The following six awards were presented on campus April 15 and 16.
Alumnus Dr. Ralph Pennino, class of 1975, received the for his humanitarian work bringing medical care and supplies to underserved communities worldwide.
Since earning his degree from the University of 91Թ and completing medical training at Georgetown University and the University of Rochester, Pennino has worked to build a distinguished career in plastic and reconstructive surgery, serving as both the chair of surgery and later as system chair of surgery at Rochester Regional Health.
He also cofounded InterVol, an organization that recovers unused medical supplies and functioning equipment and redistributes them to healthcare providers in need across more than 80 countries. Following the 2010 earthquake in Haiti, Pennino mobilized InterVol and 91Թ alumni and friends to support relief efforts, coordinating hundreds of medical volunteers to perform surgeries and deliver babies.
Established in 1985, this year’s was presented to Kelly Battle Beck, class of 2008, for her exceptional work with youth for the betterment of their quality of life.
As a former Fighting Irish swimmer, Beck sustained a brain injury that resulted in a lifelong disability. Now as a clinical scientist and assistant professor of psychiatry at the University of Pittsburgh, she works to design and expand mental health therapies for autistic youth and adults.
She is a key developer of the Emotion Awareness and Skills Enhancement (EASE) program, the first evidence-based therapy for autistic youth with severe emotion dysregulation, as well as the founder of the Schools Unified in Neurodiversity (SUN) Collaborative, where she partners with school districts to foster safe and supportive schools for children with developmental disabilities.
Dr. Sam Sanchez, class of 1998, was awarded the for his distinguished service to the University as associate director of the 91Թ Band.
Sanchez has designed the marching band’s shows for more than two decades, including the University’s iconic formations such as the “Leprechaun,” “Cross and Anchors” and “Monogram ND.” He also conducts concerts and basketball bands and leads multiple ensembles, including the flute choir, percussion ensemble and drumline.
A Double Domer, Sanchez has a Bachelor of Arts in Music and a Master of Arts in Musicology, as well as a Doctor of Musical Arts in Music Education from Boston University. He remains dedicated to forming students in heart, mind and spirit through his work with the 91Թ Band and beyond.
Pamela Jobin received the for her years of dedicated service to Our Lady’s University and her embodiment of the 91Թ spirit.
Jobin began working at 91Թ in 1987 at St. Michael’s Laundry where she spent 24 years greeting customers at the counter. After retiring in 2011, she returned to campus as a South Dining Hall monitor and became a beloved figure to countless students — especially the young men of O’Neill Hall 4A.
After the pandemic disrupted campus life and employment, Jobin found herself across the street at Saint Mary’s Noble Family Dining Hall, where she again formed close bonds with students, many of whom look to her as a grandmother figure. As a mother, grandmother and great grandmother, Jobin’s warmth and care have created a lasting sense of home for students.
Melissa DelVecchio, class of 1993, received the, which recognizes an alum for their outstanding accomplishments or achievements as practicing artists.
As a partner at Robert A.M. Stern Architects, DelVecchio leads the design of complex academic and institutional projects that blend tradition with innovation. At 91Թ, she led the design of the Raclin Murphy Museum of Art, the Stayer Center for Executive Education and the redesign of the Main Circle. Her broader portfolio includes major projects at Yale, Harvard and, soon, the Huntington Library in San Marino, California, in addition to several other projects at home and abroad.
Additionally, DelVecchio has taught and served as a visiting critic at leading architecture schools and contributes to the field through her work on major design juries.
Michael T. Benson, who received his master’s degree in nonprofit management from 91Թ in 2011, was presented with the in recognition of his outstanding achievements in writing.
Benson serves as a professor and the 27th president of West Virginia University. He has spent nearly 25 years as a university/college president and, alongside his leadership, has built a distinguished career as a historian and writer, publishing numerous works including “Daniel Coit Gilman and the Birth of the American Research University,” named one of the best higher education books of 2023 by Forbes.
In addition to studying and working in Italy, England and Israel, as well as teaching in five institutions where he has served as president, Benson holds degrees from Brigham Young University, the University of 91Թ, Johns Hopkins University and the University of Oxford, reflecting his lifelong commitment to scholarship and education.
