CELEBRATING EXCELLENCE

Mount Mary Alumni Awards are given annually to recognize those making a difference in the world by embodying the core values of: competence, community, compassion, and commitment.  

  • Madonna Medal – Professional Excellence
  • Madonna Medal – Community Service 
  • Madonna Medal – Service to the University 
  • Tower Award 

CELEBRATING EXCELLENCE

HONORING ALUMNI MAKING A DIFFERENCE

1960 First Madonna Medal
5 Award types
200+ alumni honored
March 1 Nomination deadline

NOMINATE AN ALUM

Nominations are accepted throughout the year. March 1 is deadline for the next cycle. 

NOMINATION FORM
Alumni awards celebration
MMU Students Posing for Picture Outside

2025 AWARDEES

Congratulations to this year’s award recipients! 

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The Madonna Medal 

The Madonna Medal is awarded to a graduate based on outstanding accomplishments in one of three areas: 

  • Professional Excellence 
  • Community Service 
  • Service to Mount Mary University 

This is the highest honor bestowed upon a graduate of Mount Mary University. The individual's unique achievements and embodiment of Mount Mary's founding principles is evident through their work, volunteerism and support of Mount Mary University. 

A Madonna Medal recipient may be given no more than one award in each category. 

The Tower Award 

The Tower Award recognizes the accomplishments of up to two (2) graduates within the first fifteen years of graduation. 

The award honors an alum whose personal and/or professional work demonstrates a commitment to Mount Mary's founding principles, and who stands out amongst their peers as a rising star. Nominees have demonstrated excellence in their work or volunteerism and show great potential for future growth. 

 

Nominations are scored using the criteria within the selected award category, based on the amount of evidence or documentation provided. The following chart outlines the criteria within each of the four award categories along with its corresponding weight.

