More cow bell

Walker Ray

Pediatrician Walker Ray and his unusual bovine award for leadership

Most distinguished awards from Emory University come with a traditional statuette and insignia. Not so the Pollard Turman Award that the Emory Alumni Association awarded college and medical school alum Walker Ray in March. Ray instead was conferred a cow—albeit an artistic cow rendered in crystal. The origins of the award go back to Turman, who believed it was the cow that wore the bell who led the pack and not the cowboy.

And Ray, a pediatrician in Atlanta for 38 years, has done his share of leading at Emory—serving as head of the medical alumni association and the alumni board, co-chair of Candler School of Theology’s Committee of 100, a committee member for the School of Medicine’s campaign, and a member of Emory Health’s editorial advisory board. Walker chose to split a $25,000 check from the Tull Charitable Foundation that accompanied the award among Emory’s medical school, pediatrics department, theology school, and a student scholarship—following President James Wagner’s call to create a multi-versity instead of a uni-versity.

From the magazine staff to our devoted board member, we offer congratulations with borrowed words from Christopher Walken’s Saturday Night Live skit—“more cow bell.”—Rhonda Mullen

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