Dear Alumni and Friends of the Neag School of Education:

The Neag School of Education Alumni Society and the faculty of the Neag School of Education cordially invite you to attend our 14th Annual Awards Dinner on Saturday, March 31, 2012 at the South Campus Ballroom (Rome Ballroom) on the Storrs campus. Click here for directions or here for the UConn campus map.

This evening promises to be memorable as faculty and alumni gather to formally recognize the achievements of some of our outstanding graduates. It is our hope that you will be among those returning to the University for this event. Our award recipients are educators who have made significant contributions across all levels of education. We know that you will agree with our outstanding selection of alumni to honor:

The Outstanding Higher Education Professional is Dr. Marcia Gentry, Sixth Year Diploma in Special Education ’92, Ph.D. ’96, professor of educational studies and executive director of the Gifted Education Resource Institute at Purdue University in West Lafayette, IN.

The Outstanding School Administrator is Ms. Claudia Norman, Sixth Year Diploma in Educational Administration ’98, co-principal of Lewin G. Joel Elementary School in Clinton, CT.

The Outstanding School Educator is Mrs. Kimberly Ruiz, BS ’99, MA ’00, fourth grade teacher at Dorothy C. Goodwin Elementary School in Mansfield, CT.

The Outstanding Kinesiology Professional is Dr. Avron Abraham, MA ’82, Ph.D. ’90, director of the Center for Academic Success and University Studies and associate professor in the Department of Health and Exercise Science at the University of Delaware in Newark, DE.

The Outstanding Physical Therapy Professional is Ms. Mary Duffy Zupkus, PT ’73, president and clinical director of Physical Therapy Associates of Concord, in Concord MA.

The Outstanding Professional is Dr. Les Sternberg, ’68 BA, ’70 MA, ’73 Ph.D, special advisor to the provost of the University of South Carolina (USC), and previously served as dean of the College of Education at USC in Columbia, SC.

The Outstanding Young Professional is Dr. Anthony R. Artino, Jr., ’08 Ph.D., associate professor with the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences and commander in the Medical Service Corps of the US Navy, both in Bethesda, MD.

The Outstanding School Superintendent is Dr. Mary P. Conway,  Sixth Year Diploma in Educational Administration ’95, Ed.D. ’05, superintendent of schools in Vernon, CT.

The Outstanding Alumni of the Year is … (to be announced at the dinner)

Come and bring others with you to honor your colleagues and friends who are so influential in the field of education. The evening begins with a reception at 5:30 p.m., followed by dinner at 6:30 p.m. The entrees include a choice of teriyaki strip steak or stuffed sole. A vegetarian meal will also be available. Attire is semi-formal. No-host bar. The cost of the dinner is $45.00 per person for members of the UConn Alumni Association ($55 for non-members). To make reservations, go online to www.UConnAlumni.com/NeagAwards or call (888) 822-5861 by March 16, 2012. If you have questions, please contact Shawn Kornegay at (860-486-3675) or shawn.kornegay@uconn.edu.

We look forward to greeting you on March 31^st for our celebration.

Sincerely,

Thomas C. DeFranco

Dean, Neag School of Education