Park University Alumni Association Announces Awardees of the 2022 Yearly Honors Ceremony
Park University Announces 2022 Wall of Honor Honorees and Annual Award Recipients
Park University has announced its 2022 Wall of Honor class and the recipients of its annual awards. The Wall of Honor honorees for this year include David Doerhoff, Danny Doerhoff, Kellie (Lemons) Donnell, and Danny Wallace.
David Doerhoff, Danny Doerhoff, and Kellie Donnell are distinguished alumni of Park University, each making significant contributions to the university's athletics programme. Danny Wallace, on the other hand, is not an alumnus but has been recognised for his dedication to Park University's athletics programme.
Meanwhile, the Park University Alumni Association has announced the recipients of its four annual awards. Verenice Castillo, a 2018 graduate of Park University with a Bachelor of Science degree in social psychology, will receive the Marlowe Sherwood Memorial Service Award. This award is given to an alumnus who has demonstrated outstanding service to the university and the community.
Castillo is also the founder and CEO of the Military Spouse Advocacy Network, a nonprofit organisation. She has been nationally recognised for her work, including being named the Armed Forces Insurance Air Force Spouse of the Year in 2013, receiving the Volunteer Excellence Award from the chief of staff of the Air Force in 2015, being honoured as the Heroes at Home Air Force Spouse of the Year in 2017, and being named as one of 30 Women Military Influencers by MilitaryHomeLife magazine in 2019.
Another notable recipient is Alayna Howard, who graduated from Park University in 2018 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English writing. Howard is the recipient of the 2022 Park Promising Young Professional Award and the Kansas City program manager at HALO Foundation, a nonprofit organisation that provides housing, healing, and education to homeless and at-risk youth.
Behzod Abduraimov, a world-renowned concert pianist, will receive the Distinguished Alumnus Award. Abduraimov, who won the first prize at the London International Piano Competition at age 18, serves as an artist-in-residence in the University's International Center for Music.
Finally, Betty Dusing, a retired associate librarian from Park University, will receive the Paul H. Gault Service Award. Dusing, who had a career spanning nearly 55 years (1965 to 2019) in various roles within Park's McAfee Memorial Library, is being recognised for her distinguished service to the university.
The ceremony for the Wall of Honor honorees will take place in Graham Tyler Memorial Chapel on the University's Parkville (Mo.) Campus. The ceremony for Betty Dusing will be held on Thursday, Sept. 29, starting at 1 p.m. at the Jenkin and Barbara David Theater inside Alumni Hall on the University's Parkville Campus. The ceremony for the annual award recipients will be held on September 30, 2022, during Park's Homecoming Weekend.
Claude English, who retired as Park University's director of athletics in August 2021, will receive the Torchlighter Award. English served as men's basketball head coach from 1992-2005 and as athletics director for 251⁄2 years.
These honourees and award recipients are a testament to the enduring impact of Park University on its alumni and the community. Their achievements and dedication serve as an inspiration to current students and future graduates.
- Despite not being an alumnus, Danny Wallace's dedication to Park University's athletics program aligns him with other honorees like David Doerhoff, Danny Doerhoff, and Kellie Donnell, who have made significant contributions to the university's lifestyle and sports.
- Alayna Howard, a recipient of the 2022 Park Promising Young Professional Award, exemplifies the integration of education and self-development into sports, as she uses her degree in English writing for her work at the HALO Foundation, a nonprofit organization providing resources to youth in sports and lifestyle.
