What is the Meritorious Achievement Award?

The Pittsburg State University Alumni Association established the Meritorious Achievement Award in 1958 and is the highest award based on career achievement presented by the Alumni Association. Candidates must have demonstrated substantial professional growth and advancement over an extended period of time. The candidate's activities, including participation and leadership in civic and professional organizations at the local, state, and national levels, will also be considered by the Awards Selection Committee in selecting the recipients.

Candidates must have earned at least 30 credit hours in residency at Pittsburg State University at least twenty-five years prior to their nomination. Because of exceptional accomplishments by an alumnus, the Awards Committee may deem it appropriate to present this award to an individual before the minimum age or time elapsed from school has been reached. All recipients will return to campus in April or a time designated by the Awards Selection Committee to receive the award.

2025 Recipients: Glenn Coltharp, PhD (BSEd '81, MS '83, EDS '85) and Dr. Frank Villamaria (BS '77) 

Completed applications received at the Wilkinson Alumni Center before December 1st will be considered for the April presentation of the award.

An alumnus who holds any elected State of Kansas office is not eligible as long as he or she holds the office.

 

Meritorious Achievement Award Nomination Form (Online)

Meritorious Achievement Award Nomination Form (Printable)

Meritorious Achievement Award Recipients

A
Allegrucci, Donald L.; BA ’59  (December 2003)
Allen, Gary M.; BSBA ’64 (May 1999)
Allen, Merle W.; BFA ’68 (December 2004)
Anderson, Chester R.; BS ’34 (1978)
Angwin, Hugh Gordon; AB ’29 (1970)
Angwin, Maynard Ward; BS ’33 (1970)
Armstrong, Oliver Wendell; BS ’42 (1968)

B
Babcock, Dale F.; BS ’24 (1972)
Bagby, Robert L.; BSBA ’66 (May 2002)
Baker, Paula F.; BSED '80, MS '99 (May 2010)
Bailey, Robert L.; BS ’55 (December 2007)
Bailey, Scott; BSEd ’88, MSEd ’90 (2022)
Beahm, Thomas M.; BS ’70 (May 2001)
Beal, Thomas E.; BSED ’52 (1989)
Bean, Kenneth E. (Ken); BSED ’50 (December 2005)
Beeler, Joe N.; BS ’57 (1969)
Begando, Joseph S.; BS ’42 (1959)
Benson, David L.; BSED ’72, MS ’75 (Dec. 1997)
Bergant, Paul R.; BSE ’68 (December 2002)
Bicknell, O. Gene; BS ’53 (1984)
Bicknell, Martin C.; BA '91 (2017)
Billiard, William "Jody"; BBA '88 (2014)
Billingsly, Leon; BS ’50, MS ’54 (1979)
Bird, Hubert C.; BME ’62, MS ’66 (1990)
Bolton, Merle R.; BS ’40, MS ’47 (1963)
Bonawitz, Daniel; BSIT ’69 (May 1999)
Bowman, Joan Petty; BSED ’62 (May 2006)
Bradley, Fay; BA '60 (December 2009)
Bridge, Connie Ann; BSED ’64, MS ’67 (1992)
Brown, Kirby; BST '75, MS '77 (2015)
Burnett, Ella M. Glenn; BSED ’68, MS ’69 (May 2005)

C
Carmichael, Marie (Joseph); BA ’71 (May 1998)
Carney, Helen (Kelso); AB ’36 (1967)
Carpenter, David R.; BS '76 (May 2008)
Carroll, Jane M.; BS ’20 (1960)
Carter, Edward C.; BSBA ’63 (December 2001)
Caruthers, Carol (Roper); BS ’67 (1995)
Cattelino, Ronald E.; BSBA ’70 (Dec. 1998)
Cave, Craig; BS '64, MS '67 (May 2009)
Chitty, Richard L.; BS ’67 (1990)
Christian, Shirley; BA ’60 (1984)
Clark, John; BSBA ’65 (1988)
Clark, Terry; MS '86 (2018)
Colliver, Richard E.; BSBA ’63 (1993)
Coltharp, Glenn P.; BSEd '81, MS '83, EDS '85 (2025) posthumously
Conard, Norman D.; MA ’92 (May 1998)
Cooper, Donald L.; BS, ’49 (1981)
Coughenour, John C.; BSBA ’63 (1994)
Cox, Robert L.; BSED ’55, MS ’61 (December 2004)
Crawley, S. Lee; BS ’66 (1992)
Crossland, Ivan Jr.; BST '84 (2018)
Cunningham, David N.; BS ’48 (1973)

