The Indiana University School of Education Distinguished Alumni Award is the highest honor bestowed upon an alum by the School. The award was founded in 1977 to recognize alumni who have enhanced the reputation of the school by distinguishing themselves in their careers and have made significant contributions to their community, state and nation through professional service, public service and civic activities.
The annual awards are given in four categories:
Excellence in PreK-12 Education Award
The Excellence in PreK-12 Education Award recognizes IU School of Education alumni who have excelled in PreK-12 education by providing leadership in the use of innovative classroom methods, programs or other initiatives.
Excellence in Higher Education Award
The Excellence in Higher Education Award recognizes IU School of Education alumni who are transforming higher education through exceptional programs, innovative services, and effective leadership.
Early Career Achievement Award
The Early Career Achievement Award recognizes IU School of Education alumni who have made outstanding professional contributions to the field of education and received their degree from the IU School of Education within the last ten years.
Outstanding Alumni Award
The Outstanding Alumni Award recognizes graduates who have excelled in their chosen field and demonstrated exceptional civic service and/or charitable responsibility to effect positive social change.
2022 Awardees
Eddie R. Cole (M.S.’09, Ph.D.’13)
Early Career Achievement Award
Frank D. Sánchez (Ph.D.’03)
Excellence in Higher Education Award
Paola Sztajn (Ph.D.’95)
Outstanding Alumni Award
Rosemary Wolf Rehak (M.S.’77, Ed.D.’86)
Excellence in Pre-K–12 Education Award
Past Awardees
 | EXCELLENCE IN PRE-K-12 EDUCATION AWARD Lily Albright (B.S.’00, M.S.’06) Principal Unionville Elementary School |
 | OUTSTANDING ALUMNI AWARD Janice Brown (Ed.D.’81) Superintendent (Retired) Kalamazoo Public Schools |
 | OUTSTANDING ALUMNI AWARD Gene Jongsma (B.S.’64, Ed.D.’71) Retired Educator |
 | EXCELLENCE IN HIGHER EDUCATION AWARD Lynda R. Wiest (Ph.D. ’96) Professor, College of Education and Human Development University of Nevada, Reno |
 | EXCELLENCE IN HIGHER EDUCATION AWARD Harold "Pete" Goldsmith, Ed.D. (Ed.D.’75) Vice Provost for Student Affairs and Dean of Students, retired Indiana University Bloomington |
 | EXCELLENCE IN PREK-12 EDUCATION AWARD Naomi B. Searle, M.Ed. (B.S.’85) 6th Grade Teacher, English Language Arts South Middleton School District |
 | EARLY CAREER ACHIEVEMENT AWARD Susie L. Gronseth, Ph.D. (Ph.D.’11) Clinical Associate Professor University of Houston |
 | OUTSTANDING ALUMNI AWARD William H. Parrett, Ph.D. (B.S.’72, M.S.’73, Ph.D.’79) Director Emeritus, Center for School Improvement & Policy Studies Boise State University |
 | David A. Ambler, Ed.D. (Ed.D.'66) Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Emeritus The University of Kansas |
 | Carole Ames, Ph.D. (M.S.’68) Dean Emerita Michigan State University College of Education |
 | Marilyn Friend, Ph.D. (M.S.’78, Ph.D.’81) Professor Emerita The University of North Carolina at Greensboro |
 | Karen Schuster Webb, Ph.D. (M.S.’73, Ph.D.’80) President Union Institute & University |
 | Dena Cushenberry-Burrello (Ed.S.’09, Ed.D.’12) Retired Superintendent of Schools MSD Warren Township |
 | Judith A. DeMuth (Ed.D.’99) Superintendent of Schools Monroe County Community School Corporation |
 | James B. Luther (Ph.D.’92) Owner & President Luther Consulting, LLC |
 | Frederick A. Taylor, Jr. (B.S.’73) Administrator Zephyrhills Health & Rehabilitation Center |
 | Brady Barr, PhD (BS’87) Children’s Book Author & Educator/herpetologist/owner Eco Adventures Nature Center |
 | Saisuree Chutikul, EdD (MS’57, EdD’62) Chairperson/Member of multiple National Committees in Thailand Country of Thailand |
