Academy of Distinguished Alumni
Awards & Scholarships

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The Academy of Distinguished Alumni honors West Virginia University graduates who have attained national or international distinction in their profession or discipline. The award has been established by the West Virginia University Alumni Association in cooperation with the University's 13 schools and colleges.

Since 1988, this prestigious award has been bestowed on more than 70 West Virginia University alumni, including Jerry West, David Selby, Dr. Nancy Nielsen, Rod "Hot Rod" Hundley, Sam Huff and Gen. Robert H. Foglesong.

Inductees are nominated by the general membership of the Alumni Association or their respective schools or colleges. Information on the honorees is permanently displayed in the Erickson Alumni Center. To be considered for this prestigious recognition, nominees must hold a degree from West Virginia University; he/she should be recognized in his/her profession at the national or international level; and he/she cannot be present WVU, WVU Alumni Association, or WVU Foundation, Inc. employees. (However, this would not necessarily exclude members of the Board of Governors, Foundation Board, etc.).

WVU Alumni Association membership/support, WVU support, WVU Foundation, Inc. support or monetary support to any of these three are not limiting factors for nomination.

You can nominate individuals for this award by completing the on-line form or by downloading/completing the nomination form and submitting it, along with all required documentation, to the WVU Alumni Association at P.O. Box 4269, Morgantown, WV 26504-4269. Deadline for 2010 nominations is Nov. 13, 2009.

2009 Inductees

Celebrating its 23rd anniversary, the West Virginia University Academy of Distinguished Alumni will bestow its highest honor on three outstanding graduates, including George B. Bennett, chairman, Health Dialog; Addison M. Fischer, chairman, Planet Heritage Foundation; and Don Knotts (posthumously), actor. The event will take place Feb. 5, 2010, beginning at 6 p.m. in the Ruby Grand Hall of The Erickson Alumni Center. (Induction ceremony will begin at approximately 8:10 p.m.)

1988

Joseph E. Antonini '64 BS
Albert E. Freeman '52 BS, '54 MS
Robert H. Quenon '51 BS
William E. Swales '49 BA, '51 MA*

1989

Dorothy J. Dotson '66 BA
Glen H. Hiner '57 BS, '90 PhD
Paul A. Miller '39, BS, '79LLB
Louise McNeill Pease '59 PhD*
David Selby '63 BA, '65 MA

1990

George B. Berry '58 BS*
Emily R. Morey-Holton '58 AB, '61 MS, '64 PhD
Maj. Gen. Thomas Ferguson '57 BS*
Robert "Sam" Huff '56 BS
James D. McComas '51 BS*

1991

General Earl E. Anderson '40 BS, '49 MA
David Charles Fogarty '68 DDS, '73 MD
William Leonhart '39 AB*
Charles M. Vest '63 BS
Jerry West '60 BS

1992

Stephen P. Coonts '68 AB
George J. Esper '53 BS
Richard T. Feller '42 BS*
Lowell T. Harmison '60 BS, '61 MS
Vivien Perrine Woofter '52 BS

1993

Stephen Ailes '36 JD*
Curtis H. Barnette '56 BA
C. Howard Hardesty '49 JD
Larry Schwab '62 AB, '66 MD
Thomas C. Spelsberg '63 BS, '67

1994

Jay A. Chattaway '68 MB, '96 MM
Kenneth D. Gray '69 JD
H. Leo Mehl '59 BS
Fred A. Schaus '49 BS, '53 MS

1995

Larry J. Argiro '47 BS
Robert L. DeProspero '59 BS, '61 MA
James J. Fagan '67 BFA, '70 MFA
Kathleen M. Hawk '73 MA, '78 PhD
Frances Lopinsky Horn '36 BS, '38 JD

1996

Charles S. Mahan '60 AB, '74 BS
J. Davitt McAteer '70 JD
Jayne Anne Phillips '74 AB
Jack Ward Thomas '69 BS

1997

W. Marston Becker '74 BS, '77 JD
Raymond J. Lane '68 BS
Cassandra L. Smith '67 BA, '71 MS

1998

Robert H. Foglesong '68 BS, '69 MS, '71 PhD
Kathy Quattrone '83 MS
Chris Sarandon '64 BFA
Terry L. Wimmer '76 BS

1999

Charles I. Homan '65 BS
Michele V. McNeill '75 BS
Winston L. Shelton '48 BS
David A. Whiston '65 DDS

2000

W. Robert Grafton '63 BS
Kenneth R. Wykle '63 BS
Alfred F. Ware '50 BS, '52 MA

2001

A. Bray Cary '70 BS, '71 MS
Raymond G. Gillette Jr. '71 BS
Diana J. Mason '70 BS

2002

Joseph Simpson Farland '36 BA, '38 JD
Stuart M. Robbins '65 BA
Ivan R. Schwab '69 AB, '73 MD
Loretta M. Ucelli '76 BS

2003

Michael Ammar '78 BS
Jennie C. Hunter-Cevera '70 BA, '72 MS
Rodney K. Thorn '00 BA

2004

Edward O. Buckbee '58 BS
Charles H. Haden III '58 BS, '61 JD*
Pamela Maphis Larrick '72 BS
Robert L. Reynolds '74 BS

2005

James C. Caveney '64 BS, '68 DDS, '72 MS
Rodney C. "Hot Rod" Hundley '00 BRA
Earl G. "Ken" Kendrick Jr. '65 BS
Verl O. Purdy '64 BS

2006

Frank Cerminara '70 BS
Thomas L. Harrison '72 MS
Marshall S. Miller '66 BS, '73 MS

2007

Patrice A. Harris '82 BA, '86 MA, '92 MD
Peter J. Kalis '72 BA

2008

General Bantz J. "John" Craddock '71, BA
B. Thomas Hutchinson '55 AB, '56 BS

2009

Nancy Nielsen '64, AB
Gregory Babe '80, BS
Scott Widmeyer '74, BSJ

Note: *Asterisk indicates that the individual is deceased.