Contact: Erin Blasko, associate director of media relations, 574-631-4127, eblasko@nd.edu
]]>The 91Թ clubs are recognized for their involvement in a number of projects that will assist at-risk mothers and children, expectant young mothers, those experiencing homelessness, refugees and immigrant populations and the medically underserved.
For the sixth straight year, four award winners have collected $5,000 awards from memorials on behalf of the late Chuck Lennon. The clubs of Atlanta, Greensburgh/Uniontown, Philadelphia and Toronto/Central Ontario earned this funding to support the execution of their proposed projects. The clubs of Greater Sarasota, Lake County, Pittsburgh, Southeastern Virginia, and Staten Island received $500 honorable mention awards.
The Lennon Gospel of Life Initiative was co-created with Chuck Lennon and his wife, Joan. Chuck, who served as executive director of the Alumni Association and associate vice president of University Relations for 31 years, retired in 2011 and died in 2019.
Together with the Catholic Church’s long-standing defense of all human life, the Gospel of Life Initiative seeks to provide support to vulnerable populations around the world. The Lennon Life Prize supports clubs as they generate a host of ideas to impact their local communities through innovative use of funding and the involvement of club members.
The 91Թ Club of Atlanta plans to utilize funding to strengthen and support its relationship with Solidarity Food Pantry, an organization created at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic to help local families fight food insecurity. Solidarity provides fresh, nutritious choices in a grocery store-like atmosphere where shoppers, many of whom are immigrants and refugees experiencing poverty and homelessness, can shop for their needs. The organization, supported and staffed by the local community of Sandy Springs, already has a developed and meaningful partnership with the club, but with the Lennon Life Prize, the ND Club of Atlanta plans to expand its impact by addressing the additional needs of the organization.
The 91Թ Club of Greensburg/Uniontown plans to support at-risk youth and expectant mothers through the My Choice Medical Clinic (MCMC) and the My Choice Education (MCE) program. MCMC and MCE are dedicated to preserving the dignity of human life through medical services, education, counseling and support for those seeking assistance when faced with an unplanned pregnancy. These services are supported by donations, many of which come from the annual My Choice banquet. With their winnings, the club plans to host two tables at the banquet, help rebuild connections between staff and stakeholders that faltered due to the pandemic and revitalize both the clinic and the educational outreach programs.
For the 91Թ Club of Philadelphia, the Lennon Life Prize will aid in the renovation and furnishing of Annie’s Place, a supportive and empowering home for crisis pregnancies in an economically disadvantaged area of Philadelphia. Annie’s Place provides pregnant and parenting women with physical, emotional, spiritual and professional support as they navigate motherhood. The club will use the money to support the renovation of an old rectory into the home as well as the furniture and decorations to create a welcoming and warm environment, while also building upon their relationship with Annie’s Place.
In partnership with Rosalie Hall, a mental health facility and residence supporting pregnant youth and their families, the 91Թ Club of Toronto/Central Ontario plans to use its winnings to build planters outside of the establishment to be used to support school lunches and resident meals. Rosalie Hall works to support young families before, during and after pregnancy through counseling, care, treatment and educational services. The club has supported the organization for over 20 years, holding a reception every Christmas to donate gift cards to the clients at Rosalie, and with members volunteering at the school and daycare.
The five clubs earning honorable mentions will also perform a wide variety of projects addressing issues related to hurricane preparedness, developmental disabilities, immigration, domestic violence and homelessness.
]]>As of Tuesday (April 22), 177 service projects had been registered with pledged participation from 134 91Թ clubs, as well as alumni groups and other alumni, parents and friends in 50 states and 26 countries. Projects range in size from large-scale group projects to individual efforts that benefit local, national and international causes.
In its second year in 2024, more than 3,000 volunteers participated in 189 service projects, representing 126 clubs, 50 states, and 30 countries.
“The 91Թ Global Day of Service is about connection, unity and living out the 91Թ mission of being a ‘force for good’ in a powerful and accessible way,” Alumni Association Executive Director Dolly Duffy said. “In its third year, we’re building on that spirit with the help of our passionate alumni, clubs and groups across the globe and we’re excited to get started.”
