College of Liberal Arts & Sciences

Graduates' careers demonstrate the endless possibilities of a CLAS degree

2011-12 Honorees

Robert Kipp

MPA '56

Robert Kipp is a civic leader with more than 50 years’ experience managing city administrations, commercial development and philanthropic efforts. He has worked in city administration for Lawrence; Vandalia and Fairborn, Ohio; and Kansas City, Mo. During his tenure as the city manager of Kansas City he earned the International City/County Management Association Management Innovation Award and the National Public Service Award. Following his work as city manager in Kansas City, Kipp has served as President of the Crown Center Commercial District, a member of the Hall Family Foundation Board of Directors, as well as Chairman of Crown Center and a Vice President at Hallmark. Kipp graduated from KU with a Master’s in Public Administration in 1956.

Marla Prather

Art History '78, '81, and French '78

Marla Prather is a curator and scholar who has helped develop collections at some of the most well-known museums in the world. Prather is a curator of modern and contemporary art at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, where she has been in residence since 2008. From 2005 to 2007, she was Curator for American Art at Tate Modern, London, and from 1999 to 2004, the curator of Postwar Art at the Whitney Museum of American Art, New York. She joined the National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C., in 1986, becoming curator and head of the Department of 20th Century Art from 1996 to 1999. From 1982 to1984 she was curator of painting and sculpture at the Spencer Museum of Art, where she was also a lecturer in art history. Prather graduated from KU with bachelor’s degrees in art history and French in 1978, and a master’s in art history in 1981.

Juan Manuel Santos

Economics and business '73

Juan Manuel Santos is serving his first four-year term as president of the Republic of Colombia. He was elected in June 2010. Santos served three years as defense minister to his predecessor, President Alvaro Uribe. As defense minister, Santos played a role in the 2008 rescue mission that freed Ingrid Betancourt, a former Colombian presidential candidate who was held captive by FARC, the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, a Marxist rebel group. Santos is following the footsteps of his great uncle, who was president from 1938 to 1942. The Santos family founded El Tiempo, Colombia’s most influential newspaper, where Santos worked as an editor before serving as foreign trade and treasury minister in previous administrations. Santos graduated from KU in 1973 with degrees in economics and business.

Marla Spivak

Entomology '89

Marla Spivak is a MacArthur “Genius” Fellow and Distinguished McKnight Professor and Extension Entomologist in the Department of Entomology at the University of Minnesota.  Her research and extension efforts focus on honey bee health, breeding, and behavior, and on the sustainable management of alternative pollinators.  She has bred the Minnesota Hygienic line of honey bees, which demonstrates resistance to diseases and Varroa mites.  Her current line of study centers on propolis, a plant-derived resin collected by bees; specifically the benefits of propolis to the immune system of bees, and antimicrobial properties of propolis against bee and human pathogens. From 1989-1992, Spivak was a post-doctoral researcher at the Center for Insect Science at the University of Arizona.  She was hired as Assistant Professor at the University of Minnesota in 1992. She obtained her doctorate in entomology in 1989 at the University of Kansas under Dr. Orley Taylor on the ecology of Africanized honey bees in Costa Rica.

2010-11 Honorees

Mark Amin

Economics '72

Video Profile
Mark Amin has earned credit in over 50 feature films ranging from low budget independents to television films and major studio productions as vice chairman of Lionsgate Entertainment and CEO of Sobini Films. He founded what became Trimark which later merged with Lionsgate Entertainment. Under Amin’s leadership, Trimark Holdings, Inc. developed into one of the entertainment industry’s leading publicly traded, independent production and distribution companies. His film credits as executive producer included Eve’s Bayou and he spearheaded the acquisition and distribution of Swimming with Sharks, starring Kevin Spacey and Frank Whaley. In 2002, Mark executive produced Frida with Miramax Films, which has garnered six Academy Award nominations.  Sobini Films has produced independent films including The Prince and Me (2004), starring Julia Stiles and Peaceful Warrior (2006), starring Nick Nolte. Current films in production include Hemingway and Fuentes (2010). He established the Mark Amin Scholarship in Film for Iranian students within KU’s Film and Media Studies Department.  Amin earned his undergraduate degree in economics from KU in 1972 and an MBA from UCLA.

Cynthia Carroll

Geology '82

Video Profile
Cynthia Carroll has been named the fourth most powerful woman in the world by Forbes for her work as CEO of Anglo American plc, a global mining group and FTSE 20 company headquartered in London.  Cynthia joined Anglo American in 2006, and has led a strategic and organizational transformation at the group, which is a leader in the global mining industry with interests in platinum, diamonds, copper, nickel, coal and iron ore.  Prior to joining Anglo American in 2006, Cynthia spent 18 years at Alcan Inc, including five years as president and CEO of the Primary Metal Group.  Cynthia is a geologist by training, and began her career working for Amoco as a petroleum geologist in oil exploration based in Denver, Colorado.  She is a non‑executive director of BP plc, and is a member of BP’s Safety, Ethics and Environmental Assurance Committee of the Board.  She is also the Chairman of Anglo Platinum Limited and a non-executive director of De Beers.  Cynthia is on the Board of the UK NSPCC Stop Organised Abuse and is a Fellow of The Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining.  She is also a member of the American Society of Corporate Executives.  Cynthia graduated from Skidmore College with a B.S. in geology, holds a master’s in geology from KU in 1982 and a MBA from Harvard University.

