Alumni Awards & Athletic Hall of Fame

Each year, Millikin University proudly recognizes individuals who personify the university’s tradition as an environment for excellence. Through outstanding achievements and contributions, these individuals bring honor to Millikin University and its alumni. Established in 1951 with one award, the program has grown to five award categories to better recognize the accomplishments of alumni at different life stages.

These awards are presented annually during the fall Homecoming celebration. Recipients have the opportunity to accept their awards in front of family, friends and other alumni.

What are the awards?

Alumnus of the Year Award recognizes service to the university during the past year, as well as continuous service throughout the years. This award is the highest alumni honor presented by the university.
Merit-Loyalty Award recognizes individuals who have demonstrated great loyalty and dedication to Millikin and distinguished themselves in their particular profession or field of endeavor.
Merit Award recognizes individuals who have distinguished themselves in their profession or field of endeavor in such a way as to reflect credit upon themselves and Millikin. Outstanding community service is also a criterion for this award.
Loyalty Award recognizes long and faithful service to Millikin, the interests of the university, as well as outstanding community service.
Young Alumnus Award recognizes an alumnus/a 35 years of age or younger who has made notable achievements in a chosen field and/or given faithful service to Millikin.
Faculty/Staff Recognition Award recognizes a Millikin employee (past or present) who has demonstrated exceptional investment and care for the academic, professional and personal well-being of students and alumni.

Athletic Hall of Fame recognizes outstanding contributions to Millikin athletics.

How do I nominate someone for an Alumni Award?

Alumni, parents and other friends of the university are invited to nominate Millikin alumni for a variety of awards presented by the Alumni Association and the Athletic Hall of Fame Committee during annual Homecoming activities.

Know someone who fits the above descriptions? You’re encouraged to nominate him/her for a Millikin University Alumni Award:

Submit an online nomination form.
Download the nomination form and return it in the mail.

Nominations for Alumni Award and Atheletic Hall of Fame recipients are accepted each year through April 1. Nominations remain active for three years and may be added to at any time.

Current active members of a university board are not eligible to receive an Alumni Award. They may be nominated once their service to the board is concluded.

How are recipients selected for an Alumni Award?

The selection committee consists of members of the Alumni Association board and Alumni and Development staff. Committee members will review nominations and make selections during their April Alumni Association board meeting. Recommendations are then passed along for approval by �� president and board of trustees.

What is the timeline for the Alumni Awards and Athletic Hall of Fame process?

Nominations are accepted throughout the year for both the Alumni Awards and the Athletic Hall of Fame.

April 1 – Nominations are due to the Alumni and Development Office each year.
May – Committees begin their review and selection process.
May-June – Final recommendations are passed for presidential and board of trustee approval.
June – Recipients are notified.
Aug. 1 – Recipients announced.
September or October – Alumni Awards Dinner during Homecoming Weekend.
September or October – Athletic Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony & Brunch during Homecoming Weekend.

