Honorees

David “Swagg R’Celious” Harris ’09 received his bachelor’s degree in music from LaGrange College and pursued a master’s degree in music technology from New York University.

He is a Grammy and Emmy Award-winning producer and songwriter. Harris’ productions and songs have garnered numerous gold and platinum records, accumulating over two billion streams worldwide.

Throughout his career, Harris has collaborated with esteemed artists, writers and producers such as H.E.R., Alicia Keys, Teyana Taylor and Babyface, among others. His work as a producer and executive producer on H.E.R.’s self-titled album earned him a Grammy for Best R&B Album of the Year in 2019.

In 2022, he had the opportunity to work with H.E.R. on the project “We The People,” which resulted in his first Emmy at the Children’s and Family Emmy Awards. Harris co-wrote and co-produced the song performed by H.E.R., which was then set to animation as the first episode of a series executive produced by Barack and Michelle Obama.

He and his wife, Deborah, have three children.

She is a retired educator and principal who worked in the LaGrange City and Troup County school systems. Rogers taught at Dawson Street Elementary School, Eastside Primary, West Side Elementary and West Side Fine Arts Magnet School. She has earned Teacher of the Year honors at the school and district level.

Rogers is active in community service, volunteering as a board member for Alpha Delta Kappa and as an ambassador and advocate for the Georgia Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association. She has served as chair and vice chair for its board of directors. Rogers was honored for her decade of advocacy with the Alzheimer's Association during National Volunteers Week in 2021.

At LaGrange, she established the Florence “Pippy” Rogers Scholarship for students.

Outside of volunteering, Rogers enjoys photography, gardening and being a laughter yoga leader.

Dr. Hunter Jonus ’14 earned a bachelor’s degree in biology from LaGrange College and a doctorate in toxicology from the University of Georgia.

She is a research instructor in the Pediatrics Department at Emory University’s School of Medicine in Atlanta. Previously, she served as a postdoctoral fellow at Emory University.

Dr. Jonus has had numerous, impactful national and international abstract presentations and articles published in journals for the field of cancer therapy and research.

At LaGrange College, she participated in basketball, Phi Mu and the Wilkinson Family Servant Scholars program. As a member of the Servant Scholars’ first cohort, Dr. Jonus volunteered her time at Circles of Troup County, the Enoch Callaway Cancer Clinic and Our Daily Bread, an organization she co-founded in 2012.

She and her husband, Jasen M’15, have one daughter, Julia.

Lee Richter earned degrees from Central Alabama Community College and Troy University.

He came to LaGrange College in 1993 as the head golf coach, a role he held until his retirement in 2021.

Under Richter’s leadership, the Panthers earned 10 NCAA tournament appearances and three conference championships. In addition, the program made three trips to the NAIA national tournament and won the 2003 United States Collegiate Athletic Association national championship.

He received numerous awards, including USA South Coach of the Year, Division III Southeast Region Coach of the Year and Great South Athletic Conference Coach of the Year.

In 2013, the Callaway Education Building’s gymnasium was named in Richter’s honor to show appreciation for his generous support of the college. Richter and his wife, Sally, have made contributions to the golf program, the Panther Club, the painting of red paws down Panther Way and upgrades to the men’s and women's locker rooms in Mariotti Gym. In addition, Richter and his siblings established a scholarship fund in memory of their parents, Horace and Dorothy Richter.