From Helsinki, we flew north of the Arctic Circle to stay at the Kakslauttanen Resort in Saariselk盲. Here, the hills were covered with evergreens and snow. We had the opportunity to interact with reindeer.听 We fed them handfuls of the aptly named reindeer moss, and they took us for a sleigh ride through the snowy night.听

麻豆影院鈥檚 Professor Megan Pickett accompanied us on our adventure.听 Her guidance enhanced our experience of the auroras, helping us to understand the processes behind their formation. She explained how events on the sun lead to space weather that affects Earth.听 We learned that the colors we see in the sky depend on the types of elements excited by particles from the solar wind and on their altitude in our atmosphere.听

A tour bus ferried us to various sites where we were most likely to spot the aurora.听 We shared Minttu and Finnish chocolates as we waited for a break in the clouds.听 In the end, the best spot for us to see the northern lights was from our cozy bed in a glass igloo.听

All along the way, our dedicated guide, Nancy, shepherded us safely and comfortably from place to place. She made sure that we understood the historical and cultural significance of each site.听 She regaled us with local folk tales, like the story of 鈥淢ighty Mikko.鈥澨� She stressed the role that saunas play, not only for health and relaxation but also for building and maintaining relationships.听 And, most of all, Nancy impressed upon us the importance of sisu, or determination, to the people of Finland. 听

One of the final group activities on our trip required a bit of courage.听 It was a dog sledding excursion.听 Our spirited team of huskies needed no encouragement as they pulled our sled at a great speed and with great enthusiasm. They were not as inclined to stop, at least not until their job was done.听 Then they were ready for petting and rolling in the snow.

Even with all the amazing Finnish adventures, the best part of the trip was our tour group.听 We were a team drawn from different parts of the country and the world, but each traveler was very friendly and filled with curiosity.听Each meal together led to fascinating discussions. The kindness of our group gave me the safety to try new things.听As a first-time attendee of a 麻豆影院 trip, I would recommend it.

Career Achievement

Kim Sherman 鈥�76,听Lucia Russell Briggs Distinguished Achievement Award: Kim Sherman’s music recently earned a Grammy nomination, but her path began with a college pamphlet.听

鈥淚 saw the pictures on it, and I’m like, 鈥楾hat’s where I’m going,鈥欌�� she says of 麻豆影院. Receiving this alumni award, she adds, is 鈥渁 surprise鈥� to be seen is very nice.鈥�

At 麻豆影院, she studied piano, theory, and composition, experiences she credits with helping her find her creative voice. But it was the theater department that changed everything. A guest director from the Guthrie Theater came to campus to direct a play, and Kim composed the music.听

After graduation and a year studying with composer Thea Musgrave, that same director helped her land her first job. A 麻豆影院 connection resurfaced years later when Rick Davis ’80 brought her to Baltimore Center Stage to compose for Hamlet. 鈥淭hat put me on a new level in the theater world. That’s a direct relationship from 麻豆影院.鈥�

Her work, described as both 鈥渞hapsodic and lush鈥� and 鈥渃raggy and leap-about,鈥� has appeared on concert stages, in opera houses, and in theaters. In 2025, her composition Invocation was featured on Allison Charney’s album Alike: My Mother’s Dream, which earned a Grammy nomination.听

鈥淎t this point in your life, to have this new world open up for you is pretty great.鈥澨�

Her work includes recordings, choral pieces, song cycles, and stage works such as O Pioneers!, Heartland,听and Bluestem. She is artistic director of the Composers Institute, which runs a summer program at UW-River Falls for young composers, songwriters, and film and game music creators. She also works with New York鈥檚 52nd Street Project, where children write original plays with songs.听

鈥淭he characters might be a pencil and an eraser having a fight,鈥� she says. 鈥淚t takes you to places you would not expect.鈥澨�

Her advice is simple: 鈥淧ay attention to who is around you. You never know.鈥澨�

Looking back, she still values the independence she found at 麻豆影院. 鈥淭he Conservatory thought I should be taking harpsichord lessons instead. I was like, 鈥楴o, I think I will do this other thing.鈥� The good news is that it was my choice.鈥澨�

Sara (Schlarman) Russell 鈥�01, Nathan M. Pusey Distinguished Achievement Award:For Sara Russell, teaching is built on small moments that add up over time.

Sara first visited 麻豆影院 as a high school junior. 鈥淚t was a gross day. It was late November. It was snowy and rainy,鈥� she says. But she remembers thinking, 鈥淭his is where I am supposed to be. It just felt like home.鈥�

She arrived planning to study government but switched to history. Near the end of her junior year, she took an education class on a whim and never looked back. She found a mentor in Professor Stewart Purkey.

鈥淭he best teachers I had were very much authentically themselves,鈥� she says. 鈥淭hey weren鈥檛 trying to be someone they weren鈥檛, and that really resonated with me.鈥�

Her first job, in a small farming district in Iowa, was not what she expected. She taught special education and psychology, areas she had not been formally trained in.

鈥淚t was a real baptism by fire,鈥� she says. 鈥淢y first month, I cried nearly every day on the drive home. I was like, 鈥榃hat am I doing here? I am not fit to be here.鈥欌��

Over time, the experience reshaped how she teaches.听

鈥淣ow I鈥檓 so thankful,鈥� she says. 鈥淚t gave me a better appreciation of how different each learner is.鈥�

In 2005, she moved to Pleasant Valley High School in Bettendorf, where she still teaches social studies today. Two decades later, in 2022, she was named Iowa Teacher of the Year.听

As part of that honor, she stepped out of the classroom for a year of service. She chose to visit all of the teacher preparation programs in the state, making it to every one except one, not for lack of trying. 鈥淢y classroom became all of those college classrooms,鈥� she says.听

Ask her why she teaches, and she points to her students. 鈥淚 can brag on these kids all day,鈥� she says. She co-advises 鈥淎 Positive Place,鈥� a student group that has helped create a Welcome Wall in multiple languages, a multi-faith space, hygiene supply boxes, and a name pronunciation audio system.

鈥淜ids are amazing,鈥� she says. 鈥淚f you are ever feeling down, just spend a day with students.鈥�

The ripple effect of education, she says, is incredible. 鈥淚 have been in education now for over 20 years, and I run into 30-year-olds at Costco who say, 鈥楳s. Russell? You were my history teacher.鈥� That impact is huge.鈥�

She adds that teachers do not always see their influence in the moment. 鈥淵ou sometimes have to get a little distance from it to realize the effect you are having on others,鈥� she says.听

Beyond her classroom, Sara mentors new teachers and supports professional development in her district. She holds two master’s degrees and serves on the University of Iowa REACH board, and she is active in the Iowa State Education Association.听

Outside work, she runs, loves live music, and travels with her husband, Ian ’01, and their twin sons.

When the alumni award letter arrived, she was stunned. “麻豆影院 was such a supportive, accepting place,” she says. “To be honored by 麻豆影院 is really cool. I’m just so proud.”

