Chancellor James H. Mullen has announced that UNC Asheville will present the Chancellor's Medallion to Alice and Arthur Green of Asheville for their extraordinary contributions to higher education, community service and public leadership. The Chancellor's Medallion is presented at the discretion of the Chancellor and is considered one of the most distinguished honors the University can bestow.

"Art and Alice Green are extraordinary community citizens," said Chancellor Mullen. "Their contribution to the life of Asheville and of UNCA has been enormous. UNCA looks forward to recognizing them for their exceptional service by presenting them with our Chancellor's Medallion."

The Greens moved to Asheville from northern New Jersey in 1992 and quickly became involved in a number of community efforts. Alice, who became a special education teacher in her 40s and taught for more than 20 years, is actively involved in the Guardian Ad Litem program, serving as an advocate for children in the court system. She also joined the board of the Center for Diversity Education, an organization committed to helping teachers incorporate multicultural perspectives into the curriculum. Alice started taking classes at the N.C. Center for Creative Retirement's College for Seniors, volunteered for committee work, and, after a course on leadership abilities, became the College for Seniors president.

Meanwhile, Art, a civil engineer whose career took him into national construction marketing, became involved in Gentlemen on the Move, an Asheville High School program that encourages young Black males to complete high school. Art heard about Gentlemen on the Move through the Center for Creative Retirement's Leadership Asheville Seniors program that he and Alice were attending. Art eventually was named chairman of Gentlemen on the Move and remains an active volunteer at Asheville High School. He also became a board member at Beth Israel Synagogue and serves now as a board of directors member of the Jewish Community Center.

Art and Alice took lead roles in one of the N.C. Center for Creative Retirement's major endeavors, developing the Reuter Center, a new facility on the UNCA campus to accommodate the center's expanding program. Art chaired the building committee that selected the architect and Alice volunteered for the programming committee. When the time came to select co-chairs for the Reuter Center fund-raising campaign, the Greens were approached by Ron Manheimer, N.C.C.C.R executive director. Art and Alice agreed and are leading a team that has raised $3.2 million of the $3.5 million goal.