Alumni Awards & Recognition – Thomas More University Alumni Association

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The Alumni Association Awards were established to honor outstanding alumni and community leaders whose talents and expertise have made a significant impact as they continue to live the Thomas More University mission: to examine the ultimate meaning of life, their place in the world, and their responsibility to others.

Nominate folks using the link below. Submissions for the 2026 Alumni Awards are now open!

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Congratulations to all who have been honored throughout the years.

Professional Achievement Award

Awarded to an alum whose career has reached a level of excellence in his/her respective field of endeavor, and is recognized as such by peers and other knowledgeable contacts.

YEAR	RECIPIENTS
1968	Paul Simon ’58
1969	David Schneider ’63
1970	Sister M. Philip Trauth ’46
1971	Dr. Harry Flotemersch ’51
1972	Kenneth Reed ’57
1973	Kenneth Billman ’55
1974	Judge Lawrence Wichmann ’57
1975	Thomas J. Kindt ’63
1976	Harry Beck ’54
1996	Thomas W. Dooley ’52 | Judge Anthony Wilhoit ‘ 55
1997	Dr. George Miner ’58 | David L. Black ’58
1998	D. Lynn Meyers ’77
1999	Susan McEvoy ’64 | David M. Otte ’74
2002	William L. Schmaedecke ’56
2003	Dr. Judith A. Marlowe ’69
2004	Dr. William H. Rauckhorst ’62
2007	Kathleen F. Collins ’86 | Dr. James R. Connor, Jr. ’75
2009	Laryl Lee (Lahrman) Delker) ’49
2011	Brent Messmer ’94 | Johnna Reeder ’07
2013	Dr. Edward J. Connor ’89
2015	Sr. Margaret A. Stallmeyer, CDP ’68
2017	Timothy Rahschulte ’93 | David Schroeder ’90
2019	Jeffrey Mando ’80, J.D.
2021	Joe Shriver ’94
2023	Bob Stevens ’78 | Linda Robinson ’87
2024	Michael Gieske, M.D. ’80 | Scott McIntyre ’97
2025	Edward Schneider ’68

Citizenship Award

Awarded to an alum who made a significant impact on the welfare of his/her community through service and leadership. Honorees have exhibited a strong commitment to integrity, concern for justice, and service to others, for which our Spiritual Patron and namesake, Saint Thomas More, is so justly renowned.

YEAR	RECIPIENTS
1969	Wilbert Ziegler ’53
1970	Albert C. Parton, Jr. ’61
1971	Donald Wintersheimer ’53
1973	Dr. William V. Banks ’63
1974	Msgr. Donald Hellman ’49
1975	David Surber ’60
1976	William Schmaedecke ’56
1996	Sister Alice Gerdeman ’73
1997	Maureen Maxfield ’72
1998	Charles Biery ’70 | Sister Immaculata Campbell ’46
1999	William J. Verax, III ’76
2002	Daniel Albrinck ’88
2003	Charles R. Scheper ’74
2004	Sue Ann Cole ’86
2007	Andrew J. “A.J.” Schaeffer ’96
2009	Kathy (Beechem) Nadherny ’73 | Patrick J. Raverty ’73
2011	Joyce (Hamel) Asfour ’60 | Nancy (West) Romer ’91*
2013	Wm. T. “Bill” Robinson, III ’67
2015	Neena (LaMendola) Volk ’07 | Dr. C. William Blewett ’63
2017	Robert Ryan ‘70, Thomas Saalfeld ‘71
2019	Steve Lutkenhoff ’71
2021	Amy Darpel ’94 | Christopher Sapp ’95
2023	Shannon Culp ’99/’22 | Andrew Kulina ’87
2024	Kenneth Reis ’72
2025	Joshua Vogel ’10

Thomas More University Service Award

Awarded to an alumnus or friend of the University who has provided continued service to the University.  This award recognized extraordinary service in terms of time, energy, and expertise rather than financial support.

YEAR	RECIPIENTS
1968	Mary E Ryan Pulskamp ’38
1969	Charles Deters ’50
1970	George Thelen ’58
1971	John F. Murphy ’52
1972	Gerald Thelen ’61
1973	Patricia Brunen Parton ’64
1974	Sister Agnes Margaret Humbert ’36
1976	Thomas Zimmer ’53
1996	Karen D. Meyers ’71
1997	Donna Bloemer ’91
1998	Genevieve Ann Harris ’45
1999	Andrew J. Reinersman ’87
2002	Sr. Rita Marie Mueller ’41
2003	Sr. Mary Laurence Budde ’53
2007	Carol W. Jansen ’51 | Thomas R. Dietz ’69
2009	Jean (Germann) Hengelbrok ’56 | Andrew J. VonLehman ’75
2011	James A. Dressman, III ’74 | Frank B. Sommerkamp, Jr
2013	Charles R. ’74 and Julie Geisen ’76 Scheper
2017	Terry Egan ‘71
2019	Jeanne-Marie Tapke ’91, Ph.D.
2021	Lori Eifert ’15
2023	Patricia Borne ’81
2024	Terry Connor ’92
2025	Charles ‘73 and Mary Jo ‘74 McFadden

Lasting Influence Award

Awarded to a faculty or staff member, past or present, who has demonstrated and continues to have a positive and lasting impact on the lives of current and former students. Honorees are noted as a role model for the University’s mission and as one who also served as an influence on the career choice of the students they served.

YEAR	RECIPIENTS
1996	Sr. Mary Laurence Budde ’53 | Michael Burch
1997	Dr. Patricia Sommerkamp ’71
1998	Nancy Bruns ’60
1999	Paul A. Tenkotte ’82
2002	Monsignor John F. Murphy ’52
2004	Rudolph A. Morow
2007	Dr. Ronald A. Mielech ’57
2009	Dr. William S. Bryant
2011	Dr. George J. Euskirchen | Joy E. Nolan
2013	Dr. Raymond G. Hebert
2015	Dr. John W. Ferner
2017	Dr. Christopher Lorentz
2019	Sherry Cook Stanforth, Ph.D.
2021	Sr. Irmina Saelinger, OSB, Ph.D.
2023	Tom Gilday ’75
2024	John Cimprich ’71, Ph.D.
2025	Theresa Behan

Legacy Award

Established in 2024, the Legacy Award honors alumni, faculty, staff, or friends of the University posthumously for the impact made on the institution during their lifetime. They are remembered as beacons of inspiration in their pursuit of the meaning of life, their place in the world, and their responsibility to others while they were with us and beyond. 

YEAR	RECIPIENTS
2024	Sister Loretto Marie Driscoll ’39 CDP, Ph.D.
2025	Joseph F. Roesel ‘64

Emerging Leader Award

Established in 2021, the Emerging Leader Award is given to an alum who graduated in the last 15 years in recognition of a commitment to excellence in post-collegiate life and a significant or ongoing commitment to extraordinary work, research, volunteerism, or service to Thomas More University.

YEAR	RECIPIENTS
2021	Mary Beth Odom ’19
2023	Caroline Trennepohl ’21
2024	Sierra OBryan ’13

Honorary Alumni Award

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Retired Awards & Previous Honorees