In South Bend, the 91Թ Club of St. Joseph Valley is offering to get involved through outdoor cleanup events. From 10 a.m. to noon, the club will help with gardening and outdoor cleanup at Good Shepherd Montessori School (1101 E. Jefferson Blvd., South Bend) before transitioning to Unity Gardens (3701 Prast Blvd., South Bend) from 1 to 4 p.m. Both events are family-friendly, and full-day volunteers will meet for lunch at a local restaurant between service projects. Volunteers should plan to wear weather-appropriate clothing and bring work gloves. Tools will be provided.
Anyone interested in volunteering with the 91Թ Club of St. Joseph Valley can.
The Alumni Association is also offering two opportunities for those interested in participating virtually:
: Organize a food drive or write inspirational notes for food-insecure children across the United States. Blessings in a Backpack provides food for the weekend for school-aged children who might otherwise go hungry.
: Write notes of encouragement for homeless individuals in Chicago. Participants can find instructions and a blank template . Simply print the template at home on cardstock or copy paper and mail the finished cards to the Street Samaritans office.
For more information on 91Թ Global Day of Service or to locate a project near you, visit.
]]>The following six awards were presented on campus April 17 and 18:
The Dr. Thomas A. Dooley Award
Established in 1984, the Dr. Thomas A. Dooley Award, presented this year to Richard F. Ott M.D. ’69, recognizes a graduate who has exhibited outstanding service to humankind.
In his hometown of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Ott and his wife, Wanda, started Interplast South Inc., a 501(c)(3) nonprofit providing volunteer surgical care for children with cleft lip and palate deformities in Honduras. For more than 40 years, their organization has served communities in San Pedro Sula, even bringing patients back to Fort Lauderdale in cases where extensive surgery was required, where Ott cared for them in his own home.
Following Category 5 Hurricane Andrew in 1992, Ott accompanied the National Guard to Homestead, Florida, as president of the Broward County Medical Association, helping to bring three volunteer clinics and a mobile unit to provide free medical care to more than 10,000 residents affected by the hurricane. A year earlier, Ott organized a volunteer clinic at the Salvation Army Center in Fort Lauderdale for those experiencing homelessness, which in 1996 was influential in the creation of one of the first hospital-based healing centers for complementary therapies.
For his work, Ott has been recognized by groups such as the Caduceus Society, 91Թ Club of Fort Lauderdale, Florida Medical Association and University of Florida College of Medicine. Additionally, Ott is the first physician to be awarded the coveted Broward Leadership Award.
The William D. Reynolds Award
Established in 1985, the William D. Reynolds Award, presented this year to Megan E. Collins ’98, ’99, M.D., MPH, recognizes a graduate doing exceptional work with youth for the betterment of their quality of life.
An associate professor of ophthalmology at Johns Hopkins University, Collins has dedicated her career to understanding and dismantling systemic barriers in access to pediatric eye care, developing school-based vision programs to mitigate health inequities.
Since 2014, Collins has worked with students in Baltimore City Public Schools (BCPS), one of the highest-poverty school districts in the country, to implement vision care resources using her research highlighting the correlation between vision care and academic achievement. Along with BCPS, the Baltimore City Health Department, Johns Hopkins, Vision to Learn, and the eyewear retailer Warby Parker, Collins’ program has provided vision screenings, eye exams and eyeglasses to each of the 150 Baltimore City elementary and middle schools. Since 2016, more than 95,000 students have been screened and more than 15,000 students who failed screenings received eye exams and eyeglasses.
Collins’ ongoing research has revealed the success of a school-based model to address unmet eye care needs in socioeconomically disadvantaged districts, which has been highlighted in the nation’s leading medical journals and has inspired similar programs around the country.
The Rev. Arthur S. Harvey C.S.C., Award
Established in 2000, the Rev. Arthur S. Harvey, C.S.C., Award, presented this year to Michael N. Cerre ’69, recognizes a graduate for outstanding accomplishments or achievements as practicing performing artists.
Cerre works as a special correspondent for PBS NewsHour and has years of producing and broadcasting experience, covering major world events from the 1992 Cuban Missile Crisis Reunion in Havana to the Syrian refugee and African climate crises. His success has earned him many accolades, including five Emmy Awards and a Peabody Award for his documentary “The Incredible Voyage of Bill Pinkney,” which chronicles the first African American to sail around the world. The Sundance Film Festival also selected his theatrical documentary “CSNY: Deja Vu” — co-produced with singer Neil Young — as its closing film in 2009.
