| MSU
Alumni receive prestigious awards Loren Acton of Bozeman,
Bruce Jacobson of Grand Forks, N.D., Roberta Stengel of
Missoula and Tony Waller of Falls Church, Va., received
the top awards given by Montana State University and the
Alumni Association in a ceremony Oct. 4, during Homecoming
weekend. Jacobson and Acton were awarded the prestigious
Blue and Gold Award, while Stengel and Waller received
the Alumni Achievement Award. |
| The
Blue and Gold Award honors an individual who has rendered
great lifetime service or who has brought national or
international distinction to MSU or to the state of Montana.
The person must have achieved prominence through service
to one or a combination of profession, family, country,
world, university, philanthropy or humanity. |
| Loren
Acton, a 1959 graduate in physics from Montana State
College who received an honorary doctorate from MSU in
1988, is Montana's only native-born astronaut. He served
as spaceflight payload specialist aboard the shuttle Challenger
in 1985. |
| "For
nearly four decades he has been a pioneer in the development
of instrumentation for solar studies, built internationally
prominent research groups at Lockheed-Martin and MSU and
provided exemplary service to the scientific community
and the nation," wrote MSU professor John Hermanson in
his nomination of Acton. |
| Acton,
a native of Lewistown, currently is a research professor
in the physics department at MSU. |
| Bruce
Jacobsen, a 1962 Montana State College graduate in
accounting who received a master's in applied science
from MSU in 1967, is known as the founder of Shakespeare
in the Parks, now in its 30th season at MSU. He also celebrated
his 40th Class Reunion at Homecoming 2002. |
| "Bruce's
vision was that such a program would provide summer theatrical
educational outreach to Montanans," wrote David Haas,
'61 Physics, president of the MSU Alumni Association in
his nomination of Jacobsen. "It began with student actors
who made 12 presentations in seven cities throughout Montana.
Over the years it has become a hugely successful and nationally
renowned program." |
| Jacobsen,
former head of the theater arts department at MSU and
dean of the College of Communications and Fine Arts at
the University of North Dakota, has also served as a director
on the MSU Alumni Association Board for six years, including
one year as president. |
| The
Alumni Achievement Award goes to alumni who have distinguished
themselves through professional achievement, or who have
an outstanding record of service to community, state or
humankind or who have provided great service to MSU. The
award was initiated in 1999. |
| Roberta
Stengel, '77 MusEd, principal of C.S. Porter Middle
School in Missoula, is a true mentor. |
| "She
guides through positive modeling, insightful research
and dedicated leadership," wrote Amy Stemple, '93
ElEd, in her nomination of Stengel. "There is not a day
that goes by that she is not giving her all to everything
that she is involved in. She has an amazingly caring way
of dealing with people of all ages." |
| Stengel,
a 1977 MSU graduate in elementary education, has been
involved in the Missoula community in many ways and most
notably through her dedication to Project Playground that
took shape under her direction at Lowell Elementary. "The
neighborhood has not only benefited by building a wonderful
playground for children, but by coming together as a community,"
Stemple wrote. |
| Tony
Waller, a 1981 art graduate from MSU and Wolf Point
native, is the senior administrative officer for the Office
of the Chief Architect within the U.S. General Services
Administration. He oversees a $23.5 million dollar budget
and all the administrative needs of OCA centers. The centers
focus on the design and construction of federal buildings.
|
| His
commitment to MSU was front and center during Homecoming
with his work on the School of Art Mountain West Contemporary
Art Auction and Gala Celebration held over Homecoming.
|
| "This
was the biggest project the School of Art's Advisory Counsel
has taken on," said Claire Sands, then development director
for the school. "Tony pushed to get the art auction going
and was the auction chair. He is passionate about art."
The School of Art raised more than $20,000 from the auction.
|
| Each
Award recipient was honored at the Alumni Awards Ceremony
and Champagne Reception on Friday of Homecoming weekend. |
|
If you are interested in nominating an outstanding MSU
alumnus or friend of MSU for either the Blue and Gold
Award or the Alumni Achievement Award... the Alumni Association
of Montana State University is seeking nominations for
awards. Nominations can be made by MSU alumni, faculty,
friends and students. These awards will be presented to
selected honorees at the Awards Ceremony during Homecoming
weekend on Oct. 10, 2003. If you would like to nominate
someone, please request a nomination packet from the Alumni
Association at alumni@montana.edu
or by calling 1-800-842-9028. We will be happy to send
you the information. |
