ByGeorge!

May 12, 2004

And the Commencement Awards Go To…

Weekend Honors Leading Members of the GW Community


As an annual rite of spring and the end of an academic year, GW will honor 12 individuals with awards for academic, professional and student life contributions at Commencement May 16.

GW Award
Continuing a popular 28-year tradition, the University has selected three members of the GW community to receive the “GW Award” for their lasting contributions to the University.

James Ferrer, director of GW’s Center for Latin American Issues, has worked diligently for 13 years to help the University become the “center of excellence in scholarship on Latin America.” His contributions are easily measured by the growth of the Latin American and Hemispheric Studies program, the generation of more than $1 million annually for the Minerva Scholarship Fund and the annual exchange of Latin American senior-level public officials who study economics and public policy at GW.

Mark Levine, senior assistant dean of the Community Living and Learning Center (CLLC), directs hundreds of employees who work within one of the University’s largest non-academic units. Levine and his staff have implemented changes such as the Community Standards Initiative, which helps young people learn to manage living together. He has taken on many roles including managing the Student Judicial Services and the Center for Alcohol and Drug Education, to leading the administration in Customer Service with the “CLLC at Your Service” initiative.

Ann O’Connell, a dean’s fellow at the Law School, serves the GW community at large, and the Law School in particular, with an energy and willingness that drew praise from faculty, staff and students. As a dean’s fellow, she is one of 50, third-year law students who teaches legal research and writing to first-year law students. O’Connell also serves as vice president of Interscholastic Competitions on the Law School’s Moot Court Board, requiring that she prepare students for competition as well as arrange travel and funding. She also serves as managing editor of The George Washington Law Review.

Distinguished Alumni Achievement Award
The Distinguished Alumni Achievement Award is the highest form of recognition given by the University and The George Washington Alumni Association to alumni on an annual basis. Each recipient has made a lasting impact on society through outstanding professional, voluntary or philanthropic accomplishments.

James C. Cacheris, Law School, LLB ’60, former Chief Judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, was appointed to that court in 1981 by President Ronald Reagan and was subsequently elevated to the position of chief judge in 1991.

Nancy B. Jackson, Columbian College of Arts and Sciences, BS ’79, technical manager of Chemical & Biological Sensing for the Imaging Department of Sandia National Laboratories in Albuquerque, NM, is at the forefront of the war on terrorism, working directly with the Department of Homeland Security.

Allyn E. Kilsheimer, School of Engineering and Applied Science, BS ’63, CEO of KCE Structural Engineers since 1972 and executive vice president of KTLH Engineers, PC since 1995. In September 2001, the Department of Defense chose him to lead the reconstruction and restoration of the Pentagon.

Jung-Sook Kim, Graduate School of Education and Human Development, EdD ’88, currently serving her third term as a member of the National Assembly of the Republic of Korea; member of the Supreme Council of the Grand National Party, a post to which she was directly elected in the National Convention in May 2002.

Oscar and Shoshana Trachtenberg Prizes
Teaching
Shoko Hamano, associate professor of Japanese, earned this award after a selection process with 100 nominations from undergraduates. Hamano is active in linguistic research and believes her understanding of students’ native languages enhances her ability to circumvent problems encountered when learning Japanese. She has published a book on this subject titled, “Making Sense of Japanese Grammar,” and continues research on this and other related subjects.

Research

Peter Reddaway, professor of political science and international affairs, is a leading scholar in the field of Russian politics. His eight books and many articles have exposed the misuse of psychiatry to control dissidents and illuminated changes in the Russian economy and political system since the collapse of the Soviet Union.

Service
Philip Wirtz, professor of psychology and of management science, is being honored for his contributions to the GW community and his diligent work as a member of the Faculty Senate. His areas of academic expertise include research methodology, statistical modeling and treatment efficacy for substance abuse. The Trachtenberg Service Prize is presented to a tenured member of the faculty to recognize exceptional service to the University. Service to be recognized may include active membership in the Faculty Senate, active membership on University committees, and other activities that directly involve institutional governance or the conduct of the University’s corporate affairs.

Manatt-Trachtenberg Award
Graham Murphy, a Columbian College of Arts and Sciences student majoring in human services, and Allison Robbins, a senior in the Elliott School of International Affairs concentrating in international development, global public health and international economics, were chosen as the University’s first recipients of the Manatt-Trachtenberg Prize, a new award that honors special undergraduate qualities. Murphy and Robbins are being recognized for their efforts to inspire the social consciousness of GW’s students, faculty and staff with their contributions in activities that arouse the community. Created by Board of Trustees Chair, The Hon. Charles T. Manatt, and President Stephen Joel Trachtenberg, the annual award will be presented May 16 at GW’s Commencement on the Ellipse.

“The many contributions GW students make to the intellectual and social vitality of our community are felt in countless ways and for years after they have graduated,” said Ambassador Manatt. “This new award recognizes graduating seniors who are unique and will serve as a lasting and visible symbol of their efforts.”


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