Alumnus of the Year Award
The Alumnus of the Year Award recognizes service to the university during the past year, as well as continuous service throughout the years. This award is the highest alumni honor presented by the university.
Alumnus of the Year Award Recipients
1951 - Orval Diehl ’22
1952 - Andrew Dallstream ’15
1953 - R. Zink Sanders ’07
1954 - Arthur Wells ’35
1955 - Neva Welsh Gauger ’14
1956 - H. Ray Myers ’26
1957 - Victor Dewein ’26
1958 - William ’33 and Ruth Blair Hipsher ’30
1959 - J. Neil Arrington ’26
1960 - J. Edwin Griswold ’24
1961 - W. Lawrence Rotz ’20
1962 - Harold R. Sampson ’22
1963 - R. Wayne "Hank" Gill ’21
1964 - Charlotte Meyer ’31
1965 - William F. Hayes, Sr. ’20
1966 - James Dunning ’31
1967 - Eva Coberly Kirkland ’15
1968 - Ida Diller Record ’07
1969 - John C. Griswold ’23
1970 - William Requarth ’35
1971 - John ’31 and Ula Davis Leighty ’33
1972 - Eva Davis Casey ’10
1972 - Ina Wornick Mills ’09
1973 - Clarence R. Flint ’30
1974 - H. A. "Bunk" Douglas ’26
1975 - Robert W. Bartlett ’31
1976 - Herbert D. Ryman ’31
1977 - J. William Record ’38
1978 - Nola Treat ’07
1979 - Anonymous
1980 - Mabel Hays Cooper ’18 and Helen Hays Hepperlen ’28
1981 - Florence E. Birks ’26 and Jenna R. Birks ’22
1982 - Purvis and Roberta Morris Tabor ’36
1983 - George Musso ’33
1984 - Howard L Gravett ’33
1985 - Amherst F. Hardy ’32
1986 - Clarence "Red" Johnson ’50
1987 - Rosalia McCambridge Weck ’25
1988 - Fanny Powers Bassett ’27
1989 - James H. Henson ’58
1990 - Howard Nyberg ’49
1991 - Wayne Krows ’51
1992 - Emily Johnson Metzler ’29
1993 - Virginia Holben Rogers ’32
1994 - Joan Honicker Parker ’47
1995 - Robert C. Hanna ’50
1996 - William Eichenauer ’51
1997 - G. William Harner ’47
1998 - Larry D. Haab ’59
1999 - James E. Fitzgerald ’53 and Donna Riechman Fitzgerald ’54
2000 - Patricia Smith Perkinson ’45 and C.D. "Perk" Perkinson, D.H.L.
2001 - Paul Hung, ’56
2002 - George Irish ’68
2003 - Robert W.Smith ’62 and Lucy Lindsay Smith ’67
2004 - Bruce Nims ’72
2005 - Douglas Oberhelman ’75
2006 - John Adney ’72
2007 - Jeff Black ’75
2008 - Robert Moorehead ’46 and Charlotte Beesley Moorehead ’47
2009 - Lyn Gallion Houston ’59
2010 - David Roth ’63
2011 - Duane Avis and Joan Adams Avis, both ’53
2012 - Barbara Burgis Zuegel ’53 and Herb Zuegel ’52
2013 - Michael Waller ’63
2014 - Frank Tyrolt ’54
2015 -  Elta Turner Cooke ’52
2016 -  The late R. Michael Campbell ’67 and M. Susan Campbell ’68
2017  -  Jack McCoy ’59 and Barbara Witzeman McCoy ’60
2018  -  Gary Workman ’65
2019 -  Don McIntyre ’52 and Nancy Todd McIntyre ’53
2020 -  John Prange ’60 and Sue Logan Prange ’62
2021 -  C. Thomas Harrington ’70
2022 - Dr. C. Kimm Hollis '72
2023 - David J. Rathje '58
Merit-Loyalty Award
The Merit-Loyalty Award recognizes individuals who have demonstrated great loyalty and dedication to Millikin and distinguished themselves in their particular profession or field of endeavor.
Merit-Loyalty Award Recipients
1960 - George H. Fathauer ’42
