The Distinguished Alumni Award at Emporia State recognizes accomplishments of exceptional graduates every fall during Homecoming. The tradition began in 1960 and Emporia State has since awarded 220 different alumni.

“The award is the highest honor granted to a graduate of the university,” said Tyler Curtis, executive director of Alumni Relations. “There is a selection committee consisting of alumni board members and current faculty,”

Four people with varying degrees in special education, physical education, law and communication careers are going to receive the award.

Linda Bluth, who graduated Emporia in 1966, went on to teach special education for 47 years. She is currently living in Ellicott City, Maryland, and is working part-time at the Office of Quality Assurance and Monitoring at the Maryland State Department of Education.

Anita Evans graduated with a major in physical education in 1980 and has since coached the high school softball and volleyball teams in Mayetta, while at the same time implementing the importance of Native American culture in contemporary society. In 1997, Evans was named the Kansas Native American Educator of the Year.

John Schramm II graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree and then went on to be a faculty member of Stanford’s Master of Business Administration program in San Francisco, California.

The last Distinguished Award goes to Paul Thornbrugh who graduated in 1968 with a Bachelor of Arts degree. During his time as ESU, Thornbrugh also worked for The Bulletin. He currently lives in Tulsa, Okla. and is a presiding judge for Oklahoma’s 14th Judicial District. Before that, Thornbrugh served in the U.S. Army and was awarded the Bronze Star Medal and Vietnamese Signal Corp Citation. The awards celebration for these alumni will take place at 5:30 p.m. tomorrow in the Memorial Union Webb Hall. A $30 per person reservation is required to attend.