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2022 Distinguished Alumni Award Winner Mark Gruen ’95
Earning his Master of Arts in Education degree from Viterbo set Mark Gruen on a path out of the classroom and into educational leadership that would see him honored twice with statewide awards for excellence in school district administration.
2022 Distinguished Alumni Award Winner Jed Barton ’17, ’20
After graduating with a bachelor’s degree in biopsychology, Jed Barton devoted a year to volunteer service. Meanwhile, Barton, who has completed work on his master’s degree in servant leadership, also volunteered his time with an affordable housing organization and an LGBTQ+ youth program.
2022 Distinguished Alumni Award Winner Brian Soller ’94
A business major who played baseball and basketball, Brian Soller credited the scholarships for making his education possible. He has made it a mission to show gratitude for that help and pay it forward, establishing a scholarship fund for basketball players and serving since 2014 on the Viterbo Board of Trustees.
2022 Distinguished Alumni Award Winner Rebecca (Arndt) Crecente ’04
A standout on the basketball court, Rebecca (Arndt) Crecente graduated with a biology degree from Viterbo, going on to earn a doctoral degree from Duke University's top-flight physical therapy program. Now a a board-certified clinical specialist in sports physical therapy, she mentors physical therapy students in South Carolina.
2022 Distinguished Alumni Award Winner Donna (Role) Nelson ’83
Imagine loving your job for 37 years. Donna (Role) Nelson doesn’t have to imagine. Her passion to serve others and her community as a nurse made sure of that. “As Mahatma Ghandi said, ‘The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others,’” Nelson said.
2022 Distinguished Alumni Award Winner Elizabeth (Eckert) Maher ’14
After earning her Viterbo degree in chemistry (with a mathematics minor), Elizabeth (Eckert) Maher went on to earn a doctoral degree. She now provides medical education, clinical trial support, pipeline presentations, and conference updates to retina specialists in six states for Genentech.
2022 Distinguished Alumni Award Winner Barry Lee Moe ’01
Two-time Emmy Award winner Barry Lee Moe came to Viterbo intent on a career as a performer, but a nudge from an insightful professor helped him discover a passion and gift for other theatrical arts and taught him an important lesson in the importance of being open to trying new paths.
Matt Curtis Combines Music and Business for Magnum Opus
Knowing the success Matt Curtis ’08 has had with an innovative music business he started and considering an ambitious new project he is launching called the Cappella Performing Arts Center, you might think he’d earned an MBA from Viterbo instead of music degrees in music performance and music education.