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2009 Distinguished Alumni Award Recipients Honored
Bottom row, left to right: Carrie Riggins, Dr. Ólafur Proppé, Dr. Hans Wagemaker. Top row, left to right: Dr. Seung-Ming (Alvin) Leung, Dr. K. Brigid Flannery, Dr. Thomas Andre, Dr. Allan Wigfield, Dr. Shirley McBride |
Alvin Leung and wife, Anna, ventured more than 8,000 miles from their home in Hong Kong; Ólafur Proppé and his wife made the journey from their native Iceland; Hans Wagemaker flew in from New Zealand and Shirley McBride and her husband hopped two time zones from British Columbia, Canada. The group of international travelers comprised four of seven recipients who globe-trotted back to their alma mater, the College of Education, to receive a prestigious Distinguished Alumni Award on March 14, 2009. Included in the honors was Carrie Riggins, who garnered the Beginning Educator Award.
Since 1995 the Distinguished Alumni Awards have been granted each year as the Education Alumni Association (EAA) seeks to publicly recognize the contributions of our graduates. Academic colleagues, faculty members, and prior award winners make nominations for the award' then a committee of EAA board representatives makes the final selection. Since the program began, some 113 alumni have been honored.
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This year's program convened at the College of Education, where the honorees met with the Dean, and toured the area in and around the Education Building. Prior to a dinner hosted by the Dean, they participated in a panel discussion, "Policy in Perspective: Distinguished Alumni Recommendations on Stimulus Spending for Education," (video) where the recipients discussed how they would enhance public education in their respective countries and communities. Recipients were honored at a brunch reception on Saturday, where they commented on the important role the College plays in their personal careers and lives. Their names are added to a permanent plaque on display in the south Lobby of the Education Building.
"We are honored annually to have our accomplished alumni come back to the College of Education," said Dean Mary Kalantzis. "Recipients are not the only ones who benefit from the visit. Our students, faculty and local alumni and friends are given an opportunity to network with our distinguished alumni. This kind of informal and formal networking is crucial to scholarship and research. Meanwhile, the recipients have a chance to reconnect with the University, both literally and figuratively. These connections will be mutually beneficial to everyone and will further enhance the College's reputation nationally and internationally."
A full list of recipients illustrates a diverse span of expertise:
Carrie Riggins, Beginning Educator Award Winner
Ed.M. '08 Special Education
Early Childhood Teacher, Washington Early Childhood Preschool, Urbana School District
Nominator: Chris Vowels, Principal, Washington Early Childhood Preschool
Dr. Ólafur Proppé
M.S. '76, Ph.D. '83 Educational Psychology
Former President, Iceland University of Education
Nominator: Professor Emeritus Bob Stake, University of Illinois
Dr. Hans Wagemaker
Ph.D. '82 Educational Policy Studies
Executive Director, International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement
Nominators: David Rutkowski, Ph.D. '07 and Professor Fazal Rizvi, University of Illinois
Dr. Seung-Ming (Alvin) Leung
Ph.D. '88 Educational Psychology
Professor of Educational Psychology, Chinese University of Hong Kong
Nominator: Professor Jim Hannum, University of Illinois
Dr. K. Brigid Flannery
Ed.M. '78 Special Education
Senior Research Associate/Associate Professor, Department of Special Education and Clinical Services, University of Oregon
Nominator: Professor Jim Halle, University of Illinois
Dr. Thomas Andre
Ph.D. '71 Educational Psychology
Professor, Curriculum & Instruction, Iowa State University
Nominator: James (Mike) Royer, Professor, University of Massachusetts, and 2008 DAA recipient
Dr. Allan Wigfield
Ph.D. '82 Educational Psychology
Professor, University of Maryland
Nominator: David Imig, Professor, University of Maryland, 1996 DAA recipient
Dr. Shirley McBride
Ph.D. '74 Special Education
Consultant and Former Director, Special Programs Branch, Ministry of Education, British Columbia
Nominator: Professor Emeritus Bob Henderson, University of Illinois