Each year for the past 60 years the Hillsdale College Alumni Department has awarded a group of alumni plaques recognizing their post-graduate achievement. Among last fall’s honorees was Dan Wisner ’55, inventor of a sensory scheme for anti-lock brakes and cruise control.
“He had flown under the radar in his post-Hillsdale years,” Grigor Hasted, director of alumni relations and institutional advancement said. “He had worked and lived in Detroit, and didn’t come around blowing his horn. He’s got to be among the most accomplished of our alumni.”
The awards are the college’s way of recognizing the success and accomplishments of its alumni. One of these awards is the “Graduate Of the Last Decade,” or GOLD, award, which recognizes achievement in a young alumni.
Last year, which marked the 64th Alumni Awards Banquet, the college honored Will Dunham ‘07 with the GOLD award for his position as executive director of the House Republican Study Committee.
Wisner and fellow honoree Lloyd Bond ’64 were honored with Outstanding Professional Achievement awards for science and education, respectively.
Bond received his award for his achievement in education, having taught at Stanford University, the University of North Carolina, and the University of Pittsburgh. He is also a retired senior scholar with the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching.
The final award given was Sue Cervini, who received the Honorary Alumni award, which recognizes those members of the college community who “have given a life to the college” although they did not graduate from it.
“She’s done so much to support the college and the alumni association,” Hasted said. “It’s nice to recognize people like her as honorary graduates of the college.”
Hasted, Hillsdale College President Larry Arnn, and Director of External Affairs John Cervini select the honorees from a pool of nominees. An alumni can become a nominee if someone sends in the alumni’s name. Hasted said anyone from a nominee’s spouse to one of the nominee’s former professors will send in the nominee’s name.
“Some people will say ‘hey, this person might make a great candidate,’ and they become a nominee,” Alumni Events & Records Manager Nanette Laser said. “They come from all class years and all areas of the country. There’s no certain demographic we look for.”
The honorees are informed of their receiving the award beforehand and given the award, in the form of a plaque, at the awards banquet, usually the Friday before homecoming. The honorees also receive a tree planted on campus that includes their name and award.
“The banquet is wonderful,” Laser said. “We not only invite them but allow them to invite family and friends.”
Last year, the banquet included a video presentation of the nominee, something Hasted said he had been wanting to add.
“It helped us vary the presentation of the award, so it wasn’t just talking heads at a podium,” Hasted said. “It allowed the honorees to say what they wanted to say off the podium, in their environment, and made it much more impactful.”
Although nothing is finalized yet, Hasted and Cervini are working on adding more awards over the next few years.
“The program and the types and number of awards are always expanding,” Hasted said. “We want to recognize people for their outstanding achievements, and we are growing to accommodate more categories of this achievement.”
