2017 Alumni Awards

Ten alumni to be honored at Reunion 2017

February 13, 2017 — The Grinnell College Alumni Council selected ten alumni who will receive Alumni Awards at the College’s 2017 Reunion in June. The Alumni Award recognizes individuals who embody Grinnell College’s mission of lifetime learning and service. Recipients have distinguished themselves by their service to their careers, their community, and/or the College.

William Ingram ’53

William Ingram has excelled as a scholar, a teacher, and a volunteer. As a professor at the University of Michigan, he earned accolades for his teaching. He landed grants from prestigious organizations including the National Endowment for the Humanities. And he has been a longtime supporter of organizations that have meant the most to him, including the Salvation Army, the Ann Arbor Symphony Orchestra, and Grinnell. He served as a class volunteer for 13 years and a member of the Alumni council for six.

Judith Wise Bond ’58

If your love of music was sparked at a young age, you might have Judith Wise Bond to thank. Bond, an expert in music education for children, developed a widely used series of classroom textbooks and has presented on music education approaches worldwide. Her active leadership in top music organizations has profoundly shaped the field.

Jay Greener ’67

After scientists dreamed up medical products designed to make us healthier, Jay Greener helped bring them to the world. His work in sales and support at Dow Corning was consistently recognized as among the company’s best. Outside of work, he has been a committed volunteer for Grinnell, his church, and veterans’ organizations. With Grinnell alone, he has served more than a decade as a class fund director.

Margaret Megorden Bailly ’67

Call her a catalyst: Margaret Megorden Bailly brings the energy and enthusiasm to major projects that helps get them done. Thanks to her efforts as a fundraiser and leader, she helped revive and renovate the Fargo Theater and has breathed new life into local organizations including the Civic Opera Company and Women’s Fund.

William B. Strean ’86

It turns out that your health is a laughing matter. For years, University of Alberta professor William Strean has been documenting the connection between laughter, happiness, and health. A highly acclaimed speaker and a 3M National Teaching Fellow, Strean is helping the world see the value of lightening up.

Dawn Helsing Wolters ’87

Art and commerce don’t always go together, but Dawn Helsing Wolters has helped bring renewed financial health to theaters across the country. Her fundraising and leadership expertise have breathed new life into theater operations including Baltimore’s Center Stage, the University of Chicago’s Court Theatre, and the Milwaukee Repertory Theater.

Sarah Jolie ’87

Sarah Jolie is a successful small business owner in Chicago who’s had an outsize impact in her community through her volunteer work. She has done the frontline work to support people in vulnerable places in their lives as a longtime volunteer for Rape Victims Advocates and the Lincoln Park Community Shelter. She has also served in numerous volunteer roles for Grinnell — she has been a class agent for more than 20 years — and her community’s United Way.

Christopher A. Wilde ’88

An archivist like no other, Christopher Wilde has spent decades collecting more than 2,000 queer zines — self-published magazines focused on LGBTQ issues. Through the Queer Zine Archive Project, he collaborated in the creation of a free searchable database that documents LGBTQ history in a unique and compelling way.

Jeffrey J. Shook ’92

Young people who have been unfairly treated in the criminal justice system have a powerful ally in Jeffrey Shook. A faculty member at the University of Pennsylvania who has written books and articles about the issue, Shook’s interests have also led him to activism. He cofounded the Pennsylvania Coalition for the Fair Sentencing of Youth and has drafted Amicus Briefs for the Supreme Court linked to youth sentencing.

Graciela Guzman ’11

To successfully navigate the enrollment process of the Affordable Care Act, Chicagoans have relied on Graciela Guzman. Zeroing in on uniquely disadvantaged citizens including immigrants and Spanish speakers, Guzman has led teams that have helped more than 27,000 people sign up for health insurance. A nationally respected expert in the field, she has developed and shared the best practices for outreach and enrollment for the Affordable Care Act.

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To see these Alumni Award winners in person, and to learn more about them, register for Reunion today!