DURHAM, N.C. – Robert Lawson, a longtime photographer at his alma mater North Carolina Central University, received the Department of Athletics' most prestigious award on Thursday when Director of Athletics Dr. Ingrid Wicker-McCree presented him with the NCCU Athletics Lifetime Achievement Award.
In presenting the award, Wicker-McCree noted Lawson's outstanding commitment, dedication and unwavering support of NCCU Athletics.
"NCCU Athletics takes pride in standing on the shoulders of 'Truth and Service,'" said Wicker-McCree. "In doing so, we could not have found a person who is more deserving of this award. In keeping with the vision of Dr. James E. Shepard and Mr. Alex Rivera, Mr. Lawson's photographs serve as a portal to the success and sustainment of NCCU, not only for our current Eagle family, but for those yet to come."
Lawson, 74, enrolled at North Carolina College at Durham in 1958 and started taking pictures of Eagles in action on the athletic field as a student understudy to university photographer and publicist Alex Rivera.
A proud double-Eagle with a bachelor's degree in business in 1962 and a master's degree in educational technology in 1977, Lawson continued to capture notable university images for decades before being hired full-time at NCCU in 1993. And while he has a deep love for the university as a whole, he has a special affinity for NCCU Athletics.
In May 2013, Lawson retired from NCCU with vast fanfare and appreciation for his service to his alma mater. His lasting images help tell the story of NCCU Athletics history for the past 50-plus years.
FEATURE STORIES ABOUT ROBERT LAWSON
The Herald-Sun: "Through Lawson's Lens" -
http://www.heraldsun.com/news/x1463427430/Through-Lawson-s-lens NCCU Now magazine (Spring 2011): "Through the Lens of a Legend"
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