Reinhardt alumni honored at Celebration of Education Gala

Billy Hasty

The Fourth Annual Celebration of Education Gala held March 10 to benefit the Cherokee County School District (CCSD) honored Reinhardt University alumni Billy Hasty and Dr. Susan Buice.

The Cherokee County Educational Foundation (CCEF) recognized Hasty ’67 and Buice’77 as the Alumnus and Alumna of the Year for their leadership and service to CCSD public schools.

Hasty serves as Chairman of the Board of Trustees and Chairman of the Executive Committee at Reinhardt. Buice is on the University’s Alumni Board of the Price School of Education.

“Billy and his family have been an integral part of developing the entire public school system for Cherokee County,” said CCEF Executive Director Lisa-Marie Haygood. “And Dr. Buice was our first recipient. She said she’s just a teacher, but I would say it’s exciting that she is a teacher, because we haven’t recognized an alumna before from solely a teaching capacity. She’s made such an impact on kids and the district. Dr. Buice retired as a teacher, so that made her contribution unique and different.”

Buice, who taught in CCSD schools for 34 years, was also inducted into the CCSD Educator Hall of Fame.

Dr. Susan Buice

The gala raised more than $80,000 to go toward initiatives including unit-course recovery and graduation coaching for special needs students.

“It was really overwhelming to see that amount of support,” said Haygood. “It was our largest gala, and it felt to me like a veritable ‘who’s who’ of Cherokee County. It was awesome to have all walks of life there, businesses and the support of our universities and technical colleges there celebrating with us—it was incredible.”

The gala took place at the Northside Hospital Cherokee Conference Center and included dinner, dessert, auctions and musical performances from students.