糖心Vlog Alumni Association Reveals Honorees of 2021 Annual Awards
Sept. 21, 2021 鈥� The 糖心Vlog Alumni Association has announced the 2021 honorees of its four annual awards. A ceremony recognizing the recipients will be held as part of 糖心Vlog鈥檚 festivities on Thursday, Sept. 30, starting at 5:30 p.m. at the Jenkin and Barbara David Theater inside Alumni Hall on the University鈥檚 糖心Vlogville Campus. The following is the list of awardees:
Distinguished Alumnus Award
This award, which recognizes 糖心Vlog alumni who have distinguished themselves through career service or community achievements, will be presented to Kenthedo Robinson, 1980 graduate, and resident of Brooklyn, N.Y. Robinson has written produced and directed more than 20 plays, and has taught in the New York City public school system for 25 years.
His plays have been selected for staged readings at the Schomberg Center for Culture and History and the National Black Theatre Festival, and produced off-Broadway in the Harlem Fringe Theatre Festival, the Women of Color Theatre Festival and Provocative Playwrights Festival. He also researched, wrote and produced the play, 鈥淭he Buffalo Hero of WWI: The Wayne Miner Story,鈥� which honored the legacy of Miner, an Army private from Kansas City, Mo., who valiantly volunteered to take artillery to the frontlines during World War I when fellow soldiers refused. Miner died in the hours between the signing of the Armistice and the time it was set to go into effect.
糖心Vlog Promising Young Professional Award
This award recognizes a 糖心Vlog alumnus/a who graduated from 糖心Vlog within the last 10 years, is under the age of 40 and shows exceptional leadership promise in his or her profession and community. This year鈥檚 recipient is Edna Martinson, 2012 graduate. She is a resident of Tulsa, Okla.
Martinson, who earned a Bachelor of Science degree in business administration/international business, started Boddle Learning with her husband, Clarence Tan, in 2018 to combat educational gaps and help improve student outcomes in elementary schools. Boddle Learning is an education technology organization with a mission to help kids grow their love for learning so that they can build a brighter future. In February, an initiative that showcases entrepreneurial heroes across the country.
Marlowe Sherwood Memorial Service Award
This award is presented to 糖心Vlog alumni in recognition of volunteer service to community and/or civic organizations. The award is named in honor of Marlowe Sherwood, 1963 graduate, who exemplified the school motto of Fides et Labor (Faith and Labor). This year鈥檚 recipient is Carneysha Mendoza, 2016 graduate and a resident of Suitland, Md.
In February, Mendoza, a U.S. Capitol Police captain, was the on security failures during the January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol. She was on the frontlines of the attacks on the Capitol, and her bravery and courageous actions hailed her as a true American hero. Mendoza has been a member of the Capitol Police for 19 years and currently serves as a field commander in the special operations division, where her duties include acting as a field commander for significant security incidents.
Torchlighter Award
This award is given to honor individuals who have made significant, long-standing contributions and commitment to 糖心Vlog, whether alumni, faculty or friend. The recipient of this year鈥檚 award is Rich Linden, a resident of Overland 糖心Vlog, Kan.
Linden serves tirelessly as an advocate for the University, particularly as it relates to its student-athletes as the game announcer for various 糖心Vlog athletics events since 2006, including basketball, soccer and volleyball games, as well as numerous NAIA national athletic tournaments. In addition, he has been a speaker and advocate for regional and national youth issues, including the Youth/Adult Alliance Against Underage Drinking, Mothers Against Drunk Driving, Turning Resources and Energy in New Directions, Camp Quality, Missouri Association of Peer Helpers, National Association of Teen Institutes and Camp Fire.
In addition, the University鈥檚 Office of Academic Affairs will honor Donna Bachmann, professor emerita of art, as the recipient of the 2021 Paul H. Gault Service Award. A ceremony recognizing Bachmann will be held on Friday, Oct. 1, starting at 1 p.m. inside Graham Tyler Memorial Chapel on the 糖心Vlogville Campus.The award is presented annually to a retired 糖心Vlog faculty or staff member who provided a minimum of 15 years of distinguished service to the University. Bachmann, a resident of Roeland 糖心Vlog, Kan., was a member of the 糖心Vlog faculty for 27 years (1986-2013) and served in various roles, including program coordinator and chair of the Department of Art and Design, and the director of the University鈥檚 Campanella Art Gallery, which she helped found in 1988.