Women of Achievement honors three from WMU
May 10, 2002
KALAMAZOO -- Three University women were be honored Thursday evening, April 9, at the YWCA Women of Achievement Award Celebration.
Kathy Beauregard, director of intercollegiate athletics, Elise Jorgens, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences; and honors student Shanna Dietz were recognized at a ceremony at the Radisson Plaza Hotel in Kalamazoo. The purpose of the event is to recognize the community's outstanding women and to increase awareness of their accomplishments.
Beauregard is one of the YWCA's four Women of Achievement for 2002. A staff member at the University since 1988, Beauregard has been athletic director since 1997. She is one of only seven women athletic directors in Division I-A. She oversees 20 teams with 500 student athletes, almost evenly divided between men and women. In 2000, she was cited as one of the top 50 women administrators in the nation by Street and Smith Sports Business Journal.
"Kathy's outgoing, enthusiastic and charming personality certainly contributes to her success," said her nominator. "Beyond these qualities, however, is a woman who is a capable, dynamic administrator and whose leadership qualities reach far beyond Kalamazoo."
Beauregard is active in a number of regional and national sports organizations and is chairperson of the NCAA Olympic Sports Liaison Committee. In addition to her professional activities, Beauregard is an active community volunteer, having donated her time to a number of community organizations.
WMU was a sponsor of the YWCA event and honored Elise Jorgens as its Woman in the Spotlight. Jorgens, who has been dean of the College Arts and Sciences since 1996, came to WMU in 1977 as a faculty member and has held a variety of administrative positions.
Jorgens has served on a variety of national boards and committees, including the advisory board of the Michigan Civics Institute, the Council of Colleges of Arts and Sciences board of directors and the executive board of the Newberry Library Center for Renaissance Studies. Within the community, she is involved with the Kalamazoo County Forum and Rotary, and serves as a chorus member and board member of the Michigan Bach Collegium.
WMU senior Shanna Dietz was recognized as one of the YWCA's Young Women of Achievement. A Lee Honors College student, she is majoring in political science and Spanish. Dietz has studied abroad, participated in WMU's Capital Internship Program and maintained a 3.85 grade point average. She recently led a seven-member WMU delegation at the national Model Arab League simulation in Washington, D.C., where they earned the competition's highest award.
Media contact: Jessica English, 269 387-8400, jessica.english@wmich.edu