Evangel to honor longtime employees

The Evangel University Alumni Association will present four awards to former longtime employees of the Springfield school.

Zenas Bicket, Steve Davidson, Billie Davis and John Shows will receive the Tree of Life award Oct. 11 during a banquet at University Plaza Convention Center. The awards, which include an engraved bronze plaque placed at the base of trees on campus, recognize years of service to the university, according to a news release.

From 1964 to 1985, Bicket taught English at Evangel and was academic dean for about 19 years. As dean, he helped the college secure reaccreditation, and published four books. After Evangel, he became dean and later president at Global University.

Davidson worked as a professor of biology at Evangel for 38 years, before retiring in 1996, including a 10-year stint as chairman of the science and technology department. He earned Evangel's Distinguished Service Award in 1983, according to the release.

Davis worked full-time for Evangel for 11 years, joining the faculty in 1981. In 1986, she became department chairwoman of  behavioral sciences, a job she held for six years. During her tenure, Davis founded Evangel's social work program.

Joining Evangel in 1966, Shows worked at the school for 41 years, including 26 years as chairman of the music department. During his tenure, he was key in the completion of Evangel's Barnett Fine Arts Center. In 2008, the Missouri Music Educators Association named him Music Administrator of the Year, the release said.