A lifelong teacher and a three-sport athlete received special recognition during the annual alumni weekend activities hosted by St. Andrews Presbyterian College.

Jane Hobbs McPhaul, of Southern Pines, received the 2008 Distinguished Alumni Award, while the college inducted Albert A. Rowe into its Athletic Hall of Fame. College President Paul Baldasare made the presentations during the annual St. Andrews Alumni Association Banquet on Friday, April 18.

Baldasare called McPhaul a "modern-day Renaissance woman" who has a variety of interests. McPhaul graduated from Flora Macdonald College in 1948 and went on to a career in teaching and adult counseling through Sandhills Community College in Pinehurst.

McPhaul expressed appreciation for the award and then began to talk about St. Andrews.

"I think we are so proud of so many things happening (at St. Andrews)," she said. "Wasn't it a pleasure to hear the choir sing tonight?"

The St. Andrews Chamber Choir entertained the alumni during the banquet. The roots of the choir go to Flora Macdonald College that was widely known for its music program.

Among her many community accomplishments, McPhaul initiated efforts to establish the Sandhills Arts Council (later becoming the Arts Council of Moore County), developed a counseling model, "PERSECQUITY" (personal ecological equilibrium) focusing on self-management skills, and served as president of the North Carolina Vocational Guidance Association. McPhaul has been involved in many facets of life in Moore County.

She is also a recipient of the Order of the Long Leaf Pine, the highest civilian honor given by the State of North Carolina.

Rowe played three college sports -- a feat not duplicated very often in today's world of college athletics. His prowess on the gridiron, the basketball court, and the baseball diamond led to his entry into the St. Andrews Athletic Hall of Fame.

"I want to express my gratitude to the St. Andrews Alumni Council for selecting me to this," Rowe said. "I would like to give special thanks to the faculty and my teammates. Without their support, this would not have been possible."

Rowe played left halfback at Presbyterian Junior College (PJC), once running for 60 yards for a touchdown against Edwards Military Institute in 1948. In basketball, he was the playmaker and ball handler, leading the team in assists. In baseball, he pitched and was a talented hitter with an average better than .300.

During his athletic career at PJC, Rowe played for legendary coach Robert Peanut Doak.

"He was truly a big-time coach who made his impact on small-time athletics," said Rowe.

More than 600 people attended the weekend's alumni activities at St. Andrews.

St. Andrews Presbyterian College is a four-year liberal arts and sciences college in Laurinburg. Students enrolled at St. Andrews come from 42 states and eleven countries.

Anyone needing more information about St. Andrews can visit the college' s Web site at www.sapc.edu, call admissions toll-free at (800) 763-0198 or e-mail admissions@sapc.edu.