Retired Lt. General, alumnus selected for North Carolina Award

Campbell University alumnus and retired U.S. Army Lt. Gen. Kevin Vereen '88 has been selected to receive the 2026 North Carolina Award, the state's highest civilian honor.

North Carolina Governor Josh Stein announced Vereen as one of six recipients of the award, which recognizes extraordinary achievements in the fields of fine arts, literature, public service and science. Vereen is one of three recipients selected this year in the public service category.

A Fayetteville native, Vereen earned a bachelor's degree in sociology in 1988 and was commissioned as an officer in the U.S. Army following graduation. He retired in August 2024 as a lieutenant general after 36 years of service, concluding his military career as the Arm's deputy chief of staff, G-9. In that role, Vereen served as the Army's senior officer for installations and advised leadership on infrastructure, installation services and quality-of-life programs for soldiers and their families.

His career also included service as commanding general of U.S. Army Recruiting Command, provost marshal general of the Army and commanding general of the Army's Criminal Investigation Command. In August 2025, Stein appointed Vereen to a two-year term on the North Carolina Military Affairs Commission.

Campbell honored Vereen with its Distinguished Alumni Award in 2022. He returned to campus in November 2025 as the featured speaker for the University's Veterans Day ceremony, where he reflected on his time in Buies Creek, praised Campbell's ROTC program and encouraged continued support for military veterans and their families.

The North Carolina Award was created by the General Assembly in 1961 to recognize significant contributions to the state and nation in the fields of fine arts, literature, public service and science. More than 300 people have received the honor since its inception.

Joining Vereen as 2026 North Carolina Award recipients include Jason Mott for literature; Richard Petty and Randy Woodson for public service; Lindsay Zanno for science; and Beverly McIver for fine arts.

The North Carolina Award has recognized distinguished North Carolinians for lifetime achievements since 1961. Vereen and the other 2026 recipients will be honored during the North Carolina Awards ceremony on Nov. 17 at the Lenovo Center in Raleigh.