The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences honored 12 alumni, faculty and staff Oct. 22 during their annual event at Barsema Alumni and Visitors Center.
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. Since the 2020 awards were canceled due to the pandemic, the College recognized two classes of award recipients. The 2020 and 2021 honorees will join a distinguished group within the CLAS community – the 159 alumni, faculty and staff honored since the awards were established in 2009 as part of the College’s 50th anniversary.
2020 Class of Honorees
Paulette Hasier – B.A., History, 1989; chief of the Geography and Map Division, Library of Congress
Joseph P. Reidy – B.A. and M.A., History, 1974 and 1982; influential historian and professor emeritus, Howard University
Walker S. Ashley – Presidential Research, Scholarship and Artistry Professor, Presidential Teaching Professor, Department of Geographic and Atmospheric Sciences
Lara Crowley – Professor and Chair, Department of English
Janice D. Hamlet – Professor, Department of Communication; Associate Vice Provost for Faculty Mentoring and Diversity
Steven L. Estes – Director of College Advising
2021 Class of Honorees
The Hon. James E. Snyder – B.A., History, 1987; associate judge of the Circuit Court of Cook County
Joanna Sztuba-Solinska – M.S. and Ph.D., Biological Sciences, 2007 and 2011; renowned virologist, Auburn University
Jeffrey Chown – Professor Emeritus, Board of Trustees Professor and Presidential Teaching Professor, Department of Communication
Beatrix Hoffmann – Professor, Department of History
Ross D. Powell – Professor Emeritus, Board of Trustees Professor and Distinguished Research Professor, Department of Geology and Environmental Geosciences
Alexandre S. Dychkant – Senior Research Scientist, Department of Physics
CLAS alumni, current and emeriti faculty, instructors and staff are eligible for these awards. Nominations for the 2022 CLAS Awards will open in February.
