King, Joy Heinrichs, Brian Heinrichs and Joe Palacioz are
WSU Alumni Award Golden Anniversary honorees.
Nearly 300 guests toasted the accomplishments of six Wichita State University award winners at the Golden Anniversary celebration of the WSU Alumni Association’s Alumni Awards banquet Jan. 26 at the Wichita Marriott.
With gold stars and popping champagne corks as decorative themes, the banquet room was dominated by Shocker black and gold.
A champagne reception tipped off festivities before Tammy Allen ’82/85/95, who served as head of the 2005 awards selection committee, and current association president and master of ceremonies Dave Dahl ’71/74 took to the stage to officially welcome guests and honorees Nick Mork ’71, Achievement Award winner; Elizabeth King, University Recognition Award winner; Joe Palacioz ’71/76, Alumni Recognition Award winner; Bill Smith, Distinguished Service Award winner; and Joy ’00 and Brian ’96 Heinrichs, Young Alumni Award winners.
Setting a beautiful tone for the night were Bill Thomson ’63/65 on piano and Tom Fowler ’68/79 on saxophone. Larry Hatteberg fs ’68 narrated the videos that were shown on two big screens during each award presentation, while Greg Hobson ’72 volunteered his creative talents in producing a unique Achievement Award video featuring Mork and his acclaimed work with Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Sedgwick County.
WSU President Don Beggs presented special remarks, offering a look back at some of the happenings on campus and in the wider world in 1955 — the year of the premier awards presentation. At that ceremony, mathematician and meteoriticist Lincoln LaPaz ’20 was honored with the first Achievement Award.
Among the evening’s attendees were two past Achievement Award honorees, Pete Armstrong ’42 and Linwood Sexton ’48, who were recognized with the top alumni award in 1996 and 1991, respectively. A number of past WSU Alumni Association presidents were present: Jeff DeGraffenreid ’88, George Fahnestock ’69, Dan Foley ’59, Esther Headley ’79, Bernie Nichols ’61, Dale Richmond ’55/65, Kathy Sexton ’89/92, Chris Shank ’69, Don Stephan ’59 and Sheryl Wohlford ’82.
Among alumni and WSU friends in attendance were Gladys ’75 and Buck Alley, Mickey Armstrong ’45, Trish ’96 and Ken ’91 Brasted, Deametrice Eyster ’93 of New York, N.Y., Dean Headley ’82, Pegi Oatman, John Rolfe ’85, Lynn Stephan ’64/92, Lou Tasheff ’44, Cindy ’76 and Gordon ’82 Vadakin and Velma Wallace, a 2003 Recognition Award honoree.
Guests also included WSU personalities First Lady Shirley Beggs; Ted Ayres, vice president and general counsel; John Beehler, Barton School of Business dean; Bill Bischoff, Fairmount College of Liberal Arts and Sciences dean; Peter Cohen, College of Health Professions dean; Jon Engelhardt, College of Education dean; John Hutchinson, vice president of academic affairs and research; Ron Kopita, vice president of campus life and university relations; Susan Kovar, dean of the Graduate School; Roger Lowe, vice president of administration and finance; Rodney Miller, dean of the College of Fine Arts; Jim Rhatigan, dean emeritus of students, Christine Schneikart-Luebbe, dean of enrollment services; Zulma Toro-Ramos, College of Engineering dean; and WSU Alumni Association Executive Director Debbie Kennedy ’94, and her husband Mike ’71.