2025 - Shakita LaGrant-McClain ’09, ‘11 

2024 - Tiffany Wynn '01 

2024 - Anne Marie Witchger Hansen '74 

2022 - Margaret "Peggy" Kelsey '86 

2021 - Mary Ellen Dallman '69 

2021 - Debra M. Dosemagen '98 

2020 - Perie J. Longo '62 

2019 - Shari Belsha Bernard '89 

2019 - Madeleine Krebs '66 

2018 - Janet Weiler Powell '60 

2016 - Gwenn Balling Rausch '72 

2015 - Julie Alexander '81 

2014 - Suzanne Hele Carlton '64 

2014 - Carol Zintek Cinclair '64 

2013 - Linda Steele Barrington '69 

2013 - Jana Janesko Champion '84 

2013 - Edna Lonergan '75, OSF 

2012 - Mary Sladky Gramins '62 

2012 - Marie Smith O'Brien '08 

2012 - Ann Bonness Angel '75 

2011 - Kathleen Daley Murphy '63 

2011 - Barbara (Barb) Tylenda Horack '74 

2010 - Marita (Mic) Makurat Pietrykowski '70 

2008 - Susan Burns Nelson '75, '93 

2007 - Debra Hintz '77 

2006 - Mary Dohr Uhrina '81 

2006 - Christine Rowe Wunderlin '91 

2005 - Robin Langkamp Henken '82 

2005 - Jo Anna Woo Allen '65 

2004 - Stella Barba '54 

2004 - Rosemary Reuille Irons '68 

2003 - Susie Utiger Nostrant Watson '75 

2002 - Virginia Cornyn '62 

2001 - Olga Valcourt-Schwartz '56 

2000 - M. Anne Maloney Heaney '80 

2000 - Betty Zintek Azpell '62 

1999 - Catherine Riedl Ellenbecker '73 

1999 - Catharine Malloy '79 

1998 - Lorraine Marquardt Kraus '43 

1997 - Mary Fulop Nowakowski '74 

1996 - Nancy Papineau Jacobson '68 

1996 - Germaine Neis Fischer '35 

1995 - Lois Scherer '45 

1994 - Felicia Dabbert Demass '59 

1994 - Christine Szczech Moser '74 

1993 - Mary Otterson '79 

1992 - Donna Ricco '81 

1991 - Jean Griesheimer '46 

1990 -Mary Staudenmaier '60 

1989 - Barbara Wheatley Gothard '59 

1988 - Margaret Finnegan Mirenda '47 

1987 - A. Helen Hutter '37 

1986 - Arlene Jung Finocchiaro '65 

1985 - Jane De Chantal McCarthy '35 

1984 - Natel Kypriotou Matschulat-Gouletas '67 

1984 - Diana Woo '63 

1983 - Mary Ann Konsin '58 

1982 - Anne Miotke '65 

1981 - Lois Lundell Grote '31 

1980 - Mary Hester Valentine '37, SSND 

1980 - M. Remy Revor '46, SSND 

1979 - Patricia McNamara '51 

1978 - Virginia Altenhofen Klecka '41 

1977 - Muriel Byrnes '47 

1976 - Mary Jane Hayes '60 

1975 - Rosemary Trettin '45 

1974 - Monica Moehring Diebold '41 

1973 - Ann Fritsch '48 

1972 - Ann Bunch Shubert '38 

1971 - Margaret Walter '37 

1970 - Marilyn Hennessy '54 

1969 - Colleen Garvey '48 

1968 - Vivian Kawatzky '51 

1967 - Margaret Derksen Zummo '50 

1966 - Sue Roth '44, SSND 

1965 - Magna Werra Schley '35 

1964 - Mary Baldwin '44, SSND 

1964 - Joan Berry Ledebur '52 

1964 - Gladys Vaudreuil Bramblett '31 

1963 - Margaret Lukaszewski '46 

1960 - Beverly Butler Olsen '54 

2025 – Judith Marchant ‘93 

2024 - Ellen Della Heitman '92 

2022 - Bonnie Penno '74 

2019 - Tanya Gross '91 

2018 - Roberta Hankes Olshansky '63 

2018 - Mary Greisch Monday '89 

2016 - Therese Durkin Connors '71 

2015 - Mary Stermer Park '70 

2014 - Safia Chaudhry Awan '85 

2013 - Winifred Gardner Ligda '63 

2011 - Carol Steiner Pluta '61 

2010 - Mary Moran Moze '68 

2009 - Barbara Heimsch '98 

2008 - Mary Rademacher Rose '63 

2007 - Julianne Suelzer Hipskind '57 

2006 - Linda Starr Kons '75 

2004 - Sandra Shiely '64 

2003 - Maripat Young Dalum '63 

2002 - Valeria Spinner-Banks '94 

2001 - Kathryn Murphy Burke '65 

2000 - Kathleen Bayer Schneider '68 

1999 - Margaret Martin Lindl '43 

1998 - Mary Catherine Neugent '38 

1997 - Susan Hopkins Stockton '90 

1995 - Mary Rose Gentile '35, SSND 

1994 - Susan Just '78 

1993 - Sophie Pluta Thom '43 

1992 - Sandi Cornelius '73 

1991 - Sharon (Sherry) Power '69 

1990 - Katherine Sheridan '67 

