Alumni Achievements

2006 Distinguished Leadership Award for Internationals

CLA alumnus Jostein Mykletun (M.A. 1972; international relations, Ph.D. 1975; political science) was one of six recipients of the 2006 Distinguished Leadership Award for Internationals. Dr. Mykletun is the deputy director general of the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which allows him to work at the crossroads of higher education, science, technology, innovation, commercialization, industry and business. One of his greatest achievements was the recent signing of the United States-Norway bilateral science and technology agreement, which will result in a stronger relationship between the United States and Norway.

Outstanding Achievement Award

Michele Norris, award-winning journalist and 1985 alumna of the School of Journalism and Mass Communication (SJMC), received the University's Outstanding Achievement Award April 17, 2006. Norris currently cohosts "All Things Considered" on National Public Radio and is a four-time Pulitzer Prize nominee.

Wallace Stenger Writing Fellowship

MFA alumna Suzanne Rivecca received a Wallace Stegner writing fellowship at Stanford. Fellowships are two years, with an annual stipend of $22,000. Rivecca was selected from a nationwide pool of over 1,300 applicants. This is the first time an MFA has received a Stegner Fellowship.

National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship

MFA alumnus Alex Lemon received a $20,000 National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship for his poetry. Lemon plans to continue work on his manuscript, “Hallelujah Blackout.” Lemon’s poetry has recently appeared or is forthcoming in Black Warrior Review, Agni, Cimarron Review, and Pleiades.

Fullbright Scholarship

Sociology graduate Jason Schaller received a Fulbright teaching assistantship to Korea for the 2005-06 academic year.

University of Minnesota's Honorary Doctor of Laws Degree

Bruce Dayton, (philanthropist, leader of the Dayton Co.) was awarded the honorary degree in recognition of his service to humanity. It was presented to Dayton at an award dinner April 13 at the U's McNamara Alumni Center. The honorary degree is the highest award conferred by the University. It is presented in recognition of distinctive achievement that has added materially to knowledge and the betterment of society.

2005 Distinguished Leadership Award for Internationals

Three winners of this award were College of Liberal Arts alumni: Waddah Nasr, Lebanon (College of Liberal Arts, 1975); Yuri Stulov, Belarus (IREX Fellow, CLA, 1977-78); and Jan Veldhuis, Netherlands (Fulbright Scholar, CLA, 1967-68). This award is conferred on alumni, former students and friends of any campus (current or former) of the University who have attained unusual distinction in their careers within institutions or in public service and have demonstrated either sustained outstanding achievement and leadership or demonstrated promise of such on a local, national, or international level.