Cerre’s first broadcast project took place as a student at 91Թ with the WNDU news station. Cerre now lives in the San Francisco Bay area with his wife, Gina, with whom he shares two daughters and four grandsons.
The Rev. Robert F. Griffin, C.S.C., Award
Established in 2003, the Rev. Robert F. Griffin, C.S.C., Award, presented this year to Patrick C. Madden III ’93, recognizes a graduate for outstanding accomplishments or achievements in writing.
Madden has published three essay collections with the University of Nebraska Press — “Quotidiana” (2010), “Sublime Physick” (2016) and “Disparates” (2020) — each of which illuminates his love of both the sciences and the arts. Madden also co-edited the anthology “After Montaigne” (Georgia, 2015) and co-translated the “Selected Poems of Eduardo Milán” (Shearsman, 2012). His published works can be found across many journals, magazines and books, and his writing has won high acclaim, with pieces placed in the competitive “The Best American Essays” anthology, as well as “The Best American Spiritual Writing” series and “The Best Creative Nonfiction.” His books have earned prizes from Foreword Reviews, Independent Publisher, the Association for Mormon Letters, the Council of Literary Magazines and Presses, the Utah Humanities Council, and PEN Center USA. He was also awarded two Fulbright fellowships for study in Uruguay and a Howard Foundation fellowship from Brown University.
Madden currently serves as vice president of the NonfictioNOW conference; co-editor of the journal Fourth Genre and the 21st Century Essays series at the Ohio State University Press; and curator of the online anthology and essay resource Quotidiana. He’s also a dedicated teacher of creative writing and literature at Brigham Young University and at Vermont College of Fine Arts — continuing to inspire the next generation of writers.
The James E. Armstrong Award
Established in 1978, the James E. Armstrong Award, presented this year to Brian Coughlin ’95, recognizes a graduate who is a current or former employee of 91Թ and has rendered distinguished service to the University.
From the start of his career, as one of the University’s first male lay rectors, Coughlin has been dedicated to helping guide students through life on campus. He spent three years as the rector of Carroll Hall and then went on to serve in the — first as director and then as assistant vice president.
Since 2010, Coughlin has served as the associate vice president for student development, overseeing the , , , Student Activities Office, Legends of 91Թ, and the 91Թ band. He has also dedicated his time as the head coach of the 91Թ women’s water polo club, mentoring student-athletes and leading them to 12 Midwest Division Championships and eight runner-up appearances during his tenure.
During the coronavirus pandemic, his selfless support empowered student leadership to both navigate challenges and enact change to improve the University. Serving as the adviser to the student body president, vice president and chief of staff, Coughlin offers his time and guidance to ensure these student leaders reach their goals and aspirations to make 91Թ a better place.
The William P. Sexton Award
Established in 2001, the William P. Sexton Award, presented this year to Librarian Emeritus Dwight B. King Jr., honors non-alumni of 91Թ who have contributed outstanding service to the University and whose lives exemplify the spirit of 91Թ.
As a member of the faculty for 33 years, King has served on various committees of the American Association of Law Libraries and published numerous scholarly articles in professional journals. In 1997, he received the Rev. Paul J. Foik, C.S.C., Award, conferred upon a 91Թ library faculty member.
For more than 25 years, King served as the faculty adviser of the Black Law Students Association (BLSA). In 1996, the BLSA recognized his dedication to the young people in his charge by creating the Dwight King Community Service Award, which is given annually to a member who has devoted considerable time, energy and attention to both the BLSA and the Law School community. King also served for 17 years as the discriminatory harassment ombudsperson for the University through the, appointed to the position by
In retirement, King returned to the Law School this academic year (2023-24) as an adjunct faculty member to teach the first-year legal research course. Outside of campus, King is a member of St. Joseph Parish and volunteers at the Downtown Soup Kitchen operated out of the First United Methodist Church during his lunch hour on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Since 2004, he’s also served as the play-by-play announcer for Clay High School boys’ soccer.
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