1967 - Elbert S. Smith ’35
1969 - John H. Crocker ’22
1969 - J. Harold Henry ’23
1969 - Clarence "Red" Johnson ’50
1970 - Estella Launtz ’41
1971 - Ralph ’37 and Ellen Horn Allan ’39
1972 - G. William Harner ’47
1972 - George D. Musick ’51
1972 - Dean Stanley ’15
1973 - Alex Van Praag Jr. ’17
1973 - John K. Wells ’30
1974 - Robert E. Linn ’36
1974 - Alex Sarran ’51
1975 - Lavelle Staley ’50
1976 - Edwin Jokisch Jr. ’26
1976 - Don F. McIntyre ’52
1977 - Preston Jenuine ’31
1977 - Paul Lauritzen ’30
1978 - Theodore W. Bean ’49
1978 - John W. Luttrell ’53
1979 - Richard A. Dolejs ’51
1979 - Howard L Gravett ’33
1979 - Royce Huss ’37
1980 - T. Douglas Johnson ’27
1981 - Merle Chapman ’59
1982 - Pearle A. Sutherland ’22
1983 - John R. Waltrip ’48
1984 - H.G. "Skinny" Taylor ’30
1985 - Roger Lotchin ’57
1986 - Larry D. Haab ’59
1987 - Robert G. Kowa ’53
1989 - Carl Lawrence ’51
1989 - Lois Adams Lawrence ’42
1989 - James E. Williams ’48
1990 - Frances McClell and Mayfarth ’28
1991 - John L. Davis ’64
1992 - Katherine "Kitty" Lindsay ’68
1993 - George Irish ’68
1994 - W. Frank Elston ’66
1995 - Bryden Carnahan ’71
1996 - Thomas Beadles ’30
1996 - Darrell Beck ’54
1997 - Richard Quisenberry ’56
1998 - Julius W. Hegeler II ’50
1999 - Virginia MacDonna Dolan ’81
2000 - Frank Tyrolt ’54
2001 - Robert "Bob" Murray ’50
2002 - Robert "Bob" Grissom ’38
2002 - Mark Kuhnke ’77
2003 - Douglas E. Zemke ’66
2004 - Michael J. Karasis ’70
2005 - Paul R. Rosteck Jr. ’76
2005 - John May ’65
2006 - Larry Foster ’64
2006 - Kyle Lehning ’71
2007 - Joe Browning ’71
2007 - Bill Hopper ’63
2008 - Luke Thornton ’50
2009 - Joseph E. "Joe" Killpatrick ’55
2009 - Mark Matlock ’77
2010 - John Hortenstine Jr. ’65
2011 - Julie Roe Lach ’97
2012 - Scott Flora ’78
2013 - Kathryn Springer Kuddes ’83
2014 -  Nike Smyth Whitcomb ’66
2015 -  David J. Rathje Sr. ’58
2016 -  Carole Medal ’72
2017 -  Bruce Nims ’72
2018 -  Kevin Mathews ’91
2019 -  Terry Peel ’68
2020 -  Jeffrey "Jeff" Monken ’89
2021 -  Dick Dechert ’54 & Marilyn Trainer Dechert ’55
2022 - Phillip Blankenburg '62
2023 - Michael Halbert '79
Merit Award Recipents
The Merit Award recognizes individuals who have distinguished themselves in their profession or field of endeavor in such a way as to reflect credit upon themselves and Millikin. Outstanding community service is also a criterion for this award.
Merit Award Recipients
1951 - R. Zink Sanders ’07
1951 - H. Ray Myers ’26
1952 - Charlotte Meyer ’31
1952 - Harold R. Sampson ’22
1953 - Helen Hawver Anderson ’28
1953 - George Bryne ’12
1953 - Orval Diehl ’22
1953 - Thomas Magath ’14
1953 - W.R. McGaughey Sr.’06
1953 - Herbert D. Ryman ’31
1953 - Ruth Swanson ’14
1953 - Nola Treat ’07
1953 - Forest Wikoff Sr. ’15
1954 - Lisle Brown ’17
1954 - Lowell Gill ’18
1954 - Herman Pritchett ’27
1954 - Ruth Walker ’08
1955 - Gus Greanias ’37
1955 - Clyde Hart ’15
1955 - Leo Johnson ’19
1955 - Burwell Million ’13
1955 - James Parsons ’34
1955 - Oscar Tauber ’30
1955 - Dwight Young ’07
1956 - Viola Bell ’11
