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Lou Liay Spirit Award for Extraordinary Alumni Service

The Lou Liay Spirit Award for Extraordinary Alumni Service was established in 2001 to commemorate the selfless dedication and loyalty to the University expressed by alumni volunteers. The honor is named for distinguished University of Illinois graduate Louis Liay. Since graduating from the Urbana campus in 1962, Liay has given the Alumni Association more than 20 years of service, retiring in 1998 as president of the organization.

2010 Recipient

Those who work with her call Mary Maryland, PHD ’94 NURS, a powerhouse—and for good reason. She has been an outstanding ambassador for the UIC College of Nursing, the University of Illinois and University of Illinois Alumni Association. Maryland frequently mentors UIC nursing students and serves as a speaker in UIC’s Urban Health Program. Since completing her Ph.D. at UIC, she has been an active member of the College of Nursing Alumni Board and has served as its treasurer and president. A long-time supporter of the UIAA, Maryland has served as member, vice-chair and chair of the UIC Campus Alumni Advisory Board. During her nearly eight-year CAAB tenure, Maryland has participated in the Awards and Nominating, Preserving History and Strategic Planning and Visibility committees. Even with all her UIC-centered activities, she maintains a high degree of involvement in several professional nursing and health-related organizations, including serving as a board member of the American Nurses Association and American Nurses Credentialing Center, and as president of Illinois Division of the American Cancer.