D
Danenhauer, Eldon V.; BS ’61, MA ’63 (1987)
Daniels, Gary J.; BA ’65, MS ’67 (May 1997)
Davidson, Richard D.; BSBA ’70 (December 2000)
Dawson, Eugene E.; BS ’40 (1977)
DeMoss, C. David; BST '70, MSEd '71, SSLS '81 (2019)
Dean, Harvey R.; MS ’70, EdS ‘71 (1995)
Dean, Noward E.C.; MS ’66, EdS ’71 (December 2002)
Dennis, Dale M.; BSED ’59, MS ’66, EdS ’83 (1991)
Denny, Linda June (Snyder); BSED ’70, BSED ’74 (May 2002)
Doolittle, Gary C.; BS '80 (2024)
Dormois, John C.; BA '65 (April 2012)
Drake, Billie Jo Franklin; BS '81, MS '85 (May 2008)
Duncan, John E.; BSET '98 (2023)

E
England, James W.; AB ’60 (1990)
Esch, Peter A.; BS ’51 (December 2003)
Eubank, Lowell D.; AB ’36 (1965)

F
Finch, Curtis R.; BS ’62, MS ’62 (1994)
Finch, Karen (Spicer); BA ’63 (December 2001)
Franchione, Dennis; BS ’73 (May 1999)
Frank, Eugene M.; BS ’30 (1982)
Freeman, William A.; BSBA ’65 (1992)
Friley, Paul B.; AB ’37, MS ’39 (1971)

G
Gadberry, G. Robert; BS ’40 (1978)
Gaddy, Bob L.; BSBA ‘63 (May 2007)
Gaitan Jr., Honorable Fernando J.; BS '70 (May 2009)
Gallagher, Peter A.; BSED '86 (2014)
Geisler, Donna J.; BSED ’73, MS ’74 (May 2004)
Geren, Collis R.; MS ‘72 (May 2007)
Gilbaugh, John W.; BS ’47, MS ’48 (1962)
Gilford, Jo Ann; BSEd ’55 (2024)
Gilmore, Dora Lois; BS ’26 (1964)
Girotto, Ronald G.; BSBA ’64 (1991)
Glenn, James W.; BS ’70, MSIT ’71 (May 1997)
Gonzales, Richard L.; BST ’74, MS ’89 (1991)
Goodson, William D.; BS '69 (December 2009)
Goodwin, James David; BS ’61 (1995)
Goss, Chester C.; BA ’47 (1983)
Graham, Thurston M.; AB ’42, MS ’52 (1969)
Grant, Gary; BS '71, MS '73 (2013)
Green, Charles C.; BS ’47, MS ’51 (1968)
Green, Robert E.; AB ’50, MS ’52 (1965)
Greenleaf, J. Ellen; BS ’32 (1962)
Grigsby, E.K. "Edd"; BS ’61, MS ’62 (1986)
Groneman, Chris H.; BS ’31, MS ’35 (1963)

H
Hardwick, Arthur L.; BSED ’58, MS ’60, EdS ’61 (1971)
Harlin, James L.; BSED '70, MS '71 (May 2010)
Harris, Joe; BBA '95, MBA '96 (2022)
Hart, Kenneth Col.; BS '85 (2019)
Harvey, Barron H.; Former student (April 2012)
Harvey, Edith; BSED '72 (2015)
Heady, Raymond A.; BS ’30, MS ’38 (1966)
Hedges, Richard D.; MS ’67, EdS. ’83 (May 2003)
Heine, Gary; BS '82 (December 2008)
Hilger, Joseph E.; BSIT ’72 (1996)
Hinthorn, Daniel R.; BA ’63 (May 2005)
Hittner, Mark S.; BS '79 (May 2009)
Hollenbeck, E.W. "Bill"; BSED ’56 (May 2002)
Hollins, Etta Ruth (Stevenson); BSED ’64 (December 1999)
Hood, Brigadier General Jay W.; BA ’75 (December 2002)
Hornbuckle, Robert N.; AB ’40 (1968)
Houser, Janet; BSN '76, EdS '93 (September 2021)

