2026 Distinguished Alumni Award: Ward McClellan

This story originally appeared in the 2026 Whitefield Magazine.

We desire that Whitefield alumni be followers of Jesus Christ who live lives pleasing to God, scholars who grow in godly wisdom, stature, and maturity, vital and caring members of their community, and are stewards who know and fulfill their God-given purpose.

The Distinguished Alumni Award is presented annually to one of our alumni who demonstrates these qualities. We are pleased to present this year’s award to Ward McClellan, Class of 2006.

After graduating from Whitefield, Ward attended Rhodes College where he graduated magna cum laude with a BS in neuroscience and attended medical school at George Washington University. After his residency, Dr. McClellan served as a general OB/GYN at a hospital in Colorado where he ultimately became the chief of the department of obstetrics and gynecology. In 2025, he completed a fellowship at Hofstra University.

Currently, he is a military physician and Lieutenant Colonel in the Army who serves as a reproductive endocrinologist at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, as well as an assistant professor in gynecologic surgery and obstetrics.

Ward is active in the Christian Medical and Dental Association. He seeks to glorify God in his professional life by striving always to stand firm on God’s truth, respecting the dignity and worth of all human life, created in His image, and honoring God’s design for life and family. Ward and his wife, Hailey, have five children and are active members of Sandhills Presbyterian Church, where Ward also sings in his church choir.