The College of Arts and Sciences at Western Michigan University is proud to announce the 2018 Alumni Achievement Award winners and to celebrate the outstanding contributions made by these 20 influential alumni. They were recognized at our Alumni Achievement Awards reception on Friday, Oct. 5.
Departmental Awards
Susan Reichert, MA '16, Quality Program Manager, Kellogg North America Snacks Research and DevelopmentDepartment of Anthropology
Dr. Gary J. Pierce, MA '74 (Posthumously), Botanist and Wetland Scientist
Department of Biological Sciences
Dr. Jack J. Manis, BS '70, Retired Pharmaceutical Research Scientist and Manager, Pfizer, Inc.
Department of Chemistry
Michael Steele, BS '74, President and Chief Executive Officer, Advantage Communications, Inc.
School of Communication
Dr. Dustin J. Byrd, BA '00, MA '06, Associate Professor of Religion, Philosophy and Arabic, Olivet College
Department of Comparative Religion
Emily Kastner, BA '05, Children's Author, Illustrator; Co-founder, Read and Write Kalamazoo
Department of English
Dr. Roger C. Steininger, BS '64, Consulting Geologist, Steininger Consulting
Department of Geological and Environmental Sciences
Diana R. Bergwin, BA '06, Staff Director, Oversight and Management Efficiency Subcommittee, US House of Representatives Committee on Homeland Security
Global and International Studies program
Alan Holck, BA '68, Vice President, Wells Fargo Insurance, Inc.
Department of History
Dr. Nicholas Scoville, BS '03, MS '05, Joseph Beardwood III Chair of Mathematics, Ursinus College
Department of Mathematics
Mark Rochon, BS '80, Partner, Miller & Chevalier, Washington, DC
Department of Philosophy
Ryan Findlay, BA '04, Chief Executive Officer, American Soybean Association
Department of Political Science
Dr. Iser "Willie" DeLeon, MA '93, Professor of Psychology, University of Florida
Department of Psychology
Judith Huth, BA '75, MPA '79, Retired Executive Director, Volunteer Kalamazoo
School of Public Affairs and Administration
Dr. Kevin Fuchs, MA '02, Foreign Language Faculty, Kalamazoo Valley Community College
Department of Spanish
Loren Heun, BS '66, MS '72, Master Faculty Specialist, Western Michigan University
Department of Statistics
Sarah J. Murray, BA '09, Associate Director, Office of International Development, Indiana University
Department of World Languages and Literatures
Pillar Awards
Discovery Driven
Dr. William Waller, BS '78, MA '79, William R. Kenan Jr. Professor of Economics, Hobart and William Smith Colleges
Department of Economics
Globally Engaged
Dr. Theresa Crimmins, BS '97, MA '99, Assistant Director, USA Phenology Network; Associate Research Scientist, University of Arizona
Department of Geography
Learner Centered
Kathy J. Mirakovits, MS '98, K-12 Educator, Forensic Science
Mallinson Institute for Science Education
Distinguished Alumni Awards
Dr. James M. Olson, BS '84, Brain Cancer Researcher
Department of Biological Sciences
Edward L. Gordon III, BS '82, Journalist and Broadcaster
School of Communication