Row 1: Carl Albright, Julia Jasken, Catherine Raymond (Dean’s Service Award recipient), Lesley Rigg, Evan Dutmer. Row 2: Dana Ditrichs-Kunkel, Interim Provost Laurie Elish-Piper, Ernesto Morales, Dean Robert Brinkmann, Ray Banks, David Ballantine and Christine Worobec. Not pictured: Jason Rhode, Martha Ann Terry and Dave Thillen.
The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences honored 11 alumni, faculty and staff Oct. 27 during their annual event at Barsema Alumni and Visitors Center. Two members of the NIU community were also honored that evening with Dean’s Service Awards.
The CLAS Distinguished Awards program honors individuals who have achieved prominence in their professional fields or who have made major contributions to the college, its mission and its reputation for excellence. The 2023 honorees will join a distinguished group within the CLAS community – the 182 alumni, faculty and staff honored since the awards were established in 2009 as part of the College’s 50th anniversary.
The Dean’s Service Award, in its second year, recognizes individuals who have gone above and beyond to serve the College and support me in my work to contribute to larger University goals.
2023 Dean’s Service Awards
Jason Rhode, Associate Vice Provost for Teaching, Learning, and Digital Education
Catherine Raymond, Director of the Center for Burma Studies and professor of art history in the College of Visual and Performing Arts
2023 Class of Honorees
Raymond L. Banks – M.S., Geology, 1986; Former BP executive and currently Senior Partner with Red Crown Energy Consulting
Evan Dutmer – B.A., Philosophy, 2012; Award-winning Senior Instructor in Ethics and Curriculum Leader in the Department of Leadership Education at Culver Academies.
Julia Jasken – M.A., English, 1997; Currently serving as President at McDaniel College in Maryland.
Ernesto Morales – B.S., Meteorology, 2000; Warning Coordination Meteorologist for the National Weather Service in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
Martha Terry – B.A., Anthropology, 1983; M.A., Anthropology, 1985; Professor emerita, Department of Behavioral and Community Health Science program, University of Pittsburgh. Former graduate director of the Master of Public Health program.
Dave Thillen – M.S., Mathematical Sciences, 1968; Former IBM executive who has a second career in philanthropy by supporting and mentoring students living in poverty with the goal of ending generational poverty in Greene County, GA in the next 5-10 years.
Carl Albright – Professor emeritus, Department of Physics.
David Ballantine – Professor emeritus, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry; Associate Dean for Undergraduate Studies.
Lesley Rigg – Former professor of Geography and Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Education; currently serving as President of Brock University in Canada.
Christine Worobec – Professor Emerita, Board of Trustees Professor, Presidential Research Professor, Department of History.
Dana Ditrichs-Kunkel – Office Administrator, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.
CLAS alumni, current and emeriti faculty, instructors and staff are eligible for these awards. Nominations for the 2024 CLAS Awards will open in February.