 |
Charles D. O’Connell, AM’47, the 1999 University
Service Medalist, also received a standing ovation from the Rockefeller
audience. Even the rare few who had not known Chuck O’Connell
during his 37 years of University service—whether as director
of University admissions and aid, secretary of the faculties, associate
professor, dean of students, or vice president—were moved by
his remarks: “Although the expression had not yet gained currency,
someone might well have said to me in those early years, ‘Come
on, O’Connell, get a life!’ I have to respond that I did
get a life, a wonderful life, and a wonderful wife, too, both at
this remarkable university.”
O’Connell was instrumental in building the College’s
enrollment of talented students, while also strengthening its financial-aid
system. He engaged faculty in the College admissions selection process,
and started the house masters program in the residence halls. In
his final years at Chicago, O’Connell helped to revitalize
alumni programs, establishing both the alumni travel program and
the University of Chicago Club of Metropolitan Chicago.
Although not an athlete, he led the Maroons to new levels of intercollegiate
play. In 1969, he brought back football as an intercollegiate sport,
and he played a major role in the 1980s formation of the University
Athletic Association, persuading the U of C to become a charter
member. O’Connell also represented national student concerns,
chairing the board of trustees of the College Entrance Examination
Board and serving as a trustee of the Educational Testing Service.
 Roger
H. Hildebrand is the 1999 Norman Maclean Faculty Award winner.
Hildebrand, who is the Samuel K. Allison distinguished service professor
emeritus of physics, astronomy, and astrophysics, is a teacher and
researcher, mentor, and administrator who has devoted 50 years to
the University. Describing Hildebrand’s undergraduate physics
lectures, one student said, “It was like having a guest lecturer
every day. In lectures he would give short glimpses into the work
he was doing in astrophysics, while integrating the topics being
presented in class.” Hildebrand’s concern for students
extends beyond those of his chosen discipline. After learning that
Bartlett Gym had inadequate locker rooms for women, he took over
as chair of the athletic facilities committee and found a way to
plan and fund the needed improvements. In retirement, Hildebrand
has continued to conduct research and advise Ph.D. students.
|
Stanley Freehling, X’46, was recognized with an Alumni
Service Citation. A life trustee, Freehling has been active on behalf
of both the Court Theatre and the Smart Museum, helping to increase
their visibility in the city of Chicago’s cultural community.
In 1997, as co-chair of the Smart’s annual autumn benefit,
Freehling attracted a crowd of more than 500 people and raised more
than twice the projected funds.
Edwin W. Parkhurst Jr., MBA’68, was also recognized
with an Alumni Service Citation. Parkhurst has played a major role
in assuring that the University’s graduate program in health
administration and policy combines professional relevancy and the
highest standards of graduate education. He has chaired several
of the Alumni Association task forces and served as treasurer, secretary,
and chair of the SSA’s alumni council. In addition, Parkhurst
has been an invaluable mentor for the program’s students and
recent graduates.
 Maria
Del Favero, AB’87, winner of a Young Alumni Service Citation,
was one of two alumni under the age of 35 who were recognized for
their contributions to the University. A tireless University organizer,
booster, and fund-raiser, Del Favero has been an active member of
the University of Chicago Club of Metropolitan Chicago, serving
both as a board member and leader of the program committee. Through
her efforts as gift chair for both her 5th and 10th reunions, the
Class of 1987 broke all previous attendance records.
|
Gilbert Sorebo, AB’92, who also received a young Alumni
Service Citation, was an active volunteer even before his graduation,
leading efforts to improve student life on campus. Sorebo is an
active member of the alumni schools committee, and he chaired the
1998 annual dinner of the University of Chicago Club in Washington,
D.C. His calls and letters encouraging fellow alumni to support
Chicago have led to increased class participation and a doubling
of total giving by the Class of 1992.
