VUAA Honors Alumni, Students and Faculty

Each year, the VU Alumni Association receives many nominations for its awards program. Following a rigorous deliberation process, the VU Alumni Association Board of Directors selects a number of individuals to become recipients of these prestigious honors. This year, 10 individuals will be presented with alumni awards.

The awards will be presented at Homecoming and Homecoming West.

They are:

• Distinguished Alumna
  • Paula (Kavasch ’67) Groncy
    Anaheim, Calif.
  • Alumni Achievement
    John Draheim ’64
    Barrington, Ill.
  • John Duxbury ’61
    South Pasadena, Calif.
  • Jon Steinbrecher ’83
    Brentwood, Tenn.
• Outstanding Young Alumnus
  • Christopher Brown ’99
    New York
  • Andrew Nunemaker ’91
    Milwaukee
• Alumni Service
  • Russell Felten ’72
    Edina, Minn.
  • Sandra (Bopp ’80) Kinsella
    Indianapolis
• Honorary Alumni Membership
  • Lois Mitchum
    Laurens, S.C.
  • O.P. Kretzmann
    Charlotte Strahm ’91, ’95 M.S.N. LaPorte, Ind.

The VUAA’s Distinguished Teaching Award recipient for 2006 is Douglas Tougaw ’05 M.B.A., associate professor and chair of the department of electrical and computer engineering. Tougaw received his award at Valpo’s Opening Convocation in August and will be the guest speaker during the Family Weekend annual dinner on Oct. 28.

Ten members of the class of 2006 were selected as recipients of Distinguished Student Awards, after being nominated by their colleges. These awards were presented prior to commencement at a luncheon hosted in the recipients’ honor.

The students are:

• College of Arts and Sciences
  • Peter Brock
    Columbus, Ind.
  • Helen Huggins
    Truckee, Calif.
  • Adam King
    Decatur, Ill.
  • Katherine Peters
    Sioux Falls, S.D.
• College of Business Administration
  • Kirsten Huth
    Rubicon, Wis.
• College of Engineering
  • David Wheeler
    St. Charles, Ill.
• College of Graduate Studies
  • Josephine Jent
    Valparaiso
• College of Nursing
  • Julie Nickels
    Montgomery, Ill.
• Christ College
  • Amy Stark
    St. John, Ind.
• School of Law
  • Anna Schumaker
    Milwaukee

VU faculty members also may apply for support to pursue terminal degrees, advance post-graduate research, or continue their education by participating in conferences and seminars.

The 2006 Faculty Development Award recipients are:

• Kevin Geiman
  Associate Professor of Philosophy
• Ruth (Morris ’96 M.Ed.) Johnston
  Instructor in English
• James Moore
  Professor of Theology

Read about the alumni award recipients at valpo.edu/alumni. Nominations for all 2007 awards will open in December.