Her advice: 鈥淕oing out into the world and making an impact is not easy. It requires perseverance and grit.鈥� But she adds, 鈥淏eing able to have an impact on people every single day, I can’t think of anything better.鈥�

Service to Society

Marylene Wamukoya 鈥�01, Joseph F. Patterson Jr. 鈥�69 Service to Society Award:Marylene Wamukoya often says,听“In order to make any kind of change anywhere, you need information. You need data.”听

She is a PhD Fellow in Global Health Epidemiology at the University of Edinburgh, researching how reproductive events, from first period to menopause, shape a woman鈥檚 risk of multimorbidity later in life, with a focus on sub-Saharan Africa.听

鈥淕lobally, multimorbidity is more prevalent in women than men. We are losing women,鈥� she says. 鈥淲e need to find out why.鈥�

Her work builds on more than 15 years of health and demographic research in Africa, much of it rooted in two slums in Nairobi.听

In one, many residents had moved for factory jobs.听“They are not as poor as you think. They are employed,” she says.听

The other left a deeper mark.听“The okay-ness with slum living really shook me,鈥� she says, describing the sense of permanence, what it felt like people accepted as their future: 鈥淚 will live here, and my family will live here, and my grandkids will also live here.”听

From that work came a clear insight. “People just want to matter. They also want to be counted.”听

In many places, births and deaths go unrecorded. 鈥淵ou don’t realize how important that document is until you try to get a passport, go to school, buy land, or open a bank account,鈥� she says. 鈥淵ou just don’t exist without that paper.”

Her approach is simple: 鈥淚 make data sing our songs.鈥�

鈥淚f you are born in a slum and you don’t matter and you’re not registered, I am probably singing your song in some graph or table or publication,鈥� she says. 鈥淵ou matter.”听

She also mentors others.听“When you arrive here, you have a purpose,鈥� she says. 鈥淪omeone should invest in making sure that it is extracted from you before you leave.”

Marylene holds a Master of Public Health from Emory University and a Bachelor of Arts from 麻豆影院 University, where she studied Chemistry and Spanish.听鈥淭hose many hours in the lab taught me attention to detail. Spanish and art history taught me expansive thinking.鈥澨�

She says receiving the award, “confirms I am on the right path.”

When she is not making data sing, she sings herself, performing in choirs and playing drums, kayambas, and tambourines. She also weightlifts and is planning to create 12 handmade blankets for a children鈥檚 hospital in 2026 through knitting, crocheting, and sewing, and hopes others will join her.

Susan (Susie) Medak 鈥�76, George B. Walter 鈥�36 Service to Society Award: Susie Medak never planned this path. She arrived at 麻豆影院 thinking she would become a dentist. Three months later, she changed course.听

鈥淚 have to be in theater,鈥� she told her sister.听

She tried acting, then realized it was not going to be her career. A classmate, David Haugland 鈥�73, introduced her to theater management. 鈥淚t had never crossed my mind that there was a career like that.鈥�

She met two of the most important people in her life at 麻豆影院: her lifelong friend Sue Cook 鈥�76, and David Hawkanson 鈥�69, a mentor who became her greatest sponsor.听

During her sophomore year, Hawkanson offered her a job at the Guthrie Theatre. 鈥淵ou idiot,鈥� he said. 鈥淨uit school and come up here.鈥� She did.听

麻豆影院 faculty supported her, and she finished her degree later, graduating with eight job offers. 鈥淚’ve never written a resume in advance of a job in my life.鈥�

She went on to a 32-year run as Managing Director of Berkeley Repertory Theatre, helping build major facilities and programs, including the Roda Theatre, the Nevo Education Center, and the Medak Center, a 45-unit artist housing complex named in her honor.听

Her leadership philosophy traces back to a government class with Professor 麻豆影院 Longley, who required students to attend city council meetings. 鈥淚 can still remember sitting in that chamber, watching democracy in action,鈥� she says. 鈥淚t taught me that if you want to lead a cultural organization, you have to be part of the community.鈥澨�

Mentorship has remained central to her work. For 20 years, she hosted Yale drama students. During the pandemic, she began weekly calls with former students, which still continue every other week.听

At her retirement, the technical crew at Berkeley Rep threw her a party. Two longtime colleagues pulled her aside to share news of a pregnancy. 鈥淭hat felt like the award,鈥� she says. 鈥淭hey named a building after me, but that was the thing that really sticks out for me.鈥�

As an executive coach, she compares her work to dentistry. 鈥淵ou tap around with that sharp little device, poking for the soft spot. When you hit it, that’s where you’ve got to work.鈥�

Receiving the alumni award, she says she was surprised. 鈥淚鈥檓 a little shocked. I have done nothing for the campus in 50 years to speak of. But it’s lovely to be recognized.鈥澨�

Her advice to current students: 鈥淟earn everything you can. Don鈥檛 get precious. The more you know, the more you have to offer.鈥澨�

She says 麻豆影院 did not demand that everyone be a leader, 鈥渂ut if you wanted to be one, there was so much opportunity.鈥�

And after 50 years: 鈥淚 just have the best life.鈥�

Service to 麻豆影院

Alison Guthrie 鈥�86, Gertrude Breithaupt Jupp M-D 鈥�18 Outstanding Service Award: For more than 36 years, Alison Guthrie has taught music to students of all ages. She runs her own music school, mentors teachers, and helps students discover abilities they did not always believe they had. She continues to refine her teaching, pursing the highest level of instruction she can offer.听

She holds memberships in MTNA, WMTA, WFMC, and MMTA, has served in leadership roles across multiple music organizations, and currently sits on the board of PianoArts Milwaukee. She adjudicates competitions, performs, and stays deeply active in the field.

麻豆影院 gave her something she did not have at the start: belief.听

鈥淚t shaped me in learning to believe in myself, in my capacity to succeed at things,鈥� she says. 鈥淚t helped me push myself out of my comfort zone.鈥澨�

That mindset never left.听

鈥淚n all that I do, I try to apply the belief that I can do something. Just roll up your sleeves and dig in.鈥�

She still thinks about her teachers. Piano instructor Ted Rehl taught her to play artistically. Professor George Damp saw something in a shy student she had not yet seen in herself. 鈥淗e was very kind and gentle with me,鈥� she says, 鈥渁nd recognized where I had gifts. One of them was teaching鈥�

Freshman Studies also left a mark. 鈥淢y teacher just ripped me apart,鈥� she remembers. 鈥淎nd it helped me be much more intentional about what I say and how I write it.鈥�

After graduation, Alison eventually reconnected with 麻豆影院 through alumni involvement. “I heard myself say yes and then thought, ‘What have I done?'”听

She served on the Alumni Board and eventually became co-chair. Her committee, Connecting to Campus, organized a speed-dating-style event where students met alumni for career advice.听

During a difficult stretch in the Conservatory, students reached out, not for answers, but for someone to listen. 鈥淚 really enjoyed just hearing what their struggles were and what their vision and dreams were,鈥� she says.