Wes Jackson

Biology '60

Video Profile
Wes Jackson is a visionary environmentalist who serves as president of The Land Institute, a Salina-based non-profit research, education, and policy organization dedicated to developing an agricultural system with the ecological stability of the prairie and a grain yield comparable to that from annual crops. He resigned a professorship with tenure at California State University – Sacramento where he established and chaired one of the first environmental studies programs in the U.S. to found The Land Institute in 1976. Among the many honors for his work’s impact on the future of agriculture and environmental sustainability, he has been named a Pew Scholar, MacArthur Fellow, and received the Right Livelihood Award. His books include Man and the Environment, New Roots for Agriculture, Meeting the Expectations of the Land, Altars of Unhewn Stone, and Becoming Native to This Place. Life magazine named Jackson one of 18 individuals it predicts will be among the 100 "important Americans of the 20th century." He was named one of Smithsonian magazine’s "35 who made a difference" in November 2005. Jackson earned a B.A. in botany from Kansas Wesleyan, a master’s in biology from KU in 1960, and his Ph.D. in genetics from North Carolina State University.

Vernon L. Smith

Economics '54

Video Profile
Vernon L. Smith was awarded the Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences in 2002 for his groundbreaking work in experimental economics. He currently has joint appointments with the Argyros School of Business & Economics and the School of Law at Chapman University, is a research scholar at George Mason University Interdisciplinary Center for Economic Science, and serves as a Fellow of the Mercatus Center. He is the founder and president of the International Foundation for Research in Experimental Economics and an Adjunct Scholar of the Cato Institute in Washington D.C. Smith has authored or co-authored more than 250 articles and books on capital theory, finance, natural resource economics and experimental economics. Previous faculty appointments include the University of Arizona, Purdue University, Brown University, the University of Massachusetts, and George Mason University. Smith completed his undergraduate degree in electrical engineering at the California Institute of Technology, his master's degree in economics at KU in 1954, and his Ph.D. in economics at Harvard University.

2009-10 Recipients

Ann Hamilton

Textile design '79

Video Profile
Ann Hamilton is a visual artist internationally recognized for the sensory surrounds of her large-scale multimedia installations. Noted for a dense accumulation of materials, her environments create immersive experiences that respond to the architectural presence and social history of their sites. Born in Lima, Ohio, in 1956, Hamilton received a bachelor’s in textile design from KU in 1979 and an master’s in sculpture from Yale University in 1985. Among her many honors, she has been a recipient of the Heinz Award, MacArthur Fellowship, Guggenheim Memorial Fellowship, NEA Visual Arts Fellowship and United States Artists Fellowship, and she was chosen to represent the United States at the 48th Venice Biennale. In 1992, she established her home and practice in Columbus, Ohio. She is a professor of art at Ohio State University.

George William James

Economics '73, education '75

Video Profile
Through his innovative work with baseball research, George William James has changed the way the sport is viewed, understood and managed. James is senior adviser to the Boston Red Sox, contributing to the team’s two world championships. James was identified by Time magazine as one of the 100 most influential people in the world. He has published more than 20 books and dozens of articles focusing on the elements of a winning baseball team. Every year, thousands of baseball fans eagerly await “The Bill James Handbook,” the most complete annual baseball guide available. His latest work, “The Bill James Gold Mine 2009,” is a groundbreaking collection of 17 original essays and statistical profiles. James received bachelor’s degrees in English and economics from KU in 1973 and a bachelor’s in education in 1975.

Steve Mills

Liberal arts and sciences '51

Video Profile
Steve Mills, president and producer of New Vision Entertainment, has led a distinctive entertainment career, producing more than 600 television movies and mini series. His work on “The Incident” was honored with an Emmy Award. As senior vice president of programming for Qintex Entertainment, he was responsible for the lauded “Lonesome Dove.” Mills has worked with such actors as Henry Fonda, Sidney Poitier, Burt Lancaster, Robert Duval and Anthony Hopkins. His career started locally at KCTV in 1953, but he was soon hired by ABC affiliate KABC Los Angeles as a producer-director-program manager. He attributes much of his success to his “Kansas ethic of honesty and common sense.” Mills has stayed loyal to his alma mater through his support and contributions to the KU’s film and media studies program. Mills graduated from KU in 1951 with a bachelor’s in liberal arts and sciences.

