Oct. 3, 2024
Contact Kathy Duerwachter at 608-796-3072 or kaduerwachter@viterbo.edu
VITERBO UNIVERSITY TO HONOR NINE WITH DISTINGUISHED ALUMNI AWARDS OCT. 11
LA CROSSE, Wis. – Nine people will be honored at Viterbo’s annual Distinguished Alumni Awards ceremony on Friday, Oct. 11, as part of the annual Viterbo Days alumni weekend.
Christine Newkirk ’03, ’06 is this year’s recipient of the Spirit of Francis Award. She is the director of Ecclesial Ministries and Diocesan Consultation for the Diocese of Superior, where she supports all of the parishes with human resources, and training and development programs.
Newkirk developed the School of Servant Leadership for the diocese, a program for parish leaders to deepen their understanding of servant leadership and embrace it within their lives and ministry.
She earned her bachelor’s degree in integrated studies in 2003, and her Master of Arts in Servant Leadership in 2006.
Jessica Himmer ’06 is this year’s recipient of Viterbo’s Service to the University Award.
Himmer, a realtor for @properties La Crosse, graduated with a degree in business administration and a minor in psychology.
She was a six-year member of the Viterbo Alumni Association and was president for two years. She is a frequent guest speaker in classrooms, lends her expertise on alumni panels, and leads new employees on tours of the region.
The professional achievements of alumni from each of the university’s five colleges will also be honored, while the Rising Professional Awards will be presented to two alumni who graduated within the last 10 years.
Those honored with a Professional Development Award include:
Holly Blanchard ’98 (College of Business, Leadership, and Ethics), who earned majors in organizational management and management information technology. Her 43-year career with Trane Technologies has included 16 different roles. She is currently the vice president of OCIO Information Technology. Blanchard mentors women in the early phases of their careers, and is on the board of the Great Rivers United Way.
Lisa (Foellmi) Adams ’85 (College of Engineering, Letters, and Sciences), a chemistry graduate who worked as a research scientist for The Upjohn Co. and at Eli Lilly & Co. She earned the honor of Inventor with a U.S. Patent. After retiring, Adams started Bass Lakes Area Environmental Partnerships, to provide education on the preservation of inland lakes and shoreline ecosystems.
Eric Mutchie ’04 (College of Nursing and Health), a nursing school graduate who works as the chief nursing officer and deputy commander for nursing at Keller Army Community Hospital in West Point, NY, overseeing the delivery of nursing care for over 12,000 beneficiaries.
Matt Wenthe ’95, ’01 (School of Education), who worked at Gale-Ettrick-Trempealeau School District for 27 years in various positions including teacher, principal, and coach before joining the School District of La Crosse as director of human resources. Wenthe earned both his undergraduate degree in English, his Master of Arts in Education, and his principal and superintendent licensures at Viterbo.
Bill Griffel ’92 (Conservatory for the Performing Arts), who earned degrees in vocal performance and music education and is a music educator, director, and vocalist with commercial and professional recordings. Griffel is the Albert P. Stewart Senior Director of Purdue Musical Organizations and the Jack Calhoun Senior Director of the Purdue Varsity Glee Club at Purdue University.
Those honored with the Rising Professional Award include the following individuals:
Sam Bachmeier ’18 (College of Business, Leadership, and Ethics), who was interim executive director of the La Crosse Area Development Corporation (LADCO) and is currently with La Crosse County as a community development specialist, where he promotes economic vitality. Bachmeier worked to develop the Coulee Region Business Center on La Crosse’s north side. He earned his degree in business administration, with a minor in criminal justice.
Rehman Eon ’15 (College of Engineering, Letters, and Sciences), who after earning his Bachelor of Science in Mathematical Physics and Chemistry, became an esteemed research engineer with the Rochester Institute of Technology, and is part of the NASA science group, responsible for the development and design of Landsat 10, scheduled to launch in 2032.
The Distinguished Alumni Awards Ceremony takes place at 4 p.m. Friday, Oct. 11, in the Nola Starling Recital Hall of the Viterbo Fine Arts Center, 929 Jackson St.
Links to individual stories about the award winners can be found at www.viterbo.edu/alumni/2024-distinguished-alumni-award-recipients.
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