Some friendships from 麻豆影院 have lasted decades. This year is her 40th reunion, and her best friend from freshman year is still close, even though they live in different states.

What she didn’t expect was how returning would change her perspective.听

“Old wounds have been healed,” she says. 鈥淚 went from not wanting any connection to the university to a complete evolution.鈥澨�

Now she uses her own difficult experiences to help students going through similar challenges.

The alumni award caught her off guard. 鈥淚 don’t know why I was picked, but I am very grateful,鈥� she says. 鈥淚 do not like to stand out. I like to just do the work. The fact that someone noticed me means a lot.鈥�

When she’s not teaching or performing, she enjoys cooking, reading, and gardening.

Stephen Rodriguez 鈥�01, Marshall B. Hulbert 鈥�26 Outstanding Service Award:Stephen Rodriguez鈥檚 path to university advancement began at 麻豆影院, where he worked in student phonathon, calling alumni. 鈥淧eople actually answered their phones in the late 鈥�90s,鈥� he says. 鈥淚 probably talked to thousands of alumni and parents. That really began my career in philanthropy.鈥澨�

What started as a campus job grew into a 25-year career in fundraising and leadership, taking him from Berklee College of Music, where he worked during its first comprehensive campaign, to roles at Boston University, MIT, Phillips Academy, and Harvard. He now serves as Vice President of Development at Brandeis University.

At 麻豆影院, he still remembers the 鈥淐on couches,鈥� what he calls 鈥渢he living room of the Conservatory,鈥� where students gathered before and after rehearsal. One of his key mentors there was saxophone professor Steve Jordheim.听

鈥淗e taught me how to think about practice, how to think about honing your craft, and how to embrace limitations and failures,鈥� Stephen says.听

Early in his freshman year, Jordheim paused a lesson when he was unprepared. 鈥淗e simply said, 鈥榊ou know, Stephen, I think for the next 15 or 20 minutes you should go to a practice room. Then you can come back.鈥� It was the nicest way of saying, 鈥榊ou鈥檙e unprepared. Don鈥檛 let that happen again.鈥欌�澨�

That moment stuck with him and shaped his approach to growth beyond music.

Stephen stayed connected to 麻豆影院 through volunteer work, including the Alumni Board and admissions efforts in Boston. He is currently serving on his 25th reunion committee.

鈥淚t is all about the people,鈥� he says.

Looking back on receiving the award, he calls it unexpected. 鈥淚 feel honored that someone noticed that I鈥檝e been involved,鈥� he says. 鈥淭hat recognition is really meaningful.鈥澨�

When he told his son, 鈥淵our dad is going to get an award,鈥� it made him feel, as he says, 鈥渃ool that he was excited about it.鈥�

鈥溌槎褂霸� is an amazing place,鈥� he says. 鈥淣ot because of its geography, but because of its magnetic power to bring together people who are smart, hardworking, want to learn, want to push themselves, and are just good human beings.鈥�

Honorable Mentions In addition, and new to this year, we are also honoring alumni who were top candidates for awards with an honorable mention. These extraordinary individuals are all making a positive impact on those they come into contact with every day and the larger community as a whole.听

David Kirchman '76Kelly Senecal '95Lori Hilt '97听

Gary Springer '76Sarah Johnson Campbell '97听

Tony Ohlhausen Smith '16听

Lyndsay Sund '01

The Reunion Convocation included the annual presentation of class gifts.听The Class of 1975, celebrating its 50th reunion, led the way as its members announced gifts to 麻豆影院 of $6.2 million. The Class of 1985 announced gifts totaling $3.4 million, the cluster of 1989-90-91 $724,849, the Class of 2000 $171,626, the cluster of 2009-10-11 $68,647, and the Class of 2015 $13,876.

In all, more than $10.5 million was pledged to 麻豆影院鈥攕ome of it for the 麻豆影院 Fund, which supports operating expenses in everything from academics and study abroad to facilities maintenance and athletics, and some of it earmarked for specific uses.

鈥淥ne of the most rewarding aspects of my role is thanking Lawrentians for their investment in this university,鈥� Carter said. 鈥淵our time, talent, and resources make this university truly extraordinary.听 麻豆影院 thrives because of your leadership and support. On behalf of our entire community, thank you for these very generous class gifts.鈥澨�

New LUAA president

Margaret 鈥淢aggie鈥� Schmidt 鈥�12 was meeting with alumni throughout the weekend as the new president of the 麻豆影院 University Alumni Association (LUAA). She leads an LUAA Board that represents an alumni community more than 22,000 strong. She encouraged her fellow Lawrentians to look forward as much as backwards as they reconnect with campus.

鈥淩enew connections with classmates, with friends, and with 麻豆影院, too,鈥� Schmidt said. 鈥溌槎褂霸� has physically changed since many of us were students. Take the time to embrace how 麻豆影院 is continuing to evolve as higher education evolves. Make time to build new connections with alumni outside your class, with current students, and with faculty.听 I guarantee you will meet some amazing people and learn something new, and maybe even unexpected.鈥�

Schmidt, a civil rights attorney and educator, succeeded Matt Murphy 鈥�06 as LUAA president.

She encouraged alumni to pay it forward, supporting the university in ways that make enrollment more affordable for future students and the 麻豆影院 experience more vibrant, enriching, and vital. It comes at a time when the higher education landscape is rapidly changing.听 听

鈥淕reat things are happening at 麻豆影院鈥攈ave you seen Fox Commons and West Campus?鈥攁nd our investments are critical to the continued success and vitality of the college and our community,鈥� Schmidt said. 鈥淭he moral of the story鈥攃onnect, engage, pay it forward, and celebrate. Whether you share your story in the classroom, as a volunteer, or through your philanthropy, there is a role for everyone.鈥�

Parade of Classes

The Convocation was preceded by the annual Parade of Classes, one of the great traditions of Reunion. Members of each celebrating class walk the sidewalk together as they approach Memorial Chapel, stopping to have their group photo taken.听

Ted Katzoff 鈥�65, celebrating his 60th reunion, led this year鈥檚 parade.

Ode to Minoo Adenwalla

Glen Johnson 鈥�85 returned for his 40th reunion. He did so still thinking of Minoo Adenwalla, the longtime 麻豆影院 professor听who died Jan. 5, 2025.

Johnson, a former reporter for the Associated Press and Boston Globe 飞丑辞听 from 2013 to 2017, calls Adenwalla his 鈥渇avorite professor.鈥� He maintained a close relationship with him to the end. Shortly before returning for Reunion,听.

