IUP has announced plans to honor the 2020 and 2021 distinguished alumni award recipients in a virtual ceremony this Saturday.
The Distinguished Alumni Awards are presented to IUP graduates who have achieved distinction in their chosen fields or who have demonstrated a loyal and active service to the university. Last year’s ceremony was not held due to the pandemic, so they will include the 2020 recipients in with this year’s honorees for the ceremonies.
Recipients from 2020 to be honored this year include:
- Courtney Rose, a member of the class of 1991, now a vice president and chief nursing officer for Nursing and Patient Care Services at New York Presbyterian Hospital-Columbia University.
- Michael Baughman, a 1986 graduate who is a U.S. Marshal in Western Pennsylvania.
- Tracey Butler of the class of 1985, and Chicago’s longest-running female meteorologist on WLS-TV.
- Aaron Chapman of the class of 1986 who is the medical director of Alameda County Behavioral Health Care Services in San Francisco.
- Retired Major General Bryan Owens of the class of 1983 who served as the Afghanistan country manager for Fluor Corporation, which provides logistics support for military operations.
- Linda Sidor Willett, a 1969 graduate who is Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary at Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield in New Jersey.
- Joann Sierra, from the class of 1985, a freelance video producer who also worked with CNN and Univision.
Members of the 2021 class of Distinguished Alumni include:
- John Ritter of the class of 1988, an illustrator whose works have been featured in The New Yorker, Scientific American, Sports Illustrated, The Wall Street Journal and for several companies.
- John Simpson, a 1979 graduate and recently retired president of the IUP Alumni Association Board of Directors
- Eric Zahren, a 1990 graduate who has been president and secretary of the Carnegie Hero Fund Commission.
- Shawn Gabbidon, a 1996 doctoral graduate, and a distinguished professor of criminal justice at Penn-State Harrisburg.
- Eric Monaco, a 1992 graduate who is a seven time Emmy-award winning producer for NFL Films.
- Douglas Roblin, a 1975 graduate and is a senior research scientist for Mid-Atlantic Permanente Medical Group.
- Alysia Steele, a 1997 graduate and associate professor of journalism at the University of Mississippi and acclaimed book author.
- Rose Zbiek, a 1983 graduate and Penn State Professor.
Along with remarks from the recipients, the ceremony will also feature speeches from IUP President Dr. Michael Driscoll, Vice President of the Alumni Association and Chair of the Alumni Recognition Committee Tonya Hsuing and Alumni Association Treasurer Mike Moyer.
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