The Penn State Board of Trustees has selected eight alumni to received the Distinguished Alumni Award, the university’s highest honor for Penn State graduates.
Among them are two current Centre County residents.
Pennsylvania state Sen. Jake Corman, R-Benner Township, graduated from the College of Communications in 1993 with a degree in journalism. Since 1999, he has been been the senator for Pennsylvania’s 34th District, which includes all of Centre, Mifflin and Juniata counties and part of Huntingdon County. Corman is the current Senate Majority Leader.
Roger L. Williams retired in 2015 after 12 years as executive director of the Penn State Alumni Association. He earned a bachelor’s degree in history from the College of the Liberal Arts in 1973, a master’s degree in journalism from the College of Communications, and a doctorate in higher education from the College of Education in 1988.
One of the most recognizable names on this year’s list is Nittany Lion wrestling great Kerry McCoy. Currently head coach of the University of Maryland’s wrestling program, McCoy won two national titles while at Penn State and went on to make the U.S. Olympic team in 2000 and 2004. He earned his bachelor’s degree in marketing from the Smeal College of Business in 1997.
Other Penn State Distinguished Alumni to be recognized by the university in June 2018 are:
– Dana H. Born, brigadier general, U.S. Air Force (Ret.) and lecturer in public policy at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government Center, earned her doctorate in psychology from the College of the Liberal Arts in 1994.
– Paul T. Cremo, dramaturg of the Metropolitan Opera and director of the Opera Commissioning Program, received his master of fine arts in theatre arts from the College of Arts and Architecture in 2011.
– Barbara H. Raphael, retired executive vice president of research and development for Cadbury Schweppes, earned a bachelor’s degree in science from the Eberly College of Science in 1966; a master’s degree in nutrition from the College of Health and Human Development in 1969; and a doctorate in food sciences from the College of Agricultural Sciences in 1972.
– Richard J. Riegel, chief executive officer of Phlexglobal, Inc., earned his bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the College of Engineering in 1985.
– Hal S. Sadoff, chief executive officer of Silver Pictures Entertainment, earned his bachelor’s degree in finance from the Smeal College of Business in 1986.
Also receiving the award in 2018 will be Roland G. Fryer, the Henry Lee Professor of Economics and faculty director of the Education Innovation Laboratory at Harvard University. Fryer earned his master’s degree and doctorate in economics from the College of the Liberal Arts in 2001 and 2002, respectively. He was selected for the award in 2017 but was unable to attend ceremonies.