鈥淚t鈥檚 fair to say I never had a better or more impactful teacher,鈥� Johnson wrote. 鈥淎nd it鈥檚 also without doubt I was extremely lucky to have him remain interested in my life and career until almost the day he died at age 97.鈥�

Johnson would maintain a friendship with his former professor that spanned 45 years: 鈥淢inoo helped me through my studies, time overseas, career advancement, and development as a reporter and writer. He taught me much about friendship and loyalty, including the simple act of staying in touch and the loosening effect of single-malt Scotch.鈥�

Tours of old and new

Tours were part of the weekend experience. In the full campus tour, alumni got a chance to revisit old haunts while getting up-to-speed on all that鈥檚 changed since they walked the campus as undergraduates.听

There also were guided tours of two new developments鈥擣ox Commons and West Campus.

Fox Commons is a downtown Appleton redevelopment project that鈥檚 been ongoing since 2023. 麻豆影院 is a long-term tenant in Darkhorse Development鈥檚 reimagining of the former City Center Plaza. 麻豆影院 joins gener8tor, a business startup accelerator, Mosaic Family Health, and Prevea Health in the redeveloped mixed-use space that is now a centerpiece of the city鈥檚 rapidly evolving downtown. The third floor of the development, featuring a Pre-Health Commons and student apartments, will be open when students return for Fall Term 2025. The opening follows the unveiling last fall of the Business and Entrepreneurship Center and the first grouping of student apartments, all on the second level.听

West Campus, meanwhile, is a four-story building at the corner of E. College Avenue and Drew Street on the western edge of 麻豆影院鈥檚 campus鈥攈ousing the Trout Museum of Art on the first floor, 麻豆影院 academic spaces on the second floor, and apartments on the upper two floors. It is set to open in time for Fall Term. The teaching spaces and technologies on the second floor will elevate collaboration across campus and with the wider community and will strengthen the humanities curriculum, Conservatory programming, and the teaching in math, computer science, and data science.

Alumni Awards

Seven Lawrentians were honored with LUAA鈥檚 annual Alumni Awards鈥擪atherine (Wroblewski) Diop 鈥�00, Rebecca Doyle-Morin 鈥�00, Michael Johnson 鈥�75, Marjorie Liu 鈥�00, Steven Wereley 鈥�89, and Charles 鈥�75 and Janice 鈥�75 Woodward. Read more about the recipients here.

Diop, who was unable to attend, was presented with the inaugural Joseph F. Patterson Jr. 鈥�69 Service to Society Award, honoring the legacy of the late听Joseph F. Patterson Jr. 鈥�69, whose leadership and advocacy led to the establishment of the LU Black Alumni Network (LUBAN).听Patterson family members were in attendance.听

Each of the honorees received a special medallion designed by Lexi Ames 鈥�17, a studio art and biology double degree graduate. The design was inspired by the original medallion presented in 1956 and celebrates the rich history and tradition of the awards.

鈥淎lumni Awards reflect the college鈥檚 deepest held values and are given to alumni who have made outstanding contributions and achievements in a career field, provided exceptional service to their alma mater, and have gone above and beyond to serve their communities on the local, national, and international level,鈥� Schmidt told the gathered alumni. 鈥淩ecipients are nominated by you and selected by the Alumni Association Board of Directors.鈥�

Alumni College

It was back to the classroom for many of the alumni as they sat in on Alumni College presentations delivered by 麻豆影院 faculty or fellow alumni.

Timothy X. Troy 鈥�85, the听J. Thomas and Julie Esch Hurvis Professor of Theatre and Drama and professor of theatre arts, presented a session that detailed how he听used a Fulbright Scholar Award in 2022-23 to research and write a play in Ireland about Dan Stapleton, an Irish revolutionary whose covert actions before and during the Irish War of Independence (1919-21)听are mostly unknown outside of his family.

He told those gathered in the Warch Cinema that during an earlier teaching assignment in Ireland he struck up a friendship with Stapleton鈥檚 great-granddaughter, Lucy. She eventually shared the family stories of Stapleton鈥檚 heroics鈥攁 mild-mannered pharmacist by day and an explosives operative by night. It鈥檚 a story that hadn鈥檛 been told in any significant way, and Troy set out to tell the story, researching it during the first half of his year-long stay in Kilkenny, then writing it and eventually bringing it to a staged reading after returning to 麻豆影院.

The title, Run with the Hare (鈥nd Hunt with a Hound), Troy said, is a reference to Stapleton鈥檚 double life.

He called the Fulbright Scholar experience one of the most fulfilling adventures of his academic career. In addition to teaching and developing the play, the year in Ireland delivered new insights on his own family鈥檚 Irish history.

Other faculty who presented Alumni College sessions included Kurt Wilson, assistant professor of anthropology,听on the relationship between humans and their environment in the Central Andes, Greg Milano, assistant professor of history,听on global history explored through coffee, and Allison Fleshman, associate professor of chemistry and co-owner of McFleshman鈥檚 Brewing Co.,听.听

Alumni presenters included Brienne Colston 鈥�15 on being a values-driven leader; Megan Walsh 鈥�00, a visiting assistant professor of law and director of the Gun Violence Prevention Law Clinic at the University of Minnesota Law School, on the Second Amendment; Najja Gay 鈥�15, a quality control microbiologist, on microbial contamination; and Terry Holt 鈥�75, an emeritus professor of geriatric medicine and teaching professor of social medicine at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill School of Medicine, on narrative medicine.

Scott is an accomplished actor of stage and film who first rose to prominence in 1990, seven years after graduating from 麻豆影院, when he starred in the groundbreaking film Longtime Companion, netting him a feature in Rolling Stone and a bevy of new film offers. He has since crafted an impressive career as an actor and director, starring in such films as听Dying Young, Singles,听The Amazing Spider-Man,听Roger Dodger, Secret Lives of Dentists,听and Jurassic World Dominion,听and the television series Royal Pains. Most recently, Scott starred in Millers in Marriage (2024) and is in the upcoming comedy, Nonnas (2025).

On the directing front, Scott teamed with Stanley Tucci in 1996 to direct Big Night, winning both the New York Film Critics Circle Award and the Boston Society of Film Critics Award for Best New Director. Other directing credits include Off the Map 补苍诲听Company Retreat.

麻豆影院 previously honored Scott in 1998 with its Nathan M. Pusey Distinguished Achievement Award, and he later served on the Board of Trustees from 2002 to 2008.

Scott is the son of acting royalty鈥攈is parents are the late George C. Scott and Colleen Dewhurst. His mother attended Milwaukee-Downer for two years before embarking on her acting career.听

Scott has often said he didn鈥檛 fall in love with acting until he was an undergraduate at 麻豆影院. His parents never pushed him into the business.

鈥淲e never talked about it, really; I went to school to be a teacher and started acting in college,鈥� Scott told Interview magazine in 2011. 鈥淣either of them talked about craft; they were pretty instinctual. I learned, especially from my mother, to respect the profession and take it seriously, but not take yourself too seriously.鈥�

Scott told The Lawrentian in 2002 that his student experience at 麻豆影院 set him on an unexpected path in theater and film.

