Winter 2010 Issue

2009 Alumni Awards

By Amy Spies

On the evening of November 6, 2009, the Atrium of the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum provided the perfect setting for the presentation of alumni awards to the 2009 class of recipients. To coincide with the Lincoln Bicentennial—the celebration of the 200th anniversary of Lincoln’s birth—the theme for this year’s dinner and program was “Celebrating Alumni Who Continue Abraham Lincoln’s Legacy,” and included special remarks by world-renowned Lincoln scholar Dr. Michael Burlingame, who holds the Naomi B. Lynn Chair of Lincoln Studies at UIS.

Alumni were honored with the Loyalty Award for Exceptional Alumni Service, the Humanitarian Award, the Distinguished Service Award, and the Alumni Achievement Award. The honorees are great examples of alumni whose actions steward this University to even greater heights.

LOYALTY AWARD FOR EXCEPTIONAL ALUMNI SERVICE

The Loyalty Award is presented to individuals who support the role of the Alumni Association, demonstrate pride in their Alma Mater, and whose interest and loyalty are self-evident by efforts to advance our great University:

Nancy Chapin, a 1973 master’s degree graduate, volunteer community leader and a charter life member of the then-Sangamon State University Alumni Association, continually makes invaluable contributions by connecting individuals and community organizations with the University. Her leadership credits are extensive, and among them are volunteer service as a founding member of the Friends of Brookens Library and the UIS Alumni SAGE Society.

“I feel very proud of the university, which has grown and become something wonderful in this community,” Chapin said.

With a thirst for lifelong learning, Chapin co-chaired a volunteer committee that launched a series of very successful noon-hour lecture programs. She helped make connections with speakers and resources, and promoted these programs to other local groups.

As an active member and supporter of the Iles House Foundation, which is restoring the Strawbridge-Shepherd House property on campus, Chapin initiated discussion and helped plan a successful two-session program at the home site; her ongoing involvement has positive implications for the future of the property as an active learning environment.

As president of the Sangamon County Historical Society, Chapin has been active in seeking to arrange joint programs in cooperation with UIS, such as the Donner party programs to be held next spring in cooperation with the Friends of Brookens Library and the UIS archives.

With a keen appreciation for classical music and public radio station WUIS, Chapin has connected people and resources to bring outstanding young classical musicians to the Springfield community, enhancing the quality of programming for the station.

Further, as donors, Chapin and husband “Chick” have provided funding that enables UIS to offer an Outstanding Master’s Thesis Award each year, as well as a history scholarship.

Roberta Volkmann is also a 1973 master’s degree graduate, educator and community volunteer. She has demonstrated exceptional leadership on many fronts, and her actions exemplify her understanding of the importance of alumni involvement and commitment. As a volunteer leader, one of Volkmann’s points of service is to public radio station WUIS. She responded to an appeal for volunteers during the very first “Alumni on the Air Day” more than seven years ago and continues her involvement today. In addition, she has provided service to the Homecoming Committee and the First Week welcome program for new and returning students.

Volkmann is also a founding member of the UIS Alumni SAGE Society. An exceptional grant writer, she helped draft a successful proposal to support continuing education programs and she has recruited fellow SAGE members to assist with Commencement. Additionally, Volkmann was among the first to offer her time and talents to interview others for the UIS oral history project, which records the personal histories and recollections of alumni, faculty and staff.

“I have received a lot more than I’ve given,” Volkmann said, “both as a student and as an Alumni SAGE Society member.”

As an active member of the community, Volkmann has been a volunteer grant writer for the Illinois Symphony Orchestra, is a former editor of the Sangamon County Historical Society newsletter, serves her church and has been a docent at the Dana-Thomas House for more than 20 years. Additionally, Volkmann and husband Carl wrote a book—Springfield’s Sculptures, Monuments and Plaques—on Springfield’s visual arts, published in 2008.

HUMANITARIAN AWARD

The Alumni Humanitarian Award was created to recognize alumni who, through outstanding involvement and dedication, have made significant contributions of leadership and service to improve the lives of others and the welfare of humanity.

Robert Moore, who holds both bachelor’s and master’s degrees from UIS, has a distinguished career in law enforcement as a U.S. marshal, chief of police and deputy sheriff. Included in his professional career is an appointment by President Bill Clinton as U.S. Marshal for the Central District of Illinois. Recently, Moore’s name was forwarded by Senator Richard Durbin for consideration for a possible second presidential appointment by President Barack Obama.

With a passion for documenting and presenting the history of African Americans in law enforcement, Moore set out to share his research with a traveling exhibit entitled “The President’s Men: Black United States Marshals.” Featured in the exhibit are famous Deputy U.S. Marshals Bass Reeves, an 1875 appointee, and Frederick Douglass, an 1877 U.S. marshal better known for his work as an abolitionist. To help tell the story, the exhibit includes aspects of Moore’s career. The exhibit has been on display at several universities and museum venues.

