Jerkins, Chalfant to receive 2026 Alumni Awards

Dr. Gary Jerkins (’74) of Nashville, and Brooklyn Chalfant (’18) of Floyds Knobs, Indiana, are the recipients of this year's Alumni Awards. 

All will be recognized at Bisons Weekend Chapel at 11 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 7 in Willard Collins Alumni Auditorium during Bisons Weekend.

Alumnus of the Year

Dr. Gary Jerkins (’74)

Nashville resident Dr. Gary Jerkins—or “Dr. J” as friends call him—is a true Lipscomb “lifer,” having attended from first grade at Lipscomb Academy through his 1974 graduation from David Lipscomb College with a Bachelor of Science degree in biology.

A standout high school athlete and editor of The Pony Express, he was named Bachelor of Ugliness and won the 1969 and 1970 TSSAA State Doubles Tennis Championships. He continued his studies at David Lipscomb College, playing collegiate tennis, editing The Babbler and co-founding the Delta Nu musical group, Delta NaNaNa. Jerkins was named to Lipscomb’s Who’s Who in 1974.

After completing medical school and his ophthalmology residency at the University of Tennessee at Memphis,Jerkins built a distinguished 49-year career as a beloved physician and eye surgeon. He currently leads Advancing Vision Research, LLC. Deeply committed to mentorship, he served as team physician for Vanderbilt and Lipscomb athletics, supports Lipscomb women’s tennis, and guides pre-health students through The Ward Society.

Driven by faith and compassion, Jerkins coordinated surgical teams and multi-specialty medical conferences in Ukraine since 1996. In 2010, he founded SeaStar Kids, a non-profit empowering Ukrainian youth through camps, mentorship and scholarships. In response to the war in Ukraine, he led SeaStar Kids to open The Galaxy Center in June 2025 to treat childhood trauma and PTSD. He also served on the boards of Healing Hands International and the Ukrainian Education Center.

Above all, Jerkins is grateful for the long-time support of his high school sweetheart and wife, Karen. Together, they have three accomplished adult children.

Young Alumna of the Year

Brooklyn Chalfant (’18)

Brooklyn Chalfant of Floyds Knobs, Indiana, is a theatre educator, director and advocate who believes in the transformative power of storytelling and serving others through the arts.

As the director of theatre arts at Floyd Central High School in Indiana since 2020, she has cultivated a nationally recognized program, with her students performing on the International Thespian Festival MainStage and earning top honors at state and national levels. Under Chalfant's leadership, Floyd Central has received multiple accolades from the Educational Theatre Association, including the 2023 Outstanding School Award and the 2025 Theatre in Our Schools Advocacy Award.

A proud Lipscomb University alumna, Chalfant earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in theatre education in 2018 before completing an MFA in theatre education from Mississippi University for Women in 2025. Her professional experiences include work with the Jimmy Awards in New York City, studying Shakespeare Off-Broadway, and researching theatrical practices in China, Japan, and Italy. She is a recipient of the 2024 Lilly Endowment Teacher Creativity Fellowship and was awarded “The Young Are at the Gates” Grant to direct the youth pilot production of SUFFS for the 2026 Indiana All-State Musical. She is currently directing the first-ever high school production of the musical Waitress by Sara Bareilles.

Above all, Chalfant strives to create spaces where every student is valued and encouraged to discover their God-given potential. She seeks to live out Ephesians 3:20–21, trusting that God can accomplish immeasurably more than we could ever ask or imagine.