鈥淲hen I first got here, I didn鈥檛 even approach the theater area,鈥� he said. 鈥淢y senior year, I was directing, writing, and I was comfortable over there, and I loved it.鈥�

Scott will be awarded an honorary Doctor of Fine Arts degree during Commencement.

Robert McDonald

McDonald has been a sought-after pianist for decades, performing in concerts and presenting masterclasses around the world. He has performed and recorded with Isaac Stern and Midori, as well as with numerous high-profile ensembles.

He is on the faculty at The Juilliard School and the Curtis Institute of Music, where he holds the Penelope P. Watkins Chair in Piano Studies. He has been the recipient of the gold medal at the Busoni International Piano Competition, the top prize at the William Kapell International Competition, and the Deutsche Schallplatten Critics Award. In addition to being the artistic director of the Taos School of Music and Chamber Music Festival in New Mexico, he has participated in the Bergen, Lucerne, and Salzburg festivals in Europe, the Four Seasons, Marlboro, and Brevard festivals in the United States, the Steans Institute at Ravinia, as well as at the Banff Center in Canada and the Music Academy of the West.

McDonald holds degrees from 麻豆影院, the Curtis Institute of Music, and Juilliard. He has taught at Juilliard since 1999 and the Curtis Institute since 2007. He was honored by 麻豆影院 in 1990 with the Nathan M. Pusey Distinguished Achievement Award and was awarded an honorary doctorate from the Manhattan School of Music in 2018.

In advance of a 2022 performance at Bowling Green State University, McDonald talked about how his 麻豆影院 experience prepared him for what was to come. It was the first time, he said, that he had role models for a life in music.

鈥淭he 麻豆影院 experience set me on the right path,鈥� he said.

He continues to stay connected to 麻豆影院. When the Conservatory of Music took its 150-year celebration to New York City during the recent spring break鈥�11 students spent four days in NYC attending masterclasses, one-on-one sessions, and performing at Manhattan School of Music鈥擬cDonald was among the alumni working with the students.听

鈥淚 found my time with Robert McDonald to be the highlight of the trip,鈥� sophomore Isaac Epley said. 鈥淗is experience teaching at the piano was fascinating and inspiring.鈥�

McDonald will be awarded an honorary Doctor of Musical Arts degree during Commencement.

A new award is being introduced this year: the Joseph F. Patterson Jr. 鈥�69 Service to Society Award. The award will be presented annually to a Lawrentian who best exemplifies the ideals of a liberal education and the principles of inclusivity through local, national, or international service to society. The award honors the late Joseph F. Patterson Jr. 鈥�69, whose leadership and advocacy led to the establishment of the LU Black Alumni Network (LUBAN).听Patterson鈥檚 legacy at 麻豆影院 runs deep鈥攆ootball exploits as a dominant lineman; leadership among Black students that led to the establishment of 麻豆影院鈥檚 first diversity center in the late 1960s; unrelenting advocacy for cultural improvements and opportunities for students of color on campus; decades of mentoring students; and a history of philanthropy and service to his alma mater.

The Alumni Awards are divided into three categories: Career Achievement, Service to Society, and Service to 麻豆影院.听

Career Achievement

Marjorie Liu 鈥�00,听Nathan M. Pusey Distinguished Achievement Award: Liu has crafted an impressive career as a best-selling author, writing comic book titles for Marvel, creating the popular Monstress series of graphic novels for Image Comics, and launching听The听Night Eaters听horror series for Abrams Books.

A former attorney, her work at Marvel includes X-23, Black Widow, Han Solo, Dark Wolverine, and Astonishing X-Men. Her work as co-creator of Monstress (with artist Sana Takeda) has won multiple Hugo Awards, British Fantasy Awards, the Harvey Award, the World Fantasy Award, and seven Eisner Awards, of which Liu was the first woman in the 30-year history of the award to win in the Best Writer category.听

Her latest work is The Wingbearer Saga for middle-grade readers, as well as the Eisner Award-winning Night Eaters series, an Asian American horror-comedy trilogy.听

Shortly after graduating from law school, Liu began exploring her interests in comic books and graphic novels. It was while at 麻豆影院鈥攕he majored in East Asian Languages and Culture and minored in biomedical ethics鈥攖hat Liu found herself making weekly sojourns down College Avenue to her favorite shop, Power House Comics. Back on campus, she was embracing English literature courses, being mentored by faculty who helped hone her writing skills.

That set the foundation for a career that has taken her to unexpected heights as a writer.听

鈥淚 thrived in 麻豆影院鈥檚 small classes, thrived under the mentorship of my professors, expanded my ideas of what life could look like and what mattered to me,鈥� Liu said.

Steven Wereley 鈥�89,听Lucia Russell Briggs Distinguished Achievement Award: A professor of mechanical engineering at Ohio University (formerly a longtime member of the faculty at Purdue University), Wereley has spent a career teaching, creating, and writing. He is the co-author of two textbooks and more than 100 peer-reviewed journal articles and has 11 patents and numerous invited and conference presentations to his name.听

鈥淢y main research contributions have come in fluid mechanics of microscopic systems, many with biomedical or healthcare applications,鈥� he said.听

Wereley has had visiting appointments at institutions around the world, including Technische Universit盲t Darmstadt (Germany), Universit盲t der Bundeswehr (Germany), Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (Australia), Zhejiang National University (China), and Instituto Tecnol贸gico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey (Mexico).听

He has started two businesses, Microfluidics Innovations and OmniVis. He contributed to assessing the size of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico in 2010 as well as several other oil spills around the world. He was awarded the U.S. Geological Survey Director’s Award in 2010 for his “exemplary service to the nation.鈥澨�

Wereley was a 3-2 graduate in physics at 麻豆影院 and mechanical engineering at Washington University in St. Louis. He went on to earn MS and Ph.D. degrees from Northwestern University.听

Service to Society

Katherine (Wroblewski) Diop 鈥�00,听Joseph F. Patterson, Jr. 鈥�69 Service to Society Award: A career member of the Foreign Service (Diplomatic Service), Diop has served at U.S. Embassy Phnom Penh, Cambodia, as counselor for public affairs since August 2023, where she advises the ambassador and Department of State officials on public diplomacy aspects of the bilateral relationship and manages a large team in applying resources and tools to advance U.S. foreign policy goals.听听

It is the latest stop in a foreign service career that has included more than two decades of work with the U.S. Department of State.

鈥淚 credit study abroad opportunities at 麻豆影院, specifically the 1998 Francophone Seminar in Dakar, Senegal, and 1999 Washington Semester Program to American University in Washington, D.C., and Harare, Zimbabwe, with instilling a love for international relations, travel, and cultural experiences that charted the course for my career,鈥� Diop said.

She served at U.S. Embassy Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, from 2019 to 2023 as the cultural affairs officer. Prior to that, she was the cultural affairs officer at U.S. Embassy Abidjan, Cote d鈥橧voire, from 2016 to 2019. She also served at U.S. Embassy Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (2013-16), managing press and public outreach and serving as embassy spokesperson. Diop worked in both the business and non-profit sectors before joining the U.S. Department of State in 2004.