 Timuel
D. Black, AM’54, received a Public Service Citation. An
activist, educator, and leader in the cause of social justice for
more than four decades, Black was a pioneer in the fight against
racial segregation in Chicago and its public school system. He remains
active in community affairs as a member of the board of directors
for the African American AIDS Network and an adviser to the Newberry
Library’s Chicago Metro-History Project. He is also editing
an oral history drawn from the recollections of 150 African-American
citizens of Chicago’s West and South Sides.
|
Donna R. Lenhoff, AB’72, honored with a Public Service
Citation, is a nationally known advocate for the rights of women
and families. Among her accomplishments was the organizing of a
200-member coalition to spearhead the nine-year campaign for the
federal Family and Medical Leave Act. As general counsel at the
National Partnership for Women and Families, Lenhoff has helped
build the organization’s clout. Last year, Working Mother
magazine named her one of the “25 Most Influential Working
Mothers in America.”
 Alexander
Polikoff, AB’48, AM’50, JD’53, winner of a Public
Service Citation, has established a long record of outstanding contributions
to law and social justice. Recognized as one of the country’s
premier public-interest lawyers, Polikoff this spring concluded
29 years as executive director of Business and Professional People
for the Public Interest, a Chicago public-interest law and policy
center. He has carried out litigation in civil rights and civil
liberties, housing, and environmental protection, including a successful
argument before the U.S. Supreme Court in the landmark Gautreaux
public-housing case.
|
Bernice T. Weissbourd, X’45, received a Public Service
Citation for her work as an early childhood educator and leader
of the family support movement. In 1976, Weissbourd founded Family
Focus, a non-profit agency providing comprehensive programs for
families in diverse communities. She is also the founding president
of Family Resource Coalition of America, a national organization
serving as a resource on family support to program developers, researchers,
policy-makers, and the media.
 John
M. Buchanan, DB’63, winner of a Professional Achievement
Citation, is the elected moderator of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.),
the highest elected office in the denomination. As pastor of Chicago’s
Fourth Presbyterian Church, he is known for a preaching style that
combines the best of ongoing scholarship with attention to the critical
issues facing the church and society. Buchanan also serves on the
governing board of the National Council of Churches and was recently
named editor and publisher of The Christian Century.
|
George A. Drake, DB’62, AM’63, PhD’65, received
a Professional Achievement Citation. Drake was president of Iowa’s
Grinnell College from 1979 through 1991, overseeing the expansion
of its facilities and curricular development, strengthening the
emphasis on faculty teaching and scholarship, and broadening opportunities
for minority students. Now chairing the board of directors of the
Iowa Peace Institute, Drake—who with his wife served as a Peace
Corps volunteer in Lesotho before returning to the Grinnell faculty
as a history professor—has helped generate funding to continue
the institute’s programs in conflict management and dispute
resolution.
 Warren
E. Henry, PhD’41, who received a Professional Achievement
Citation in absentia, is a professor emeritus of physics at Howard
University. For almost seven decades, Henry has worked in the fields
of magnetism and superconductivity. As one of the most eminent black
scientists in the nation’s history, he has been a role model
for thousands of African-American students. Elected a fellow in
the American Physics Society, he also chaired the society’s
committee on minorities in physics.
|
Daniel Joseph, AM’50, who also received a Professional
Achievement Citation, is internationally known for his contributions
to research and education in fluid mechanics. His body of creative
and original work, coupled with his patient leadership and support
of countless graduate students, has produced significant contributions
to science. Joseph, the Regents professor and the Russell J. Penrose
professor at the University of Minnesota’s Department of Aerospace
Engineering and Mechanics, is a member of the National Academy of
Sciences, the National Academy of Engineering, and the National
Academy of Art and Sciences.
 Jesse
McDonald, AM’73, was recognized with a Professional Achievement
Citation. Since 1994, the SSA graduate has been director of the
Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, devoting himself
to working on behalf of Illinois’ youngest and most vulnerable
citizens. As a member of the U.S. Department of Health and Human
Services National Consultation Workgroup on Outcome Measures, McDonald
has also had a significant effect on improving the nation’s
policies and practice of human-service delivery.
|
