Douglas Maynard

Wake Forest gives highest university honor to Douglas Maynard at Feb. 21 convocation

By Sarah S. Mansell
February 21, 2002

Wake Forest University presented its highest honor, the Medallion of Merit, to Dr. C. Douglas Maynard, acting dean of the Wake Forest School of Medicine, during Founders’ Day Convocation Feb. 21. Wake Forest President Thomas K. Hearn Jr. presented the award during the ceremony in Wait Chapel that featured speaker Doris Kearns Goodwin, presidential historian and journalist.

Several other university awards were also presented during the ceremony.

Maynard has been instrumental in Winston-Salem’s transformation into a high-tech economy. He is credited as a driving force behind the establishment of Piedmont Triad Research Park and Idealliance, a technology transfer agency. He has been a long-time advocate for engineering at the medical school, leading to the development of the recently announced School of Biomedical Engineering and Sciences, a joint program between Wake Forest and Virginia Tech.

A graduate of Wake Forest’s undergraduate and medical schools in 1955 and 1959, Maynard has spent nearly his entire professional life with the university. In 1966, he began as an instructor at the medical school and became a full professor nine years later. In 1977, he was named chair of the department of radiology, a position he held for 22 years. Maynard has also been the medical school’s assistant dean for admissions and associate dean for student affairs. He was named acting dean of the medical school in June.

Maynard is involved with numerous local organizations and serves on the board for the Winston-Salem Chamber of Commerce, the Winston-Salem Business and Technology Corporation and Winston-Salem Business Inc., among others. He was also instrumental in creating the free pharmacy program with Crisis Control that serves more than 14,000 local residents each year.

University awards for teaching and research were also presented during convocation.

Helga Welsh, Zachary T. Smith Associate Professor of Political Science, was awarded the Kulynych Family Omicron Delta Kappa Award for Contribution to Student Life. Christa Colyer, assistant professor of chemistry, received the Reid-Doyle Prize for Excellence in Teaching. Daniel Kim-Shapiro, assistant professor of physics, and Eric Wilson, assistant professor of English, shared the Award for Excellence in Research. Jonathan Pinder, associate professor of management in the Babcock Graduate School of Management, was awarded the Kienzle Teaching Award. Jack Meredith, professor of management and Broyhill Distinguished Scholar and Chair in Operations at the Babcock School, was awarded the Cowan Faculty Research Prize. Timothy Davis, professor of law, received the Joseph Branch Excellence in Teaching Award.