Diop majored in international development at 麻豆影院 and earned an MBA in organizational management from University of Phoenix. She speaks French, Wolof, and has studied Amharic, Bahasa, and Khmer languages.听

Michael Johnson 鈥�75,听George B. Walter 鈥�36 Service to Society Award: Johnson, a board-certified general surgeon and ordained deacon, has lived a life of service alongside his family.听

鈥淥ur first mission trip to Zaire (the Congo) was in 1984 when the Lord touched us and told us that we should do overseas missions,鈥� Johnson said. 鈥淲e returned after seven weeks and opened a private practice in general surgery for three years, and then a second trip to Kenya East Africa in 1987 led us to our long-term commitment to that nation.鈥�

Over the next 23 years, the Johnsons worked full-time in Kenya and short-term in several other African nations, including Sudan, Ethiopia, Uganda, and Tanzania. In addition, they led short-term trips to Haiti and mission exploratory teams to Honduras and El Salvador.

When they returned to Philadelphia in 2010, they began the Miriam Medical Clinics, offering hope and healing to the underserved of the city. Johnson now serves as a deacon in the Tasker Street Missionary Baptist Church, which has supported him and his family through their mission work.

鈥淥ur work in Philadelphia includes the Out of Nazareth ministries, helping the incarcerated and their families with financial assistance, emotional support, and seeking employment,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e also promote gun buy-back programs in Philadelphia in an attempt to remove lethal weapons from within the community.鈥�

Johnson graduated from 麻豆影院 as a pre-med student and then attended medical school at the University of Michigan.

Service to 麻豆影院

Rebecca Doyle-Morin 鈥�00,听Marshall B. Hulbert 鈥�26 Outstanding Service Award: Doyle-Morin鈥檚 career as a professor of biology at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville has its roots in the biology program at 麻豆影院. As an undergraduate, she worked with Bart DeStasio, the Dennis and Charlot Nelson Singleton Professor of Biological Sciences and professor of biology, to complete an honors thesis on the freshwater zooplankton ecology of Lake Winnebago. That led her to Cornell University鈥檚 Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, where she completed her Ph.D. with a thesis funded by an NSF Biocomplexity grant, studying the plankton ecology of Lake Ontario embayment ecosystems.听

While finishing her Ph.D., Doyle-Morin was hired as a visiting assistant professor of biology at 麻豆影院. She would stay on for an additional year before securing her full-time professorship at Platteville in 2010.

鈥淚 thoroughly enjoyed getting to experience my alma mater from 鈥榯he other side鈥� while teaching the courses that inspired me to pursue my current path,鈥� she said.

Doyle-Morin has stayed connected with 麻豆影院 ever since, serving as class secretary for many years and actively engaging in Reunion and fundraising efforts.听

鈥淢y experiences on 鈥榖oth sides of the desk鈥� have really made the value of a 麻豆影院 University education clear to me, and I am grateful for the opportunity to give back,鈥� she said.

At Platteville, Doyle-Morin has been granted tenure and promoted to the rank of full professor. Hired as the university鈥檚 invertebrate zoologist, she has taught and designed courses ranging from invertebrate zoology to freshwater ecology to wetland restoration and management.

鈥淚 have also started a number of programs on campus, including the animal husbandry and outreach program, The Animal House and the campus apiary, and have been heavily involved in a variety of undergraduate research initiatives, engaging hundreds of undergraduates and thousands of community members in science research and education programs,鈥� she said.听

Charles and Janice Woodward, both Class of 1975,听Gertrude Breithaupt Jupp M-D鈥�18 Outstanding Service Award: Since graduating from 麻豆影院鈥擟huck with a major in history with a focus on medieval history and Janice with a major in German and a Wisconsin teaching certificate鈥攖he Woodwards have remained committed to 麻豆影院.

鈥溌槎褂霸� has always remained dear to us,鈥� they said. 鈥淲e have attended alumni events in many cities and often marvel about the fact that 鈥榦nce a Lawrentian, always a Lawrentian鈥� and that we can always find something meaningful to talk about with grads of all ages.鈥�

Janice represented 麻豆影院 at college fairs and has served as a class agent for many years. They both have served on two reunion committees鈥攐ne for their 45th and now for this year鈥檚 50th. They have been regular donors to 麻豆影院 and recently joined the Legacy Circle to further strengthen their commitment.

Chuck built a career in marketing and senior management, mostly in the food and food service business sector. His work took them to multiple locations in the U.S. and abroad. He tried retirement for a short time, but he was not quite ready to relax. So he trained as a mediator and now mediates throughout the state of Colorado and serves on the state-wide mediation board.

Janice started her teaching career at a junior high, teaching German and social studies. She remained flexible amid multiple moves, earning teaching certificates in many states. She discovered a passion for teaching in underserved communities, teaching in charter high schools and dropout re-engagement schools, working with unemployed women, and teaching in multiple correctional facilities across the U.S. and in England.

鈥淲hen we left 麻豆影院 as proud graduates, we were confident that 麻豆影院 had prepared us for a successful life in the 鈥榬eal world鈥�,鈥� they said. 鈥淎nd now, 50 years later, we know that the foundation built at 麻豆影院 gave us the tools, skills, and confidence to achieve our successes.鈥�

He听oversees and manages all areas of player development, focused on the Oilers鈥� draft selections and other signed prospects.

A native of Gothenburg, Sweden, Larsson majored in government and minored in history with an interdisciplinary in international studies at 麻豆影院. That liberal arts education, he said, gave him perspectives in business management that have served him well.

鈥淚鈥檓 passionate about player development, but my skill set is not necessarily getting on the ice and teaching them how to play the game,鈥� Larsson said. 鈥淚鈥檓 good at finding the people who can and giving them the resources to do it and making sure they have the support from the organization to do their jobs well.鈥�

Larsson talked about those management skills in October when he met virtually with 麻豆影院 students in Professor Karen Bussone鈥檚 Sport Management course. He was one of eight guests from the world of professional and college sports invited during Fall Term to meet with students to discuss sports-related careers.

鈥淚f you鈥檙e passionate about something, you need to start there; hold on to the sport you love, do your best, and try to outwork the others,鈥� he said of his message to the class.

It was the connections Larsson built while at 麻豆影院 and then Dubuque that led to the initial interest from the Oilers. They liked his work ethic, management skills, and big-picture thinking.

鈥淚 think my skill set is managing a department,鈥� Larsson said. 鈥淚鈥檝e become pretty good at bringing in the right people, making sure the department is aligned, the reporting upwards and downwards works.鈥�

As a player for 麻豆影院, Larsson earned Midwest Collegiate Hockey Association Player of the Week and Rookie of the Week honors. He also was a member of the Academic All-Midwest Collegiate Hockey Association team.

