EIU Media Relations

Alumni Awards to be Presented During Homecoming

Recipients of the Eastern Illinois University Alumni Association's 2011 alumni awards will be honored Saturday, Oct. 22, in conjunction with Homecoming activities.

Distinguished Alumni Awards will go to Larry Closson '74 of Springfield; Will Keiper '72 of Paradise Valley, Ariz.; Gregg Kirkland '83 of Edwardsville; Keith Kohanzo '69, '71 of Charleston; and Ron Woods '86 of Milwaukee, Wis.

The Outstanding Young Alumnus Award will go to Jake Byrne '07, '09 of Long Island City, N.Y. In addition, Tim '71, '72 and Vickie Burke '72, '75 of Evanston will receive the Louis V. Hencken Alumni Service Award, and Craig Lindvahl '79 of Effingham will receive the Distinguished Educator Award.

For biographies of the award winners, please visit http://www.eiu.edu/alumni/awards.php.

Established in 1973, the Distinguished Alumni Award is the most prestigious award bestowed by the Alumni Association. It is presented to individuals who have distinguished themselves in either academic or literary fields, business, public service and/or service to the university, and who, through their accomplishments and service, have brought prestige to their alma mater. Past recipients have included an Illinois governor, Oscar-nominated actors, an NFL head coach, a nuclear physicist, CEOs, educators at all levels and many others.

First presented in 1988, the Outstanding Young Alumnus Award is presented to alumni who are 35 or younger and have excelled in new careers and/or public service.

The Louis V. Hencken Alumni Service Award, established in 1988, is presented to alumni who have repeatedly displayed outstanding voluntary service to the university. In 2007, the name was changed to the Louis V. Hencken Alumni Service Award in honor of Eastern's retiring president, who held a variety of administrative positions at EIU for more than 40 years.

Established in 2004, the Distinguished Educator Award is presented to alumni who have distinguished themselves in the field of K-12 education.

Award recipients will be honored at a dinner, set to begin with a 6 p.m. social hour, on Saturday, Oct. 22, in the Grand Ballroom, MLK Jr. Union. Dinner will follow at 7 p.m. Tickets are $25 per person. A portion of the dinner price will support the Legacy Scholarship Fund. To order tickets, please contact the EIU Alumni Association at 800-ALUM-EIU or alumeiu@eiu.edu.