Texas Wesleyan graduate Stephanie Kalbfleisch said Friday that outstanding people at the university influenced her spiritual growth.

“I am grateful for God for placing me at Texas Wesleyan by putting so many great people in my life,” Kalbfleisch, a 1991 graduate, said during the annual Alumni Media Dinner. “Thank you again for this award and honor.”

The dinner, held at the Fort Worth Club, included a reception and dinner, as well as remarks by university President Frederick Slabach. Most of the honorees are graduates. Kalbfleisch received the O.D. Bounds Award.

Head men’s basketball coach Brennen Shingleton MBA ’05 said he loves the opportunity that Texas Wesleyan gives him and also mentioned how Slabach has helped shape the university.

“The campus didn’t look like this 16 years ago,” said Shingleton, who received the Wesleyan Flame Award. “The gym lighting was bad, you know, the halls were dark, the grass wasn’t always green, you know don’t get me wrong it was a beautiful place but now you can really feel it, you smell it, you sense it, and those are things I’m proud of.”

Wesleyan Service Award Honoree Glen Tuggle ’85 challenged everyone at the dinner to contribute to the welfare of others.

“You learn how important it is for the alumni to give back, not just monetarily, but as part of the legacy,” Tuggle said.

Tyler Atkinson ’07, who won the Young Alumni Achievement Award, said that he appreciated his professors being his friends throughout his career.

“Dr. Payne, Dr. Brown, Dr. Carol, followed me throughout my career and have been an encouragement beyond my student life here at Texas Wesleyan,” said Atkinson, a Municipal Court Judge.

Norma Roby said that receiving the Honorary Alumna Award is something she will never forget and will always cherish.

“I want you to know I’ve done a lot of things in this community, across the state, and across the nation,” she said. “There is nothing more dear to me than my service at Texas Wesleyan.”

Dr. Juan Quintana, the Distinguished Alumnus Award Honoree, said that he has done multiple medical mission trips to deal with children that have cleft lip and cleft pallet problems. He said each time he operates on a child he sees how fabulous they will look when their problem is fixed.

 “At first, I think, ‘Oh my God that’s hard’ and after I did it a few years I thought, ‘Oh my God, what a beautiful child,’” Quintana Said.

Dr. Michael Williams, the 1977 graduate who was named Alumnus of the Year, said that he was a determined student and that Texas Wesleyan never told him no; the answer was always yes.

“I left a university to transfer here because a professor told me I would never amount to anything,” Williams said. “I never heard that statement at Texas Wesleyan.”