Kathleen Sebelius

M.P.A. '80

Video Profile
Kathleen Sebelius was sworn in as the 21st secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services in April 2009. As secretary, she’s become a familiar face to Americans as a powerful advocate for reforming the nation’s health insurance system and a leader of the administration’s response to public health emergencies, including the H1N1 virus. She also oversees one of the largest civilian departments in the federal government with nearly 80,000 employees. Sebelius was elected governor of Kansas in 2002 and was reelected in 2006. In 2005, Time magazine named her one of America’s five best governors for her leadership and record of bipartisanship. Before her tenure as governor, Sebelius spent eight years as the Kansas insurance commissioner and was a member of the Kansas House of Representatives from 1986 to 1994. Sebelius graduated from KU with a master’s in public administration in 1980.

2008-09 Recipients

Sheila Bair

Philosophy '75, J.D. '78

Video Profile
Sheila Bair was sworn in as chair of FDIC in June 2006. Before her appointment, Bair was the Dean's Professor of Financial Regulatory Policy for the Isenberg School of Management at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst. Other career experience includes serving as assistant secretary at the U.S. Department of the Treasury, senior vice president for government relations of the New York Stock Exchange, commissioner and acting chair of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission and as an aide to former Sen. Robert Dole. Bair was named to the Wall Street Journal magazine Smart Money's "Power 30" list and Forbes magazine honored her as No. 2 among the world's 100 most powerful women. Bair has received several honors for her published work on financial issues, including a Distinguished Achievement Award from the Association of Education Publishers. Her first children's book, "Rock, Brock and the Savings Shock," was published in 2006. Bair received a bachelor's degree in philosophy and law degree from KU.

Jacqueline Z. Davis

French M.A.

Video Profile
Jacqueline Z. Davis is executive director of the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts at Lincoln Center, where she oversees a collection of more than 9 million items related to performance. Davis was director of the Concert, Chamber Music and New Directions Series beginning in 1980 and as the executive director of the Lied Center of Kansas from its opening in 1993 until 2000. She is vice president of KU's Theatre and Film Advisory Board. Davis is serving her second three-year term as a Tony Award nominator and is a Tony voter. She is on the American Theatre Wing Advisory Committee and the Executive Committees of the International Society for the Performing Arts and Benjamin Barber's Global Interdependence movement. She assisted in the creation of the Imagine '04 Festival of Arts, Issues and Ideas, for which she received an Obie Award. Davis has been recognized as one of the 11 most influential university presenters by International Arts Manager, named to KU's Women's Hall of Fame and honored as an Outstanding Citizen by Lawrence Public Schools. She received a master's in French from KU.

Robert Hill

Biochemistry, B.A., M.A., Ph.D.

Video Profile
Robert Hill is a world-renowned scientist who serves as the James B. Duke Professor of Biochemistry at Duke University. His major research interests are the relationship between the structure and function of proteins and carbohydrates. Hill joined Duke's biochemistry department in 1961. He was chair from 1969 to 1993 and director of the University Program in Cell and Molecular Biology and the Medical Scientist Training Program. He has authored two textbooks and more than 340 articles and academic treatises. Hill is a past president of the American Society of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, elected a member of the National Academy of Sciences in 1974 and was elected a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and the Institute of Medicine. He has been active in international scientific affairs and was general secretary of the International Union of Biochemistry from 1983 to 1991. Hill earned his bachelor's, master's and doctorate in biochemistry from KU.

Deanell Reece Tacha

American Studies

Video Profile
Deanell Reece Tacha was appointed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit in 1985, where she is a federal appellate judge. She was a special assistant to the secretary of labor as a White House fellow in 1971, an associate in the Washington, D.C., firm of Hogan and Hartson and later returned to Kansas to engage in private practice. In 1974, she joined the KU School of Law faculty, becoming associate dean of the law school and eventually vice chancellor for academic affairs. Tacha served as a national Trustee of the American Inns of Court Foundation since 2000. She is a past chair of the Appellate Judges Conference and member of the American Bar Association's Commission on Women in the Profession. Having served as president of the KU Alumni Association, Tacha is also on the Board of Trustees for Saint Paul School of Theology in Kansas City. Tacha received her bachelor's degree in American Studies from KU and law degree from the University of Michigan.

2007-08 Recipients

Mary Dawson

Paleontology Ph.D. '57

Mary Dawson is an acclaimed paleontologist at the Carnegie Museum of Natural History in Pittsburgh, one of the largest of its kind in the world. She serves as curator emeritus of vertebrate paleontology and as an adjunct professor in the Department of Geology and Planetary Sciences at the University of Pittsburgh. Most of her research materials are fossils she has collected worldwide, with emphasis on Arctic regions and eastern Asia. Dawson received her doctorate in paleontology from the Department of Zoology (now part of the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology) at KU in 1957, a time when few women received doctoral degrees in any subject, especially paleontology.