I
Irvin, Gene Edwin; BS ’60 (1987)
Ittipong, Sutipong; BA '72, MS '74 (December 2008)

J
Jensen, Roy A.; BS ’80 (December 2007)
Johnson, Robert J.; BSED ’55, MS ’57 (May 2002)

K
Kaiser, Inez Y.; BSED '41 (May 2010)
Kelce, Gladys A.; LC ’16 (1975)
King, Kermit C.; BSED ’37, MS ’38 (December 2003)
Knight, Raymond W.; BS ’27 (1964)
Kramer, Larry; BS 62, MS ’66 (1988)
Kriegsman, Helen F.; BSED ’44, MS ’47 (1991)
Kruger, Lonnie D.; MS ’77 (May 2004)
Kunstel, Kenny J.; BA ’65, MS ‘67 (May 2007)

L
LaForte, Robert; BS ’59, MS ’59 (December 2001)
Lambert, Jack L.; BS ’47, MS ’47 (1987)
Lampe, Major General George P.; BA ’65 (May 2000)
Lampe, John T.; BSBA ’69 (May 2003)
Lance, Sr., John F.; BS ’18 (1980)
Lane, Cynthia R.; BSED '82, MS '87 (2014)
Langford, John J.; BS ’58 (May 1998)
Lanier, H. Franklin; BS ’40, MS ’41 (1958)
Laurie, Philip; BSED '70, MS '71 (2015)
Lawellin, Duane D.; BSBA ’53 (1991)
Lay, Terry L.; BA ’69 (May 1997)
Levra, John L.; BSED ’59, MS ’63 (December 2004)
Lewis, Harold E.; BSED ’56, MS ’65 (1991)
Ligon, Elmer R.; BS ’32, MS ’38 (1961)
Linaweaver, Catherine L.; BSED '81 (2013)
Livingston, Felix R.; BA ’68 (1996)
Long, Charles Alan; BS ’57, MS ’58 (1986)
Longstaff, Ronald Earl; BSBA ’62 (May 2006)
Lowe, Roger D.; BSBA ’60 (1986)
Lundquest, Max E.; BSED ’53, MS ’64 (1994)

M
Mathis, Larry L.; BA ’65 (1984)
Mattivi, Scott; BS '85 (2023)
May, Floyd; BSEd '70, MS '71 (September 2021)
McCurley, F. Cedric; BS ’59 (1986)
McDowell, Jo Ann C.; BGS ’76, MS ’81, EdS ’82 (May 2005)
McFarland, Kenneth W.; BS ’27 (1979)
McGlothlin, Donald E.; BME ’63, MS ’68 (1996)
McKechnie, Ed; BA '86 (2016)
Meese, Jr., George C.; BSED ’53 (1989)
Mein, Calvin E.; BS '69 (December 2010)
Mildfelt, Daniel L.; BSBA '79 (December 2010)
Miller, Ralph D.; AB ’39 (1967)
Monroe, Lynn C.; BS ’28 (1966)
Morland, Marie (Neely); FS ’34 (1961)
Murphy, Maureen; BA '73 (2016)
Myers, Robert W.; BS ’35 (1962)

N
Nair, Ralph K.; BS ’35, MS ’39 (1967)
Nance, Kenneth; BA '90, MA '91 (2016)
Neighbors, William E. III; BSBA '78 (April 2011)

O
Osborne, David; MS '83 (2013)
Overman, Jack Hudson; BS ’40, MS ’54 (1986)
Owsley, Perry L.; FS ’36 (1974)

P
Pate, Robert L.; BS ’27 (1972)
Pierce, David E.; BA ’74 (December 2006)
Pitzer, George E.; BS ’58 (1987)
Polfer, Mary M. (Benelli); BSBA ’66 (1993)
Press, James E.; BS ’68 (1995)
Proctor, Alvin H.; BS ’35, MS ’36 (1982)
Puckett, Charles; BSBA ’65 (May 1999)

