Alumni Awards

Long wave the yellow and the black »

Alumni Awards

Long wave the yellow and the black

A History of Excellence

The alumni achievement award is the highest honor bestowed upon Wichita State alumni by the WSU Foundation and Alumni Engagement, for significant contributions to their field, community or society.

Each year, one alumni is recognized for this award at the Heritage Gala with the other awards from the program’s history: the Social Impact Award (formerly, Recognition Award) which comments those who better their community through service or philanthropy, and the Young Alumni Award, given to an alumnus 35 or younger who demonstrates excellent leadership in their chosen profession.

The following are the awardees for this tradition, harking back to 1955.

Make a Nomination

2024 Awardees

Junetta Everett ’79

Retired, Delta Dental of Kansas
Wichita State University
2024 Alumni Achievement

Diana Ho ’16

Adventure Dental & Vision
Wichita State University
2024 Social Impact

Ron Baker ’15

Ascension Via Christi
Wichita State University
2024 Young Alumni

  • Past Recipients

    1955

    Achievement: Lincoln LaPaz ’20, mathematician, meteoritist

    Recognition: B. Warren Beebe ’35; Lester Rosen ’49; Gifford Booth, Jr., ’36

    1956

    Achievement: Arch N. Booth ’27, business administrator

    Recognition: Jacquetta M. Downing ’21

    1957

    Achievement: Dwane L. Wallace ’33/82, aviation industrialist

    Recognition: Hazel E. Branch; Thurlow Lieurance

    1958

    Achievement: Paul I. Wellman ’18, historian and novelist

    Recognition: Bliss Isely ’06

    1959

    Achievement: Jesse W. Beams ’21, physicist

    Recognition: Walter A. VerWiebe

    1960

    Recognition: Lloyd McKinley

    1961

    Achievement: Garner E. Shriver ’34, legislator

    1962

    Achievement: Leslie H. Warner ’35, business executive

    Recognition: M. Alice Isely; William F. Crum ’32

    1963

    Achievement: Marion L. Conrow ’18, educator

    Recognition: Hugo Wall; Ralph Miller

    1964

    Achievement: Harry F. Corbin ’40, educator

    Recognition: George D. Wilner; Marie Graham

    1965

    Recognition: Worth Fletcher; John Rydjord ’50/53; Beulah O. Mullen ’35/71

    1966

    Achievement: John A. Morgan ’37, civic, cultural and business leader

    Recognition: Martin F. Palmer

    1967

    Achievement: James Lyndon Beebe ’17, lawyer

    Recognition: Laura Cross ’25; S. Carnot Brennan ’17/17; Kathlien Edmiston ’33

    1968

    Recognition: Laura Cross ’25; S. Carnot Brennan ’17/17; Kathlien Edmiston ’33

    Recognition: Dr. D. Cramer Reed ’37; Grace Wilkie

    1969

    Achievement: Dr. Vincent L. Gott ’51, cardiac researcher

    Recognition: Glen Gardner; Rene Gouldner; Robert Morton

    1971

    Achievement: Harrison B. Summers ’17, broadcaster

    Recognition: Dorothy A. Harmon ’46; Fran Jabara; Martin Umansky

    1972

    Achievement: A. Price Woodard Jr., public service leader; Wayne E. Coulson ’30, civic leader, Recognition: Arthur W. Kincade; Gordon W. Evans; Walter Duerksen ’31; Robert V. Christian, Jr. ’40

    1973

    Achievement: Malcolm H. Myers ’40, artist

    Recognition: Josephine Fugate; Howard Fullington ’30; James Robertson

    1974

    Recognition: John J. Conard; William C. Farmer; Paul R. Wunsch

    1975

    Achievement: Lawrence M. Jones ’53, business executive; Walter W. Orebaugh ’31, diplomat

    Recognition: Geraldine E. Hammond ’31; Donald W. Pray ’35

    1976

    Achievement: William E. Cooper ’48, business executive

    Recognition: Ray E. Dillon, Sr.

    1977

    Achievement: Linwood Sexton ’48, civic leader, university supporter; Lloyd McBurney ’25, business executive

    Recognition: A. Dwight Button; Samuel Marcus; James Winters ’39

    1978

    Achievement: Barbara J. Uehling ’54, educator

    Recognition: Emory Lindquist; Charles V. Jakowatz

    1979

    Achievement: Dr. Charles L. Christian ’49, physician, educator;

    Recognition: Bentley Barnabas ’29; Eugene Savaiano; James J. Basham ’33; M. Prudence Hutton ’67