James Gunn

Journalism '47, English M.A. '51

James Gunn is widely acknowledged as one of the most influential authors, scholars and educators in science fiction. He has penned 28 books, edited 12 books and written more than 100 published stories. Gunn is professor emeritus of English and director of the Center for the Study of Science Fiction at KU. He is most well-known as the author of "Alternate Worlds: The Illustrated History of Science Fiction" and as editor of the six-volume anthology "The Road to Science Fiction." Other works include "The Listeners," "The Immortals," "The Joy Makers" and "Isaac Asimov: The Foundations of Science Fiction." Gunn was named the 2007 Damon Knight Memorial Grand Master by the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America. He received a bachelor's degree in journalism in 1947 and master's degree in English in 1951, both from KU.

Thomas Rudkin

Mathematics '73

Thomas Rudkin is best known for his role as one of two engineers who wrote the first version of the software program PowerPoint. He has worked at Intel and Microsoft and as a self-employed information designer. Rudkin and his wife, Jann, are loyal KU graduates committed to the success of KU. Tom serves on KU's International Programs advisory board; they both serve on the Biodiversity Institute/Natural History Museum advisory board and are longtime supporters of scholarship halls, the renovation of Spooner Hall for the Commons and the International House for visiting scholars. Rudkin received a bachelor's degree in mathematics from KU in 1973 and a master's degree in computer science from the University of Wisconsin.

George Sheldon

History '57, M.D. '61

George Sheldon has served as chair of surgery for 17 years and professor of surgery and social medicine at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill. He was a fellow in internal medicine at the Mayo Clinic, resident in surgery at the University of California-San Francisco and fellow in surgical biology at Harvard Medical School. Sheldon is one of fewer than 20 surgeons in the past 100 years to be president of all the major surgical organizations, including the American College of Surgeons, the American Surgical Association, the American Association for the Surgery of Trauma and the American Board of Surgery. Sheldon is a member of the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Science and has an Honorary Fellowship in the Royal College of Edinburgh and the Royal College of Surgeons of England. He is currently editor-in chief of eFACS.org, an Internet portal, and Centennial History of the American College of Surgeons. A Salina native and past student body president of KU, he graduated with a bachelor's degree in history in 1957 and his doctor of medicine degree in 1961, both from KU.

2006-07 Recipients

Thomas G. Burish

Psychology & Clinical Psychology M.A. '75, Ph.D. '76

Thomas G. Burish was appointed provost of the University of Notre Dame in 2005. A distinguished scholar in the field of clinical psychology, Burish served as president of Washington and Lee University for three years before assuming his present position and was Vanderbilt University's longest-serving provost from 1993 to 2002. In addition to his achievements as a higher education administrator, Burish has distinguished himself as a scholar. After his graduation from Notre Dame in 1972, Burish, a native of Peshtigo, Wisconsin, received master's and doctoral degrees in psychology and clinical psychology from KU in 1975 and 1976. A member of the American Cancer Society's national board of directors since 1991, Burish became its chair in 2004. He is the co-author or co-editor of four books, including "Coping with Chronic Disease: Research and Applications" and "Cancer, Nutrition, and Eating Behavior: A Biobehavioral Perspective."

B.H. "Pete" Fairchild

English B.A, M.A.

B.H. "Pete" Fairchild, the Lorraine Sherley Professor of Literature at Texas Christian University, has been called Kansas' greatest living poet. The Arrival of the Future was his first full-length book of poems. His third collection, The Art of the Lathe, was a finalist for the National Book Award and winner of the Kingsley Tufts Award, the William Carlos Williams Award and the California Book Award. He attended KU where he received a B.A. and M.A. in English, working part-time as a technical writer for a nitroglycerin plant and English tutor to the basketball team. His poems have appeared in Southern Review, Poetry, Hudson Review, Yale Review, Paris Review, The New Yorker, Sewanee Review and The Best American Poems of 2000. His most recent book is Early Occult Memory Systems of the Lower Midwest (W.W. Norton), which received the National Book Critics Circle Award in Poetry, the Bobbitt Award from the Library of Congress and the Gold Medal from the California Book Awards.

Steven Hawley

Physics & Astronomy '73

Steven Hawley is a veteran astronaut having flown on five Space Shuttle missions, including the launch of the Hubble Space Telescope, the second Hubble Telescope servicing mission, and the launch of the Chandra X-ray Observatory. Hawley graduated with highest distinction from KU in 1973 with Bachelor of Arts degrees in physics and astronomy. He earned a Ph.D. in astronomy and astrophysics from the University of California, Santa Cruz in 1977 and was selected as a NASA astronaut in 1978. Hawley currently serves as Director of Astromaterials Research and Exploration Science leading the space science activities at NASA's Johnson Space Center. His group is actively involved in robotic exploration of the solar system and was responsible for the recovery of the solar wind and Comet Wild-2 extraterrestrial samples recently returned to Earth by the Genesis and Stardust missions. Hawley's group is also part of the ongoing exploration of Mars with the rovers Spirit and Odyssey. Hawley has received numerous awards including NASA's Distinguished Service Medal, KU's Distinguished Service Citation, and the Government's Meritorious Executive Award.

