Waynesburg University was recently awarded the 2017 McCracken Legacy Award from the Greene County Chamber of Commerce.

While the McCracken Legacy Award is young, it’s background and history are deep.

Melody Longstreth, executive director of the Chamber of Commerce, said the award is a lasting legacy of the McCracken family and their commitment to service.

“The McCracken Legacy award is in its second year, it was named in memory of the McCracken family.” Longstrath said.

Jack McCracken founded McCracken Pharmacy and was also the first Distinguished Service Award recipient honored by the Chamber in 1988.

His son Jeff (2012 winner), his son John (2013 winner), and his granddaughter Elissa (2012 winner) all have been honored with either an active Distinguished Service Award, a posthumous Distinguished Service Award, or a special Distinguished Service Award for their service and achievements in
the community.

“So, that is what the basis is for the McCracken Legacy Award and the pharmacy and the legacy that Jack left through his children and grandchildren was one of service to others, service to the community and being good sound business leaders,” Longstreth said.”

Longstreth sees Waynesburg as a clear contender to be a recipient of this
year’s award.

“The committee met and discussed several different candidates from the business community, and the university rose to the top of that pack quite quickly based on meeting all the criteria of the McCracken Legacy Award. They’ve been a fabulous community partner for many organizations, provide opportunities for students and residents alike to further their education. They are just a very very qualified candidate to receive the McCracken Legacy Award,” Longstreth said.

President Douglas Lee stated that some of the characteristics Waynesburg University personifies in order to receive this award are having excellent satisfaction, a commitment to social responsibility, exemplary community involvement, demonstrating a positive social and/or economic impact on the community and exemplary civic community leadership.

“I was very honored as the representative of the university to receive this award on behalf of the faculty, staff, students and members of the university community because it truly is a reflection on all of the good things that we do at the university,” Lee said.

Lee said the award is a great honor for the university.

“It means a great deal because this comes from the community that we are situated in and it comes from the heart of the people of this community and I think that means a great deal to have that kind of an award from the people that surround you on a daily basis,” Lee said.

For Lee, the award is a testament to the hard work of everyone involved with the university.

“When you have a clear message, ours is educating students to live lives of purpose for the glory of God, making connections between faith, serving, and learning, and when you have a clear mission that is articulated throughout the university community and its students understand and endorse that mission, these are the types of wonderful recognitions that happen,” Lee said.

Lee also sees this as an example of light in society.

“In a time when there is a lot of bad things happening in this world, here we are again being a lamp, being a light to what is really good about higher education and about our students, faculty, and staff,” Lee said. “It’s a reflection of the work of all of us, focused on the mission of the university.”