    1980

    Achievement: Frank L. Carney ’00, business executive

    Recognition: Floyd T. Amsden; Sheldon Coleman; Roberta Watkins Adams ’36

    1981

    Achievement: Terence Scanlon ’56, business

    Recognition: Rowena Ahlberg ’38; Harry Litwin

    1982

    Achievement: William Fine ’38, business executive

    Recognition: Martin H. Bush; George and Brenda Farha; Jordan L. Haines

    1983

    Achievement: William R. Tincher ’53, business executive

    1984

    Achievement: William R. Tincher ’53, business executive

    Recognition: Rosalyn Gore; J. Kelley Sowards ’47

    1985

    Achievement: Thomas C. Farrar ’54, scientist

    Recognition: Margaret A. Glades ’39; Gordon B. Terwilliger

    1986

    Achievement: George ’50 and Virginia ’50 Ablah, entrepreneurs

    Recognition: Richard C. Welsbacher

    1987

    Achievement: Harold W. Beams ’25, scientist; Dr. D. Cramer Reed ’37, physician

    Recognition: John B. Breazeale; Lee H. Cornell ’26

    1988

    Achievement: John F. Jonas, Jr. ’54/67, humanitarian and entrepreneur; Dr. Russell A. Nelson ’41, pediatric physician

    Recognition: Karla A. Burns ’81/16, opera performer; James J. Rhatigan

    1989

    Achievement: Samuel E. Ramey ’68, international opera performer

    Recognition: Daniel E. Foley ’59; Dr. N. Henry Pronko; Frederick Sudermann ’58/60

    1990

    Achievement: Dr. Daniel Ferrell Rex ’40, scientist

    Recognition: Joann Kallail Kamas ’52; Roger D. Lowe; Mildred “Milly” Marcus

    1991

    Achievement: Oliver Elliott ’42, business executive

    Recognition: W. Frank Barton ’87; David Farnsworth ’53

    Distinguished Service: Laura M. Cross ’25

    1992

    Achievement: K.T. ’36 and Mary Inez ’89 Woodman, WSU supporters

    Recognition: Donald K. Stephan ’59; Dr. Glen Zumwalt

    Distinguished Service: Howard Ellis

    1993

    Achievement: Gifford Booth, Jr. ’36, businessman

    Recognition: Mickey Armstrong ’45; William Wilhelm

    Distinguished Service: Geraldine E. Hammond ’31

    1994

    Achievement: True H. Knowles ’60, business executive

    Recognition: Phillip D. Thomas; Dr. Donna E. Sweet ’70/72/15

    Distinguished Service: Bernice B. Hutcherson

    1995

    Achievement: Bill C. Parcells ’64, National Football League coach

    Recognition: J. Robert Berg; K.C. “Buck” and Gladys ’75 Alley

    Distinguished Service: John B. Breazeale Young Alumni: Ray B. Wills ’82

    1996

    Achievement: Edward W. Armstrong ’42, business executive

    Recognition: E. George Fahnestock ’69; Michael P. Tilford

    Distinguished Service: Lavona I. Spencer ’71/71/74 Young Alumni: Brian L. Wells ’87

    1997

    Achievement: Robert L. Dryden ’59, corporate aircraft executive; Robert A. Geist ’64, business executive; Capt. Riley L. Pitts ’60, Congressional Medal of Honor recipient (posthumous) Recognition: George M. Platt; Daniel J. Taylor ’67

    Achievement: Robert L. Dryden ’59, corporate aircraft executive; Robert A. Geist ’64, business executive; Capt. Riley L. Pitts ’60, Congressional Medal of Honor recipient (posthumous) Recognition: George M. Platt; Daniel J. Taylor ’67

    Young Alumni: Prince E. McJunkins, III ’86

    1998

    Achievement: Judith M. Bell ’61, professional golfer and administrator; Thomas R. Devlin, entrepreneur; Arneatha K. Martin ’75, nurse, educator, health-care advocate

    Recognition: J. Katherine “Kaki” Jackson ’39; Dr. Melvin H. Snyder ’50

    Distinguished Service: H. Joan Kahn Young Alumni: John L. Rolfe ’85

    1999

    Achievement: Lachlan M. Beatson ’66, corporate aircraft executive

    Recognition: Max ’57 and Lois ’56 Hubbard; Phillip T. May

    Distinguished Service: Wanda M. Maltby Young Alumni: Sheryl Wohlford ’82

    2000

    Achievement: Stephen L. Clark ’65, business and real estate executive

    Achievement: Stephen L. Clark ’65, business and real estate executive

    Distinguished Service: Dorothy “Dot” McNicol Young Alumni: Jeff P. DeGraffenreid ’88

    2001

    Achievement: Jeffrey L. Turner ‘73/77, corporate aircraft executive

    Recognition: Gerald H. Graham; David ’68 and Susan ‘72/75 Anderson

    Distinguished Service: Gordon F. Vadakin ’82 Young Alumni: Jeffrey C. Gates ’89

    2002

    Achievement: Daniel M. Carney ’53, entrepreneur and business executive

    Recognition: Christopher S. Shank ’69; Dharma deSilva

    Distinguished Service: Julia E. Lee Young Alumni: Eric L. ’87/92 and Kathleen B. ’88/89/92 Sexton

    2003

    Achievement: Jerry W. Bittle, illustrator and creator of GEECH (posthumous); B. Roberto Cruz ’64, educator; Ruth A. David ’75, engineer and defense analyst