Rosemary O'Leary

English, M.P.A., J.D.

Rosemary O'Leary is a Distinguished Professor of public administration and co-director of the Program for the Analysis and Resolution of Conflicts at the Maxwell School of Syracuse University. Previously, O'Leary was a professor at Indiana University and co-founder of the Indiana Conflict Resolution Institute. O'Leary is the author of six books and more than 85 articles on public management and policy. She has won fifteen research and teaching awards. She is the only person to win three awards from the National Association of Schools of Public Affairs and Administration: distinguished research, distinguished teaching, and best dissertation. O'Leary is a member of the National Academy of Public Administration and has twice been named a Fulbright scholar. O'Leary earned a B.A in English, a M.P.A. and a J.D. all from KU, and a Ph.D. in Public Administration from Syracuse University.

Randy Scott

Biochemistry Ph.D.

Randy Scott is Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Genomic Health. Scott has more than 23 years of biotechnology industry experience and a strong history of scientific innovation. In addition to founding Genomic Health, Scott co-founded Incyte, the worlds' first genomic information content business. An inventor on 25 issued patents, Scott has authored numerous scientific publications in the fields of protein biology, gene discovery, and cancer. In 1997, NASDAQ and Ernst & Young recognized him as Silicon Valley Entrepreneur of the Year for life sciences and Forbes magazine listed him as one of Biotech's Top 25 influential insiders in 1999. In 2005, Genomic Health was honored by Red Herring Magazine as one of the Top 100 private technology companies in North America. Scott holds a B.S. in Chemistry from Emporia State University and a PhD in Biochemistry from KU.

2005-06 Recipients

Sally Hoglund

Political Science '56

Sally Hoglund is being recognized for her extensive public service work. She currently serves as a board member for several charities and organizations in Texas, including the Alzheimer's Association, the Texas Children's Hospital, the American Cancer Society, Family Place Partners, the Arthritis Foundation of North Texas and the Easter Seal Society. She is also a chair of the inaugural Hiett Prize in the Humanities and the Muscular Dystrophy Association, and is the former president of A.W.A.R.E. (Alzheimer's Women's Association for Resources and Education) in Dallas. Hoglund was the recipient of the Pi Beta Phi Community Service Award and has been named a Women's Home Gala Honoree.

Hoglund is also a strong advocate for the University. She is currently co-chair of the advisory board for the Women Philanthropists for KU and a member of the Jayhawk Society, the Chancellor's Club, the Elizabeth Watkins Society, the Williams Educational Fund; and she has served as a steering committee member for the successful KU First Campaign. Hoglund is also a trustee of the Hoglund Foundation, which was named Foundation of the Year in 2005. In September, Hoglund was awarded the Fred Ellsworth Medallion by the Alumni Association for her tireless support of the University.

Sara Paretsky

Political Science '67

Sara Paretsky is being recognized for her outstanding advancement of the arts. In 1986 she helped found Sisters in Crime, which assists female mystery writers by combating discrimination, raising awareness of their contributions and offering guidance during the publishing process. In 1987, Paretsky was voted Ms. Magazine's Woman of the Year for her efforts. In 2001, Paretsky created the Sara and Two C-Dogs foundation which supports women in the arts, letters and sciences. She serves on the advisory boards of Literature for All of Us, a literacy group for teen moms, and Thresholds, which serves Chicago's mentally-ill homeless.

In 1988, Paretsky was inducted into the Emily Taylor Women's Resource Center Women's Hall of Fame at KU. She is the namesake and sponsor for the Sara Paretsky Scholarship and is also responsible for the Sara and Mary Edwards Paretsky Award for Creativity.

Paretsky has written 12 novels, multiple short stories and essays, and is the recipient of numerous writing awards. In 1996, she was presented with the Mark Twain Award for Distinguished Contribution to Midwest Literature. She was recently presented with the Cartier Diamond Dagger for Lifetime Achievement as a Crime Writer by the British Crime Writers Association. Paretsky received a doctoral degree in history as well as a master's in business administration from the University of Chicago. She also has honorary degrees from Columbia College, Elmhurst College, MacMurray College and DePaul University.

David M. Hillis

Biology M.A. '83, M.Ph. '84, Ph.D. '85

David M. Hillis, who is considered by many to be the world leader in the area of molecular systematics, is being recognized by the College for his academic accomplishments. Hillis earned three degrees from KU: a master of arts in 1983; a master of philosophy with honors in 1984 and a doctorate with honors in 1985, all in biological sciences. He was a National Science Foundation Graduate Fellow from 1982 to 1985 and was named Outstanding Young Alumnus by Baylor University in 1994. In 1999, he was awarded the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation Fellow "genius award," and in 2000 he became an Elected Member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. Hillis is currently the Alfred W. Roark Centennial Professor in the School of Biological Sciences at the University of Texas at Austin.