1956 - Bonnie Blackburn ’08
1956 - W. St. Clare Minturn ’46
1956 - Annamary Dickey Laue ’31
1956 - Erwin Seago ’26
1956 - Judson Shurtz ’16
1956 - Eber Spence ’21
1957 - Dan Henry ’32
1957 - William Hipsher ’33
1957 - Robert Murphey ’20
1957 - Roy Rollins ’33
1958 - Clarence Deakins ’23
1959 - Anne M. Boyd ’06
1959 - Florence Page Jaques ’11
1959 - George Musso ’33
1959 - Dale Yoder ’23
1960 - Margaret Hessler Brookes ’14
1960 - Geneva Gregory
1960 - Mathiasen ’30
1960 - John A. McDavid ’37
1960 - William Requarth ’35
1961 - Dan S. Lutz ’29
1961 - Maurice Murfin ’35
1961 - Ruth Yakel ’40
1962 - Marian Johnson Castle ’18
1962 - John Leighty ’31
1962 - Clarence H. Pygman ’28
1962 - Maryhelen Vannier ’38
1963 - L. Talbot Hood ’27
1963 - Stanley G. Kimes ’47
1963 - William R. Krigbaum ’44
1964 - Leroy Augenstein ’48
1964 - Donald Shroyer ’50
1965 - Paul R. Cannon ’15
1965 - Paul Halmbacher ’32
1966 - Beatrice Atlass ’21
1966 - Robert Grissom ’39
1966 - Boyd S. Oberlink ’31
1966 - Alvin Rose ’26
1967 - C. Ronald Cassity ’29
1967 - Parmer L. Ewing ’25
1967 - John C. Mann ’21
1968 - Juanita Owen Falvey
1968 - Milligan Fleming ’45
1968 - Don Williams ’48
1969 - James S. Fritz ’46
1970 - Robert Oakes ’55
1970 - Don Ping ’22
1970 - Virgil Wagner ’43
1971 - W. Noel Hudson ’41
1971 - Larry McGowan ’50
1971 - James L. Olivero ’60
1972 - Hyman J. Burstein ’26
1972 - John P. Fink ’49
1972 - Robert Parkinson ’49
1972 - Thomas Parkinson ’43
1972 - Thomas S. Sly ’47
1973 - J.V. Blackwell ’47
1973 - Lorraine Bolen Bland ’32
1973 - Arthur L. Ennis ’29
1974 - Walter W. Murfin ’41
1974 - Corwin D. Querrey ’18
1974 - Mae Ross Taylor ’29
1975 - Frank Beaman ’55
1975 - Henry H. Bolz ’44
1976 - Charles G. Obermeyer ’36
1976 - Paul Taff ’41
1977 - Sister Ann Bailey ’43
1977 - Rayen W. Tyler ’26
1978 - Wayne W. Krows ’51
1978 - Rudolph Livingston ’57
1979 - Robert Pensinger ’51
1980 - Thomas W. Ewing ’57
1980 - Rosemarie Maronto Lane ’35
1981 - Louise Foster ’18
1981 - Parker Rosenquist ’65
1982 - Robert E. Wing ’63
1983 - Doris Ryan McElwee ’53
1984 - H. Dan Cordtz ’47
1984 - Ural T. "Bud" Ward ’58
1985 - Louise J.M. Riff ’56
1986 - R. David Edmunds ’61
1986 - Alice Ambrose Lazerowitz ’28
1987 - Michael E. Waller ’63
1988 - H. Wayne Hill ’47
1988 - Betty Godwin Watkins ’50
1989 - Mary Godwin Williams ’50
1990 - Ross Lake ’59
1991 - Verne E. Roby ’43
1992 - Sheila Witts-Mannweiler ’81
1993 - Marvin L. Huston ’57
1994 - Stephen A. Platt ’25
1995 - Wayne Martin ’59
1996 - Judy Hutton ’64
1996 - Gerald Domescik ’62
1997 - Nancy Zi Li ’53
1998 - Ethelyn Draser Boyd ’29
1998 - Anthony J. Comerota ’70
1999 - Robert A. Penneman ’41
2000 - Mary L Jackson-Hammond ’74
2001 - Claudia Nichols Quigg ’75
2002 - Ann Chelette ’70
2002 - John Hoots
2003 - Robert Landaas ’74
2004 - Eric Bremer ’75
2004 - Lou Manfredini ’87
2005 - Doug Beach ’75
2005 - Chuck Force ’72
2006 - James Augustine ’68
2006 - Jim Humphrey ’68
2006 - Jim Lundquist ’53
2007 - Steve Hurst ’70
2007 - John McClarey ’59
