Evangel’s Regius Award to honor fallen soldier

October 5, 2007
Contact: Paul K. Logsdon, Director of Public Relations and Publications, (417) 865-2815 ext. 7292

Springfield, Mo. — The Evangel University Social Sciences Department will present its 2007 Regius Award posthumously to the family of the late Capt. Shane Mahaffee, during the Homecoming Alumni Breakfast on Saturday, Oct. 13.

Mahaffee was killed in 2006 when an improvised explosive device struck his vehicle during combat operations near Al Hillah, Iraq.

The annual Regius Award was established in 1990 to honor alumni of Evangel’s Department of Social Sciences for outstanding professional accomplishments.

“The Social Science faculty voted unanimously to honor Capt. Shane Mahaffee with a posthumous Regius Award,” said Dr. Lew Hall, department chair. Mahaffee majored in pre-law while attending Evangel and was a member of ROTC.

“At Evangel, we challenge students to be world changers,” said Dr. Bryan Sanders, professor of legal studies. “We encourage students to go out and make a difference so that they’re not just getting a job to make money, but they’re going out in the world and doing something special. That was Shane,” Sanders said.

The Social Sciences Department will also present the Martin-Mahaffee family with a “Book of Memories” from Mahaffee’s classmates and friends at Evangel.

Past recipients of the Regius Award include Dr. George O. Wood, general superintendent of the Assemblies of God, and Dr. Klaude Kendrick, first president of Evangel.

Background and Career

Capt. Mahaffee was born on June 5, 1969, in Champaign, Ill. He was a civil affairs officer assigned to the 489th Civil Affairs Battalion, Knoxville, Tenn.

Capt. Mahaffee died from wounds sustained when an improvised explosive device struck his vehicle during combat operations near Al Hillah, Iraq, May 5, 2006. Three other members of his team were killed in the attack. The team was attached to the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division in Iraq.

A resident of Gurnee, Ill., Capt. Mahaffee was a self-employed lawyer. He was raised in Alexandria, Va., and graduated from Mount Vernon High School. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Evangel University, Springfield, Mo., in 1991. In May 1994, he earned his Juris Doctor degree from Widener University School of Law, Harrisburg, Pa.

Capt. Mahaffee began his military career as an ROTC cadet at Southwest Missouri State University, Springfield, Mo., and was commissioned in 1991, the 1443rd officer commissioned by the Bear Battalion.

For the next seven years, Capt. Mahaffee was assigned to the 339th Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment, 84th Division, Waukegan, Ill., where he served as a section officer. He was voluntarily assigned to the Inactive Ready Reserve in 2000.

In February 2006, Capt. Mahaffee completed the Civil Affairs Course at Fort Bragg, N.C., and deployed with the 489th Civil Affairs Battalion in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Capt. Mahaffee’s military training includes Infantry Officer Basic Course, Basic Airborne Course and the Civil Affairs Course.

His awards include Army Achievement Medals with Oak Leaf Cluster, the Army Reserve Components Achievement Medal, National Defense Service Medal, the Iraq Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Armed Forces Reserve Medal with the “M” device, Army Service Ribbon, and the Parachutist Badge.

He is survived by his wife, Jennifer, and children, Adelia and Ethan, of Gurnee, Ill.

For additional information, contact Dr. Lew Hall at (417) 865-2815, ext. 8226 or Laura Sardo, ext. 8215.