The focus of Hillis' research is the study of evolution of biotic diversity. His book, Molecular Systematics, which he co-authored, is referred to by molecular systematics scientists around the world. Hillis is known for his work on a criminal case, which pioneered the use of phylogenetic data as admissible evidence in U.S. courts.

Charley Oswald

Economics '51

Charley Oswald is being acknowledged for his success in private business. As a Summerfield Scholar, Oswald graduated Phi Beta Kappa from KU and followed with his master's of business administration from Harvard in 1953. After graduation, he joined Jostens Corporation where he rapidly advanced, serving as president from 1968 to 1970. Oswald spent the major part of his career, from 1970 to 1994, guiding the development of National Computer Systems Inc. (now NCS Pearson) while serving as the chairman and CEO. Since then, he has served as founder and chairman of Rotherwood Ventures, LLC.

As a tribute to Professor John Ise in the Department of Economics, Oswald has provided significant support to the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences, creating the Oswald Scholars Program and several professorships in the economics department that have enabled the University to recruit internationally renowned faculty.

In 2003, Oswald was awarded the Fred Ellsworth Medallion by the Kansas Alumni Association. He has been a member of the Williams Educational Fund, the Chancellors Club, the School of Business Board of Advisors, the Kansas Leadership Gift, and is a longtime supporter of KU athletics. He is currently a member of the KU First Committee and is a trustee of the KU Endowment Association.

2004-05 Recipients

Dr. Elizabeth "Betsy" Broun

French '68, History of Art M.A. '69, Ph.D. '76

Dr. Elizabeth "Betsy" Broun is a three-time KU alumna, with a bachelor's in French (1968; Phi Beta Kappa), master's in history of art (1969) and doctorate in history of art (1976). She also holds a certificate of advanced study from the University of Bordeaux, France. From 1976 to 1983, Broun served KU as the curator of prints and drawings at the Spencer Museum of Art and as assistant professor in the History of Art Department. During her last year at KU, she also served as the acting director for the Spencer Museum.

After leaving KU in 1983, Broun joined the Smithsonian American Art Museum (SAAM), first as Chief Curator and Assistant Director, then as Acting Director. For the past 15 years, she has been serving as The Margaret and Terry Stent Director of the Smithsonian American Art Museum and its branch museum, the Renwick Gallery (Crafts and Decorative Arts) in Washington, D.C.

Dr. Irving Johnson

Developmental Biology Ph.D. '53

Dr. Irving Johnson, who led the commercial production of insulin with recombinant DNA technology at Eli Lilly, earned his doctorate in developmental biology in 1953 from KU. Johnson served as an assistant instructor in embryology, parasitology and general zoology from 1948 to 1950. He was a leading scientist in the pharmaceutical industry for 35 years and concluded his career as Vice President of Research for Eli Lilly in 1988. Johnson has published over 90 articles and continues to serve as an independent research consultant.

Johnson is a U.S. Navy veteran of World War II. He was a member of the U.S. delegation of the National Science Foundation that reviewed the biological effect of the atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. In 1984, he was the recipient of the first annual Congressional Award in Science and Technology.

Mike Robe

Radio-TV-Film '66, M.A. '68

Mike Robe is credited with establishing the Professional Advisory Board of the Department of Theatre and Film in the early 1980s. He has served on the board since its creation and is currently serving as chairman. A Kansas native, Robe earned his bachelor's (1966) and master's (1968) degrees in Radio-TV-Film. After graduating from KU, Robe served as a communications officer in the U.S. Air Force. He currently is a writer-director-producer of made-for-television movies. Some of his most recent works include The Junction Boys (2002) and Reversible Errors (2004).

In recognition of his loyalty to the state of Kansas and to KU, then-Governor Bill Graves proclaimed January 27, 1996 as "Mike Robe Day." Robe is a loyal KU alumnus, returning to campus regularly to conduct numerous classes and workshops about his current projects.

Dr. Gary Sick

French Literature '57

Dr. Gary Sick graduated from the College in 1957 with a bachelor's in French literature. While at KU, Sick was a member of the debate team, a Summerfield Scholar and also a member of Phi Beta Kappa. After graduating, Sick served in the Navy. During his service, Sick completed a master's degree at George Washington University and later a doctorate (with distinction) at Columbia University. He served as an Assistant Naval Attache in Egypt; at the Naval War College and as a Country Director for the Persian Gulf at the Defense Department. For six years, he served on the staff of the National Security Council, where he was the principal White House staff member dealing with Iranian affairs during the Iranian revolution and hostage crisis.

