On October 9, 2026, renown heart surgeon Dr. Levi Watkins, Jr., MD (1945-2015), was selected as a "Legacy Recognition Honoree" by the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. Dr. Watkins is the second member of the Carmichael/Varnado/Watkins family to become affiliated with the Academy. In 2017, Dr. Watkins' first-cousin, Dr. Beverly Guy-Sheftall, PhD, was elected as a member of the Academy.