Dear Friends of Southminster,
As we welcome the New Year, Southminster is taking a moment to reflect on the meaningful 8 Over 80 Lifetime of Purpose Awards celebration held this past November.
This truly unique event – one of its kind in the Charlotte region – honored eight extraordinary individuals whose lives, leadership, and lasting contributions continue to shape our community.
We are deeply grateful to our honorees for sharing their stories, to our generous sponsors for their support, and to all who attended and helped make the day so memorable. We invite you to enjoy photos, the official program, and local media coverage of the event here.
Looking ahead, the New Year brings fresh momentum as planning begins for our next 8 Over 80 celebration. Building on the success of last year, we are developing an even more dynamic program with new elements designed to elevate the experience and broaden its impact.
Opportunities to nominate honorees, become a sponsor, and join us as an attendee will be announced shortly. If you would like to receive updates or learn how to get involved early, please reach out to us via email – we would be delighted to stay connected.
With gratitude and best wishes for the year ahead,
Southminster
The Inaugural 8 Over 80 Honorees
The very first 8 Over 80: Lifetime of Purpose Honorees are eight extraordinary individuals who continue to inspire with their creativity, leadership, and unwavering sense of purpose. Each honoree shows us that every stage of life can be full of new possibilities, deep meaning, and lasting impact.
2025 honorees are:
Mary Lou Babb
John T. Crawford
Boyd H. Davis
Harvey B. Gantt
Hugh L. McColl, Jr.
Caroline Love Myers
Sally Robinson
Charles Squires
Legacy Sponsor
Purpose Sponsor
Friends of 8 over 80 Sponsors
Media Sponsors
About Dr. Suzuki
Dr. Wendy A. Suzuki is the Dean of Arts and Sciences at New York University. She is also Professor of Neural Science and Psychology at the Center for Neural Science at New York University.
She received her undergraduate degree in physiology and human anatomy at the University of California, Berkeley in 1987 studying with Prof. Marion C. Diamond, a leader in brain plasticity. She earned her Ph.D. in Neuroscience from U.C. San Diego in 1993 and completed apost-doctoral fellowship at the National Institutes of Health before accepting her faculty position at New York University in 1998.
Her major research interest continues to be brain plasticity. She is best known for her extensive work studying areas in the brain critical for our ability to form and retain new long-term memories. More recently her work has focused on understanding how aerobic exercise can be used to improve learning, memory, and higher cognitive abilities in humans. Wendy is passionate about teaching about exercise and about supporting and mentoring up and coming scientists.
Dr. Wendy A. Suzuki is the author of two best selling books. In Good Anxiety, Dr. Wendy Suzuki used new and established neuroscience to help readers harness their fears to feel better, think better, and do better. In her book, Healthy Brain, Happy Life, Dr. Wendy Suzuki takes us on an amazing journey inside the brain as never before, Suzuki helps us unlock the keys to neuroplasticity that can change our brains, bodies, and, ultimately, our lives.