2007 - Thomas Rotondi Jr. ’71
2008 - Gary Mormino ’69
2010 - Mary Fowler ’82
2011 - Sidney Smith ’76
2012 - Kerry Muzzey ’92
2013 - Janet Heinie Clark ’91
2013 - Sunny Hull ’69
2014 - Michelle Hsiao-Hung Wong ’86
2015 -  John Bingham ’70
2016 -  Michael A. Kasper ’95
2017  -  Joe Machota ’93
2018  -  Bill Lay ’71
2019 -  Sarah Smith-Raschen ’98
2021 -  Sir Edward "Kidd" Jordan ’67
2022 - Dr. Thomas Mahoney '90
2023 - LeeAnn Bailey, M.D. '96
Loyalty Award
The Loyalty Award recognizes long and faithful service to Millikin, the interests of the university, as well as outstanding community service.
Loyalty Award Recipients
1959 - Carl I. "Doc" Head ’11
1959 - Thurman W. McDavid ’31
1960 - Harold M. Osgood ’15
1961 - Kitty Taylor
1961 - Cronkhite Academy
1961 - Lois Yoder ’11
1962 - George P. Byrne ’12
1962 - M. C. "Bob" Evans
1962 - Paul Montgomery ’13
1963 - Phyllis "Smoky"
1963 - Morris Lotchin ’59
1963 - Howard Nyberg ’49
1964 - David E. Smith ’52
1964 - Otto Sutter ’27
1965 - Vivian Bell Barnes ’32
1965 - J. Ira Young ’33
1966 - Mary Hull Burnett ’43
1966 - George Ecklund ’44
1966 - William Eichenauer ’51
1966 - Marion B. McClelland ’30
1967 - Roy M. ’10 and Alice Dempsey Hamilton ’09
1967 - O. F. Kuny ’17
1967 - Walter E. Reed ’33
1968 - Charles ’48 and Alice Hortenstine Hyink ’47
1968 - Dale Minick ’41
1968 - Gail Frede Tallman ’17
1969 - Jewel May Broughton ’12
1968 - W. Lawrence Fritz ’21
1970 - Robert Logan ’45
1970 - Sid Rotz ’41
1970 - C.E. "Fuzzy" Sutherd ’18
1971 - Forrest R. Kyle ’36
1971 - George A. ’18 and Velma Grosjean Rodger ’19
1972 - Archie P. ’12 and Ruth Irwin McIntosh ’21
1972 - Frank Van Doren ’56
1973 - E.K. Scheiter, Trustee
1974 - Haldon B. Ayars ’18
1974 - Clifford F. Steigemeier ’28
1975 - Harold "Pete" Barth
1975 - James L. Morrison ’50
1976 - Mabel Hays Cooper ’18
1975 - Lois Sayre Wells ’34
1977 - Paul B. Berryhill ’25
1977 - Nola Treat ’07
1978 - David E. Richardson ’56
1979 - Helen Caldwell Bennett, Special
1979 - Modesta Scott ’24
1980 - Emily Johnson Metzler ’29
1981 - Rosalia McCambridge Weck ’25
1982 - Ralph "Skip" Wilcox Jr. ’49
1983 - Bessie Fruit Hart ’16
1983 - Edward D. ’57 and Alice Mueller LeFevre ’58
1984 - Helen Moffett Russell ’29
1985 - C. Jane Wasson Darling ’48
1986 - Roy J. Dunning ’38
1986 - Esther Long ’21
1987 - Lucy Lindsay Smith ’66
1988 - Earl "Twisty" ’27 and Ruth Watkins Richardson ’30
1989 - Marie Ridgely Bennett ’38
1990 - Herbert ’52 and Barbara Burgis Zuegel ’53
1991 - Dorothy Sellers ’35
1992 - Robert Hantel ’57 and Joanne (Jody) Sparks Hantel ’57
1993 - Linda Chapman Arends ’61
1994 - Dean Mesnard ’49
1995 - Denny Lohnes ’68
1996 - Daniel F. Smith ’37
1997 - Donald Baird ’38 and Joanne McDavid Baird ’40
1998 - Stephen Mathias ’67
1999 - David Rayhill ’58
2000 - C. Kimm Hollis ’72
2001 - George Prust ’54 and Ruth McDonald Prust ’56
2002 - Phyllis Haab Ranney ’48
2002 - William "Bill" Zehnacker ’51
2003 - John Krigbaum ’51
2004 - Maurice and Joanne Roney Armstrong, both ’48