Former Vikings head coach Mike Szkodzinski brought Larsson back to 麻豆影院 in 2010 to serve as an assistant coach. Larsson was happy with his job in Chicago; he was interacting with major clients and gaining valuable business experience. But the pull of hockey was always there.

鈥淥n my own dime, I traveled around and watched hockey,” he said. “I went to watch games and practices. When 麻豆影院 was at tournaments, I was always there. Just on my own time. It鈥檚 what I liked to do. Then one day I got a call from the head coach at 麻豆影院, and he asked if I鈥檇 be interested in coming up here and interviewing for a job to be an assistant coach. It got my foot in the door to work in hockey.鈥�

Larsson was promoted to 麻豆影院鈥檚 associate head coach in 2013. He left a year later to join the staff of the USHL’s Sioux City Musketeers before eventually jumping to the front office in Dubuque.

鈥淭hat鈥檚 how I got my start in hockey,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t was being out at the rinks, it was being obsessed with the game, and it was doing what I love.鈥�

Relationship-building and a commitment to the grind, which started during his undergraduate days at 麻豆影院, has led to the big opportunity Larsson now has in the NHL. He and his player development team are working to formulate and implement comprehensive individual development plans for every player in the Oilers鈥� organization.

Edmonton is a tradition-rich franchise that has seen a resurgence of late led by superstar Connor McDavid. The Oilers came up just short of a sixth championship when they lost to the Florida Panthers in Game 7 of the 2024 Stanley Cup Finals. The franchise鈥檚 history is dominated by some of the greatest players in league history鈥擶ayne Gretzky, Mark Messier, and Grant Fuhr, among them.

Larsson鈥檚 job is to develop the next generation of Oilers. Much of that work goes unseen by the public, built on a foundation of teamwork, perseverance, and strategic planning.

鈥淎 lot of things I see in my current position are things that I learned at 麻豆影院,鈥� Larsson said.

鈥淲hen you go to college, you are at an age where you get informed by your environment,鈥� he said. 鈥淵ou go in and you think you know everything, and you realize pretty quickly that you don鈥檛 know anything. I really learned how to use my resources. I understood that if you ask the right questions, there is help you can get. When I was there, when I didn鈥檛 care about school, 麻豆影院 cared about school for me and got me back on the right path. I鈥檓 very grateful for that.鈥�

Those critical-thinking skills honed as part of a liberal arts education are now front and center in his daily work with the Oilers.

鈥淚 don鈥檛 pretend to have all the answers,鈥� Larsson said. 鈥淚 am not here to be right; I鈥檓 here to try to get it right. I need help from a lot of people.鈥�

Jones, a mezzo-soprano, came to 麻豆影院 from Houston to study voice听(initially drawn by then-professor John Holiday) and immerse herself in the Opera Theatre program. She excelled from the start, twice winning a National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS) competition while tackling significant roles in multiple 麻豆影院 operas.

鈥溌槎褂霸� is special in that it鈥檚 an undergrad-only institution,鈥� Jones said of how 麻豆影院 prepared her to meet these moments. 鈥淭ypically, at many music conservatories, there are master’s programs, which means you are going to have to compete as an undergrad against the master鈥檚 students to be in an opera production. Since the main stage roles are usually given to the master’s students, you might not have as much stage time as an undergrad student. But because 麻豆影院 is an undergrad-only university, I got so much stage time, and I was able to learn different roles during my time there. I feel like that gave me a leg up over my colleagues in grad school because I already had that experience of being on stage and learning full roles.鈥�

The momentum that began on the stages and in the classrooms of 麻豆影院 carried over to grad school, where, among other achievements, Jones was selected for the inaugural cohort of The Denyce Graves Foundations鈥� Shared Voices program and was invited to join the non-profit artist intensive, Opera for Peace Academy.

Then came her selection to The Met鈥檚 Lindemann Young Artist Development Program, which continues to open doors.

鈥淭his is the program to be in if you are a young artist,鈥� Jones said.

The program pours resources into the young performers who have been selected, and, because it鈥檚 The Metropolitan Opera, access to many of today鈥檚 leading opera performers is readily available.

“All the stars in opera come through The Met, and if they鈥檙e available, all we have to do is request to work with them,” Jones said. 鈥淭he resources here are virtually endless.鈥�

It鈥檚 an opportunity that circumvents many of the challenges young artists face, including the expenses associated with coaching, voice lessons, acting lessons, breathing lessons, publicity photos, website development, video recording, renting of recording space, hiring a pianist, and more.

鈥淭here is so much that comes with being a young artist,鈥� Jones said. 鈥淎 lot of artists have to work other jobs outside of singing to subsidize their career. That can wear you out. You don鈥檛 have enough left to focus on the gift you are trying to cultivate. In this program, we really don鈥檛 have to do anything but focus on becoming a world-class artist. That鈥檚 what they tell us: 鈥業f you are here, that means we see the potential for you becoming a world-class artist.鈥� This is our job.鈥�

The 24-year-old Jones was approached about auditioning for the Lindemann program while competing in The Met鈥檚 Eric and Dominique Laffont Competition. (Another 麻豆影院 graduate, Emily Richter 鈥�20, was among the 2024 Laffont Competition winners.)

鈥淚 didn鈥檛 think I was ready initially,鈥� Jones said. 鈥淚 thought I would audition when I鈥檓 a little older, when I have more things under my belt. As artists, we鈥檙e very critical of ourselves, always thinking we can do more.鈥�

She had two auditions before getting the invite to join the program.

鈥淚 feel extremely blessed and very humbled to be in this place,鈥� Jones said. 鈥淰ery grateful. Every time I walk through the halls, I see the pictures and paintings of the legendary opera singers I鈥檝e always looked up to. I don’t take any of it for granted.”

She is working with music director Yannick N茅zet-S茅guin, one of the foremost conductors in the world. Having him and others at The Met pushing her to grow as an artist has taken her confidence to new levels.

鈥淢y toxic trait is that I compare myself to the great opera singers who are in their 40s and 50s,鈥� Jones said. 鈥淚 have to remind myself, 鈥極K, Hannah, you are 24 years old, calm down.鈥� They tell us all the time, 鈥榊ou are here for a reason. Trust and believe in that.鈥欌��

Jones recently made her Met debut in Die Frau ohne Schatten, playing one of the unborn voices in the Richard Strauss opera. It鈥檚 a role that has her singing from the domes near the ceiling and in the orchestra pit.

鈥淚t is still so unreal for me,鈥� Jones said, speaking a few hours before her next performance. “One of my favorite moments is singing in the orchestra pit with one of the best orchestras in the world. I started off in classical music playing the cello, so I geek out double fold. The way Strauss orchestrated the final scene is absolutely masterful, and feeling the vibrations of the basses is an inexplicable experience. Not to mention we鈥檙e being conducted by Yannick N茅zet-S茅guin, the conductor in classical music right now.”