Since retiring from the Navy in 1981, Sick has served in a variety of academic positions, most recently as Executive Director of Gulf/2000, an international research project on political, economic and security developments in the Persian Gulf. In addition, Sick is a Senior Research Scholar at the School of International and Public Affairs at Columbia University. He also acts as an independent author and consultant.

2003-04 Recipients

Douglas D. Heckathorn

Psychology and Sociology '69, Sociology M.A. '72, M.Ph., Ph.D. '74

Douglas D. Heckathorn is a sociology professor at Cornell University and is editor of the journal Rationality and Society. His recent research has focused on HIV prevention in high-risk groups, the social structure of jazz musician communities and drawing statistically valid samples of hard-to-reach populations. Heckathorn earned a bachelor's degree in psychology and sociology in 1969, a master's degree in sociology in 1972, and a master of philosophy degree in sociology and a doctorate in sociology in 1974, all from KU.

Terrence D. Jones

Education '70, M.A. Design and Technical Theatre '72

Since 1996, Terrence D. Jones, president and chief executive officer of the Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts, has been responsible for all aspects of the operating and programming arm of Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts and related foundation programs and properties, located in Vienna, Va., and Washington, D.C. Wolf Trap annually presents nearly 300 performances by such artists as Itzhak Perlman, Aretha Franklin, Norah Jones, Sheryl Crow, Harry Connick Jr., Willie Nelson, Bill Cosby, Garrison Keillor, Twyla Tharp Dance and the National Symphony Orchestra.

Jones received a bachelor's degree in education from KU in 1970 and a master's degree in design and technical theatre in 1972. Presented with the Distinguished Alumni Award from the KU Department of Theatre and Film in 2003, Jones has been a keynote speaker for the National Press Club each year since 2001. He has been a panel leader and speaker for the Renaissance Weekends held from 1998 through 2001 in Washington, a panelist for the National Endowment for the Arts and co-chair of the Association of Performing Arts Presenters annual conference.

Paul S. Keim

Plant Biochemistry Ph.D. '81

Paul S. Keim is the director of pathogen genomics at TGen and is the Cowden endowed chair in microbiology at Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff. His specialty is the development of DNA fingerprinting assays for understanding and tracking especially dangerous diseases such as anthrax and plague. During the 2001 anthrax letter attacks, Keim diverted his laboratory and personal efforts to the DNA analysis of the anthrax strain from the letters. His work resulted in one of the most tangible forensic leads in the investigation. Keim earned a doctorate in plant biochemistry from KU in 1981. He continues to assist the national intelligence community in the area of biological weapons and genomic analysis.

Edward F. Reilly Jr.

Political Science '61

Edward F. Reilly Jr. has been chairman of the U.S. Parole Commission since 2001. He was appointed to the commission in 1992. Previously, Reilly served one year in the Kansas House of Representatives and 28 years in the Kansas State Senate. He received a bachelor's degree in political science from KU in 1961. A native of Leavenworth, Reilly worked for 30 years in real estate insurance and banking.

2002-03 Recipients

Jill Docking

History '78, M.B. '84

Jill Docking received a B.A. in History in 1978 and a Masters in Business in 1984 from the University of Kansas. Docking is currently the Vice President of Investments at A.G. Edwards and Sons. In 1993 she became the first woman to receive gubernatorial appointment to Commanding General of the Kansas Calvary. Docking was appointed in 1995, by Secretary of Defense Perry to the Defense Advisory Council on Women in the Military Services. In 1995 she founded the Financial Fitness Foundation and serves as President. She also serves on the Alumni Association Board at KU. Docking is a member of the Leadership Committee for the Kansas Children's Campaign and serves on the boards of American Red Cross, Larksfield, The Hall Center for the Humanities, and the Finance Advisory Council of the Sisters of the Adorers of the Blood of Christ.

Paul R. Ehrlich

M.A. '55, Ph.D. '57

Paul R. Ehrlich earned a B.A. in zoology in 1953 at the University of Pennsylvania, an M.A. in 1955 and a Ph.D. in 1957 at the University of Kansas. During his education, he surveyed insects on the Bering Sea and in the Canadian Arctic. On a National Institutes of Health fellowship, Ehrlich investigated the genetics and behavior of parasitic mites. He joined the faculty at Stanford in 1959 as a professor of biology. Ehrlich has held the position of president of the Center for Conservation Biology at Stanford University and is a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and the American Philosophical Society. At Stanford, he is currently working on the study of natural populations of checkerspot butterflies. Ehrlich continues to research policy on population and resource issues focusing on endangered species, cultural evolution, environmental ethics, and the preservation of genetic resources.

2001-02 Recipient

Jill Quadagno

Gerontology Ph.D.