1989 - A Patricia Dempsey Miller '64 

1988 - Edith Bumbalo Garwood '60 

1987 - Irene Schimmels Blau '83 

1986 - Grace Maurer Hicken '76 

1985 - Gaetanina Balistreri '44 

1983 - Agatha (Anne) Doyle Meyer '53 

1982 - Patricia Sheridan Spoerl '51 

1981 - Evelyn Blaska Owens '31 

1980 - Jeanne Bitkers '65 

1979 - Jolie Siebold Zimmer '67 

1978 - Jeanne Hall Dorschel '47 

1977 - Lucy Beck '62 

1976 - Jean Lally Christman '44 

1975 - Dolores Sampon Peel '40 

1974 - Ruth Maiers Sullivan '48 

1973 - Louise Strupeck Burke '62 

1972 - Rose Beltemacchi '40 

1971 - Margaret Balik '25 

1970 - Marlene Bottino Richardson '58 

1969 - Mary Hanschmann Philipp '46 

1968 - Elizabeth Ford '54 

1967 - Stella Kleffman '41 

1966 - Frances Elkerton Burns '33 

1965 - Kathleen Joyce Ader '35 

1964 - Margaret Lamb McDonald '44 

1964 - Beatrice Menne Haggerty '35 

1963 - Marian McGillivray Fox '40 

1962 - Agnes Neugent Eberle '37 

1961 - Jane Sullivan Craig '34 

2025 – Pat Kempen ‘79 

2024 - Joan Penzenstadler '67, SSND 

2020 - Beth Kowall '74 

2019 - Mary Ellen Luxem '68 

2016 - Kathryn Maegli-Davis '71 

2016 - Karen Muth '87 

2014 - Mary Schwister Bock '64 

2009 - Isabel Maria Piana '69 , '93 

2009 - Barbara Haase '75 

2008 - Nancy McConnell Sullivan '63 

2008 - Mary Bauer Kallenbach '63 

2007 - Rita Hansen Plummer '48 

2005 - Kathleen Bloechl '80 

2002 - Susan Wille '91 

2001 - Janice Essmann Weinfurt '71 

2000 - Carol Schaech Mickowski '43 

1998 - Julia Miller '77 

1997 - Virginia Schuldenberg '57 

1996 - Georgeann Krzyzanowski '66, SSND 

1993 - Audrey Heine '41 

1992 - Irene Riley Brown '59 

1991 - Patricia Palmer Benway '63 

1990 - Mary Haberman '65 

1989 - Marilyn Schulteis Wagner '63 

1988 - Mary John Van Vonderen, SSND 

1987 - Marjorie Wilbur '71 

1986 - Laura Empey Nesemann '60 

1985 - Marlene Morouse Aune '65 

1984 - Elizabeth Rohr McGinn '43 

1983 - Joan Stephenson '53 

1983 - Jane Daleiden Grubnich '67 

1982 - Barbara Dohr Muth '62 

1981 - Dolores Wall Austin '54 

1980 - Carolyn Meitz Megal '61 

1979 - Kaye Rusco Martin '64 

1978 - Carla La Valle Olle '64 

1977 - Mary Verfurth '59 

1976 - Margaret Schumy Johnston '60 

1975 - Sue Moser Holke '64 

1974 - Rosemary Molzahn Fischer '50 

1973 - Anne Salamun Huff '42 

1972 - Mary Chrys Diebels '26, SSND 

1971 - Margaret McNamara Egan '58 

1970 - Jane Conarchy O'Brien '40 

1969 - Ruth Brilty McKenzie '58 

1968 - Jeanne McCormick Taggett '45 

1967 - Harriet Kroner Werra '25 

1966 - Ruth Loeffler '33 

1965 - Ada Kelly Dehnert '33 

1964 - Doris Braun '38 

1963 - Mary John Schuh '33, SSND 

1962 - M. Canisia Cahalan, SSND 

1961 - Beatrice Nier Linzmeyer '32 

1960 - Phyllis Makowski Scharner '51 

2016 - Eileen Schwalbach 

2015 - Patricia Obremski '63, SSND 

2005 - Patricia Drogos O'Donoghue 

1993 - Aloyse Hessburg '53, SSND 

1991 - Mary Isaac Jogues Rousseau '47, SSND 

1990 - Mary Maynard Rhodes '49, SSND 

1989 - Colleen Jacobson '49 

1987 - Ellen Lorenz '58, SSND 

1979 - Mary Nora Barber '52, SSND 

1978 - Maris Stella Shea '58, SSND 

1976 - Rev. Msgr. Sylvester Peters 

1971 - Jaqueline Buckley '51, SSND 

 

2024 - Natasha Smet '11 

2022 - Emma Daisy Gertel '08 

2021 - Michelle Kozeniecki '12 

2020 - Lakiesha Q. Russell '10, '13 

2019 - Carla Hendricks Shaw '08, '18 

2018 - Cynthia Delgado Galvan '09 

2016 - Kate DeCleene Huber '01 , '03 

2015 - Jennifer Treptow Montalvo '08 

2014 - Nadine McDowell '04 

2013 - Jacqueline Lichter '05 

2012 - Tina Raasch Prost '99 

2012 - Maria Kirschling Guilbert '02 

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