BUIES CREEK, N.C. – The Campbell University Alumni Association will recognize three extraordinary graduates as Distinguished Alumni during Homecoming weekend on Friday, Oct. 17, 2025.
Luther D. “Lew” Starling Jr. (’87), Cordell Wise (’70), and Tim Stevens (MBA ’87) will be honored at a formal dinner and ceremony in the Oscar N. Harris Student Union ballroom, joining a select group of 190 alumni who have received the University’s highest alumni honor in its 138-year history.
Luther D. “Lew” Starling Jr. (’87)
Lew Starling, a lifelong public servant and accomplished attorney, has devoted his career to both the law and the community of Clinton, North Carolina. After earning his business degree from Campbell in 1987, he completed his J.D. at Wake Forest University School of Law, where he excelled academically and served on the Wake Forest Law Review.
Today, Starling is managing partner of Daughtry, Woodard, Lawrence & Starling, with offices in Clinton and Smithfield. He has been recognized repeatedly by Best Lawyers in America and Super Lawyers for his work in commercial litigation.
Beyond his legal career, Starling has served as Mayor of Clinton since 2001, making him one of the longest-serving mayors in North Carolina. Under his leadership, Clinton was named an All-American City, and he has been honored with the NC Bar Association’s Citizen Lawyer Award for exemplary public service.
A Campbell trustee and member of the University’s Presidential Board of Advisors, Starling has also chaired the Clinton/Sampson Airport Authority, served as general counsel for Sampson Regional Medical Center, and been recognized by the Clinton-Sampson Chamber of Commerce as Outstanding Chamber Member of the Year. His leadership reflects a lifelong commitment to civic engagement, faith, and Campbell University.
Tim Stevens (MBA ’87)
For nearly five decades, Tim Stevens has been a storyteller, historian, and champion of community. Beginning his journalism career at just 15 years old, he went on to write more than 12,000 stories for The Raleigh Times and The News & Observer, becoming one of the state’s most influential voices in high school sports.
Stevens’ reporting often went beyond the scoreboard, tackling critical issues such as concussions, sports specialization, and access to athletic scholarships. His work earned national recognition and induction into the National High School Athletics Hall of Fame, the N.C. Sports Hall of Fame, and the N.C. High School Athletic Association Hall of Fame. The NCHSAA also named its annual media award in his honor.
Outside of journalism, Stevens has enriched his hometown of Garner through the performing arts, founding a Broadway concert series and writing award-winning plays about Garner’s history. His nonprofit, Show N Tell, has raised nearly $100,000 for hurricane relief and civic initiatives, including bringing The Wall That Heals, a traveling replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, to Garner in 2022.
A recipient of the Order of the Longleaf Pine, North Carolina’s highest civilian honor, Stevens is also a proud Campbell MBA alumnus. His legacy of creativity, service, and advocacy continues to inspire both his community and the next generation of storytellers.
Cordell Wise (’70)
A trailblazer on and off the court, Cordell Wise was Campbell’s first African American student and the first NAIA men’s basketball All-American in program history. Between 1967 and 1970, Wise totaled 1,584 points in just 84 games, leading the Camels to a 60–27 record and the 1970 NAIA District 29 title. He remains 11th on Campbell’s all-time scoring list and holds the single-game rebounding record with 26 boards against High Point.
Wise’s impact extended beyond basketball. He also excelled in track, winning the 1969 NAIA District 29 title in the 220-yard dash and representing Campbell at the NAIA national championships. He was named Campbell’s Outstanding Athlete of 1970.
After graduating with his B.S. in health, physical and driver education, Wise was drafted by the Carolina Cougars of the American Basketball Association and later played professionally in the Eastern Basketball League. His post-athletic career included teaching, coaching, and a decade directing tennis programs in New Jersey and South Carolina.
In 1986, Wise was inducted into the South Jersey Basketball Hall of Fame and was cementing his legacy as a barrier-breaker and one of Campbell’s most decorated athletes.
Wise taught and coached in Trenton, Willingboro, and Camden schools for a decade. He also spent five years as a stockbroker and three seasons working in Atlantic City casinos. An all-around athlete, Wise earned his USTA certification and served as director of tennis at Mill Creek Park in Willingboro for 10 years and as site director for the National Junior Tennis and Learning Center of Trenton. He most recently worked as assistant pro at Sea Pines Racquet Club in Hilton Head, S.C., where he taught alongside two-time major champion and former World No. 1 singles player Stan Smith.
Wise was inducted into the Campbell Athletics Hall of Fame in 2024.
The 2025 Distinguished Alumni Dinner will be held Friday, Oct. 17, at the Oscar N. Harris Student Union. The evening will begin with a reception at 5 p.m., followed by dinner and the award ceremony at 6 p.m.
Registration for the 2025 Distinguished Alumni Dinner can be found here.