University of Delaware
Office of Public Relations
The Messenger
Vol. 5, No. 4/1996
20 alumni honored with Presidential Citations
Twenty alumni from the University of Delaware were honored
this spring as the 1996 recipients of the University's
Presidential Citation for Outstanding Achievement. Begun in 1992,
the award honors alumni of the last two decades who exhibit great
promise in their professional careers or public service
activities.
Kenneth L. Becker, Delaware '72, '76M, of Wilmington, Del.,
(bachelor's degree in sociology and master's degree in urban
affairs and public policy), and is currently a vice president of
Smith Barney Inc., an investment banking firm. Becker has
received numerous awards for his work, including the
Distinguished Service Award from the U.S. Department of Housing
and Urban Development and the Most Innovative Financing Award
from the U.S. Conference of Mayors.
"The University provided an atmosphere that allowed
me to grow at my own pace. I was supported by my
professors in my natural curiosity and was assisted in
learning how to think and reason; these simple skills have
been my greatest allies in solving complex problems I've
encountered in my professional and personal life. I
probably made the strongest statement that I can make
concerning my experience at the University when, two years
ago, I entrusted the University with my daughter's
education."
Virginia M. Burns-Ferrara, Delaware '76, Wilmington, Del.,
(bachelor's degree in child development and young exceptional
children), is a kindergarten teacher at Mt. Pleasant Elementary
School in Wilmington. She was inducted into the Delaware
Association for Childhood Education Hall of Excellence in 1993.
"...At the University of Delaware, opportunities to
engage in challenging and stimulating quests were
abundant. The diversity of campus life was inspiring. It
afforded me the chance to meet and interact with many
people whose vital and diverse views encouraged and
energized independent thinking. Along the way, I developed
lifelong friendships that are treasured today."
Harmon R. Carey, Delaware '77M, of Wilmington, Del.,
(master's degree in urban affairs and public policy), is the
founder and executive director of the Afro-American Historical
Society of Delaware, as well as the executive assistant for
African-American heritage in the Division of Historical and
Cultural Affairs. The foremost advocate for African-American
historic preservation in the state, he has taken an active role
in the National Trust for Historic Preservation and the National
Association for African-American Historic Preservation.
"During the two decades I have taken courses at the
University of Delaware, I have witnessed evidence of a
sincere commitment to diversity as reflected in the
student body and faculty at the College of Urban Affairs
and Public Policy. I have also been impressed by the
University's increasing commitment to urban public service
and African-American historic preservation."
Patricia Ann Childs, Delaware '76, '78M, of Tucson, Ariz.,
(bachelor's degree in child development/young exceptional
children and a master's degree in individual and family studies),
formerly worked as a child development counselor for the state of
Delaware before her retirement due to multiple sclerosis. Today,
she focuses on helping others with chronic illnesses reach their
full potential and obtain a better quality of life. Founder and
co-facilitator of the M.S. Support Group in Tucson, she also has
helped form and chairs the service committee of the M.S. Support
Foundation of Pima County, Ariz.
"The dedication, caring and expertise of the faculty
inculcated values of determination, creativity, teamwork
and the importance of standing up for one's beliefs. Their
emphasis on one's abilities and repeated questioning of
'What's another way?' would reverberate for years. When I
thought I could think no more, I was encouraged to come up
with alternate solutions."
Willie Curtis, Delaware '77, '80M, '83PhD, of Bowie, Md.,
(first African American to obtain a Ph.D. in political science
from the University, also a bachelor's degree in social studies
education and a master's degree in political science), is
currently an associate professor at the U.S. Naval Academy in
Annapolis. Curtis has provided leadership for the development of
the U.S. Naval Academy model programs on the United Nations, the
North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), the League of Arab
States and the Organization of American States (OAS).
"My academic experience at the University of Delaware
provided me with a solid foundation for the teaching and
research that has characterized my career. The fact that
my professors were not only scholars but outstanding
teachers motivated me to seek excellence in both teaching
and research. My experience at the University of Delaware
was such an exciting and positive experience that I was
unaware until now that I was the first African American to
receive a Ph.D. in political science. I realize that what
I treasure most from my academic experience at the
University of Delaware are the lasting friendships
developed over the years."