 | Ted S. Hasselbring, EdD (BS’71, EdD’79) Professor of Special Education Vanderbilt University |
 | Edson W. Sample (MS’71) Retired Director for Financial Aid Indiana University |
 | Kimberly L. King-Jupiter, PhD (MS’93, PhD’98) Special Assistant for Research Initiatives Division of Research and Sponsored Programs Tennessee State University |
 | Angela M. McNelis, PhD, RN (MS’90) Professor and Associate Dean for Scholarship, Innovation, and Clinical Science George Washington University School of Nursing |
 | A.Y. “Fred” Ramirez, PhD (PhD’99) Professor of Education, Concordia University, Irvine Executive Director of EdActs Global |
 | Elizabeth J. Whitt (PhD’88) Vice Provost and Dean for Undergraduate Education Professor in Sociology University of California, Merced |
 | Robert E. Draba, PhD, JD (BS'68) Trial Attorney, Antitrust Division United States Department of Justice Washington, DC |
 | Peggy A. Hinckley, EdD (BS'74) Educational Consultant, School Improvement Retired Superintendent |
 | R. Elizabeth Odle (MS'74) Retired Program Director, Bridges to Success United Way of Central Indiana |
 | Pat Wilson (BS'71, MS'77) Department Chair and Teacher Bloomington High School North |
Richard E. Bishop, EdD (BS'61, MS'71, EdD'77) Retired, Executive Assistant to the President
Indiana University Foundation
Shaun R. Harper, PhD (MS'00, PhD'03)
Associate Professor and Executive Director
Center for the Study of Race and Equity in Education
University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education
Jann Keenan, EdS (MS'79, EdS'80)
Instructional Designer for Health Literacy/Health Equity
The Keenan Group, Inc.
Stanley Warren, EdD (EdS'71, EdD'73)
Retired Dean, Academic Affairs and Professor of Education
DePauw University
Abdul Farouk Ahmed (MS'79)
Consultant, Human Resources and Organizational Change & Managing Director, ICC Consultants Centre
Maurice C. Daniels, EdD (BA'72, MS'75, EdD'82)
Dean and Professor, Senior Researcher and Executive Producer, University of Georgia, School of Social Work
David A. Lepkojus (BS'74)
Head Teacher/Supervisor, Counselor, Administrator, Bureau of Indian Education, United States Department of the Interior, Many Farms High School
Dr. Victor A. Smith (MS'72, EdD'77)
Retired, Associate Director, Indiana Urban School Association
Patricia A. Payne (BS'64, MS'75)
Director, Crispus Attucks Museum
Gerald O. Thompkins, Ph.D. (BS'70, MS'77)
Director, STEM Education and Research Center, Kent State University
James E. Weigand (EdD'64)
Dean Emeritus, School of Continuing Studies, Indiana University
Christine O. Cheney (EdD'84)
Dean and Professor of Special Education
University of Nevada College of Education
W. Rob Foshay (PhD'77)
Director, Research for the Educational Technology Group
Texas Instruments
James D. Mervilde (MS'81, Spclst'86, EdD'00)
Retired Superintendent
MSD of Washington Township, Indianapolis
Douglas Harris (MS'64, EdD'68)
Retired, Vice President, Knight Ridder Corporation
Earlene Holland (EdS'80)
Retired, Associate Provost, Oakland City University
Keith Jepsen (EdD'84)
President, Global Student Loan Corporation
Youngsoo Kim (PhD'83)
Director, Institute for Teaching & Learning, Ewha Women’s University, Seoul Korea
YoungHwan Kim (PhD'94)
Joseph Russell (MS'68, EdD'70)
H.A.R. Tilaar (MA'66, EdD'67)
Dennis C. Hayes (BS'74, JD'77)
Rodney P. Kirsch (MS'82)
Hazel R. Tribble (MA'75)
B. James Dawson (EdD'84)
Michael Hanes (BS'70, MS'72, PhD'73)
Nathaniel Jones (BS'73, MS'77, Spclst'82)
Patricia Lather (PhD'83)
Bonita S. Beaumont (BS'76)
Carole L. Hahn (EdD'73)
Sharon Robinson Kurpius (PhD'78)
Victor Boschini (EdD'89)
Dale Fuqua (PhD'80)
Sivasailam Thiagarajan (PhD'71, MS'70)
Rick Crosslin (MS'81)
Bonnie Litwiller (MAT'65, EdD'68)
Cynthia Witterhold Cleveland (BS'74, MS'76)
Thomas D. Oakland (MS '65, PhD'67)
Toby Strout (MS'74, PhD'91)
Yvonna S. Lincoln (EdD'78)
Nancy L. Roser (MS'70, EdD'70)