Tony Snow was remembered in North Carolina as an active alumnus of Davidson College who received the college's Distinguished Alumnus Award in 2002 at his 25th reunion.

"Tony was one of our most outstanding alumni, and we are proud of all he accomplished and contributed as a journalist and government servant during his much too brief time with us," Davidson President Thomas W. Ross said in a news release Saturday. "Even after his national success and fame, he returned often to the campus and was always accessible and willing to assist his alma mater."

Snow majored in philosophy at Davidson and made a strong impression on his political philosophy professor, Lance Stell. "He's the only student who has ever challenged me to a debate," Stell said. "And it wasn't just a fly-by-night idea. He followed up on it, secured a venue, and we had it."

Snow graduated in 1977 from Davidson, where he was president of the senior class. He also was a member of the Omicron Delta Kappa campus leadership honor society and the Delta Sigma Rho honor society for debate. He won awards for creative writing and filmmaking, and he played in the pep band. Snow also co-wrote an underground newspaper that never made it to print and was famous for playing Jethro Tull's "Aqualung" on his flute.

Snow spoke at Davidson several times during his career. He was last on campus in 2007, when he spoke to students and alumni during a reunion weekend.