consideration. After YHC, she played softball at Radford University, earning recognition in the Big South Conference.

Read also: Independent Study Courses

Ronnie Moore ('64)

Ronnie Moore, a 1964 alumnus, excelled in basketball. Before attending YHC, Moore averaged 23 points and 12 rebounds per game during his senior year. At YHC, he continued his basketball career, averaging 18.3 points and 9.8 rebounds per game during his sophomore year. Following his time at the College, Moore attended Stetson University where he continued to play basketball and was again voted the Most Valuable Player his senior year.

Ron Bell ('64)

Ron Bell, also a 1964 graduate, contributed to basketball. Bell played football, baseball and basketball at Ringgold High School. After graduating from Montevallo, Bell returned to his roots and took a teaching job at Ringgold High School and played basketball for the Southern Professional Basketball League. He eventually joined the Air Force for three years, coaching and playing the sport along the way. Following his Air Force career, Bell returned to Ringgold High School to coach women’s basketball. With his dream of coaching at the college level realized, Bell returned to coaching high school basketball and golf at Marist School in Atlanta, where he coached for more than three decades.

Murphy McManus ('53)

Murphy McManus, a 1953 alumnus, left his mark in basketball. While at YHC, McManus received the Little All-American Title. His success at the College led him to be recruited by the University of Georgia to play guard for their men’s basketball team. McManus averaged 20.1 points per game and held the school’s best average, 16.8, for a two-year career. After graduating from the University of Georgia, McManus’ love of basketball led him to begin coaching men’s and women’s basketball at Harris County High School.

Notable Alumni in Various Fields

Beyond athletics, Young Harris College has produced accomplished individuals in politics, entertainment, and other fields.

Oliver Hardy

Oliver Hardy, one half of the legendary comedy duo Laurel and Hardy, attended Young Harris College. He appeared with his comedy partner Stan Laurel in 107 short films, feature films, and cameo roles.

Read also: Unveiling the Scholarship

Trisha Yearwood

Trisha Yearwood, a renowned country singer, is an alumna of Young Harris College. She rose to fame with her 1991 debut single "She's in Love with the Boy". Yearwood continued with a series of major country hits during the early to mid-1990s, including "Walkaway Joe" (1992), "The Song Remembers When" (1993), "XXX's and OOO's (An American Girl)" (1994), and "Believe Me Baby (I Lied)" (1996).

Amanda Bearse

Amanda Bearse, an actress, comedian, and director, is another notable graduate. She starred in the 1985 supernatural horror film Fright Night, and later starred as Marcy Rhoades D'Arcy in the Fox sitcom Married… with Children (1987-1997).

Ronnie Milsap

Ronnie Milsap, a successful country music singer and pianist, is an alumnus of Young Harris College. Nearly completely blind from birth, he became one of the most successful and versatile country "crossover" singers of his time.

Zell Miller

Zell Miller, a former United States Senator and Governor of Georgia, is a Young Harris College alumnus.

Nick Markakis

Nick Markakis, a former professional baseball player, is also a graduate of YHC. Markakis was the Orioles' first-round draft pick (seventh overall) in the 2003 Major League Baseball Draft, and made his MLB debut in 2006. Markakis is a three-time Gold Glove Award winner, and he won a Silver Slugger Award and was named an MLB All-Star in 2018.

Read also: Service-Driven Education at BYU

Buddy Carter

Buddy Carter, a U.S. Representative for Georgia's 1st congressional district, attended Young Harris College.

Bert Lance

Bert Lance, who served as director of the Office of Management and Budget under President Jimmy Carter, is an alumnus of YHC.

David Ralston

David Ralston, a former member and Speaker of the Georgia House of Representatives, is another notable graduate.

Eurith D. Rivers

Eurith Dickinson Rivers, a former Governor of Georgia, is among the college's distinguished alumni.

Callix Crabbe

Callix Sadeaq Crabbe, a former professional baseball player and current coach, attended Young Harris College.

Cathy Cox

Cathy Cox, President of Georgia College & State University and former Secretary of State of Georgia, is an alumna of YHC.

Jack Thomas Brinkley

Jack Thomas Brinkley, a former U.S. Representative for Georgia's 3rd district, is also a graduate of Young Harris College.

Other Notable Figures

Several other individuals with significant achievements have ties to Young Harris College:

Tom Forkner: Waffle House founder.
William Henry Duckworth and Charles S. Reid: State Supreme Court Chief Justices.
J. Ebb Duncan and Hank Huckaby: State Senators and Representatives.
Byron Herbert Reece: Poet and novelist.
John B. Cobb: Theologian and philosopher.
James T. McIntyre: Director of the Office of Management and Budget.
Fred S. Clinton: Frontier doctor.
George J. Goodman: Financial writer.
Bettie Sellers: Georgia author and educator.
Winfield Myers: Academic and activist.

Heather Cathcart

Heather came to the Enchanted Valley from over the state border and down the road in Hayesville, NC. She graduated in 2013 with a major in Biology and a minor in Mathematics. After graduation, Heather decided to further her education at Louisiana State University where she received her Doctorate of Philosophy, Biomedical and Veterinary Medical Sciences. While at LSU, Heather was a Graduate Research Associate and was VP of the Graduate Student Organization. After receiving her PhD, Heather joined the Board of Directors for the American Assocation for Anatomy and led policy changes regarding sexual harassment. During that same time, she was completing her postdoctoral research at the University of California, San Francisco. Heather is now a Bioinformatics Scientist II at Ultragenyx where she is devoted to research related to helping those with rare diseases.

tags: #young #harris #college #notable #alumni