Marquette’s Alumni National Awards honor distinguished alumni, parents and friends who embody Marquette’s mission through their character, personal and professional achievements, and their impact on the community and others.
Award recipients include individuals from each of the university’s colleges and professional schools. They embody Marquette’s spirit and mission in searching for truth, discovering and sharing knowledge, fostering excellence, promoting faith, and developing leadership through serving others.
Short profiles of the honorees are available on Marquette’s Alumni National Awards webpage.
ALL-UNIVERSITY AWARD RECIPIENTS
Alumna of the Year Award
Margaret Nye Troy, Nurs ’74
Milwaukee, Wis.
Peggy Troy, CEO of Children’s Wisconsin, learned to see the cura personalis (the Jesuit tenet of “care for the whole person”) in each patient as a child making house calls with her father, a family doctor in a small Illinois town. She adopted this value of knowing each patient beyond their medical needs and reinforced it during her years at Marquette and has carried it throughout her career.
Service Award
Cynthia J. Ellis and Maurice H. Ellis, Sp ’77
South Holland, Ill.
Maurice “Bo” Ellis has always loomed large on Marquette’s campus. The 6’9” forward served as captain of the 1977 NCAA championship basketball team under legendary coach Al McGuire. Bo and his wife, Candy, have long exhibited leadership and service off the court, too, speaking often about the importance of helping others and “paying it forward.”
Spirit of Marquette Award (achievement before age 40)
Catherine Spaulding Wessel, Arts ’07, and Matthew R. Wessel, Comm ’03, Grad ’11
Milwaukee, Wis.
In the true Marquette spirit, Katie and Matt Wessel are committed to making a difference in the lives of others — with the help of authentic German-style pretzels. The couple launched Milwaukee Pretzel Company in 2013 after living and working for a year in Munich, Germany, and the business gives them daily opportunities to live out their faith and the Marquette mission.
Friend of the University Award
Richard S. Strong
Brookfield, Wis.
Dick Strong grew up guided by mentors after losing both parents at a young age. First, by his Uncle Robert, then came coaches, and later, by his professors. These invaluable relationships helped form Dick into the person he is today — a visionary leader who honors his mentors of yesterday by giving back today.
COLLEGE, SCHOOL AND GROUP AWARD RECIPIENTS
The names of the alumni who will be honored are below. Visit the Marquette University Alumni National Awards webpage for additional informational on each award winner.
Helen Way Klingler College of Arts and Sciences
Distinguished Alumna of the Year Award — Hon. Vivian Torres, Arts ’80, Law ’83
Achievement Award — Jacquelyne Lane Grimshaw, Arts ’65
Young Alumnus of the Year Award — Neal R. Lofy, Arts ’04
Association of Marquette University Women
Mary Neville Bielefeld Award — Margaret Mathews Sankovitz, Jour ’55
Ignatian Leadership Award — Caroline Peacock (nursing student)
Nora Finnigan Werra Faculty Achievement Award — Dr. Michelle Mynlieff
College of Business Administration
Distinguished Alumnus of the Year Award — Archie C. Black, Bus Ad ’84
Entrepreneurial Award — Perry J. Vieth, Bus Ad ’79
Service Award — Deborah Rubbelke O’Halloran, Bus Ad ’80
Young Alumna of the Year Award — Elena M. Braun, Bus Ad ’08
William and Mary Diederich College of Communication
Communicator of the Year Award — John E. Salak, Jour ’79
Byline Award — Michael Huang, Comm ’93
Professional Achievement Award — Cheryl A. Pawelski, Comm ’89
Service Award — Brig. Gen. Lorna Chance Mahlock, Comm ’91
Young Alumna of the Year Award — Jennifer N. Lada, Comm ’02
School of Dentistry
Distinguished Alumnus in Dentistry Award — Timothy R. Kinzel, D.D.S., Dent ’84
Outstanding Dental Service Award — Gary A. Hendricks, D.D.S., Dent ’85
Young Alumna of the Year Award — Zazell Staheli Cummings, D.D.S., Dent ’16
College of Education
Counselor Education and Counseling Psychology Achievement Award — Dr. Matthew J. Krug, Grad ’05, ’12
Educational Policy and Leadership Achievement Award — Laura E. Gutierrez, Grad ’01
Young Alumna of the Year Award — Amanda Lloyd Burns, Arts ’09
Opus College of Engineering
Distinguished Alumnus of the Year Award — Brian J. Truskowski, Eng ’81
Professional Achievement Award — Dr. Michael X. Yang, Grad ’91, ’03
Entrepreneurial Award — Victor B. Szczerba, Eng ’89
Young Alumna of the Year Award — Gretchen Noth Borden, Eng ’03, Grad ’07
College of Health Sciences
Distinguished Alumna of the Year Award — Dr. Jo Anne Zujewski, Med Tech ’76
Professional Achievement Award — Dr. Nunzio A. Gaglianello, H Sci ’02
Young Alumna of the Year Award — Dr. Holly Caretta-Weyer, H Sci ’09
Department of Intercollegiate Athletics
Lifetime Achievement Award — James B. Chones, Arts ’73
Distinguished Alumnus of the Year Award — Joseph L. Lee, Eng ’91
Young Alumnus of the Year Award — Nathaniel H. Colson, Bus Ad ’06
M Club Hy Popuch Memorial Service Award — Barbara Gombar Andrie, Arts ’56, and Stanley J. Andrie, Eng ’56
Friends of Marquette Athletics Award — Sheila C. Frisinger and Kevin L. Frisinger, Bus Ad ’85
Robert L. and William P. McCahill Award — Joseph T. Keys, Eng ’21
Law School
Alumna of the Year Award — Christine Wilde Woleske, Law ’94
Lifetime Achievement Award — Michael J. Gonring, Jour ’69, Law ’82
Howard B. Eisenberg Service Award — Rebeca M. López, Arts ’04, Law ’12
Charles W. Mentkowski Sports Law Alumnus of the Year Award — Andy J. Shiffman, Law ’09
Les Aspin Center for Government
Public Service Award — Dr. Arnold L. Mitchem, Grad ’81, Hon Deg ’04
Marquette University Alumni Association Board of Directors
Pedro Arrupe Award — Laice A. Perry
College of Nursing
Distinguished Alumna of the Year Award — Julia Lehr Creamer, Nurs ’80
Professional Achievement Award — Dr. Josie L. Veal, Grad ’12
Service Award — Mary Isom Nolte, Nurs ’84
Young Alumna of the Year Award — Kathleen M. Blaney, Nurs ’09