    Recognition: Michael C. Burrus ’77; Gregory J. Meissen ’77; Velma L. Wallace

    Distinguished Service: Roland L. Banks Young Alumni: Sam N. Cohlmia ’89

    2004

    Achievement: Jim Mann ’56, business executive

    Recognition: Mary Herrin ’72/76; Ron Baldwin ’75

    Distinguished Service: John Davis ’75 Young Alumni: Ann Konecny ’91

    2005

    Achievement: Nicholas J. Mork ’71, philanthropic executive

    Recognition: Dr. Elizabeth H. King; Joe J. Palacioz ’71/76

    Distinguished Service: William H. Smith Young Alumni: Brian A. ’96 and Joy N. ’00 Heinrichs

    2006

    Achievement: Bob White ’71/76, business executive

    Recognition: Ron Kopita; Paul Allen ’70 Distinguished Service: Ginger Cox

    Young Alumni: Joyce DiDonato ’92 Distinction: Harold and Ruth ’48 Scheer

    2007

    Achievement: Ronald Holt ’77, corporate and local-government executive

    Recognition: Deltha Colvin ’72; Sheryl Wohlford ’82 Distinguished Service: Phillip Bowers ’86/91

    Young Alumni: Karen Countryman-Roswurm ’05/06/12 Distinction: David Nygaard ’73/74

    2008

    Achievement: Marilyn Pauly ’72, banker

    Recognition: Charles and Liz Koch; Dean Headley ’82 Distinguished Service: Ruth Matz

    Young Alumni: Kaye Monk-Morgan ’93/96/21 Distinction: The Hon. Wesley Brown

    2009

    Achievement: Sarah Robinson ’86, philanthropic executive

    Recognition: Mike Kennedy ’71; David Alexander Distinguished Service: Pat Campbell Young Alumni: Delia Garcia ’02

    Distinction: KPTS Channel 8 for “Black & Gold: Remembering the WSU Plane Crash”

    2010

    Achievement: Mark Parkinson ’80/19, Kansas governor

    Recognition: Barry and Cindy ’77/85 Schwan; Celia Goering ’63 Distinguished Service: Jesse Torres

    Young Alumni: Collin Stieben ’00 Distinction: WSU Volleyball Coaches: Chris Lamb, Shannon Lamb, RJ Abella, Jeff Sanders

    2011

    Achievement: Bernard Nichols ’61, businessman and financial manager

    Recognition: Dr. Sam and Jacque Kouri; Les Anderson (posthumous) Distinguished Service: Linda Matson ’84/88

    Young Alumni: Joe Hand ’99 Shocker Tribute: Shirley and Don Beggs

    2012

    Achievement: Cleo Littleton ’55, Shocker basketball great and businessman

    Recognition: Dave Dahl ’71/74; Lynn Stephan ’64/92 Distinguished Service: Connie Kachel White

    Young Alumni: Alex Kanelakos ’07 Shocker Tribute: WSU Alumni Association administrative leaders

    2013

    Achievement: Steve Feilmeier ’85, business executive; Linda Brantner ’74/90, business executive

    Recognition: Rhonda Kay Lewis ’89/91; Terri Moses ’80/90 Distinguished Service: Linda Harris

    Young Alumni: Julius Thomas III ’05 Distinction: Harry Shuler ’13/30 (posthumous)

    2014

    Achievement: Mark Wentling ’70, foreign service professional

    Recognition: Ted Ayres; Connie Dietz ’68/71 Distinguished Service: Deborah Buller

    Young Alumni: Laura Bernstorf ’04/19 Distinction: Larry Hatteberg

    2015

    Achievement: J. Robert Young ’61, banking executive

    Recognition: Joyce Cavarozzi; Junetta Everett ’79

    Distinguished Service: Jim Erickson Young Alumni: Joan Wagner ’77

    2016

    Achievement: Mark Finucane ’76, health-care industry and public health administrator

    Recognition: Jackie Williams; Ron Matson

    Distinguished Service: Esther ’79/80 and Dean ’82 Headley Distinction: Mickey Armstrong ’45

    2017

    Achievement: M. Lee Pelton ’73/17, educator and university president; Recognition: Mike James ’71; Cindy Claycomb ’79/91

    Distinguished Service: Kaye Monk-Morgan ’93/96/21 Young Alumni: Lisa Teachman ’02

    Distinction: Dorothy and Bill Cohen Shocker Tribute: Robert Gutschenritter ’70

    2018

    Achievement: Frederick “Freddy” Simon ’49, World War II veteran and businessman

    Recognition: Rodney Miller ’83; Cindy Carnahan ’73 Distinguished Service: Rhonda Hicks ’95

    Young Alumni: Kyle ’17 and Ricki ’09/16 Ellison

    2019

    Achievement: Ed Pavey ’88, criminal justice professional Alumni Recognition: Bill Walsh ’71

    University Recognition: Bobby Berry ’11/13/21 Distinguished Service: Bobby Gandu ’02/06

    Young Alumni: Alicia Sanchez ’07 Distinction: Bruce Conner ’55, David Haselwood ’53, Michael McClure ’53

    2023

    Alumni Achievement Award: Alicia Thompson ’15

    Social Impact Award: , Jessica Provines ’01/04/06

    Young Alumni Award: Roy Moye, III, '15 ; WSU Board of Trustees Award: Tom Winters