Brian Deleu, Delaware '92, of New York City, (bachelor's
degree in apparel design and fashion merchandising), is currently
working as director of design for Regarde Inc., a junior
sportswear company in New York. His line is carried by 83 percent
of all department stores in the United States. He is responsible
for a multimillion dollar company and designs six lines a year
for the labels Arizona, Tangibles, Kathy Ireland and Bonjour.
Jacqueline Edington, Delaware '83, of Buckinghamshire,
United Kingdom, (bachelor's degree in athletics), is the senior
clinical nutrition adviser for the Ross Products Division of
Abbott Laboratories Ltd. She is a summa cum laude graduate of UD
and went on to receive her doctorate in human nutrition from the
University of Oxford, England. Currently, she is responsible for
designing and implementing nutritional clinical trials for
efficiency and safety of nutrition products. She continues to
support undergraduate students at UD through her educational
lectures in the London Semester-Abroad Program.
"As a mature student in the coordinated program in
dietetics, I received an education that was a quality
experience. The American Dietetic Association lays down
strict guidelines for the education of dietitians. The
faculty of the College of Human Resources was
uncompromising in demanding even higher standards of its
students. The result, for me, was a superb grounding in my
subject, which has given me untold advantages over others
in my field."
Martin L. Klopping, Delaware '76, of Wilmington, Del.,
(bachelor's degree in economics) also earned the professional
designation of Chartered Financial Analyst, conferred by the
Association for Investment Management and Research in 1983.
He is the president of Rodney Square Management Corp., an
investment adviser and mutual fund service company, which he
founded and developed into the first fully integrated, bank-
affiliated, mutual fund complex and service company.
"My education at the University of Delaware provided
me with a solid academic foundation upon which I have
built my career and also with an awareness of the
pleasures that derive from the pursuit of knowledge for
its own sake. I look back at the years I spent at the
University with fond memories. I recall, in particular,
the faculty of the Department of Economics who were
personable, accessible and genuinely interested in, and
committed to, the development of their students."
Robert L. Lipstein, Delaware '77, of Washington Crossing,
Pa., (bachelor's degree in accounting), is currently a partner
with KPMG Peat Marwick, a professional services firm. He served
as the lead engagement partner for Pennsylvania's State System of
Higher Education and played a critical role in the merger of
First Fidelity and First Union Corp.
"My experiences at the University of Delaware left me
with a strong foundation in the basic tenets of business
and accounting and gave me many other life-long building
blocks as well. Through the efforts of the University
faculty, I learned the need to emphasize practical
applications of complex business issues. They also helped
me realize that establishing relationships in the business
community is a key ingredient to success."
Jeanne McCauley, Delaware '76, of Baltimore, (summa cum
laude graduate bachelor's degree in nutrition). McCauley
completed her medical degree at the University of Maryland and a
fellowship in emergency medicine at the University of Maryland.
On leave as an assistant professor of medicine at Johns Hopkins
University School of Medicine, she is pursuing a research
fellowship in general internal medicine at Johns Hopkins. She was
awarded the David E. Rogers Junior Faculty Education Award by the
Society of General Internal Medicine for her work on a curriculum
entitled "Gynecology for the Practicing Internist."
"I will always be grateful to the University of
Delaware for the superb education that I received there.
As a graduate of the College of Human Resources, I had all
the advantages of a small college yet could still sample
the diverse offerings of a large university. I learned to
think, study and develop organizational skills that have
been critical to my development as a physician and
person."
Cynthia R. Ryan, Delaware '76, of Fairfax, Va., (bachelor's
degree in political science), continued her education at Widener
University School of Law. Currently, she is the associate chief
counsel for the U.S. Department of Justice Drug Enforcement
Administration (DEA), where she provides advice and training to
DEA management and field agents worldwide on issues related to
DEA foreign operations, intelligence sharing and activities with
U.S. intelligence agencies and the Department of Defense.
