Honored: UW-Green Bay alumni and friends celebrated at recognition dinner
The evening of April 17 was a special night for UW-Green Bay and the alumni and friends honored by the University on the special occasion.
Receiving awards were (above), from left to right: Chancellor’s Honorary Alumni Awards – Virginia A. Riopelle, Thomas L. Olson, Michael D. Meeuwsen (not pictured); Outstanding Thesis Award – Annette Pelegrin; Distinguished Alumni Awards – Betty J. (McNulty) Amuzu, M.D., Timothy E. Nixon, Patricia A. Finder-Stone; Outstanding Recent Alumni Awards – Samuel T. Huber, Jason F. Hellwig.
Responses from grateful recipients ranged from “surprised” to “delighted.”
Most mentioned the wonderful relationship with faculty at UW-Green Bay and the interdisciplinary-problem focused education that they realized was very special only after graduating.
Dr. Betty Amuzu said she learned early from UW-Green Bay faculty members to find her passion so that her career would never feel like work.
“Eco-runner” founder Sam Huber shared the story of motivation provided by retired faculty member Prof. Bill Laatsch, who requested Huber’s presence in the hallway during a class to tell him to get his head out of his butt and start participating. Now a passionate educator, Huber said the tactic worked. Attorney Jason Hellwig said that the critical thinking skills he learned at UW-Green Bay serves him well and daily in the law profession. Attorney Tim Nixon said he shares the philosophy of Abraham Lincoln (and others before him) who said, “We stand on the shoulders of giants.” Nixon was giving a nod to those mentors and teachers on campus and in his personal life who have supported him through the years.
Distinguished alumna Patricia Finder-Stone shared this poem during her acceptance speech:
I’ve achieved a goal that I set out to do
Being surrounded by people like you.
Challenged to think in a critical way
Has become essential as I face each day.
Interdisciplinary approach…I’m much more aware
Of responsibility each of us need in our care
Of our mountains and rivers, and clean water to drink.
Yes, thoughts of our future do cause me to think
Of the hatred and bigotry we don’t want to hear!
It’s compassion and tolerance we must hold dear.
And I think of the thanks that I want to extend
Because life-long learning has become my best friend.
And I reflect about what you have given to me…
My idealism that thanks you, my beloved GB!
Read the brief biographies of the recipients.
View the complete Alumni Photo Gallery. (Photos by Matt Robinson ’09)