2004 - Virginia Robbins ’40
2005 - Duane and Joan Avis ’53
2005 - Sharon Swan ’80
2006 - Ruth Troutman Buckley Kinser ’39
2006 - Gary Workman ’64
2007 - Jack McCoy ’59 and Barbara Witzeman McCoy ’60
2007 - William McGaughey ’43
2008 - Daniel Austin ’71
2008 - John Cardamone ’86
2009 - Jack C. Allen ’49
2009 - Joan Rothfuss ’70
2010 - William Berry ’70 and Nancy Harry Berry ’70
2010 - Ralph Linder ’49 and Mary Singleton Linder ’49
2011 - Father Nicholas Smith ’83
2012 - Dick Dechert ’54
2012 - Bill Wright ’59
2013 - Charles Yurieci ’68
2014 - John William Prange ’60 and Sue Logan Prange ’62
2015 -  Norman Hoback ’78 and Heather Reid Hoback ’80
2016 -  David G. Dixon ’83
2017 -  Janet Ernst ’78
2018 -  Bill Heyduck ’53
2019 -  James "Jim" Neff ’78
2020 -  James "Jim" Butts ’51
2021 -  Dr. Randall Rentfro ’78
2022 - Karen Maurer Krows '68
2023 - Sue Vaughan Nelson '66
Young Alumnus Award
The Young Alumnus Award recognizes an alumnus/a 35 years of age or younger who has made notable achievements in a chosen field and/or given faithful service to Millikin.
Young Alumnus Award Recipients
1959 - John W. Luttrell ’53
1960 - Kenneth A. Harm ’52
1960 - Helen Cox Raab ’56
1961 - Robert B. King ’51
1962 - Jack S. Hart ’49
1963 - Ernest W. Novak Jr. ’57
1964 - James E. Fitzgerald ’53
1965 - Herbert H. Zuegel ’52
1966 - Roger Baldwin ’53
1967 - Don McCann ’56
1968 - Wayne Martin ’59
1969 - Jerry Booth ’56
1970 - Ruth McDonald Prust ’56
1971 - Michael J. Perelli ’59
1972 - David P. Lauerman ’61
1974 - Gerald Domescik ’62
1975 - Katherine "Kitty" Lindsay ’68
1976 - George B. Irish ’68
1977 - Larry W. Foster ’64
1978 - Nike Smyth Whitcomb ’66
1979 - Terry R. Peel ’68
1980 - John T. Adney ’72
1981 - Earl A. "Bud" ’73 and Debra Curfman Harner ’75
1982 - Steven R. Hurst ’70
1983 - Fred W. Krows ’72
1984 - Gary L. Motta ’74
1985 - Marcia Morey ’78
1986 - William ’76 and Mary Strine Kowalczyk ’76
1987 - Jodi Marzorati Benson ’83
1988 - Ann Mansfield Carr ’78
1989 - Tim Shew ’80
1990 - Jennifer Friday ’77
1991 - Kim Mrowiec Toter ’78
1992 - Alan Held ’81
1993 - David G. Dixon ’83
1994 - W. Curt Grant ’86
1996 - Marcilene Dutton ’85
1997 - Catherine Cook Boughaffour ’85
1998 - Lori Kerans ’85
1999 - Douglas Ashcraft ’88
2000 - Christopher Shroyer ’87
2001 - Karla Camillo Miller ’88
2002 - Lesa Kraus Friedrich ’89
2003 - Joe Machota
2004 - Jon Tiede ’92
2005 - Darren Washington ’92
2006 - Ann Louise Sumner ’96
2007 - Amy Hagen ’94
2008 - Matthew West ’99
2009 - Nicole Tester ’99
2010 - Sierra M. Boggess ’04
2011 - Case McGee ’98/MBA ’04
2011 - Chapter 6
2012 - Gregg Meisenhelter ’00
2013 - Jay Schleppenbach ’00
2014 - Jason L. Welsh ’03
2015 -  Christine LaPorte ’07
2016 -  Trevor Bates ’02
2017  -  Jason Goldfarb ’05 and Meghan Sims Goldfarb ’08
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2019 -  Dian Romonosky ’11
2020 -  Krista Scott ’16
2021 -  Angela Osborne ’09
2022 - Philip Lopez '16
2023 - Joel Kim Booster '10

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