"I headed off to college determined to become a trial
lawyer. My liberal arts education at the University of
Delaware taught me invaluable legal skills-to analyze and
articulate. The trraditional campus setting inspired me to
study. I was thrilled to be able to pursue my passion for
sports both at the varsity and intramural levels."
Robert S. Slowik, Delaware '77, '85M, of Vernon Hills,
Ill., (bachelor's and master's degree in physical education),
began his career by coaching college football and was the
assistant coach for the 1991 Peach Bowl champions, East Carolina
University. By 1992, he was the defensive assistant coach for the
Super Bowl champion Dallas Cowboys. Currently, Slowik is
defensive coordinator for the Chicago Bears. In his first year as
a National Football League (NFL) defensive coordinator, his unit
finished fourth in fewest yards, while allowing just 230 points,
third best in the league.
"My academic and athletic experiences at the
University of Delaware have been important in developing
the work ethic and competitive drive necessary to succeed
in the world of college and professional sports. The
coaching profession has taken me to almost every area of
the country, and I am proud to say the University of
Delaware football program and coaches are highly respected
throughout the nation."
Gwen L. Stauffer, Delaware '93M, of Warrenton, Va.,
(bachelor's degree in public horticulture administration), is the
director of horticulture at Hillwood Museum and Gardens. She is
responsible for the restoration and historic interpretation of
the formal gardens and greenhouses and curation and maintenance
of the plant collections. She teaches at George Washington
University and lectures at regional and national horticulture
clubs and professional associations.
"My training in the Longwood Graduate Program in
public horticulture administration was an opportunity to
meet, study under and work with numerous professionals who
generously shared their knowledge and expertise, while
allowing me to flex my mind, expand my abilities and hone
my skills. To have gained these many professionals as my
peers has been the richest reward."
Shelley Sturman, Delaware '79M, of the District of
Columbia, (master's degree in art conservation from the UD-
Winterthur Museum Art Conservation Program) has been head of
object conservation since 1987 at the National Gallery of Art in
Washington, D.C. She has published important studies on the
sculptural techniques of Degas, Saint-Porchaire ceramics,
enamels, outdoor sculpture and Renaissance bronzes and has
lectured internationally about these subjects.
"Twenty years ago, I faced a very difficult decision
whether to enter a doctoral program in archaeology or to
begin a second master's degree in art conservation. I
chose to enter the University of Delaware-Winterthur
Museum program and have never regretted my decision. The
program offered the finest training available in the the
United States for a relatively unknown profession that
marries science with art. After graduation, my professsors
became my colleagues and friends. I still rely on them for
discussion of complicated conservation issues."
Joan G. Thomas, Delaware '88M, of Wilmington, Del.,
(master's degree in geriatric/gerontological nursing), is the
executive vice president of St. Francis Hospital in Wilmington.
Thomas has influenced health care throughout the state, was
instrumental in establishing the nurse midwife credentialing
process at St. Francis, which resulted in a nurse midwifery
practice there, and assisted in the development and
implementation of a Clinical Pathway System of Care Management
and a Patient Focused Care Delivery model. Both of
these systems promote more cost-effective, interdisciplinary
care.
Jane Claire Wright Vincent, Delaware '77, '95M, of
Wilmington, Del., (bachelor's degree in Spanish and master's
degree in public administration), is the director of the
Department of Real Estate and Housing for the city of Wilmington,
where she administers housing and community development programs
and oversees the efforts of three housing development
corporations. She has been recognized for changing the quality of
production in city building programs and for upgrading the
quality, size and livability of houses supported through city
efforts. She also has helped the city develop special
partnerships, including a home-building construction training
program for students that has been replicated around the country.
"Whether serving as faculty, friend or peer, the
University encouraged me to continue my formal education,
has been there as a cheerleader along the way and played a
part in my professional life. I have no doubt that this
relationship will continue."