Moore’s leadership extends beyond professional agencies within the criminal justice and social service systems. He has been elected or appointed to numerous positions in community and volunteer organizations, including the chair of both the Springfield Civil Service Commission and Springfield Human Relations Commission; president and founder of the Land of Lincoln Chapter, National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives; president, Illinois Affirmative Action Association; board of directors, Springfield Chamber of Commerce; and president, Frontiers International. Moore is also active in the People-to-People program, and has traveled with a delegation to Vietnam and Cambodia, and has recently been invited to travel to South Africa. As a result, Moore was honored in 2006 by Rotary International with the Paul Harris Fellow Award for his community service. In 2007, the Federal Bureau of Investigation presented him with the Directors’ Community Leadership Award.

Throughout his career, Moore has worked to educate, inform and advocate for African American youth, and to encourage the recruitment and promotion of minority and female police officers. Moore’s activities make him an inspirational role model for current students who aspire to criminal justice and social service professions. His passion for research and writing related to the history of African American leaders in law enforcement is an inspiration to the area’s youth.

“It is extremely special when people recognize your achievements,” Moore said. “I am proud to have gotten to go to UIS.”

DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD

The Distinguished Service Award is presented to individuals who consistently demonstrate an extraordinary level of commitment, dedication and service to the University family:

Helen Dunn has shared her time, talent and resources for nearly 40 years to the University family. “I started when [SSU] started,” she laughed.

Dunn graduated from Illinois State University in 1942 with a degree in home economics and a teaching certificate; her first teaching job was at Coal City High School, where she taught until 1947.

After marrying and starting her family of six children, Dunn returned to teaching in 1958 at Ursuline Academy, where she taught English, and went on to teach at Jefferson Middle School, Newman High School, and Williamsville High School; she also served as a guidance counselor for 20 years in Athens and was a school principal in Edinburg. 

But Dunn wanted more: she began work on her master’s degree in 1970 when Sangamon State University opened; she earned her degree in psychology in 1972. In the middle of her graduate program, Dunn’s husband passed away. Though difficult, she remained a committed participant and organizer of activities for students and alumni, including educational trips to Mexico and Pere Marquette State Park.

In 1995, when the campus became part of the University of Illinois system, Dunn’s commitment never wavered. In fact, Dunn continued her model of leadership as a member of the UIS Campus Alumni Advisory Board and by serving on the College of Education and Human Services Alumni Council, participating in many of the college’s activities and teaching as an adjunct faculty member and student-teacher supervisor. Especially noteworthy is Dunn’s role in developing experiential programs for alumni based on profession, life stage or special interest. Her ideas and personal initiative greatly contributed to the formation of the College of Education and Human Services Alumni Council and the Alumni SAGE Society. 

Dunn is a charter life member of the Sangamon State University Alumni Association and held many offices, including president of the alumni board. She was a board member when the Alumni Association’s student scholarship was initiated—a scholarship that continues to be awarded to one full-time and one part-time student. In addition, a scholarship was established in Dunn’s name to recognize her outstanding support of the University, and is annually presented to a student from the education program.

ALUMNI ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

Established in 1957 and the highest honor bestowed upon alumni by the university, the Alumni Achievement Award recognizes those who have attained outstanding success and national or international distinction in one’s business, profession or life’s work:

Gordon Heddell, a 1975 graduate of the legal studies master’s degree program, has strength and integrity as a leader, resulting in high-level appointments by three sitting U.S. Presidents: Bill Clinton, George W. Bush and Barack Obama.

Heddell began his service to our country in 1966 as an Army chief warrant officer and helicopter pilot, serving in both Korea and Taiwan during the Vietnam-era conflict. Following his military tours of duty, he began his career with the Secret Service as a special agent. Heddell held various law enforcement, management and leadership positions for the Secret Service and directed its world-wide inspection and internal affairs programs; ultimately, he rose to the position of assistant director of the agency.

During his tenure with the Secret Service, Heddell assumed executive positions in the Vice-Presidential Protective Division, where his responsibilities included leading the physical protection of the vice president and the security of the vice president’s residence. Heddell accompanied vice presidents to meetings with PLO Chairman Yasser Arafat in Jericho, President Boris Yeltsin at the Kremlin, and the inauguration of Nelson Mandela as the newly elected president of South Africa. He also served on the protection detail for Secretary of State Henry Kissinger when he was actively promoting the peace process in the Middle East.

Hedell was appointed inspector general of the U.S. Department of Labor by President George W. Bush and recently to the inspector general position at the U.S. Department of Defense by President Barack Obama. As inspector general, Hedell works on behalf of servicemen, servicewomen and taxpayers to identify fraud, waste and abuse in the operations and programs of the Department of Defense, which has more than 3 million employees and an annual budget of more than $600 billion. In his current role, Heddell traveled to Southwest Asia, where he met our country’s three top commanding generals in the region: General David Petraeus, General Raymond Odierno and General Stanley McChrystal, as well as other officers and senior field commanders, in order to assess the expanding role of the Department of Defense Inspector General in Afghanistan and Iraq. He also met with senior leaders in Afghanistan’s and Iraq’s Ministries of Defense.

In addition to dozens of outstanding performance ratings and numerous letters of commendation, Heddell was the 1997 recipient of the prestigious Meritorious Presidential Rank Award for Outstanding Government Service. He was also a Woodrow Wilson Public Service Fellow while at the Secret Service. Heddell’s service to his country, his commitment to public service and his clarity of purpose reflect extraordinarily well upon the University and bring honor to our Alma Mater.

Of this highest honor, “I am humbled,” Hedell said, “that they would think I am worthy.”