R
Randolph, Vance; AB ’14 (1958)
Richardson, Garland C.; BSED ’31 (1985)
Robbinson, Michael; BS ’78, MS ’83 (2022)
Roderique, John; BSED '90, MS '94 (2018)
Roderique, Ronald J.; BS ’53 (1993)
Rondelli, Barbara; BM ’60, MM ’78 (May 2000)
Rosenthal, Laurel (Brouse); MS '86, EdS '89 (2018)
Rua, August; BS ’49, MS ’55 (1987)
Russell, Harold L.; BSBA ’55 (1992)
Rutherford, Jerry R.; BA ’62 (1989)
Rutherford, Joann K.; BSED ’71 (1990)

S
Sallee, David L.; MS ’76 (December 2007)
Scepansky, Joe T.; BS ’39 (1969)
Schiefelbusch, Richard L.; BSED ’40 (1985)
Schnaer, Miles; BS '70 (2015)
Schoene, Norberta (Wachter); BA ’65 (May 2003)
Scott, Brilla (Highfill); MSED ’71 (May 2001)
Scott, H. Lee; BSBA ’71 (1994)
Scott, Robert M.; BME ’60, MS ’61 (December 1999)
Shade, Barbara (Robinson); BSED ’55 (1993)
Shepeard, Walter L.; AB ’31 (1960)
Sheppard, Lemuel A.; BM '82, MM '83 (2017)
Silvers, Vernon R.; BS ’63 (Dec. 1997)
Skeen, Clyde E.; BS ’40 (1959)
Skubitz, Joseph; BS ’29, MS ’34 (1961)
Snadon, Gary W.; BSED ’62 (May 2001)
Souder, Wallace W.; BS '60 (December 2009)
Spigarelli, James L.; BA ’64, MS ’65 (1993)
Starks, Ralph; BS ’52, MS ’53 (1977)
Steele, Samuel M. “Mac”; BS ’61, MS ’62 (December 2006)
Stilwell, Connie K. (Scavezze); BSED ’70 (December 2005)
Stilwell, Ricahrd W. “Rick”; BSBA ’70 (December 2006)
Strukel, Jr., Jack; BS ’56, MS ’56, EdS ’72 (December 1997)
Sutherland, Guy E.; BS ’57 (1988)
Swisher, Rozella (Caldwell); BSED ’34, MS ‘48 (1976)

T
Tharrington, Robert W.; BS ’40 (1963)
Thiessen, Duane D.; BS '74 (Dec. 2008)
Thomas, Alvin I.; BS ’48, MS ’49 (1964)
Thomas, Garth Johnson; AB ’38 (1976)
Thompson, Lawrence D. (Dan); BS ’64 (May 2001)
Tredway, Gary E.; BSED '70, MS '72 (April 2011)
Tyler, Robert D.; BS '75 (April 2011)

V
Vernberg, Winona (Bortz); BS ’44 (1981)
Vietti, Jacqueline A.; MS '82 (May 2008)
Villamaria, Frank J.; BS '77 (2025)

W
Waggoner, Cecilia G.; BS ’39, MS ’60 (1989)
Wallace, Chief Glenna J.; BA '67, MA '68, EdS '77 (2012)
Waterman, Charles F.; BA ’33 (1985)
Watson, Carole (McAlpine); BS '62 (2024)
Watts, Ronald L.; BA ’56 (1983)
Watts, Ted R. BFA, ’66 (1988)
Weast, Jerry D.; BSED ’69, MS ’72, EdS ’74 (1994)
Webb, Charles Richard “Dick”; BSBA ’62 (2006)
Weede, Richard G.; FS ’29 (1965)
White, Tommy R.; BSBA ’64 (1997)
Whiteman, Jr., Albert Lee; BS ’43 (1972)
Wieringa, Jeff A. Vice Admiral; BS '75 (2019)
Willsie, Sandra K.; BSMT ’75 (2005)
Wimmer, Ron; BA ’65, MS ’69 (1998)
Woolfolk, Donald D.; BSBA ’71 (2004)

Z
Zugmier, George A.; BSBA ’64 (1992)