That debut followed her performance in October in Seattle Opera鈥檚 Jubilee, where she played Jennie Jackson, one of the original Fisk Jubilee Singers鈥攇roundbreaking African American singers who performed across the U.S. and in Europe in the early 1870s to raise funds to save their college, Fisk University. It was the production鈥檚 world premiere.

鈥淎s an African American opera singer, I would not be here without them,鈥� she said of the Fisk Jubilee Singers. 鈥淚t was very humbling to share their story.鈥�

Adding one more accomplishment to her 2024, Jones called her Dec. 21 performance with Norm Lewis 鈥渁 great success.鈥�

Next up is a March recital at The Juilliard School. Then she鈥檒l set her sights on The Met production of Antony and Cleopatra听in May; she has been selected as a cover for that production.

鈥淎t The Met, it is not unusual at all for the covers to go on,” Jones said. “Life happens and sometimes singers can鈥檛 perform. While I don鈥檛 necessarily hope anyone is unable to perform, I am excited about the chance to perform on the main stage. John Adams, the composer of Antony and Cleopatra, is also going to be conducting this production, which is super special. In modern times, it is not common for the composer of a widely successful opera to also conduct the production.”

Through it all, Jones said she is embracing each moment, often reflecting on a journey that got its start in 麻豆影院鈥檚 Conservatory of Music.

鈥淚鈥檓 grateful for my time at 麻豆影院,鈥� she said.

Landing on the prestigious Forbes list a year and a half after graduation is affirmation that the leap of faith in launching Afforai is paying off, Alec Nguyen said.

鈥淚 knew we were on to something big right from the beginning and it鈥檚 an amazing validation by getting featured on the list,鈥� he said.听鈥淚t was even more surprising when I found out the judges for the Forbes list consisted of the CEO of Common App and a co-founder of Grammarly. These are two people running incredible companies and they acknowledged Afforai. This gave me even more motivation to take Afforai to the next level in 2025.鈥�

Alec was born in Vietnam and spent much of his life in Japan before coming to the United States to study economics and data science at 麻豆影院. He and Austin, a student from Vietnam who was studying economics and computer science, met during their first year on campus and developed a tight friendship. Both were involved in 麻豆影院’s听Innovation & Entrepreneurship听program, which now听features a business and entrepreneurship major and led to the creation of the newly opened Business and Entrepreneurship Center in Fox Commons.

As AI technology has advanced, its relationship with higher education has often been fraught with tension. Alec mentioned that he and Austin experienced this tension firsthand during their time as students at 麻豆影院 while developing their initial concept.

Alec and Austin initially conceived the idea for Afforai during their senior year, planning to enter the annual Launch LU business startup pitch competition hosted by the Innovation and Entrepreneurship department. However, due to the university’s stance on AI technology at the time, the Afforai pitch was not allowed, and they instead entered a different business pitch. Undeterred, the duo believed in their vision and worked to secure a wild card spot for Afforai in The Pitch, a regional competition featuring startup ideas from students at universities across northeast Wisconsin. Although Afforai didn鈥檛 place in the top three, the experience solidified their commitment to the dream.

鈥淲e lost, but we used all of that experience as motivation to continue building Afforai,鈥� Alec said.

Since that time, those who were initially hesitant about Afforai have reached out to acknowledge the startup’s success and discuss ways to support student business ideas within 麻豆影院’s business and entrepreneurship studies.

“That means a great deal,” Alec said, highlighting the progress made with the business and entrepreneurship major and the new Business and Entrepreneurship Center as important steps forward, learning from their experience with Afforai. 鈥淵ou never know what an idea could become. To me, Afforai is a life-changing idea, giving me financial freedom to accomplish what I want in life.鈥�

It鈥檚 been a wild ride from graduating in June 2023 to making the Forbes鈥� 30 Under 30 list in late 2024. There鈥檚 more to come.

鈥淲e鈥檙e aiming to grow even more in 2025,鈥� Alec said.

Baer, who received his B.A. from 麻豆影院, majoring in government, and later was awarded 麻豆影院鈥檚 Distinguished Alumni Achievement Award, served as acting associate attorney general with the Department of Justice from 2016 to 2017. In this role, the third highest ranked position within the DOJ, he supervised the department鈥檚 Antitrust, Civil, Civil Rights, Tax, and Environment and Natural Resources divisions. That followed a three-year stint as assistant attorney general for the Antitrust Division after being nominated by President Obama.

鈥淔ew living Americans have contributed more meaningfully or substantially to the life and enforcement mission of our federal antitrust agencies than Bill Baer,鈥� Assistant Attorney General Jonathan Kanter of the Justice Department鈥檚 Antitrust Division said in a released statement.听鈥淗is storied career was characterized by a deep sense of professionalism, sharp intellect, and kindness that propelled Bill to reshape competition law enforcement to better serve the American people, and we are all the beneficiaries. Bill is a generational talent and visionary who could not be more deserving of the John Sherman Award.鈥� 听

A longtime partner with the law firm of Arnold & Porter, Baer currently serves as a Visiting Fellow with the Brookings Institution. In 2010, the National Law Journal named him one of 鈥渢he decade鈥檚 most influential lawyers.鈥�

Baer, who holds a J.D. from Stanford Law School, is the only individual to have served as the top antitrust enforcer at both U.S. antitrust agencies 鈥� first as the director of the Bureau of Competition at the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) from 1995 to 1999 and later as the assistant attorney general for the Justice Department鈥檚 Antitrust Division from 2013 to 2016, according to the DOJ.

During his tenure as assistant attorney general, Baer promoted robust antitrust enforcement by successfully prosecuting civil and criminal violations of the antitrust laws, including by dusting off long-dormant theories of harm and investing in the division鈥檚 litigation prowess, the DOJ said. Under his leadership, the division halted anticompetitive mergers in a variety of markets, including health insurance and beverages, and secured an unprecedented number of fines from companies engaging in illegal cartel activity. While serving as acting associate attorney general, he oversaw the work of the department鈥檚 civil litigating and grant-making components. In that role, he successfully led the effort to hold financial institutions accountable in the Residential Mortgage-Backed Securities crisis, securing record penalties and consumer redress.

Baer鈥檚 storied antitrust career began in 1975 as a trial attorney in the FTC鈥檚 Bureau of Competition. He later served as attorney advisor to the chair and assistant general counsel for legislation and relations. After a successful stint in private practice, he returned to the FTC to serve four years as director of the Bureau of Competition. Baer led the commission to an unprecedented string of litigation victories and set records for the number of mergers reviewed and challenged. The FTC honored Baer with the Miles W. Kirkpatrick Lifetime Achievement Award in 2015.

Created in 1994, the John Sherman Award is presented by the department’s Antitrust Division to a person or persons for outstanding contributions to the field of antitrust law, the protection of American consumers, and the preservation of economic liberty. It is named for Senator John Sherman of Ohio, the author of the Sherman Act of 1890, the nation鈥檚 first and foremost antitrust law.

Baer served on 麻豆影院’s Board of Trustees from听2001 to 2012, then rejoined the Board beginning in 2017.