Jill Quadagno is the Mildred and Claude Pepper Eminent Scholar in Social Gerontology at Florida State University. She earned her B.A. from Pennsylvania State University, her M.A. from the University of California at Berkeley, and her Ph.D. from the University of Kansas. Dr. Quadagno is a Fellow of the Gerontological Society of America, and is the recipient of numerous awards and honors, including the Distinguished Scholar Award from the Section on Aging of the American Sociological Association, the John Simon Guggenheim Fellowship, and an American Council of the Learned Societies Fellowship. In 1994 she served as Senior Policy Advisor in the President's Bipartisan Commission on Entitlement and Tax Reform. She is the author of numerous books on aging and social policy issues, and has served as President of the American Sociological Society.

2000-01 Recipient

Fred N. Six

History '51, J.D. '56

Fred N. Six received a B.A. in History from the University of Kansas in 1951 and a J.D. from KU's law school in 1956. In 1990 he earned a Masters of the Judicial Process degree from the University of Virginia. While in law school at KU, he was admitted to the Order of the Coif and served as Editor-in-Chief of the Kansas Law Review. Justice Six joined the Marines Corps and served on activity duty from 1951-1953. He returned to Kansas and served as an assistant Kansas attorney general from 1957-1958. In 1987 Justice Six was appointed to the Kansas Court of Appeals. He was appointed a justice of the Supreme Court one year later in 1988. He was named a recipient of the Kansas Bar Association's Outstanding Service Award in 1979 and in 1989. In 1994, he received the Distinguished Alumnus Award from the University Of Kansas School Of Law. Justice Six has served as an adjunct law school faculty member at KU's law school and as a lecturer in law at the Washburn University School of Law. He is a Fellow of the American Bar and Kansas Bar Foundations, a member of the Kansas Law Society, American Judicature Society, and has served on numerous committees and boards.

1999-00 Recipient

James E. Hesser

Astronomy '63

James E. Hesser, Wichita native, graduated from KU in 1963 with a bachelor's degree in astronomy. He received his master's and doctoral degrees in astrophysics from Princeton University. He has authored or coauthored more than 250 scientific publications and been a pioneer in using the Hubble Space Telescope to establish the ages of the outermost star clusters related with the Milky Way galaxy. Hesser spent nine years as a staff member at Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory in Chile, which serves as the U.S. National Science Foundation's primary facility for astronomical research in the southern hemisphere. In 1977, Hesser joined the staff of the dominion Astronomical Observatory in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada's national observatory for optical astronomy. He became director in 1986.

1998-99 Recipient

Martha Peterson

1937, Educational Psychology M.A. '46, Ph.D. '59

Martha Peterson first graduated from the University of Kansas in 1937 after which she taught high school math. After earning her master's in Educational Psychology at KU and teaching math at the university she was named the assistant dean of women in 1946. She was promoted to dean in 1952, a position she held for 5 years before taking a similar post at the University of Wisconsin. In 1959 Peterson completed her doctorate in educational psychology at KU. She became the dean of students and special assistant to the president at Wisconsin in 1963. Peterson became the chairman of the American Council on Education in 1971 and 3 years later became the first woman board member of Exxon. In 1967 she became the president of Barnard College and in 1975 she left Barnard to take the position of president at Beloit College. Peterson was also chosen by President Reagan in 1981 to join the President's commission on White House Fellowships.

1997-98 Recipient

Dr. Arthur F. McClure II

History Ph.D. '66

Dr. Arthur F. McClure II received his Ph.D. in history at KU in 1966. He went on to become a distinguished author, historian, teacher, and public servant. McClure has many published works such as his first book, The Truman Administration and the Problems of Postwar Labor, 1945-1948. McClure mentored many students as a professor of History and Anthropology at Central Missouri State University. During that time he directed and organized the Central Archives at the National Archives in Washington D.C. McClure showed energetic involvement in Warrensburg, Missouri community efforts in activities such as the Historic Preservation Committee, Meals on Wheels, Youth Service Program, and his Church.

1996-97 Recipients

Senator Nancy Landon Kassebaum Baker

1954

Senator Nancy Landon Kassebaum Baker served in the U.S. Senate for 18 years. She was the first woman to serve in the Senate having neither been elected to serve first in the House of Representatives nor having been appointed to fill out the remainder of a husband's term after his death while in office. She proposed effective legislation on issues such as crime control, education, worker retaining, abortion and free trade. Kassebaum graduated from the University of Kansas in 1954 where she was a member of Kappa Alpha Theta sorority. She received her graduate degree from the University of Michigan in 1956.

Clyde W. Toland

1969, J.D. '75

Clyde W. Toland earned a degree from the University of Kansas in 1969 and the University of Kansas Law School in 1975. Toland has generously supported the University at various levels. He was especially active as a Friend of the KU Libraries serving as Membership Co-chairman, Vice President and finally President. He is a recognized leader in his community service to the city of Iola. Toland initiated a drive to save the Major General Frederick Funston home and was an instrumental part of founding the Buster Keaton Celebration. As an attorney, Toland received an Outstanding Service Award from the Kansas Bar Association in 1988.