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2026 MBKU Distinguished Alumni Awards

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The MBKU Distinguished Alumni awards program honors and recognizes alumni whose professional prominence, healthcare service and contributions to their field make a difference in their community and beyond. 

  • Distinguished Alumni Award – This award recognizes MBKU alumni whose personal or professional achievements since graduating, bring honor and distinction to their college or school, and enhance MBKU’s reputation. It recognizes significant accomplishments, lifetime career achievements, and exceptional professional excellence.
  • Recent Graduate Alumni Award – This award recognizes MBKU alumni who earned their degree within the last 10 years and celebrates accomplishments in their professional career, community service, or professional leadership.
  • Professional Achievement Alumni Award – This award recognizes alumni who have achieved significant prominence in their chosen field, complemented by a history of outstanding contributions to their profession throughout their career.

 

2026 Nomination Form Coming Soon!

Please submit a letter of nomination (no more than 2 pages) which describes in detail why you believe the nominee is deserving of an MBKU Distinguished Alumni, Recent Graduate Alumni, or Professional Achievement Alumni Award. A nomination letter is required. 

In your letter, you may wish to: 

  • Describe how your nominee is making a positive impact on MBKU, their profession and/or the world around him or her.
  • Illustrate how your nominee exemplifies the University’s mission: “To educate caring, inspired health care professionals who are prepared to deliver collaborative, patient-centric health care in an interprofessional environment.”
  • Detail relevant accolades related to their professional achievements, community work, or other accomplishments noted.
  • Supplemental documents (CV, news stories, etc.) may be submitted. 

Please upload all nomination materials by April 1, 2026. 

Past Distinguished Alumni Recipients

Name Award Year
Renald J. Anelle, O.D., ’65 1995
J. Davis Armistead, O.D., ’48* 1990
Gary Asano, OD, '78 2021
Wynette Augustine, OD, ’84 2023
Paul Barney, OD, ’84  2025
Carmen Barnhardt, OD, MSEd, ’95 (Professional Achievement Alumni) 2024
Paul C. Barr, O.D., ’48* 1986
Elizabeth Bergman, PA-C, ’16 (Distinguished Young Alumni) 2019
Beverly Bianes, OD, ’91 2023
Carl Boeck, OD, ‘79 2019
Jacqueline “Jacquie” M. Bowen, OD, ’92 2024
Dat Bui, OD, '15 (Recent Graduate Achievement) 2024
Gene D. Calkins, O.D., J.D., ’68 2008
Tony Carnevali, O.D., ’75 2001
M. H. (Marty) Carroll, OD, ‘81 2015
M. H. (Marty) Carroll, OD, ’81 (Professional Achievement Alumni) 2025
Abie R. Chadderdon, O.D., ’81 2014
Hannah Cho, OD, '12 (Distinguished Young Alumni) 2021
Christi Closson, OD, ’97  (Professional Achievement Alumni) 2025
James L. Cox, O.D., ’67 2003
Wiley F. Curtis, O.D., ’82 2009
O. Doyle Dannenberg, O.D., ’48* 1985
Duane A. deCroupet, O.D., ’70 2002
Lynn Caffrey Gabriel, O.D., ’78 1993
Raveena Garcha, PharmD, ’20 (Recent Graduate Achievement) 2024
Jeffrey Garcia, OD, ’93   2025
Timothy Giles, OD, ’85  2025
Robert L. Gordon, O.D., ’71 1998
James R. Gregg, O.D., ’48* 1989
Timothy Harkins, PA-C, '18 (Distinguished Young Alumni) 2021
Arthur C. Heinsen, O.D., ’48* 1988
Homer H. Hendrickson, O.D., ’38* 1983
Catherine Heyman, OD, '93 (Professional Achievement Alumni) 2024
Wayne W. Hoeft, O.D., ’59 2004
Aaron Hunro, DMSc, MMS, PA-C, ’20 (Recent Graduate Achievement) 2024
May Isbell, OD, ’97  (Professional Achievement Alumni) 2025
L. Earl James, O.D., ’48* 1991
Louis H. Jaques Sr., O.D., ’11* 1979
Donald E. Jarnagin, O.D., ’70* 2007
Rodger T. Kame, O.D., ’62* 2000
Akio Kanai, O.D., ’72 1997
Richard H. Kendall, O.D., ’51* 1994
Devon Kennedy, OD, ’19 (Recent Graduate Alumni) 2025
Robert F. Kettenhofen, O.D., ’46* 1987
Lina Lin, OD, ’98  2025
Rachelle Lin, OD, ’13 (Professional Achievement Award) 2025
Brenda Lopez Blake, PA-C, ’22  (Recent Graduate Alumni) 2025  
Warren Harvard Low, O.D., ’52* 1996
Harold R. Lutes, O.D., ’38* 1984
Vivianna Martin, PharmD, ’21 (Recent Graduate Alumni) 2025
Dawn M. Miller, O.D., ’83 2012
Miriam Morkos, PharmD, '20 (Distinguished Young Alumni) 2021
Mark M. Morris, O.D., ’63* 2005
Mitchell T. Munson, O.D., ’86 2016
Hannah Nandor, PA-C, ’23  (Recent Graduate Alumni) 2025
John Nishimoto, OD, ’87 2023
Alyssa Pack, OD, '20 (Recent Graduate Achievement) 2024
Brian Park, OD, ’14 (Distinguished Young Alumni) 2019
Barton M. Pedersen, O.D., ’63 2013
Andrew Perry, PA-C, '20 (Recent Graduate Achievement) 2024
Cathy Van Pham, PharmD, '22 (Recent Graduate Achievement) 2024
Briana Riddlebarger, PA-C, ’19 2023
Leslie W. Scown, O.D., ’21* 1980
Michael Sellers, OD, '78 2021
Robert L. Severtson, O.D., ’51* 1992
April Shaw, PA-C, ‘20 (Recent Graduate Achievement) 2024
Bill Simons, O.D., ’82 2011
Mariah Smith, OD, ’12  2025
Philip B. Smith, O.D., ’68 2010
Donald Spaulding, OD, '79 2024
Emily Stephey, OD, FAAO, ’17 (Recent Graduate Achievement) 2024
Michael Sullivan-Mee, OD, '90 2024
Joshua Terry, OD, ’07 2018
Judy Tong, OD, FAAO, '91 2024
Melanie Vela, PharmD, ’22 2023
Lisa Wahl, OD, ’13 (Professional Achievement Alumni) 2025
David T. Wakabayashi, O.D., ’70 2006
Hershel B. Welton, O.D., ’64 1999
Stephanie Woo, OD, FAAO, '11 (Professional Achievement Alumni) 2024
Patrick Yoshinaga, OD, ’83 (Professional Achievement Alumni) 2025
Chen Young, OD, '95 (Professional Achievement Alumni) 2024

NOTE: No award was given in 1981 or 1982

*Deceased