Posted 5:07 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 26, 2015
Each year UW-L honors and celebrates alumni who have distinguished themselves through their contributions to their profession and communities.
Each year UW-L honors and celebrates alumni who have distinguished themselves through their contributions to their profession and communities.
This year’s alumni award recipients include:
- Maurice O. Graff Distinguished Alumni Award: Susan Gapstur, '83; Ted Knudson, '60
- Parker Multicultural Alumni Award: Theo Howard, '93
- Rada Distinguished Alumni Award: Brian Puerling, '06
- The Burt and Norma Altman Teacher Education Award: Cindy Marten, '88
Maurice O. Graff Distinguished Alumni Award
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Susan Gapstur[/caption]
Susan Gapstur, '83, earned a degree in biology with a microbiology concentration. She received her doctoral degree in epidemiology from the University of Minnesota in 1993. In 2009 she joined the American Cancer Society as the vice president of epidemiology. She leads a team of nine doctoral-level investigators, 26 master’s-level and other staff. She is responsible for providing strategic oversight and planning for all epidemiology research activities and program development. She lives in Atlanta.
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Theodore (Ted) Knudson[/caption]
Theodore (Ted) Knudson, '60, earned a bachelor of science degree with double majors in physical science and general science. He held positions with the North American Aviation Co. and the General Electric Co., first as a logistics requirements engineer and later as a product assurance engineer for the Apollo/Saturn Moon Landing and Exploration program. Between 1970 and 1973, he was employed as a spacecraft (Skylab) operations and checkout manager for the Martin Marietta Co. In 1973, he traveled to Europe where he was employed for the next 22 plus years at the European Space Research Centre as a technical and financial manager with the European Space Agency. He has been retired since 1995 and now, with his wife, Yvonne, resides in La Crosse in summers and in Cocoa Beach, Florida in winters.
Parker Multicultural Alumni Award
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Theo Howard[/caption]
Theo Howard, '93, earned degrees in psychology and sociology. He earned a master’s from UW-L in 1995 in sports administration. He held leadership positions at area YMCAs in Detroit from 1996-2001. In 2003, he became the director of Campus Recreation at Winston-Salem (North Carolina) State University and later assistant vice chancellor for Campus Life. He is now associate vice chancellor for Student Affairs at North Carolina Central University
Rada Distinguished Alumni Award
Brian Puerling, '06, is director of education technology at Catherine Cook School in Chicago. He is a National Board Certified teacher, author of “Teaching in the Digital Age: Smart Tools for Age 3 to Grade 3,” and contributing author of “Technology and Digital Media in the Early Years: Tools for Teaching and Learning.” Puerling was a recipient of the PBS [caption id="attachment_4741" align="alignright" width="150"]
Brian Puerling[/caption]
Innovative Educator Award and PBS Teacher’s Choice Award in 2010. He is a graduate of the Erikson Institute, a graduate school in child development and is a former teacher in the Chicago Public Schools. Puerling serves on the board of directors for the Chicago Metro Association for Education of Young Children and has worked as an early childhood teacher coach and a curriculum reviewer. He has been a presenter and consultant for the Chicago Public Schools, the Erikson Institute, United Way Miami-Dade, the Early Childhood Council of New Zealand, Sesame Street, the Fred Rogers Center for Early Learning and Children’s Media, and most recently joined Nick Jr. Preschool as a development consultant.
The Burt and Norma Altman Teacher Education Award
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Cindy Marten[/caption]
Cindy Marten, ’88, earned a degree in elementary education from UW-L and a master’s degree in curriculum and instruction from the University of California, San Diego. Marten is superintendent of San Diego Unified School District. Her 25 years as an educator include teaching elementary grades as a classroom teacher and later, serving as a school-wide literacy specialist in the award-winning Poway Unified School District. After participating in a seven-year improvement effort at a struggling school in Poway Unified, Marten chose to take her experience to one of the most challenging schools in San Diego Unified — Central Elementary in City Heights— where she served for 10 years as teacher, instructional leader and principal.
At Central Elementary, Marten attracted and retained high-quality, dedicated staff. She nurtured innovative programs to support students and staff including: a highly successful bi-literacy program, a hands-on school garden program, quality after-school and preschool programs, employees’ child day care center, and a community health and wellness center for students and their families. Her team’s success was validated by steady and improved student achievement, which included an increase in the school’s Academic Performance Index (API).