Drs. Anne and Fred Richards
Distinguished Service Award
Dr. Fred Richards, a 1979 graduate of the Ed.S. program in the department of counseling and educational psychology, went into private practice and became a licensed professional counselor and a licensed marriage and family therapist. He joined the Kiwanis Club of Carrollton and has served as its Club Herald for 26 years. Over the decades, he has been a Master of Ceremonies for nursing home pageants, Humane Society dog shows, Kiwanis cheerleading competitions, senior-citizen and youth talent shows and a variety of fund-raising efforts.
For 30 years, he has also served as Santa Claus for the Carrollton Kiwanis Club, local daycare centers, nursing homes, the Carrollton Housing Authority and the City of Carrollton. He is the recipient of numerous awards for distinguished service – both to Kiwanis and in the community. In 1998, he received the George P. Podein Counselor of the Year Award from the Licensed Professional Counselors Association of Georgia. He has served on the boards of many organizations, including the Carroll County Emergency Shelter, Salvation Army, Carrollton Kiwanis Club, Alice’s House and the Zachariah Foundation. He has also been seen in community theatre productions or can be heard singing operatic cheers in support of the UWG team at football games.
Dr. Anne Richards served as a faculty member in the UWG department of psychology from 1975 until her retirement in 2001. She received general civil training as a mediator through the University System of Georgia in 1997 and, during her retirement, served for a time as an interim coordinator at the Magistrate Court Mediation Center in Carrollton. Over the past 30 years she has also been very active in the American Association of University Professors at both the chapter level on the UWG campus and in the state of Georgia. She was named School of Arts and Sciences Faculty Member of the Year by the Student Government Association in 1995 and was nominated by a student for Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers in 2000, 2003, 2004 and 2005. In 2001, she was named Professor Emerita, Department of Psychology at UWG by the University System of Georgia and in 2002 she was named Outstanding Retired Professor by the UWG Alumni Association.
The Richards have published books and articles separately and together in Psychology and Education, and have been the recipients of other honors as a couple in recent years. In 1999, they were named Paul Harris Fellows by the Rotary Club of Carrollton for their contributions to the Carrollton community. In 2002 they were jointly honored by the League of Women Voters of Carrollton and Carroll County with the Dora Byron Citizenship Award. In 2006, they were both awarded the UWG Founders Award for “loyalty, service and friendship” to the university and served as community co-chairs of the Centennial Celebration Steering Committee from 2005-2007.