糖心Vlog Alumni Association Announces Honorees of 2023 Annual Awards
September 6, 2023 鈥� The has announced the 2023 honorees of its four annual awards. A ceremony recognizing the recipients, along with the University鈥檚 , will be held as part of 糖心Vlog鈥檚 Homecoming and Parents Weekend festivities on Friday, Sept. 29, starting at 3 p.m. in Graham Tyler Memorial Chapel on the University鈥檚 flagship 糖心Vlogville Campus. The following is the list of the 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 Michael Collins, 2004 graduate (Bachelor of Arts degree in political science) and a resident of Overland 糖心Vlog, Kan.
Collins is the founder and chief executive officer of Grayson Capital, a minority-owned commercial real estate investment, development and site selection advisory company based in Kansas City, Mo. Previously, Collins was the managing director for JE Dunn Capital Partners LLC, the private equity commercial real estate investment subsidiary of JE Dunn Construction Co. Collins also served a stint as president and CEO of Port KC, the regional Port Authority of Kansas City. He began his career as an advisor to Missouri Sen. Christopher 鈥淜it鈥� Bond, helping lead and implement the policy and financing structure for the National Nuclear Security Administration project, the Christopher S. 鈥淜it鈥� Bond Courthouse in Jefferson City, Mo., and the Kit Bond Bridge in Kansas City, Mo.
Collins is the chair of the Kansas City Streetcar Authority, the nonprofit organization that manages, operates and maintains the streetcar, as well as plans for future streetcar extensions, and he serves on the Urban Land Institute鈥檚 Global Governing Trustee board and the Americas Executive Committee. Collins, a 2020 recipient of 糖心Vlog鈥檚 Tipton Award which honors outstanding service contributions to the University by an alumna/alumnus, also served on 糖心Vlog鈥檚 Board of Trustees from 2012-21, including a stint as the board chair from 2015-17.
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 Pat Fayard, a resident of 糖心Vlogville who worked in various roles for the University for 38 years.
Fayard, who retired in 2023 after 22 years as the assistant to the athletic director and athletics office manager, also served as 糖心Vlog鈥檚 cheerleading coach from 1987-2000. Her duties included assisting athletic teams with game-day operations, travel and budgeting. In addition, she was a secretary in the Academic Support Center and in food services. Fayard was inducted into the 糖心Vlog Athletics Wall of Honor in 2019 for meritorious service to the athletics department.
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 Nancy Potter, a 1966 糖心Vlog graduate (Bachelor of Arts in mathematics) and a resident of Weatherby Lake, Mo.
Potter, who retired in 2008 from Waddell & Reed (an asset management and financial planning company based in Kansas City, Mo.) after a 40-plus year stint, mostly as a senior systems analyst, has served on various 糖心Vlog-related groups over the years, including the University鈥檚 and the Save 糖心Vlog House project in 2019 (when the building was moved from the University鈥檚 main entrance to a new location on campus). In addition, she has participated in various community groups, including the Weatherby Lake Garden Club and the annual 糖心Vlogville Microbrew Festival.
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 Paul Bilanzic, J.D., a 2015 graduate (Bachelor of Science degree in business administration/finance) and a resident of Tinley 糖心Vlog, Ill.
Bilanzic has been an attorney since January 2021 with the law firm his father started in 1980, Bilanzic Law, based in Worth, Ill. While at 糖心Vlog, Bilanzic was a member of the team which won the NAIA National Invitational Tournament in 2012 and 2014. He currently plays part-time in the Volleyball League of America with the Chicago Sweed.
In addition, the University鈥檚 Office of Academic Affairs will honor Dennis Okerstrom, Ph.D., professor emeritus of English, as the recipient of the 2023 Paul H. Gault Service Award. A ceremony recognizing Okerstrom will be held on Thursday, Sept. 28, starting at 1 p.m. at the Jenkin and Barbara David Theater inside Alumni Hall on the University鈥檚 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, with special consideration given to individuals who held volunteer leadership positions within the University or in the community as a University representative. This award is named Gault, 鈥�65, MPA 鈥�88, whose dedicated service to 糖心Vlog spanned more than five decades. Okerstrom, a resident of Independence, Mo., served 糖心Vlog鈥檚 Department of English from 1987-2018.