Administration

Eight selected to receive Distinguished Alumni Awards in 2018

The Nittany Lion Shrine on Penn State's University Park campus. Credit: Patrick Mansell / Penn StateCreative Commons

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. On Nov. 10, the Penn State Board of Trustees selected eight Penn State alumni to receive the Distinguished Alumni Award, the University's highest honor presented to its alumni. The following individuals have been officially notified of their selection by the Board and are invited to accept the award from the University in June 2018.

  • Dana H. Born, brigadier general, U.S.A.F. (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.
  • Jacob D. Corman III, state senator for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, earned his bachelor's degree in journalism from the College of Communications in 1993.
  • 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.
  • Kerry R. McCoy, head wrestling coach for the University of Maryland, earned his bachelor's degree in marketing from the Smeal College of Business in 1997.
  • 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.
  • Roger L. Williams, retired executive director of the Penn State Alumni Association, 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.

The following alumnus, selected for the award in 2017 but unable to attend ceremonies with other members of the cohort, will receive his award in June 2018.

  • Roland G. Fryer, the Henry Lee Professor of Economics and Faculty Director of the Education Innovation Laboratory at Harvard University, earned both his master's degree and doctorate in economics from the College of the Liberal Arts in 2001 and 2002, respectively.
Last Updated February 8, 2018